## Breadcrumb

-  California Water Science Center 
-  Science 

#           Basin Characterization Model (BCM)      

  Completed

      By California Water Science Center      November 8, 2018    

            -              Overview           
            -              Science           
            -              Data           
            -              Publications           
            -              Partners           

The Basin Characterization Model (BCM) is a simple grid-based model that calculates the water balance for any time step or spatial scale by using climate inputs, precipitation, minimum and maximum air temperature. The BCM can translate fine-scale maps of climate trends and projections into the hydrologic consequences, to permit evaluation of the impacts to water availability at regional, watershed, and landscape scales, as caused by changes in temperature and precipitation.

 

View Media Details

**CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE**

**Software Manual:**The Basin Characterization Model—A Regional Water Balance Software Package

**Data Release:**The Basin Characterization Model - A regional water balance software package (BCMv8) data release and model archive for hydrologic California, water years 1896-2020

Ongoing changes in climate are influencing water resources throughout the world, by reducing snowpack and causing snow to melt earlier in the spring, which are among the most important challenges to water availability. Climate change also impacts landscapes, vegetation and species, and agriculture, by causing longer dry seasons, more frequent extreme storms, fewer chilling hours, and higher snowlines.

Information available to inform land and resource managers is generally composed of model projections of precipitation and air temperature trends with coarse spatial detail. The Basin Characterization Model (BCM) can translate fine-scale maps of climate trends and projections into the hydrologic consequences to permit evaluation of the impacts to water availability at regional, watershed, and landscape scales, as caused by changes in temperature and precipitation.

Scientists divide the landscape into grid cells, each of which uses specific climate data inputs, such as precipitation and air temperature, to solve the water balance for each cell. Model calculations include potential evapotranspiration, calculated from solar radiation with topographic shading and cloudiness; snow, as it accumulates and melts; and excess water moving through the soil profile, which is used to calculate actual evapotranspiration and climatic water deficit—the difference between potential and actual evapotranspiration. Depending on soil properties and the permeability of underlying bedrock, surface water can be classified for each cell as either recharge or runoff. Post-processing calculations are made to estimate baseflow, streamflow, and potential recharge to the groundwater system for watersheds. The model output can define the water balance for any size polygon representing regions or watersheds, or can define the distribution of the various water-balance variables across the landscape.

To view past information on the BCM, visit the previous version of this page. 

 

### Contacts

#### Michelle Stern, PhD

##### Hydrologist

California Water Science Center

mstern@usgs.gov

916-278-3093

### Explore Search

                      - Hydrologic Modeling
                      - Watersheds
                      - Advanced Capabilities and Research
                      - Hydrologic Modeling
                      - Water Availability
                      - Water
                      - Water availability and forecasting
                      - climate model

View All **

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

link

February 4, 2019

####                 Using the Basin Characterization Model (BCM) to Estimate Natural Recharge in Indian Wells Valley, California              

California Water Science Center

link

February 4, 2019

####   Using the Basin Characterization Model (BCM) to Estimate Natural Recharge in Indian Wells Valley, California

Learn More

link

February 4, 2019

####                 Estimates of soil water deficit during California drought, January 1, 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release              

California Water Science Center

link

February 4, 2019

####   Estimates of soil water deficit during California drought, January 1, 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release

Learn More

link

February 1, 2019

####                 Characterization of Hydrologic Conditions for Species Distributions Along Environmental Gradients              

California Water Science Center

link

February 1, 2019

####   Characterization of Hydrologic Conditions for Species Distributions Along Environmental Gradients

Learn More

link

January 31, 2019

####                 Climate and Natural Resources Analysis and Planning for California's Northern Coast              

California Water Science Center

link

January 31, 2019

####   Climate and Natural Resources Analysis and Planning for California's Northern Coast

Learn More

link

January 30, 2019

####                 Coping with Drought in the Russian River Watershed              

California Water Science Center

link

January 30, 2019

####   Coping with Drought in the Russian River Watershed

Learn More

link

August 27, 2018

####                 Increasing Soil Organic Carbon to Mitigate Greenhouse Gases and Increase Climate Resiliency for California              

California Water Science Center

link

August 27, 2018

####   Increasing Soil Organic Carbon to Mitigate Greenhouse Gases and Increase Climate Resiliency for California

Learn More

Below are data or web applications associated with this project.

January 25, 2021

####                 The Basin Characterization Model - A monthly regional water balance software package (BCMv8) data release and model archive for hydrologic California (ver. 4.0, May 2024)              

California Water Science Center

August 25, 2020

####                 Daily Basin Characterization Model (BCM) archive for Humboldt Bay/Eel River              

California Water Science Center

Below are publications associated with this project.

February 9, 2015

####                 Climate change: evaluating your local and regional water resources              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

March 22, 2021

####                 The basin characterization model—A regional water balance software package              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Wildland Fire Science

July 31, 2013

####                 Fine-scale hydrologic modeling for regional landscape applications: the California Basin Characterization Model development and performance              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

October 4, 2012

####                 Development and application of downscaled hydroclimatic predictor variables for use in climate vulnerability and assessment studies              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

June 21, 2012

####                 Downscaling future climate scenarios to fine scales for hydrologic and ecological modeling and analysis              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

March 10, 2012

####                 Estimation of stream temperature in support of fish production modeling under future climates in the Klamath River Basin              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2008

####                 Integration of regional hydrologic modeling using FORTRAN and ArcGIS              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2007

####                 Regional analysis of ground-water recharge              

Water Resources Mission Area, Arizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2004

####                 Fundamental concepts of recharge in the Desert Southwest: A regional modeling perspective              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2003

####                 Simulation of net infiltration and potential recharge using a distributed-parameter watershed model of the Death Valley region, Nevada and California              

Below are partners associated with this project.

#### California Department of Water Resources (CADWR)

#### Pepperwood Foundation

#### University of California, Davis

The Basin Characterization Model (BCM) is a simple grid-based model that calculates the water balance for any time step or spatial scale by using climate inputs, precipitation, minimum and maximum air temperature. The BCM can translate fine-scale maps of climate trends and projections into the hydrologic consequences, to permit evaluation of the impacts to water availability at regional, watershed, and landscape scales, as caused by changes in temperature and precipitation.

 

View Media Details

**CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE**

**Software Manual:**The Basin Characterization Model—A Regional Water Balance Software Package

**Data Release:**The Basin Characterization Model - A regional water balance software package (BCMv8) data release and model archive for hydrologic California, water years 1896-2020

Ongoing changes in climate are influencing water resources throughout the world, by reducing snowpack and causing snow to melt earlier in the spring, which are among the most important challenges to water availability. Climate change also impacts landscapes, vegetation and species, and agriculture, by causing longer dry seasons, more frequent extreme storms, fewer chilling hours, and higher snowlines.

Information available to inform land and resource managers is generally composed of model projections of precipitation and air temperature trends with coarse spatial detail. The Basin Characterization Model (BCM) can translate fine-scale maps of climate trends and projections into the hydrologic consequences to permit evaluation of the impacts to water availability at regional, watershed, and landscape scales, as caused by changes in temperature and precipitation.

Scientists divide the landscape into grid cells, each of which uses specific climate data inputs, such as precipitation and air temperature, to solve the water balance for each cell. Model calculations include potential evapotranspiration, calculated from solar radiation with topographic shading and cloudiness; snow, as it accumulates and melts; and excess water moving through the soil profile, which is used to calculate actual evapotranspiration and climatic water deficit—the difference between potential and actual evapotranspiration. Depending on soil properties and the permeability of underlying bedrock, surface water can be classified for each cell as either recharge or runoff. Post-processing calculations are made to estimate baseflow, streamflow, and potential recharge to the groundwater system for watersheds. The model output can define the water balance for any size polygon representing regions or watersheds, or can define the distribution of the various water-balance variables across the landscape.

To view past information on the BCM, visit the previous version of this page. 

 

### Contacts

#### Michelle Stern, PhD

##### Hydrologist

California Water Science Center

mstern@usgs.gov

916-278-3093

### Explore Search

                      - Hydrologic Modeling
                      - Watersheds
                      - Advanced Capabilities and Research
                      - Hydrologic Modeling
                      - Water Availability
                      - Water
                      - Water availability and forecasting
                      - climate model

View All **

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

link

February 4, 2019

####                 Using the Basin Characterization Model (BCM) to Estimate Natural Recharge in Indian Wells Valley, California              

California Water Science Center

link

February 4, 2019

####   Using the Basin Characterization Model (BCM) to Estimate Natural Recharge in Indian Wells Valley, California

Learn More

link

February 4, 2019

####                 Estimates of soil water deficit during California drought, January 1, 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release              

California Water Science Center

link

February 4, 2019

####   Estimates of soil water deficit during California drought, January 1, 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release

Learn More

link

February 1, 2019

####                 Characterization of Hydrologic Conditions for Species Distributions Along Environmental Gradients              

California Water Science Center

link

February 1, 2019

####   Characterization of Hydrologic Conditions for Species Distributions Along Environmental Gradients

Learn More

link

January 31, 2019

####                 Climate and Natural Resources Analysis and Planning for California's Northern Coast              

California Water Science Center

link

January 31, 2019

####   Climate and Natural Resources Analysis and Planning for California's Northern Coast

Learn More

link

January 30, 2019

####                 Coping with Drought in the Russian River Watershed              

California Water Science Center

link

January 30, 2019

####   Coping with Drought in the Russian River Watershed

Learn More

link

August 27, 2018

####                 Increasing Soil Organic Carbon to Mitigate Greenhouse Gases and Increase Climate Resiliency for California              

California Water Science Center

link

August 27, 2018

####   Increasing Soil Organic Carbon to Mitigate Greenhouse Gases and Increase Climate Resiliency for California

Learn More

Below are data or web applications associated with this project.

January 25, 2021

####                 The Basin Characterization Model - A monthly regional water balance software package (BCMv8) data release and model archive for hydrologic California (ver. 4.0, May 2024)              

California Water Science Center

August 25, 2020

####                 Daily Basin Characterization Model (BCM) archive for Humboldt Bay/Eel River              

California Water Science Center

Below are publications associated with this project.

February 9, 2015

####                 Climate change: evaluating your local and regional water resources              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

March 22, 2021

####                 The basin characterization model—A regional water balance software package              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Wildland Fire Science

July 31, 2013

####                 Fine-scale hydrologic modeling for regional landscape applications: the California Basin Characterization Model development and performance              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

October 4, 2012

####                 Development and application of downscaled hydroclimatic predictor variables for use in climate vulnerability and assessment studies              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

June 21, 2012

####                 Downscaling future climate scenarios to fine scales for hydrologic and ecological modeling and analysis              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

March 10, 2012

####                 Estimation of stream temperature in support of fish production modeling under future climates in the Klamath River Basin              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2008

####                 Integration of regional hydrologic modeling using FORTRAN and ArcGIS              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2007

####                 Regional analysis of ground-water recharge              

Water Resources Mission Area, Arizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2004

####                 Fundamental concepts of recharge in the Desert Southwest: A regional modeling perspective              

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

January 1, 2003

####                 Simulation of net infiltration and potential recharge using a distributed-parameter watershed model of the Death Valley region, Nevada and California              

Below are partners associated with this project.

#### California Department of Water Resources (CADWR)

#### Pepperwood Foundation

#### University of California, Davis