Abstract
We report on the calibration of the one-dimensional hydrodynamic lake model Dynamic Reservoir Simulation Model to simulate the water temperature conditions of the pre-alpine Lake Ammersee (southeast Germany) that is a representative of deep and large lakes in this region. Special focus is given to the calibration in order to reproduce the correct thermal distribution and stratification including the time of onset and duration of summer stratification. To ensure the application of the model to investigate the impact of climate change on lakes, an analysis of the model sensitivity under stepwise modification of meteorological input parameters (air temperature, wind speed, precipitation, global radiation, cloud cover, vapour pressure and tributary water temperature) was conducted. The total mean error of the calibration results is −0.23 °C, the root mean square error amounts to 1.012 °C. All characteristics of the annual stratification cycle were reproduced accurately by the model. Additionally, the simulated deviations for all applied modifications of the input parameters for the sensitivity analysis can be differentiated in the high temporal resolution of monthly values for each specific depth. The smallest applied alteration to each modified input parameter caused a maximum deviation in the simulation results of at least 0.26 °C. The most sensitive reactions of the model can be observed through modifications of the input parameters air temperature and wind speed. Hence, the results show that further investigations at Lake Ammersee, such as coupling the hydrodynamic model with chemo-dynamic models to assess the impact of changing climate on biochemical conditions within lakes, can be carried out using Dynamic Reservoir Simulation Model.