| Abstract: | In this paper the validity of CADISSE, a regional storage capacity model developed to assess the sensitivity of catchment hydrology to climate variability, is examined. In CADISSE, catchment discharge sensitivity is expressed as the ratio of present maximum reservoir storage to catchment storage capacity. Present maximum storage should be interpreted as the maximum amount of water stored in a catchment at present. Catchment storage capacity is defined as the absolute amount of water that can be stored, given the catchment's dimensions and lithological characteristics. With CADISSE, catchment sensitivity can be quantified regionally using limited discharge data and topographic information. Furthermore, storage capacities can be assessed. CADISSE was successfully applied to 15 catchments in the Upper Loire Basin. However, successful application does not necessarily mean that the variables (present maximum storage and storage capacity) represent real world values. Therefore, a two‐step evaluation procedure is presented in this paper. To evaluate CADISSE, (1) the accurate assessment of regionally determined storage capacity, and (2) the importance of present maximum storage for catchment discharge sensitivity is examined with a daily discharge model by comparing observed and simulated catchment storage behaviour for dry and wet periods. The evaluation was carried out using the probability distributed daily discharge model, PDM, and a weather generator for three catchments with different storage capacities and storage behaviour. Results indicate that catchment storage capacity can be correctly quantified with CADISSE and that differences in storage behaviour are indeed important for analyses of catchment sensitivity. Hence, CADISSE has great potential as it can be used to identify flood‐ and drought‐prone catchments under present and future conditions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
