Assessment of the usability of satellite rainfall data for streamflow simulation using the HYPE hydrological model: Application to the Se San river basin

Abstract

Evaluating the quality of satellite rainfall data for streamflow forecasting in reservoir inflow simulation is crucial for improving forecast accuracy, especially in data-scarce regions. This study tested the use of the HYPE hydrological model to calculate the streamflow at Dak Mot Hydrological Station in the Se San river basin using various satellite rainfall sources such as GPM, ERA5, GSMaP, MSWEP, HydroGFD, and V-forced. Compared with observed data from Dak Mot station, the results show that the V-forced satellite rainfall data provided the best streamflow simulation results, with performance metrics of CC = 0.83, KGE = 0.82, and NSE = 0.65. Based on these findings, the study suggests using the HYPE model and V-forced satellite rainfall data for streamflow forecasting in the Se San river basin, especially for catchments with limited or no ground-based observational data.