TECHNICAL PAPERS
Feb 1, 1987

Uncertainty Analysis of National Weather Service Rainfall Frequency Atlas

Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 113, Issue 2

Abstract

The rainfall‐frequency atlas published by the National Weather Service (NWS) has been extensively used in the storm drainage structures design. The users of such maps should recognize the fact that these maps are the result of many processes involving smoothing, translation, and interpolation. Rainfall depths extracted from these publications can only be regarded as representative values associated with uncertainties. Quantification of the uncertainty associated with the rainfall isopluvial maps in the NWS Technical Paper Number 40 is made in this paper. The method applies first‐order analysis in conjunction with Chen's general rainfall intensity‐duration‐frequency formula. Examples of performing point error analysis and developing error maps are given.

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References

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Efron, B. (1982). “The jackknife, the bootstrap and other resampling plans.” SIAM Monograph No. 38.
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Chen, C.‐L. (1976). “Urban storm runoff inlet hydrograph study. Synthetic for design of urban highway drainage facilities.” Vol. 4, Federal Highway Administration Report No. FHWA‐RD‐76‐119, Washington, D.C.
3.
Chen, C.‐L. (1983). “Rainfall intensity‐duration‐frequency formulas.” Journal of the Hydraulic Engineering Division, ASCE, 109(12), 1603–1621.
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Chow, V. T. (1953). “Frequency analysis of hydrologic data with special application to rainfall intensities.” University of Illinois Bulletin Series No. 414, Engineering Experiment Station, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.
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Go to Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 113Issue 2February 1987
Pages: 179 - 189

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Published online: Feb 1, 1987
Published in print: Feb 1987

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Yeou‐Koung Tung, A. M. ASCE
Asst. Prof., Wyoming Water Research Ctr. and Statistics Dept., Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071

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