Integration of Generative-Adversarial-Network-Based Data Compaction and Spatial Attention Transductive Long Short-Term Memory for Improved Rainfall–Runoff Modeling

Abstract

This work presents a novel approach to rainfall–runoff modeling. We incorporate GAN-based data compaction into a spatial-attention-enhanced transductive long short-term memory (TLSTM) network. The GAN component reduces data dimensions while retaining essential features. This compaction enables the TLSTM to capture complex temporal dependencies in rainfall–runoff patterns more effectively. When tested on the CAMELS dataset, the model significantly outperforms benchmark LSTM-based models. For 8-day runoff forecasts, our model achieves an NSE of 0.536, compared to 0.326 from the closest competitor. The integration of GAN-based feature extraction with spatial attention mechanisms improves predictive accuracy, particularly for peak-flow events. This method offers a powerful solution for addressing current challenges in water resource management and disaster planning under extreme climate conditions.