Improving estimation of precipitation and prediction of river flows in the Jonkershoek mountain catchment

Abstract

Rainfall is the main input into the land phase of the hydrological cycle which greatly determines the available water resources. Accurate precipitation information is critical for mountain catchments as they are the main suppliers of usable water to the human population. Rainfall received in mountain catchments usually varies with altitude due to the orographic influence on the formation of rainfall. The Langrivier mountain catchment, a sub-catchment of the Jonkershoek research catchment, was found to have a network of rain gauges that does not accurately represent the catchment rainfall. As a result, this study aimed to improve the estimation of catchment precipitation and evaluate how improving estimation catchment precipitation affects the prediction of streamflows.