Evaluation of the WRF-Hydro model output based on different rainfall input data over the upper basin of the Senegal River

ABSTRACT This study examines the performance of the uncoupled WRF-Hydro model under different precipitation inputs, highlighting its importance for water management in data-scarce West African regions. This study primarily uses IMERG precipitation data to calibrate and validate the WRF-Hydro model, aiming to fine-tune parameters for the accurate simulation of observed hydrological processes. ERA5-LAND and WRF precipitation datasets were also analyzed for comparison. A comparison was conducted to identify the dataset delivering the most accurate results in the uncoupled WRF-Hydro model. The 2011–2020 analysis shows the uncoupled WRF-Hydro model performs well in the upper Senegal River Basin, achieving strong KGE scores (KGE = 0.78) during calibration and validation. Both IMERG (KGE = 0.78; PBIAS = −18%) and WRF (KGE = 0.73; PBIAS = −4%) datasets show strong agreement with observed streamflows, while using ERA5-LAND as inputs results in a significant underestimation of streamflows (PBIAS = −56%). WRF precipitation proves more reliable, especially during rainy seasons.