Application of the Curve-Number Method for Varying Rainfall Amounts
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 7
Abstract
Calibration studies typically relate the curve number to the rainfall amount; however, this dependence is neglected in the standard application of the curve-number method. This neglect causes an underestimation of the calculated runoff, which is of concern to engineers. This study quantifies the magnitude of the underestimation of runoff, and identifies the minimum rainfall amounts required for the standard curve-number method to yield runoff estimates with nominal errors less than 10%. These minimum rainfall amounts are shown to be in the range for curve numbers in the range 40–100. The results also show that a reduced standard initial abstraction ratio below the current standard of 0.2 likely would lead to lower rainfall thresholds for the 10% error.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, and models generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 7 • July 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 13, 2020
Accepted: Mar 5, 2021
Published online: Apr 30, 2021
Published in print: Jul 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Sep 30, 2021
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Cited by
- David A. Chin, The Curve Number Method in the 21st Century, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 10.1061/JIDEDH.IRENG-10108, 149, 6, (2023).
- David A. Chin, The State of the Curve-Number Method, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001717, 148, 11, (2022).