Multi-criteria evaluation of the performance of the MIKE SHE code applied at a catchment scale

The hydrological dynamics of a medium size catchment were modeled with the distributed code MIKE SHE. This paper depicts the characteristics of the conceptual model of the studied catchment and assesses the quality of the stream-flow and piezometric predictions. In doing so, different statistical, analytical and visual criteria were applied on the model predictions. These include peak flows, low flows, cumulative volumes, extreme value statistics, performance statistics, etc., in the framework of a protocol, proposed to assess model performance. The assessment protocol indicated important inconsistencies in the model predictions that were otherwise difficult to appreciate through more conventional performance evaluation methods.