Peak Discharge Scaling in Small Hortonian Watershed
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 8, Issue 2
Abstract
Runoff data were analyzed from the semihumid 21.2 km2 Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed (GCEW) in northern Mississippi to examine watershed response over a range of scales. Runoff is monitored at the GCEW outlet and in 13 subcatchments, ranging in area from 0.06 to 17.6 km2. Previous data-based studies have shown that simple scaling theory fails to describe scaling of flood quantiles in large watersheds, and there is a fundamental change in scaling behavior in semihumid watersheds at an area of approximately 100 km2. It has been found that flood quantiles in nearly all subbasins in the GCEW are self-similar as described by simple scaling theory. It has also been found that expected values of peak flows during single runoff events are described by a power law function of catchment area. The primary reasons why flood quantiles are self-similar on Goodwin Creek are that precipitation is relatively uniform over the basin; peak discharges in smaller catchments are highly correlated with rainfall rates; nearly the entire watershed regularly contributes to runoff and; the groundwater table plays little role in runoff production.
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Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 8 • Issue 2 • March 2003
Pages: 64 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 10, 2002
Accepted: Jun 28, 2002
Published online: Feb 14, 2003
Published in print: Mar 2003
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