A comparison of the performance of SWAT and artificial intelligence models for monthly rainfall–runoff analysis in the Peddavagu River Basin, India

Rainfall–runoff (R–R) analysis is essential for sustainable water resource management. In the present study focusing on the Peddavagu River Basin, various modelling approaches were explored, including the widely used Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, as well as seven artificial intelligence (AI) models. The AI models consisted of seven data-driven models, namely support vector regression, artificial neural network, multiple linear regression, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) regression, k-nearest neighbour regression, and random forest regression, along with one deep learning model called long short-term memory (LSTM). To evaluate the performance of these models, a calibration period from 1990 to 2005 and a validation period from 2006 to 2010 were considered. The evaluation metrics used were R2 (coefficient of determination) and NSE (Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency). The study's findings revealed that all eight models yielded generally acceptable results for modelling the R–R process in the Peddavagu River Basin. Specifically, the LSTM demonstrated very good performance in simulating R–R during both the calibration period (R2 is 0.88 and NSE is 0.88) and the validation period (R2 is 0.88 and NSE is 0.85). In conclusion, the study highlighted the growing trend of adopting AI techniques, particularly the LSTM model, for R–R analysis. HIGHLIGHTS The study used SWAT and seven AI models for the Peddavagu River Basin.; LSTM performed well in simulating R–R during calibration (R2 is 0.88 and NSE is 0.88) and validation (R2 is 0.88 and NSE is 0.85).; These models are valuable for sustainable water management in the Peddavagu River Basin.

A review of artificial intelligence methods for predicting gravity dam seepage, challenges and way-out

Seepage is the phenomenon of water infiltrating through a gravity dam's foundation, causing erosion and weakening the dam's construction over time. If not properly managed, this can eventually lead to the dam's catastrophic failure, posing a significant danger to public safety and the environment. As a result, precise seepage prediction in gravity dams is essential for ensuring their safety and stability. This review paper looks at the use of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for predicting seepage in gravity dams, as well as the challenges and possible solutions. The paper identifies and suggests potential solutions to the challenges connected with using AI for seepage prediction, such as data quality and model interpretability. The paper also covers future research paths, such as the creation of advanced machine learning algorithms and the improvement of data collection and processing. Overall, this review gives insight on the current state of the art in using AI to predict gravity dam seepage and recommends methods to improve the accuracy and reliability of such models. HIGHLIGHTS AI methods for predicting gravity dam seepage reviewed, with challenges and solutions.; The review provides an overview of using AI for seepage prediction in gravity dams.; AI challenges addressed with suggested solutions for improved seepage prediction.; Standardizing data collection and improving quality reduces errors in prediction models.; Insights for dam safety practitioners, improving seepage.