Abstract
Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) and Green-Ampt (GA) infiltration models are probably the most applied equations in practical hydrology to compute the amount of direct runoff from rainfall. Both models are very simple, require few parameters, and present drawbacks and advantages. The empirical CN model concentrates the infiltration effect in the curve number and in the so-called soil hydrological groups, which have been widely characterized for different soil types, land cover, and antecedent soil moisture conditions (ASMCs), although the latter was considered ambiguous, whereas soil hydrological characteristics, including ASMC, are taken into account for the simplified physically based GA model. The main advantage of the GA model is the temporal variation of the rainfall excess intensity, which is not considered in the CN model. In this paper, CN and GA models are jointly used in order to analytically establish relationships linking each other, so that the positive features of both models together can be taken into account for applications. It is shown that the suggested procedure makes it possible to move from one model to the other and vice versa, according to the derived equations linking the relative parameters. Constant rainfall intensity was assumed; therefore, the procedure is better aimed to its design purpose at the small basin scale, rather than to reproducing rainfall-runoff events. A comparison between the results obtained by applying the suggested analytical procedure with those numerically derived by other researchers for SCS temporal storm distribution is performed and discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request. Some data used during the study are available online at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266070760.
References
Baiamonte, G. 2016. “Simplified model to predict runoff generation time for well-drained and vegetated soils.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 142 (11): 04016047. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001072.
Baiamonte, G., and C. Agnese. 2010. “An analytical solution of kinematic wave equations for overland flow under Green-Ampt infiltration.” J. Agric. Eng. 41 (1): 41–49. https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2010.1.41.
Baiamonte, G., and C. Agnese. 2016. “Quick and slow components of the hydrologic response at the hillslope scale.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 142 (10): 04016038. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001053.
Baiamonte, G., V. Bagarello, and C. Caia. 2019a. “Variability of near-surface saturated hydraulic conductivity for the clay soils of a small Sicilian basin.” Geoderma 340: 133–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.01.008.
Baiamonte, G., V. Bagarello, F. D’Asaro, and V. Palmeri. 2017. “Factors influencing point measurement of near-surface saturated soil hydraulic conductivity in a small Sicilian basin.” Land Degrad. Dev. 28 (3): 970–982. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2674.
Baiamonte, G., F. D’Asaro, and R. Calvo. 2019b. “Gravity-driven infiltration and subsidence phenomena in Posidonia oceanica residues.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 24 (6): 04019016. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001791.
Baiamonte, G., F. D’Asaro, and G. Grillone. 2015. “Simplified probabilistic-topologic model for reproducing hillslope rill network surface runoff.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 141 (7): 04014080. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000854.
Baiamonte, G., and V. P. Singh. 2016. “Analytical solution of kinematic wave time of concentration for overland flow under Green-Ampt infiltration.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 21 (3): 04015072. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001266.
Baiamonte, G., and V. P. Singh. 2017. “Modeling the probability distribution of peak discharge for infiltrating hillslopes.” Water Resour. Res. 53 (7): 6018–6032. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR020109.
Baltas, E. A., N. A. Dervos, and M. A. Mimikou. 2007. “Technical note: Determination of the SCS initial abstraction ratio in an experimental watershed in Greece.” Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (6): 1825–1829. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-11-1825-2007.
Bosznay, M. 1989. “Generalization of SCS curve number method.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 115 (1): 139–144. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1989)115:1(139).
Brevnova, E. V. 2001. “Green-Ampt infiltration model parameter determination using SCS curve number (CN) and soil texture class, and application to the SCS runoff model.” Master’s thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia Univ.
Brocca, L., F. Melone, and T. Moramarco. 2006. “Antecedent moisture conditions in the SCS-CN method.” In Uncertainties in the ‘monitoring-conceptualisation-modelling’ sequence of catchment research, edited by L. Pfister, P. Matgen, R. Van den Bos, and L. Hoffman, 273–278. Belvaux, Luxembourg: CRP-Gabriel Lippman.
Brutsaert, W. 2005. Hydrology: An introduction. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Cazier, D. J., and R. H. Hawkins. 1984. “Regional application of the curve number method.” In Proc., ASCE Irrigation and Drainage Division Special Conf. on Water Today and Tomorrow. New York: ASCE.
D’Asaro, F., G. Grillone, and R. H. Hawkins. 2014. “Curve number: Empirical evaluation and comparison with curve number handbook tables in Sicily.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 19 (12): 04014035. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000997.
Elhakeem, M., and A. N. Papanicolaou. 2009. “Estimation of the runoff curve number via direct rainfall simulator measurements in the State of Iowa, USA.” Water Resour. Manage. 23 (12): 2455–2473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-008-9390-1.
Eli, R. N., and S. J. Lamont. 2010. “Curve numbers and urban runoff modeling: Application limitations.” In Proc., Int. Low Impact Development Conf. (LID) 2010: Redefining Water in the City, 405–418. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Fan, L., P. Lehmann, and D. Or. 2016. “Effects of soil spatial variability at the hillslope and catchment scales on characteristics of rainfall-induced landslides.” Water Resour. Res. 52 (3): 1781–1799. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR017758.
Ficklin, D. L., and M. Zhang. 2013. “A comparison of the curve number and Green-Ampt models in an agricultural watershed.” Trans. ASABE 56 (1): 61–69. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.42590.
Garen, D. C., and D. S. Moore. 2005. “Curve number hydrology in water quality modeling: Uses, abuses, and future directions.” J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 41 (2): 377–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2005.tb03742.x.
Green, W. H., and G. A. Ampt. 1911. “Studies on soil physics.” J. Agric. Sci. 4 (1): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600001441.
Grimaldi, S., A. Petroselli, and N. Romano. 2013a. “Curve-number/Green-Ampt mixed procedure for streamflow predictions in ungauged basins: Parameter sensitivity analysis.” Hydrol. Process. 27 (8): 1265–1275. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.9749.
Grimaldi, S., A. Petroselli, and N. Romano. 2013b. “Green-Ampt curve-number mixed procedure as an empirical tool for rainfall-runoff modelling in small and ungauged basins.” Hydrol. Process. 27 (8): 1253–1264. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.9303.
Hawkins, R. H. 1983. “Discussion of ‘Relation between curve number and runoff coefficient’ by Richard H. McCuen and Timothy R. Bondelid (December, 1981).” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 109 (1): 192–195. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1983)109:1(192.2).
Hawkins, R. H. 1993. “Asymptotic determination of runoff curve numbers from data.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 119 (2): 334–345. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1993)119:2(334).
Hillel, D. 1998. Environmental soil physics: Fundamentals, applications, and environmental considerations. San Diego: Academic.
Hjelmfelt, A. T., Jr. 1991. “Investigation of curve number procedure.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 117 (6): 725–737. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1991)117:6(725).
Holtan, H. N. 1961. A concept of infiltration estimates in watershed engineering. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Agricultural Research Service.
Horton, R. I. 1938. “The interpretation and application of runoff plot experiments with reference to soil erosion problems.” In Vol. 3 of Proc., Soil Science Society of America, 340–349. Madison, WI: Soil Science Society of America.
Jury, W. A., W. R. Gardner, and W. H. Gardner. 1991. Soil physics. 5th ed. New York: Wiley.
Kale, R. V., and B. Sahoo. 2011. “Green-Ampt infiltration models for varied field conditions: A revisit.” Water Resour. Manage. 25 (14): 3505–3536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9868-0.
Kostiakov, A. N. 1932. “On the dynamics of the coefficients of water percolation in soils and on the necessity of studying it from a dynamic point of view for purpose of amelioration.” In Proc., Transactions of 6th Committee International Society of Soil Science. Wuhan, China: Scientific Research Publishing
Larson, C. L. 1965. “A two-phase approach to prediction of peak rates and frequencies of runoff for small ungauged watersheds.” Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Stanford Univ.
McCuen, R. H. 1989. Hydrologic analysis and design. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
McCuen, R. H. 2002. “Approach to confidence interval estimation for curve numbers.” J. Hydrol. Eng. 7 (1): 43–48. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(2002)7:1(43).
McCuen, R. H., P. A. Johnson, and R. M. Ragan. 1996. Highway hydrology. Hydraulic Design Series No. 2. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), US Dept. of Transportation.
Michel, C., V. Andreassian, and C. Perrin. 2005. “Soil Conservation Service curve number method: How to mend a wrong soil moisture accounting procedure?” Water Resour. Res. 41 (2): W02011. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004WR003191.
Mishra, S. K., R. K. Sahu, T. I. Eldho, and M. K. Jain. 2006. “An improved relation incorporating antecedent moisture in SCS-CN methodology.” Water Resour. Manage. 20 (5): 643–660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-005-9000-4.
Mishra, S. K., and V. P. Singh. 2004. “Long-term hydrological simulation based on the Soil Conservation Service curve number.” Hydrol. Process. 18 (7): 1291–1313. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1344.
Mishra, S. K., and V. P. Singh. 2013. Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) methodology. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Mockus, V. 1964. “Letter to Orrin Ferris.” In Proc., ASCE Symp. on Watershed Management Origin and Evolution of the SCS Runoff Equation, edited by R. E. Rallison. New York: ASCE.
Oliveira, P. T. S., M. A. Nearing, R. H. Hawkins, J. J. Stone, D. B. B. Rodrigues, E. Panachuki, and E. Wendland. 2016. “Curve number estimation from Brazilian Cerrado rainfall and runoff data.” J. Soil Water Conserv. 71 (5): 420–429. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.71.5.420.
Overton, D. E. 1964. Mathematical refinement of an infiltration equation for watershed engineering. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Agriculture Research Service.
Petroselli, A., S. Grimaldi, and N. Romano. 2013. “Curve-number/Green-Ampt mixed procedure for net rainfall estimation: A case study of the Mignone watershed, IT.” Procedia Environ. Sci. 19: 113–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2013.06.013.
Philip, J. R. 1957. “Theory of infiltration, chapters 1 and chapter 4.” Soil Sci. 83 (5): 345–358. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-195705000-00002.
Philip, J. R. 1969. “Theory of infiltration.” In Vol. 5 of Advances in hydroscience, edited by K. T. Chow, 215–296. New York: Academic.
Ponce, V. M., and R. H. Hawkins. 1996. “Runoff curve number: Has it reached maturity?” J. Hydrol. Eng. 1 (1): 11–19. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(1996)1:1(11).
Raats, P. A. C., and W. R. Gardner. 1971. “Comparison of empirical relationships between pressure head and hydraulic conductivity and some observations on radially symmetric flow.” Water Resour. Res. 7 (4): 921–928. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR007i004p00921.
Rallison, R. E.1980. “Origin and evolution of the SCS runoff equation.” In Proc. Symposium on Watershed Management, 912–924. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Ramasastri, K. S., and S. M. Seth. 1985. Rainfall-runoff relationships. Roorkee, India: National Institute of Hydrology.
Rawls, W. J., and D. L. Brakensiek. 1982. “Estimating soil water retention from soil properties.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 108 (2): 166–171.
Rawls, W. J., and D. L. Brakensiek. 1986. “Comparison between Green-Ampt and curve number runoff predictions.” Trans. ASAE 29 (6): 1597–1599. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.30359.
Rawls, W. J., D. L. Brakensiek, and N. Miller. 1983. “Green-Ampt infiltration parameters from soils data.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 109 (1): 62–70. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1983)109:1(62).
Rawls, W. J., D. L. Brakensiek, and K. E. Saxton. 1982. “Estimation of soil water properties.” Trans. ASAE 25 (5): 1316–1320. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.33720.
Saghafian, B., and P. Y. Julien. 1995. “Time to equilibrium for spatially variable watersheds.” J. Hydrol. 172 (1–4): 231–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(95)02692-I.
Satheeshkumar, S., S. Venkateswaran, and R. Kannan. 2017. “Rainfall–runoff estimation using SCS–CN and GIS approach in the Pappiredipatti watershed of the Vaniyar sub basin, South India.” Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 3 (1): 24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-017-0301-4.
SCS (Soil Conservation Service). 1956. National engineering handbook: Section 4: Hydrology. Washington, DC: SCS.
SCS (Soil Conservation Service). 1972. National engineering handbook: Section 4: Hydrology. Washington, DC: SCS.
SCS (Soil Conservation Service). 1985. National engineering handbook: Section 4: Hydrology. Washington, DC: SCS.
SCS (Soil Conservation Service). 2004. National engineering handbook: Section 4: Hydrology. Washington, DC: SCS.
Shadeed, S., and M. Almasri. 2010. “Application of GIS-based SCS-CN method in West Bank catchments, Palestine.” Water Sci. Eng. 3 (1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3882/j.issn.1674-2370.2010.01.001.
Sihag, P., N. K. Tiwari, and S. Ranjan. 2017. “Estimation and inter-comparison of infiltration models.” Water Sci. 31 (1): 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsj.2017.03.001.
Singh, V. P. 1996. Kinematic-wave modeling in water resources: Surface-water hydrology. New York: Wiley.
Singh, V. P. 2010. “Entropy theory for derivation of infiltration equations.” Water Resour. Res. 46 (3): W03527. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009WR008193.
Singh, V. P., and F. X. Yu. 1990. “Derivation of infiltration equation using systems approach.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 116 (6): 837–858. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1990)116:6(837).
Smith, R. E., K. R. J. Smettem, P. Broadbridge, and D. A. Woolhiser. 2002. Infiltration theory for hydrologic applications. Vol. 15 of Water resources monograph series. Washington, DC: American Geophysical Union (AGU).
Springer, E. P., B. J. McGurk, R. H. Hawkins, and G. B. Goltharp. 1980. “Curve numbers from watershed data.” In Vol. II of Proc., ASCE Irrigation and Drainage Symp. on Watershed Management, 938–950. New York: ASCE.
Steenhuis, T. S., M. Winchell, J. Rossing, J. Zollweg, and M. F. Walter. 1995. “SCS runoff equation revisited for variable-source runoff areas.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 121 (3): 234–238. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1995)121:3(234).
Sutradhar, H. 2018. “Surface runoff estimation using SCS-CN method in Siddheswari River Basin, Eastern India.” J. Geogr. Environ. Earth Sci. Int. 17 (2): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.9734/JGEESI/2018/44076.
Tramblay, Y., C. Bouvier, C. Martin, J. F. Didon-Lescot, D. Todorovik, and J. M. Domergue. 2010. “Assessment of initial soil moisture conditions for event-based rainfall-runoff modelling.” J. Hydrol. 387 (3–4): 176–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.04.006.
Triadis, D., and P. Broadbridge. 2012. “The Green–Ampt limit with reference to infiltration coefficients.” Water Resour. Res. 48 (7): W07515. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011WR011747.
Vaze, J., P. Jordan, R. Beecham, A. Frost, and G. Summerell. 2012. Guidelines for rainfall-runoff modelling: Towards best practice model application. Bruce, ACT, Australia: Water Cooperative Research Centre.
Viji, R., P. R. Prasanna, and R. Ilangovan. 2015. “Modified SCS-CN and Green-Ampt methods in surface runoff modelling for the Kundahpallam Watershed, Nilgiris, Western Ghats, India.” Aquat. Procedia 4: 677–684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqpro.2015.02.087.
White, I., and M. J. Sully. 1987. “Macroscopic and microscopic capillary length and time scales from field infiltration.” Water Resour. Res. 23 (8): 1514–1522. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR023i008p01514.
Woodward, D. E., R. H. Hawkins, R. Jiang, A. T. Hjelmfelt, J. A. Van Mullem, and Q. D. Quan. 2003. “Runoff curve number method: Examination of the initial abstraction ratio.” In Proc., World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, 1–10. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Woodward, D. E., C. C. Hoeft, R. H. Hawkins, J. Van Mullem, and T. J. Ward. 2010. “Discussion of ‘Modifications to SCS-CN method for long-term hydrologic simulation’ by K. Geetha, S. K. Mishra, T. I. Eldho, A. K. Rastogi, and R. P. Pandey.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 136 (6): 444–446. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000231.
Yu, B. 1998. “Theoretical justification of SCS-CN method for runoff estimation.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 124 (6): 306–310. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1998)124:6(306).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 24 • Issue 10 • October 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 29, 2019
Accepted: May 16, 2019
Published online: Jul 19, 2019
Published in print: Oct 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Dec 19, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.