Machine learning models coupled with empirical mode decomposition for simulating monthly and yearly streamflows: a case study of three watersheds in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

This paper presents a novel approach for enhancing long-term runoff simulations through the integration of empirical mode decomposition (EMD) with four machine learning (ML) models: ensemble, support vector machine (SVM), convolutional neural networks (CNN), and artificial neural networks with backpropagation (ANN-BP). The proposed methodology uses EMD to decompose precipitation and temperature time-series into intrinsic mode functions, thereby revealing underlying data patterns. Subsequently, these components are incorporated into the ML models to simulate the runoff time-series. The effectiveness of the hybrid models is evaluated using streamflow runoff data obtained from the Grand, Winnipeg, and Moosonee Rivers in Ontario, Canada. Four widely used performance indices, namely, correlation coefficient, root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute relative error, and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, are employed to assess the models’ performance. The results demonstrate that the hybrid EMD-ML models exhibit significantly superior performance compared with the standalone ML methods. During the validation phase, the EMD-Ensemble, EMD-SVM, EMD-CNN, and EMD-ANN-BP models exhibit notable reductions in the RMSEs of monthly streamflow estimates for the Grand River, amounting to 11%, 22%, 8%, and 33%, respectively, compared with their non-EMD counterparts. Additionally, these hybrid models exhibit improved RMSEs for yearly simulations in the Winnipeg River, with reductions of 54%, 0.08%, 6%, and 4.5% respectively. To further enhance the accuracy of monthly and yearly streamflow estimates, an SVM-recursive feature elimination technique is employed to select a more appropriate EMD dataset in all study cases. This research underscores the potential of integrating EMD with ML models to enhance long-term runoff simulations. The outcomes highlight the superior performance of the hybrid EMD-ML models, demonstrating their ability in generating lower biases than the standalone ML methods. These findings hold significant implications for the field of computational fluid mechanics and can contribute to the understanding of hydrological processes. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.