Hydrologic simulations using projected climate data as input to the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) for the Trinity River Basin Integrated Water Availability Assessment, Texas, 2023

The Trinity River Basin is a major source of water for a large part of Texas that includes the rapidly growing Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas. An application of the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) was used to conduct hydrologic simulations for the Trinity River Basin surface water model. Climate variables including daily precipitation, daily maximum temperature, and daily minimum temperature were used to conduct hydrologic simulations to evaluate annual hydrologic response to changes in climate variables from 2018 to 2099. Critical in PRMS calculations, calibrated parameters or attributes are assigned to hydrologic response units (HRU) and stream segments. Outputs of the model include annual water budget variables such as precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, Hortonian surface runoff, and groundwater recharge.