Improved Methods of Parameterization for Estimating the Magnitude and Frequency of Peak Discharges in Rural Ungaged Streams
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VIEW CORRECTIONPublication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
For the past several decades, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and others have been tasked with development of regional predictor equations to determine flood peaks in unregulated and ungaged rural locations. This study tests several new watershed parameters not commonly used in past studies that have been extracted from available geomorphologic and climatic data using both manual and programmatic methods with the goal of improving the predictive power of the regional equations. Parameters include a derived basin slope corresponding to surface flow direction, discrete travel time for each location in a watershed to the outlet, and development of a watershed subarea correlated with the location of the maximum length isochrone line within each watershed. A case study is presented that tests these parameters in the Valley and Ridge physiographic region of Virginia. Results indicate that the proposed parameters tend to reduce standard model error in predictor equations ranging between 0.97 and 18.08% when compared with equations developed using drainage area as the lone predictor variable.
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Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 21 • Issue 1 • January 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 23, 2014
Accepted: Apr 9, 2015
Published online: Jun 5, 2015
Discussion open until: Nov 5, 2015
Published in print: Jan 1, 2016
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