Drainage Area Limitations of Single Watershed Peak Flow Estimates with NRCS Methods
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2024
ABSTRACT
NRCS (SCS) methods to predict runoff volume and peak discharge from rainfall have been in use for 70 years. Despite their universal application for highway drainage infrastructure, there is no clearly identified limitation on drainage area size for single, homogeneous watersheds. We compare flow frequency from more than 100 small watershed stream gages in Nebraska to estimate using TR-20 and TR-55. We also compare results from regression equations to the gage estimates. Work continues to determine if there is a statistically significant watershed area size that favors use of NRCS methods over regression equations.
Get full access to this chapter
View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.
REFERENCES
United States Department of Agriculture. 1986. “Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds.” In. United States Department of Agriculture.
Aquaveo. 2021. 'WMS Learning Center', Accessed 1/16/2024. https://www.aquaveo.com/software/wms-learning.
Autodesk, Inc. 2010. AutoCAD Civil 3D Hydraflow Hydrographs Extension User’s Guide. In, 106. 111 Mclnnis Parkway San Rafael, CA 94903, USA: Autodesk, Inc.
Beckman, E. W. 1976. “Magnitude and frequency of floods in Nebraska.” In. Lincoln, NE.
Center, USACE Hydrologic Engineering. 2024. 'HEC-SSP Documentation', Accessed 1/16/2024. https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/confluence/sspdocs.
Chin, D. A. 2006. Water-resources engineering (Pearson Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, N.J.).
Chin, D. A. 2022. 'Essential Considerations in Applying the Curve-Number Method', Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 148.
Chin, D. A. 2023. 'Discussion of “NRCS Curve Number Method: Comparison of Methods for Estimating the Curve Number from Rainfall-Runoff Data”', Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 28: 07023003.
Cordes, K. E. 1993. Design discharge of culverts (University of Nebraska--Lincoln).
England, J. F., Jr., T. A. Cohn, B. A. Faber, J. R. Stedinger, W. O. Thomas Jr., A. G. Veilleux, J. E. Kiang, and R. Mason. 2019. Guidelines for Determining Flood Flow Frequency–Bulletin 17C, Techniques and Methods 4-B5, US Geological Survey, https://doi. org/10.3133/tm4B5.
Fennessey, L. A. J., A. C. Miller, and J. M. Hamlett. 2001. 'Accuracy and precision of NRCS models for small watersheds1', JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 37: 899–912.
Folmar, N. D., and A. C. Miller. 2008. 'Development of an empirical lag time equation', Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 134: 501–06.
Folmar, N. D., A. C. Miller, and D. E. Woodward. 2007. 'History and development of the NRCS lag time equation 1', JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 43: 829–38.
Haan, C. T., H. P. Johnson, and D. L. Brakensiek. 1982. Hydrologic modeling of small watersheds.
Hawkins, R. H., T. J. Ward, D. E. Woodward, and J. A. Van Mullem. 2008. Curve Number Hydrology: State of the Practice.
McCuen, R. H. 1982. A guide to hydrologic analysis using SCS methods (Prentice-Hall, Inc.).
Mecham, C. M. 2008. NRCS Curve Number Calibration Using USGS Regression Equations, Brigham Young University - Provo.
Mishra, S. K., and V. P. Singh. 2013. Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) Methodology (Springer Netherlands).
Mishra, S. K., and V. Singh. 2003. Soil conservation service curve number (SCS-CN) methodology (Springer Science & Business Media).
Moglen, G. E., H. Sadeq, L. H. Hughes, M. E. Meadows, J. J. Miller, J. J. Ramirez-Avila, and E. W. Tollner. 2022. 'NRCS curve number method: comparison of methods for estimating the curve number from Rainfall-Runoff Data', Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 27: 04022023.
Ormsbee, L., S. Hoagland, and K. Peterson. 2020. 'Limitations of TR-55 Curve Numbers for Urban Development Applications: Critical Review and Potential Strategies for Moving Forward', Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 25: 02520001.
Ponce, V. 'Notes of my Conversation with Vic Mockus', Victor Ponce, Accessed June 22nd. https://ponce.sdsu.edu/mockus_conversation.html.
Ponce, V. M., and R. H. Hawkins. 1996. 'Runoff curve number: Has it reached maturity?', Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 1: 11–19.
Ponce, V. M. 2021. “CN Oral History Victor Miguel Ponce.” In Zoom, edited by Glenn Moglen. YouTube: Glenn Moglen.
Nebraska Department of Roads. 2006. Nebraska Department of Roads Drainage and Erosion Control Manual. In.
Esri Professional Services. 2014. NDNR Arc Hydro N-FACT Hydrology Component. In, 194. Esri.
Soenksen, P. J. 1999. Peak-flow frequency relations and evaluation of the peak-flow gaging network in Nebraska (US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey).
Soil Conservation Service, S. 1972. National engineering handbook, section 4, hydrology. In.: US Department of Agriculture Washington, DC.
Sorrell, R. C. 2010. “Computing flood discharges for small ungaged watersheds.” In, 1–27. Michigan Dept of Env Quality.
Strahm, B. J., and D. M. Admiraal. 2005. NDOR Regression Equations.
Thompson, D. B. 2004. “Literature review for TxDOT project 0–4405: Scale issues in hydrology.” In, 1-105. Springfield, VA:, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409.
Transportation, Nebraska Department of. 2018. Drainage and Erosion Control Manual. In, (1-24)-(1-37). Nebraska Department of Transportation.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Published online: May 16, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Drainage
- Engineering fundamentals
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Hydrologic engineering
- Hydrology
- Irrigation engineering
- Peak flow
- Regression analysis
- River engineering
- River systems
- Runoff
- Statistical analysis (by type)
- Water and water resources
- Water discharge
- Water flow
- Watersheds
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.