Snowmelt modeling of upper Missouri river watersheds with SSAR

Accurate predictions of snowmelt runoff from high elevation watersheds are needed to properly regulate six multipurpose reservoirs on the main stem of the Missouri River. In order to improve snowmelt-runoff forecasts and thus reservoir operations, the SSARR model was calibrated and tested using the snow-band option on the Madison and Gallatin River Basins. The temperature-index method was used to compute melt. The model was calibrated on 8 years of daily streamflow data, selected randomly from a 14 year record. The remaining 6 years were used for verification. Computed and observed volumes, peak, and timing of peak charges were compared statistically. This study demonstrated that the prediction of streamflow volune forecasts can be improved with the use of the SSARR model.