National Weather Service River Forecast System Forecast Procedures PDF Download

The system (NWSRFS) of conceptual hydrologic models and other procedures, used in the operational river forecasting program of the United States National Weather Service, is briefly described. Complete information on the system as it existed in 1972 was published. However, since then the operational system has been expanded and revised frequently. Information on new procedures will be published in the technical literature. A major revision has been made in the soil moisture accounting for the catchment model. The components for soil moisture accounting of the Sacramento Model have replaced those of the modified Stanford Model as used in the original system. The conceptual features and characteristics of the Sacramento Model are discussed. The demonstration in the workshop of this symposium will be limited to the catchment model.