Mean Annual Flood Estimation
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 121, Issue 6
Abstract
A dimensional analysis approach to a regional analysis of annual flood peaks in much of India is described and developed. Dimensional variables were formed using the mean annual flood, the average rainfall, the rainfall duration, the return period, the drainage area, the catchment slope, the fraction forested, and the gravitational acceleration. The utility of the approach is demonstrated by fitting it to a sample of 93 Indian catchments (river basins) ranging in size from 14.5 km 2 to 935,000 km 2, and with record lengths of 10 to 84 years. Most (90%) of the model predictions fall within ±50% of the observed mean annual flood. During the calibration of the model, average rainfall of different durations varying from 0.75 h to 12 h and return period varying from 2 to 25 years were used. The validity of this model was further investigated using the average rainfall of 24 h duration and 2 yr recurrence interval. Although the model was validated with only a 2-yr-return-period 24-h-duration rainfall data, it was found that 85% of the model predictions fell within ±50% of the observed mean annual flood.
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Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Published online: Nov 1, 1995
Published in print: Nov 1995
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