Optimal Spectral Base‐Flow Estimation
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 116, Issue 12
Abstract
This paper presents an off-line method to estimate, on a yearly basis, daily sequences of base flow in perennial and effluent rivers, based exclusively on daily discharge measurements. The technique resorts to linear systems theory for the identification of the frequency (or spectral) response function as an attenuated and lagged ideal low-pass filter of constant parameters. The estimation of the filter parameters is performed through a search procedure that minimizes the sum of the square of the differences of observed discharge and estimated base flow, only in low-flow periods. Finally, the estimation of the base-flow sequence for a given year is obtained as the inverse Fourier transform of the product of the frequency-response function and the Fourier transform of total discharge. Efficient implementation of the estimation technique is made through the use of the fast Fourier transform algorithm. An example is presented to show the application of the proposed procedure to an actual daily discharge record.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 116 • Issue 12 • December 1990
Pages: 1540 - 1546
Copyright
Copyright © 1990 ASCE.
History
Published online: Dec 1, 1990
Published in print: Dec 1990
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