Determination of Low-Flow Characteristics for Texas Streams
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 126, Issue 5
Abstract
Predictive equations for the harmonic mean flow; the 7-day, 2-year low-flow (7Q2); and the 7-day, 10-year low-flow (7Q10) of ungauged Texas streams are developed using multiple regression analysis based on meteorological and physiographic data from 63 gauged streams. Harmonic mean, 7Q2, and 7Q10 values from the data range from 0.0001 to 1.6448 m3/s (0.004 to 58.12 cfs), 0 to 0.566 m3/s, (0 to 20 cfs), and 0 to 0.425 m3/s (0 to 15 cfs), respectively. Gamma-produced 7Q2 and 7Q10 estimates yielded more statistically reliable equations than either the log-Pearson Type III or mixed-log-Pearson Type III produced estimates. The basin parameters considered include contributing drainage area, channel length and slope, basin shape factor, mean annual precipitation, predominant hydrologic soil group, and the 2-year 24-h precipitation. The regression equation for the harmonic mean included channel slope, mean annual precipitation, and drainage area and had a higher adjusted R2 than the 7Q2 and 7Q10 equations. A regional regression analysis yielded higher adjusted R2 for the harmonic mean than the statewide equation, implying that regional equations are more appropriate than statewide equations for Texas.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Arihood, L. D., and Glatfelter, D. R. ( 1991). “Method for estimating low-flow characteristics of ungaged streams in Indiana.” Water Supply Paper 2372, U.S. Geological Survey, Indianapolis.
2.
Asquith, W. H., and Slade, R. M., Jr. (1997). “Regional equations for estimation of peak-streamflow frequency for natural basins in Texas.” Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 96-4307, U.S. Geological Survey, Austin, Tex.
3.
Asquith, W. H., Slade, R. M., Jr. and Lanning-Rush, J. (1996). “Peak-flow frequency and extreme flood potential for streams in the vicinity of the Highland Lakes, Central Texas.” Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 96-4072, U.S. Geological Survey, Austin, Tex.
4.
Barnes, C. R. (1986). “Method for estimating low-flow statistics for ungaged streams in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York.” Water Resour. Investigation Rep. 85-4070, U.S. Geological Survey, Albany, N.Y.
5.
Bingham, R. H. (1986). “Regionalization of low-flow characteristics of Tennessee Streams.” Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 85-4191, U.S. Geological Survey, Nashville, Tenn.
6.
Chang, M., and Boyer, D. G. (1977). “Estimates of low flows using watershed and climatic parameters.” Water Resour. Res., 13(6), 997–1001.
7.
East, J. W. ( 1999). “Estimation of minimum 7-day, 2-year discharge for selected stream sites, and associated low-flow water-quality data, Southeast Texas, 1997–98.” Fact Sheet FS-122-99, U.S. Geological Survey, Austin, Tex.
8.
Hammett, D. M. (1985). “Low-flow frequency analysis for streams in west-central Florida.” Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 84-4299, U.S. Geological Survey, Tallahassee, Fla.
9.
Hayes, D. C. ( 1991). “Low-flow characteristics of streams in Virginia.” Water Supply Paper 2374, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
10.
Hirsch, R. M., Helsel, D. R., Cohn, T. A., and Gilroy, E. J. ( 1993). “Statistical analysis of hydrologic data.” Chapter 17, Handbook of hydrology, D. R. Maidment, ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 17.1–17.55.
11.
Holmstrom, B. K. (1980). “Low-flow characteristics of streams in the St. Croix River Basin, Wisconsin.” Water Resour. Investigations Open-File Rep. 80-696, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
12.
Loganathan, G. V., Mattejat, P., Kuo, C. Y., and Diskin, D. H. (1986). “Frequency analysis of low flows: Hypothetical distribution methods and a physically based approach.” Nordic Hydrol., Copenhagen, 17, 129–150.
13.
Ludwig, A. H., and Tasker, G. D. (1993). “Regionalization of low-flow characteristics of Arkansas streams.” Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 93-4013, U.S. Geological Survey, Little Rock, Ark.
14.
Male, J. W., and Ogawa, H. ( 1982). Low flows of Massachusetts streams, Publ. No. 125, Water Resour. Res. Ctr., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass.
15.
Matalas, N. C., and Wallis, J. R. (1973). “Eureka! It fits a Pearson type 3 distribution.” Water Resour. Res., 9(2), 281–289.
16.
Mosley, M. P., and McKerchar, A. I. ( 1993). “Streamflow.” Chapter 8, Handbook of hydrology, D. R. Maidment, ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 8.1–8.39.
17.
Raines, T. H., and Asquith, W. H. (1997). “Analysis of minimum 7-day discharges and estimation of minimum 7-day, 2-year discharges for streamflow-gaging stations in the Brazos River Basin, Texas.” Water Resour. Investigation Rep. 97-4117, U.S. Geological Survey, Austin, Tex.
18.
Riggs, H. C. ( 1972). “Low-flow investigations.” Chapter B1, Techniques of Water Resources Investigations of the United States Geological Survey, Book 4, Washington, D.C.
19.
Slade, R. M., Jr. and Asquith, W. H. (1996). “Peak data for U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations, Texas network and computer program to estimate peak-streamflow frequency.” Open-File Rep. 96-148, U.S. Geological Survey, Austin, Tex.
20.
Slade, R. M., Jr. Asquith, W. H., and Tasker, G. D. (1995). “Multiple regression equations to estimate peak-flow frequency for streams in Hays County, Texas.” Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 95-4019, U.S. Geological Survey, Austin, Tex.
21.
SPSS base 7.5 for Windows user's guide. (1997). SPSS Inc., Chicago.
22.
Stedinger, J. R. (1980). “Fitting log normal distributions to hydrologic data.” Water Resour. Res., 16(3), 481–490.
23.
Stedinger, J. R., Vogel, R. M., and Foufoula-Georgiou, E. ( 1993). “Frequency analysis of extreme events.” Chapter 18, Handbook of hydrology, D. R. Maidment, ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 18.1–18.66.
24.
Tasker, G. D. ( 1972). “Estimating low-flow characteristics of streams in southeastern Massachusetts from maps of ground-water availability.” Profl. Paper 800-D, U.S. Geological Survey, Malborough, Mass., D217–D220.
25.
Thomas, D. M., and Benson, M. A. ( 1970). “Generalization of streamflow characteristics from drainage-basin characteristics.” Water Supply Paper 1975, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C.
26.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (1985). “Water resources data, Texas, water year 1985.” Water Data Rep. TX-85, Austin, Tex.
27.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (1995). “Water resources data, Texas, water year 1995.” Water Data Rep. TX-95, Austin, Tex.
28.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (1996). “Water resources data, Texas, water year 1996.” Water Data Rep. TX-96, Austin, Tex.
29.
Vogel, R. M., and Kroll, C. N. (1990). “Generalized low-flow frequency relationships for ungauged sites in Massachusetts.” Water Resour. Bull., 26(2), 241–253.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 126 • Issue 5 • September 2000
Pages: 310 - 319
History
Received: Jul 6, 1999
Published online: Sep 1, 2000
Published in print: Sep 2000
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.