Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser.
B1 (Hydraulic Engineering), Vol. 69, No. 4, I_37-I_42, 2013.

RIVER DISCHARGE PROJECTION IN
INDOCHINA PENINSULA UNDER A CHANGING
CLIMATE USING THE MRI-AGCM3.2S DATASETDuc Toan DUONG1, Yasuto TACHIKAWA2, Michiharu SHIIBA3,
Kazuaki YOROZU4
1Student Member of JSCE, Dept. of Civil and Earth Resources Eng., Kyoto University (Kyoto 615-8540, Japan)
2Member of JSCE, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Civil and Earth Resources Eng., Kyoto University (Kyoto 615-8540, Japan)
3Member of JSCE, Prof., Dept. of Civil and Earth Resources Eng., Kyoto University (Kyoto 615-8540, Japan)
4Member of JSCE, Assist. Prof., Dept. of Civil and Earth Resources Eng., Kyoto University (Kyoto 615-8540, Japan)

River discharge in Indochina Peninsula region was projected using a distributed flow routing model(1K-FRM) with kinematic wave flow approximation for three climate experiments: the present climate(1979-2008), the near future climate (2015 - 2044), and the future climate (2075-2104). Topographic data
used for the flow routing model is 5-minute spatial resolution data which was processed from scale-free
global stream-flow network dataset. The flow routing model 1K-FRM was fed with general circulation
model (GCM) generated runoff data for three climate experiments. The GCM dataset used was the latest
20km spatial resolution general circulation model (MRI-AGCM3.2S), which was developed byMeteorological Research Institute, Japan Meteorology Agency. The changes of flow in Indochina
Peninsula region under climate change were analyzed by comparing simulated river discharge for thepresent climate, the near future climate, and the future climate experiment. Analysis results show clearlychanges of annual mean discharge, mean of annual maximum discharge and mean of annual minimum
discharge with the degree of changes different according to location. The changes, which were detected in
the near future climate conditions, become clearer in the future climate conditions. In some locations, theincrease of flood and drought risk was found.
Key Words: Indochina Peninsula, river discharge, 1K-FRM, climate change, general circulation model

1. INTRODUCTION
Global warming has been having serious impacts
on the Earth and its residents. Many researches haveshown that even if the emission of greenhouse gases
is reduced drastically, climate change will not bereversible in coming centuries. Frequencies andmagnitudes of water-related disasters such as floods,
droughts and water scarcity are predicted to increase
due to changes in precipitation extremes.
To cope with water-related disasters induced by
global warming mentioned above, projection ofriver discharge is necessary. In this regards,
hydrological and flow routing models play
important roles in transferring the climate model
outputs into discharge. Many researchers analyzed
changes in future risks of floods and droughts using

different scale and spatial resolution hydrologicalmodels: global scale with 1-degree spatial resolution
runoff model1); regional scale with 2-minute spatial
resolution hydrological model2); and basin scalewith 1-km spatial resolution runoff model3).
In this study, river discharge in the Indochina
Peninsula region (Fig. 1) was simulated using a
distributed flow routing model (1K-FRM) withkinematic wave flow approximation. The input datafor 1K-FRM was the latest 20km spatial resolution
general circulation model (MRI-AGCM3.2S), which
was developed by Meteorological Research Institute(MRI), Japan Meteorology Agency (JMA), withthree climate experiments simulated under the SRESA1B scenario: the present climate (1979-2008), thenear future climate (2015 - 2044), and the futureclimate (2075-2104).

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Fig.2 Schematic drawing of a watershed model using the
8-direction method.

Fig.1 Map of the study area, Indochina Peninsula.

The original version of 1K-FRM was based on
1km spatial resolution topographic data which was
extracted from USGS HydroSHEDS 30 arc-second
Digital Elevation Models (DEM). With that highresolution, the requirement for computational
resources is also high, and it takes a longcomputational time. For a balance of spatial
resolution, computational resources, and applicationof hydrological models, 1K-FRM has been modified
to use with scale-free global stream-flow network
dataset which was provided by Masutani et al4).
Among the scale-free stream-flow network dataset,
DEM data with spatial resolution of 5-minute wasprocessed to use for this research.
The purpose of this research is to analyze thesimulated river discharge from flow routing model
1K-FRM to locate possible hotspot river catchmentsin the Indochina Peninsula region, where significant
changes related to floods, droughts and water
resources could occur under climate change.
The model implementation and parameter setting
for this study are described in section 2 and section
3. In section 4, some statistical comparisons
between simulated discharge and observed
discharge at some specific location are presented.
The changes of river discharge in Indochina
Peninsula under climate change are shown insection 5. Finally, conclusion is given in section 6.

2. MODEL DESCRIPTION(1) Watershed model
The topography of the catchment is modeledusing the 8-direction method which assumes theflow direction one-dimensionally to the steepest
gradient direction. Each slope element determinedby the flow direction is represented by a rectangle
formed by the two adjacent nodes of grid cells. The
watershed model is developed using Digital
Elevation Models. Catchment topography isrepresented by a set of slope units. For each slope
unit, its area, length and gradient used for a flow
model are easily calculated. Schematic drawing of awatershed model using the eight direction method isshown in Fig. 2.
The topographic information used for flowrouting model 1K-FRM in this study is generated byprocessing 5-minute spatial resolution DEM in thescale-free global stream-flow network dataset.
(2) Flow model
1K-FRM is a distributed flow routing model
based on kinematic wave theory. The kinematicwave model is applied to all slope units and runoff
is routed according to the flow direction
information. The basic form of the kinematic wave
flow equation is:A Q qL ( x , t )
t x
m 1
i0  1 
5m
Q  A ,    , m
3
n B

(1)

(2)

where, A(x, t) is the flow cross-sectional area,
Q(x, t) is the flow discharge, qL(x, t) is the lateral
inflow per unit length, i0 is the slope, n is theManning roughness coefficient, and B is the widthof the flow.
Eq. (1) is the continuity equation. It is derived
from the principle of mass conservation within acontrol volume. Eq. (2) is derived from Manning's
laws which are flow resistance laws of open channel
uniform flow.

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(3) Forcing data
The input data for flow routing model 1K-FRM
were provided by the latest 20 km spatial resolution
general circulation model MRI-AGCM3.2S which
has been developed by the MRI, JMA.
MRI-AGCM3.2S provides various atmospheric andhydrologic variables for the present climate
experiment (1979-2008), the near future climate
experiment (2015 - 2044), and the future climate
experiment (2075-2104). River discharge in
Indochina Peninsula was projected by feeding daily
surface runoff generation and daily subsurface
runoff generation data, which were simulated by aland-surface process model (SiB model) embeddedin MRI-AGCM3.2S, into 1K-FRM.
(4) Parameter settings
The model parameters of 1K-FRM are the widthof the flow B and Manning roughness coefficient n.
The value of B is determined using the regression
relationship B = aSc, where S is the catchment areaat the calculated points, and a=1.06 and c=0.69 areconstant parameters. The value of n is determined tobe 0.03m-1/3s for channel when catchment area at thecalculated point is larger than 500km2 and11.0m-1/3s for slope when catchment area is smaller
than 500km2. All these values were chosen inreference to other applications by Tachikawa et al5).
Because the purpose of the research is to locate
possible hotspot river catchments, the use ofparameters mentioned above with some tuning
based on DEM spatial resolution is acceptable.

3. COMPARISON OF SIMULATEDDISCHARGE AND OBSERVATIONS
Simulated river discharge for the present climate
experiment was compared with available observed
data at some locations. Fig. 3 shows the comparisonof monthly average river discharge at severalhydrological stations such as Monywa in Irrawaddy
River basin; C2 in Chao Phraya River basin; Paksein Mekong River basin; and Hanoi in Red Riverbasin. The drainage areas of these hydrologicalstations are about 115,000km2; 110,000km2;
545,000km2 and 145,000km2 respectively.
Without any bias correction of GCM data, thesimulated river discharge data might not be so
realistic. In addition, the model parameters of flowrouting model 1K-FRM were not tuned for eachriver catchment in the study area. However, thecomparisonofsimulateddischarge
withobservations has a certain meaning for seeing thedischarge time series characteristics such as meanvalue, standard deviation and tendencies of change
in river discharge.

(a)

(b)

(d)
(c)
Fig.3 Comparison of simulated river discharge withobservations at Monywa station (a), C2 station (b), Pakse
station (c), and Hanoi station (d).

As can be seen in Fig. 3, simulated riverdischarge from flow routing model 1K-FRM for thepresent climate experiment shows a quite good
agreement with observed data at locations with large
catchments size such as Pakse and Hanoi station. At
Monywa station, the simulated flow wasunderestimated. However, the hydrograph showed asimilarity in pattern. There were also somedisparities between simulated discharge andobservation at C2 station. It can be explained by theuncertainties in GCM data and the impacts ofwell-regulated dams and reservoirs in the upstream
part of observed points. In Chao Phraya River basin,
the two largest dams in the upstream part of C2
station are Bhumibol and Sirikit dams with live
storage capacity of 9.7 billion m3 and 6 billion m3,
which control the runoff from 22 percent of theentire basin area.

4. CHANGES OF RIVER DISCHARGE IN
INDOCHINAPENINSULAUNDER
CLIMATE CHANGE
In this study, river discharge projection in
Indochina Peninsula region was carried out for three
climate experiments:
the present climate(1979-2008), the near future climate (2015-2044),
and the future climate (2075-2104). Daily meandischarge, max hourly discharge in day data isstored in 5-minute spatial resolution. The simulated
river discharge was analyzed to locate possible
hotspot basins with significant changes of floods,
droughts and water resources under climate change.
(1) Change of water resources
Annual mean simulated river discharge for three
climate experiments was calculated and used toanalyze changes in water resources in Indochina
Peninsula region.

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(a)
(b)
Fig.4 Ratio of annual mean discharge for the near futureclimate to the present climate (a), and the future climate to
the present climate (b).

(a)(b)
Fig.5 Ratio of mean of annual maximum daily discharge
for the near future climate to the present climate (a), and thefuture climate to the present climate (b).

Fig. 4 shows the change ratio of annual meandischarge for the near future climate and the futureclimate to the present climate experiment. From Fig.
4a, it can be seen that there are not so much changes
in annual mean discharge in the near future. The
increases in annual mean discharge with the ratio
smaller than 1.5 can be detected at the most upperparts of Salween and Mekong River basin, the lower
part of Irrawaddy River basin, and western part ofVietnam. Only eastern part of Chao Phraya Riverbasin shows a trend of decreasing in annual mean
river flow with the ratio is between 0.5 and 0.9.
Fig. 4b shows a similar trend with higher
intensity in the future climate experiment. We cansee that the area with changes in annual meandischarge and ratio range become larger, especiallyat the middle and lower part of Irrawaddy Riverbasin, and eastern part of Chao Phraya River basin.
However, the annual mean flow in the futureclimate tended to decrease in the central part ofVietnam. The change ratio is lower than 0.9.
(2) Change of flood risk
Annual maximum daily discharge data for three
climate experiments were compiled and wereanalyzed.
The change ratio of mean of annual maximum
daily discharge for the near future climate and thefuture climate with respect to the present climate
experiment are shown in Fig. 5.
For the near future climate experiment, the meanof annual maximum daily discharge has significant
changes at the upper and lower part of Salween
River basin, north-western part of Vietnam, andeastern part of Chao Phraya River basin.
The changes, which were detected in the near
future climate experiment, become more visible in
the future climate experiment. Irrawaddy Riverbasin and Red River basin showed a noticeable
increasing of mean of annual maximum daily(b)(a)
Fig.6 Ratio of standard deviation of annual maximum daily
discharge for the near future climate to the present climate(a), and the future climate to the present climate (b).

discharge in the future climate experiment. The ratio
at some areas are larger than 2.5. It means that therisk of flooding at those areas will increase.
The ratio of the standard deviation of the annual
maximum daily discharge for the near future climate
and the future climate to the present climate
experiment were also calculated and analyzed.
The standard deviation also showed a similar
trend to the changes of mean of annual maximum
daily discharge. The increases of standard deviationof annual maximum daily discharge can be found in
Irrawaddy River basin, Salween River basin, and
Red River basin (see Fig. 6).
In addition, the Generalized Extreme Value(GEV) distribution was fitted to the annual
maximum daily discharge for each climate
experiment. The standard least-square criterion(SLSC)6) was used to evaluate the goodness-of-fit ofthe distribution. Then, the 10-year return period
discharge for each climate experiment was obtained.
According to Takara and others6), the criticalvalue of SLSC is 0.04. And, with a sample size ofhydrological data smaller than 30, SLSC < 0.07 is
acceptable to river discharge frequency analysis7).

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(a)

(b)
(a)
(b)
Fig.9 Ratio of mean of annual minimum daily discharge forthe near future climate to the present climate (a), and the futureclimate to the present climate (b).

(c)
Fig.7 SLSC values for fitting the GEV distribution to theannual maximum daily discharge for the present climate (a), thenear future climate (b), and the future climate (c).
(a)

(b)
(a)
Fig.8 Ratio of the 10-year return period maximum daily
discharge for the near future climate to the present climate (a),and the future climate to the present climate (b).

Fig. 7 shows that the SLSC values for eachclimate experiment in the Indochina Peninsula
region are acceptable.
The change ratio of 10-year return period
maximum daily discharge for the near future climate
and the future climate with respect to the present
climate are showed in Fig. 8. The spatial pattern ofthe change ratio of 10-year return period discharge
showed a similarity to the change ratio of the meanof annual maximum daily discharge with significant
changes in Irrawaddy River basin, Red River basin
and lower part of Mekong River basin.
(3) Change of drought risk
The change of drought risk in Indochina
Peninsula region was also analyzed by comparing
the mean of annual minimum daily discharge in thenear future climate and the future climate
experiment with those values in the present climate.

(b)

(c)
Fig.10 SLSC values for fitting the Weibull distribution to
the annual minimum daily discharge for the present climate (a),the near future climate (b), and the future climate (c)From Fig. 9, it can be seen that there is a decrease
trend at the middle part of Mekong River basin in
the territory of Lao PDR, western part of Chao
Phraya River basin, and the south-eastern part ofIndochina Peninsula, especially the southern part ofVietnam. And this trend becomes clearer in the
future climate experiment.
The SLSC values and change ratio of the 10-year
return period discharge for annual minimum daily
discharge in each climate experiment was also
calculated using the Weibull distribution.
The SLSC values for fitting the Weibull
distribution showed higher values than critical value
in some locations with small catchment size (seeFig. 10). However, the values in most of large river
basins were less than 0.07, the SLSC critical value.

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basin (Vietnam). The risk of droughts tended toincrease in the middle part of Mekong River basin(Lao PDR) and southern part of Vietnam.
For further works, rainfall data will be analyzed
to investigate the effects on the changes of riverdischarge in the Indochina Peninsula region. A
detailed distributed hydrological model will be
developed for hotspot river basins in the region withsignificant changes in river discharge. Dam
operation function will be set in the detailed
distributed hydrological model for hotspot basins toanalyze the change of water resources under climatechange.

(b)(a)
Fig.11 Ratio of the 10-year return period minimum daily
discharge for the near future climate to the present climate (a),and the future climate to the present climate (b).

Fig. 11 shows a similar pattern to the change ratioof mean of annual minimum daily discharge. For
10-year return period minimum discharge, thedecrease of minimum discharge in Chao Phraya
River basin and south-central part of Vietnam
became more visible.

5. CONCLUSION
The impacts of climate change on river flow in
Indochina Peninsula region were analyzed using
distributed flow routing model 1K-FRM and runoff
generation data which were generated by the latest
20km resolution general circulation model
MRI-AGCM3.2S. River discharge was projectedwith the kinematic wave flow model with 5-minutespatial resolution DEM data for three climate
experiments: the present climate (1979-2008), thenear future climate (2015-2044), and the futureclimate (2075-2104).
In the Irrawaddy River basin (Myanmar), theannual mean discharge and mean of annual
maximum daily discharge tended to increase in thenear future climate experiment. The increases weremuch clearer in the future climate experiment. A
same trend can be detected at Red River basin(Vietnam). Hence, flood risk is expected to increasein those river catchments. They would be hotspot
basins on flood risk under climate change.
Drought risk was also found in the middle part of
Mekong River basin and southern part of Vietnam.
The mean of annual minimum daily discharge at
locations mentioned above showed a decrease in thenear future climate experiment. And the areas withdecreasing in discharge were expanded in the futureclimate experiment.
In conclusion, a clear change of river flow in the
Indochina Peninsula region was detected with thedegree of change differs from location to location. It
became clearer in the future climate experiment.
The increase of flood risk was found in the
Irrawaddy River basin (Myanmar) and Red River

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:We
acknowledge
Meteorology Research Institute, Japan Meteorology
Agency for providing GCM data, and Dr. Jun
Magome (University of Yamanashi) for providing
scale-free global stream-flow networks datasets.
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I_42(Received September 30, 2012)