Revisiting the application of variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model in the Colorado River Basin using SMAP and GRACE.

Zhaocheng Wang, Swastik Ghimire, Kristen M Whitney, Giuseppe Mascaro, Mu Xiao, Haowen Yue, Enrique R Vivoni

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Zhaocheng WangSchool of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, WCPH, Room 418, 777 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85287-8704, USA.

Swastik GhimireSchool of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, WCPH, Room 418, 777 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85287-8704, USA.

Kristen M WhitneyNASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA.

Giuseppe MascaroSchool of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, WCPH, Room 418, 777 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85287-8704, USA.

Mu XiaoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Haowen YueSchool of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, WCPH, Room 418, 777 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85287-8704, USA.

Enrique R VivoniSchool of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, WCPH, Room 418, 777 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85287-8704, USA. vivoni@asu.edu.

Funding

NASA 80NSSC22K0925

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Colorado River Basin (CRB) is a crucial water supply source experiencing prolonged drought conditions. Hydrologic models of the CRB have historically relied on streamflow calibration alone, limiting confidence in their representation of spatially distributed hydrologic processes. Here, we implemented a calibration and multi-source evaluation framework for the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model using observations from ground snow stations, streamflow records, and NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) missions. After model calibration with snow and streamflow records, VIC achieved an excellent streamflow performance at key sub-basin outlets in the CRB (e.g., Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.96 in the Upper Basin). Independent evaluations with SMAP further revealed a strong model performance in reproducing surface (R

Indexed as

Land surface modelingSatellite remote sensingSnowSoil moistureSpatial patternsTerrestrial water storage anomalies

Identifiers

PMID41933153

DOI10.1038/s41598-026-47430-9

PMCPMC13195174

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.