Development of 24‐Hour Rainfall Frequency Maps for Louisiana
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 119, Issue 6
Abstract
Maximum annual 24‐hour rainfall maps for return periods of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years were developed by using hourly precipitation data. Data from 92 rain gauges for the period of 1948 to 1987 were compiled and combined into 26 synthesized stations. Log‐Pearson Type 3 distribution (LPEAR3) with parameter estimation by the method of moments (MOM) was used to compute the 24‐hour rainfall quantiles. This combination was found to be the best for the Louisiana rainfall data. The new isohyetal maps were compared to the U.S. Weather Bureau Technical Paper 40 (TP‐40) maps using the performance indices of the standardized mean square error (MSE) and the standardized bias. On the average, for all of the 26 synthesized stations corresponding to six return periods, the new maps reduced the MSE by 58% and the bias by 80%, as compared to the TP‐40 maps. Application of the predicted quantiles to the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) runoff model showed that the computed runoff was equally sensitive to both parameters, rainfall input, and the curve number, of the SCS rainfall‐runoff model.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Aron, G., Wall, D. J., White, E. L., Dunn, C. N., and Kotz, D. M. (1986). FHWA‐PA‐85‐032. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.
2.
Arora, K., and Singh, V. P. (1989). “A comparative evaluation of the estimators of the log Pearson type 3 distribution.” J. Hydro., 105, 19–37.
3.
“Five‐ to 60‐minute precipitation frequency for the eastern and central United States.” (1977). NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS HYDRO‐35. National Weather Service, Silver Spring, Md.
4.
“Hydrology. ” (1972). Soil Conservation Service national engineering handbook. U.S. Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
5.
Louisiana rainfall, intensity‐duration‐frequency data and depth‐area duration data. (1952). Department of Public Works, Baton Rouge, La.
6.
Naghavi, B., Singh, V. P., and Yu, F. X. (1991). “LADOTD 24‐hour rainfall frequency maps and I‐D‐F curves.” Report No. 236, Louisiana Transp. Res. Ctr., Baton Rouge, La.
7.
“Rainfall frequency atlas of the United States.” (1961). Technical Paper No. 40. U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
8.
Singh, V. P. (1988). “Hydrologic systems.” Rainfall‐runoff modeling. Vol. 1, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
9.
Singh, V. P., and Yu, F. X. (1990). “Derivation of an infiltration equation using systems approach.” J. Irrig. and Drain. Engrg., ASCE, 116(6), 837–858.
10.
“Storm rainfall probability atlas for Arizona.” (1988). FHWA‐AZ88‐276, Arizona Dept. of Transp., Phoenix, Ariz.
11.
Yarnell, D. L. (1935). “Rainfall‐intensity‐frequency data.” Miscellaneous Publications No. 204, U.S. Dept. of Agric., Washington, D.C.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 29, 1992
Published online: Nov 1, 1993
Published in print: Nov 1993
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.