Daily flow discharge prediction using integrated methodology based on LSTM models: Case study in Brahmani-Baitarani basin

Abstract

For flood control, hydropower operation, and agricultural planning, among other applications, flow discharge prediction is a critical first step toward the strong and dependable planning and management of water resources. Floods are destructive natural calamities that destroy human lives and infrastructure across the world. Development of effective flood forecasting and prediction models is critical for minimising deaths and mitigating damages. This study employs hybrid deep learning Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) algorithms like LSTM, Convolution LSTM (Conv-LSTM) and Convolutional Neural Network LSTM (CNN-LSTM) to predict likelihood flood events using daily precipitation, daily temperature and daily relative humidity from two flood-forecasting stations i.e., Champua (Baitarani River, Odisha) and Jarikela (Brahmani River, Odisha) over a 20-year period. The results show that CNN-LSTM performed best followed by Conv-LSTM and LSTM in terms of R2 = 0.98055, 0.96564, and 0.93244, RMSE = 19.137, 35.635, and 49.347, MAE = 18.372, 33.766, and 47.058, NSE = 0.971, 0.9517 and 0.9257 respectively. The findings support the claim that machine learning models and algorithms, in particular CNN-LSTM model, can be applied to flood forecasting with high accuracy, thereby enhancing water and hazard management.