A maximum entropy view of probability-distributed catchment models

The distribution of water within a catchment is treated as a problem of statistical inference and resolved using an entropy maximization technique. A simple runoff generating mechanism is employed, which, together with the catchment mass balance equation, yields a catchment model involving just one dynamic parameter, y, and two constants, k and ?. The parameter y determines the temporal variation of catchment storage V and runoff q. The latter is nonlinearly related to V through q=k(1-?yV), where y provides the nonlinear departure from the simple linear reservoir q=kV. -Author