Hydrograph Analysis for Model Evaluation | Visual Inspection Explained
Statistical metrics like NSE, R2, and RMSE are widely used to evaluate hydrological models—but they don’t tell the full story. In this video, we explore the importance of visual inspection of observed vs simulated hydrographs as the essential first step in rainfall–runoff model evaluation.
You’ll learn:
• Why performance metrics can sometimes be misleading
• How to visually assess model performance using hydrographs
• Key features to examine, including:
o Peak flow magnitude, timing, and shape
o Baseflow and recession behaviour
o Total volume and water balance
o Temporal patterns and event consistency
• Practical examples of diagnosing model issues through visual inspection
• Complementary tools such as scatter plots, residual plots, and flow duration curves
This approach helps you move beyond single metrics and develop physically meaningful and robust hydrological models.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Hook: Why You Shouldn’t Trust Metrics Alone
00:20 – Limitations of Statistical Metrics (NSE, KGE, RMSE)
00:47 – Visual-First Model Evaluation Workflow
01:13 – Key Hydrograph Features to Inspect
02:22 – Numerical Examples (Model Diagnosis)
03:34 – Complementary Visual Tools (Scatter, Residuals, FDC)
03:49 – Key Takeaways & Best Practices for Model Evaluation
🔑 Keywords
#hydrologytutorial #hydrologicalmodelling #hydrographanalysis #modelcalibration #modelvalidation #modelperformance #rainfallrunoffmodel #visualinspection #floodmodelling #baseflowrecession #civilengineering #hydrology