Deficiencies in the Curve Number Method
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 5
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between the curve number and regional rainfall characteristics, and also determines the extent to which intrastorm application of the curve number method is likely to generate infiltration rates that exceed the infiltration capacities of catchment soils. It is shown that there is a sufficiently strong relation between the curve number and regional rainfall characteristics in the US that precludes translating curve numbers between locations based only on land cover, land use, and hydrologic soil group. It is also shown that intrastorm application of the curve number method is valid only for relatively high curve numbers, thereby limiting the application of the curve number method for calculating intrastorm runoff rates.
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Data Availability Statement
The following data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available in a repository or online. Cluster rainfall distributions can be derived from Chin and Ross (2018) (https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001350), and Chin (2020).
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 5 • May 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 2, 2020
Accepted: Dec 2, 2020
Published online: Feb 28, 2021
Published in print: May 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jul 28, 2021
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