Generating ensemble streamflow forecasts: A review of methods and approaches over the past 40 years

This work catalogs the various pathways of ensemble streamflow forecasting based on an exhaustive review of more than 700 studies over the last 40 years. We focus on the advanced state of the art in the model-based (dynamical) ensemble forecasting approaches.

Ensemble streamflow prediction systems are categorized into three leading classes: statistics-based streamflow prediction systems, climatology-based ensemble streamflow prediction systems and numerical weather prediction-based hydrological ensemble prediction systems. For each ensemble approach, technical information, as well as details about its strengths and weaknesses, are provided based on a critical review of the studies listed.