Correction of precipitation records through inverse modeling in watersheds of South-Central Chile

Abstract

Precipitation is the main input in the water balance of watersheds; therefore, correct estimates are necessary for water resources management and decision making. In south-central Chile there is a low density of precipitation gauges (~1 station/675 km2), most of which are located in low-altitude areas. The spatial distribution of precipitation is, therefore, not properly recorded. In this study an inverse modeling approach is used to estimate the extent to which precipitation amounts must be corrected. Using a lumped water balance model, a factor for correcting precipitation data is calculated for 41 watersheds located in south-central Chile. Then, based on a geo-statistical interpolation, a map for correcting the precipitation amounts is proposed and a validation of these corrections is achieved. The results show that in gently sloping areas, the precipitation records are more representative than in steep mountain areas. In addition, the higher the mountains, the less representative the precipitation records become.