Streamflow Regionalization: Case Study of Turkey
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 13, Issue 4
Abstract
Homogeneous streamflow regions in Turkey were identified using a multivariate statistical tool; namely, principal components analysis (PCA) with a varimax orthogonal rotation. The rotated PCA was applied to monthly streamflow records of 78 gauging stations during the period 1964–1994. The first seven rotated components were found significant at the 0.05 or lower levels. All accounted for 68% of the total variance of the original data assembly. The different groups of highly intercorrelated streams were defined by the patterns of map drawn for the rotated components loadings. Furthermore, an annual cycle analysis was applied to the same monthly streamflow data. Harmonic vectors extracted from a series of 12 monthly means at each station were marked over a map to readily keep track of streamflow seasonal variations across the study domain. The basic statistical characteristics of streamflow were also investigated within the identified regions; thus, some similarities and dissimilarities between the regions were documented. The identified streamflow regions were shown to be consistent with climate zones in Turkey defined by a recent study based on cluster analysis of temperature and precipitation data.
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Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge fruitful contributions and improvements of Dr. M. Çagatay Karabörk (Dumlupınar University, Turkey). Among the writers, Dr. Ercan Kahya wishes to express gratitude to the American University in Dubai (AUD), where he used to affiliate during the preparation of this manuscript, for providing a stimulating atmosphere for its faculty members.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 13 • Issue 4 • April 2008
Pages: 205 - 214
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Dec 14, 2006
Accepted: Jul 16, 2007
Published online: Apr 1, 2008
Published in print: Apr 2008
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