Basic information of WSFS

WSFS (Watershed Simulation and Forecasting System) is widely used in Finland for real time hydrological simulation and forecasting. WSFS development has started from a rainfall-runoff model with the same basic structure as the HBV-model widely used in Scandinavia. WSFS covers the land area of Finland including cross-boundary watersheds, 390 000 km². The distribution of the model is based on the third level watershed division with 60 - 100 km² sub-basins. In research version 1x1 km²   grid is used. Main meteorological inputs are precipitation and temperature. Simulated variables are areal precipitation, evapotranspiration, lake evaporation, snow, soil moisture, surface, sub-surface and ground water flow and storage, runoff, discharges and water levels of rivers and lakes. An elevation model is included to simulate effects of elevation and slope gradient on areal precipitation, temperature, snow accumulation and melt. Land-use, vegetation and soil type data are used to simulate snow and to develop simulation of soil moisture, soil frost and evapotranspiration.

Hydrological cycle