Full list of Publications

Apr 2, 2026 · 6 min read
publications

2026

  1. Núñez-Ibarra, D.; Zambrano-Bigiarini, M.; Galleguillos, M. (2026). From grid to ground: how well do gridded products represent soil moisture dynamics in natural ecosystems during precipitation events?. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 30, 1813–1847. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1813-2026
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    Reliable soil moisture data are essential for understanding land–atmosphere exchanges and hydrological variability, yet their accuracy remains uncertain in many Southern Hemisphere regions. This study evaluated four widely used gridded datasets against field observations across contrasting climates in Chile. Reanalysis-based products performed most consistently overall, while all datasets showed limitations in reproducing soil moisture responses under dry antecedent conditions.
    @article{Nunez-Ibarra+al2026, title = {From grid to ground: how well do gridded products represent soil moisture dynamics in natural ecosystems during precipitation events?}, author = {Daniel A. N{\a’u}{~n}ez-Ibarra and Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini and Mauricio Galleguillos}, year = {2026}, month = {4}, journal = {Hydrology and Earth System Sciences}, volume = {30}, pages = {1813–1847}, doi = {10.5194/hess-30-1813-2026}, }
  2. Soto-Escobar, C.; Zambrano-Bigiarini, M.; Tolorza, V.; Garreaud, R. (2026). Developing Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves using sub-daily gridded and in situ datasets: characterising precipitation extremes in a drying climate. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 30(1), 91–117. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-91-2026
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    This study assesses how spatial patterns, temporal trends, and record length in hourly precipitation data affect annual maximum intensities estimated with stationary and non-stationary models across a climatically and topographically diverse region. Comparing five gridded datasets, we find consistent spatial patterns but notable differences in intensities, with non-stationary estimates generally slightly lower.
    @article{Soto-Escobar+al2026, title = {Developing {Intensity}-{Duration}-{Frequency} ({IDF}) curves using sub-daily gridded and in situ datasets: characterising precipitation extremes in a drying climate}, author = {Crist{\a’o}bal Soto-Escobar and Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini and Violeta Tolorza and Ren{\a’e} Garreaud}, year = {2026}, month = {1}, journal = {Hydrology and Earth System Sciences}, volume = {30}, number = {1}, pages = {91–117}, doi = {10.5194/hess-30-91-2026}, }
  3. Marinao, R.; Zambrano-Bigiarini, M.; Baez-Villanueva, O. (2026). hydroMOPSO: A flexible and model-independent multi-objective optimisation R package for environmental and hydrological models. Environmental Modelling & Software, 198, 106851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106851
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    hydroMOPSO is an open-source R package for calibrating hydrological and environmental models using multi-objective optimisation. It works with both R-based and R-external models, offering flexibility and efficient convergence. Tested against existing tools and applied to Andean catchments (TUWmodel, SWAT+ models), it showed strong performance. The package provides clear outputs, helping researchers build more robust and reproducible simulations.
    @article{Marinao+al2026, title = {{hydroMOPSO}: {A} flexible and model-independent multi-objective optimisation {R} package for environmental and hydrological models}, author = {Rodrigo Marinao and Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini and Oscar M. Baez-Villanueva}, year = {2026}, month = {1}, journal = {Environmental Modelling & Software}, volume = {198}, pages = {106851}, doi = {10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106851}, }

2025

  1. Gimeno, F.; Zambrano-Bigiarini, M.; Alvarez-Garreton, C.; Galleguillos, M. (2025). Hydropedological clustering: improving the representation of low streamflows in a semi-distributed hydrological model. Journal of Hydrology, 667, 134787. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134787
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    Low streamflows are critical for sustaining water supply in Mediterranean regions, yet their simulation remains challenging due to the complex influence of soils on subsurface water storage and release. This study evaluates how different soil datasets and classification approaches affect the performance of the semi-distributed, physically based SWAT+ model in simulating low streamflows and soil water content (SWC). Using the Mediterranean Cauquenes catchment in central Chile, we compared two global soil datasets (HWSDv1.2, DSOLMap) and two locally derived products (CLSoilMapsTex, CLSoilMapsCl). The latter implements a new hydropedological clustering approach based on , , and . Results show that CLSoilMapsCl substantially improved low streamflow simulations ( = 0.67, 44 % higher than HWSDv1.2) and reproduced hydrological signatures more accurately. These findings highlight that integrating hydropedological information enhances the representation of soil–water interactions in SWAT+, supporting more reliable low streamflow modeling and water-resource assessments in Mediterranean catchments.
    @article{Gimeno+al2026, title = {Hydropedological clustering: improving the representation of low streamflows in a semi-distributed hydrological model}, author = {Fernando Gimeno and Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini and Camila Alvarez-Garreton and Mauricio Galleguillos}, year = {2026}, month = {1}, journal = {Journal of Hydrology}, volume = {667}, pages = {134787}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134787}, }
  2. Garreaud, R.; Boisier, J.; Alvarez-Garreton, C.; Christie, D.; Carrasco-Escaff, T.; Vergara, I.; Chávez, R.; Aldunce, P.; Camus, P.; Suazo-Álvarez, M.; Masiokas, M.; Castro, G.; Muñoz, A.; Zambrano-Bigiarini, M.; Fuster, R.; Godoy, L. (2025). Hyperdroughts in central Chile: drivers, impacts, and projections. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 29(20), 5347–5369. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-5347-2025
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    This study focuses on hyperdroughts (HDs) in central Chile, defined as years with a regional rainfall deficit exceeding 75%. Only five HDs occurred in the last century (1924, 1968, 1998, 2019, 2021), but they caused disproportionate environmental and social impacts. In some systems, the effects were larger than expected from those considering moderate droughts and dependent on the antecedent conditions. HDs have analogs from the remote past, and they are expected to increase in the near future.
    @article{Garreaud+al2025, title = {Hyperdroughts in central {Chile}: drivers, impacts, and projections}, author = {Ren{\a’e} Garreaud and Juan Pablo Boisier and Camila Alvarez-Garreton and Duncan A. Christie and Tom{\a’a}s Carrasco-Escaff and Iv{\a’a}n Vergara and Roberto O. Ch{\a’a}vez and Paulina Aldunce and Pablo Camus and Manuel Suazo-{\a’A}lvarez and Mariano Masiokas and Gabriel Castro and Ariel Mu{~n}oz and Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini and Rodrigo Fuster and Lintsiee Godoy}, year = {2025}, journal = {Hydrology and Earth System Sciences}, volume = {29}, number = {20}, pages = {5347–5369}, doi = {10.5194/hess-29-5347-2025}, month = {oct}, }
  3. Lema, F.; Mendoza, P.; Vásquez, N.; Mizukami, N.; Zambrano-Bigiarini, M.; Vargas, X. (2025). Technical note: What does the Standardized Streamflow Index actually reflect? Insights and implications for hydrological drought analysis. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 29(8), 1981–2002. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1981-2025
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    Hydrological droughts affect ecosystems and socioeconomic activities worldwide. Despite the fact that they are commonly described with the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI), there is limited understanding of what they truly reflect in terms of water cycle processes. Here, we used state-of-the-art hydrological models in Andean basins to examine drivers of SSI fluctuations. The results highlight the importance of careful selection of indices and timescales for accurate drought characterization and monitoring.
    @article{Lema+al2025, title = {Technical note: {What} does the {Standardized} {Streamflow} {Index} actually reflect? {Insights} and implications for hydrological drought analysis}, author = {Fabi{\a’a}n Lema and Pablo A. Mendoza and Nicol{\a’a}s A. V{\a’a}squez and Naoki Mizukami and Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini and Ximena Vargas}, year = {2025}, journal = {Hydrology and Earth System Sciences}, volume = {29}, number = {8}, pages = {1981–2002}, doi = {10.5194/hess-29-1981-2025}, month = {apr}, }