Estimation of Volumetric Runoff Coefficients for Texas Watersheds Using Land-Use and Rainfall-Runoff Data
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 1
Abstract
The rational method for peak discharge ( ) estimation was introduced in the 1880s. Although the rational method is considered simplistic, it remains an effective method for estimating peak discharge for small watersheds. The runoff coefficient ( ) is a key parameter for the rational method and can be estimated in various ways. Literature-based values ( ) are listed for different land-use/land cover (two words, no hyphen) (LULC) conditions in various design manuals and textbooks; however, these values were developed with little basis on observed rainfall and runoff data. In this paper, values were derived for 90 watersheds in Texas by using LULC data for 1992 and 2001; the values derived from the two data sets were essentially the same. Also for this study, volumetric runoff coefficients ( ) were estimated by using observed rainfall and runoff depths from more than 1,600 events observed in the watersheds. Watershed-median and watershed-average values were computed, and both are consistent with data from the National Urban Runoff Program. In addition, values were estimated by using rank-ordered pairs of rainfall and runoff depths (i.e., frequency matching). As anticipated, values derived by all three methods (literature based, event totals, and frequency matching) consistently had larger values for developed watersheds than for undeveloped watersheds. Two regression equations of versus percent impervious area were developed and combined into a single equation that can be used to rapidly estimate values for similar Texas watersheds.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank TxDOT Project Director Chuck Stead, P.E., and the project monitoring advisor members for their guidance and assistance. They also express their gratitude to technical reviewers Meghan Roussel and Glenn Harwell from the Texas Water Science Center in Austin and Fort Worth, respectively, and to three anonymous reviewers; their comments and suggestions greatly improved the paper. This study was partially supported by TxDOT Research Projects TXDOT0-6070, TXDOT0-4696, TXDOT0-4193, and TXDOT0-4194.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 1 • January 2012
Pages: 43 - 54
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 28, 2010
Accepted: Apr 6, 2011
Published online: Apr 8, 2011
Published in print: Jan 1, 2012
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