Minimum Rainfall for Applying the Curve-Number Method
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 8
Abstract
In engineering practice the curve-number method is sometimes inappropriately applied to low-rainfall events, thereby ignoring the dependence of the curve number on the rainfall amount. Lack of adjustment of the curve number for low rainfall can lead to substantial underestimation of runoff, and is particularly problematic in the design of water-quality components of stormwater-management systems. An expression is derived for the minimum rainfall required for the applicable curve number to be within 10% of its commonly cited handbook value, and a procedure is presented for adjusting the handbook curve number to account for low-design rainfall. A realistic example is presented to illustrate the procedure.
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Data Availability Statement
All data and models generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
References
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Chin, D. 2022. “Essential considerations in applying the curve-number method.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 148 (2): 04021071. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001649.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 8 • August 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 20, 2021
Accepted: Apr 21, 2022
Published online: Jun 9, 2022
Published in print: Aug 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Nov 9, 2022
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Cited by
- David A. Chin, The Curve Number Method in the 21st Century, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 10.1061/JIDEDH.IRENG-10108, 149, 6, (2023).
- David A. Chin, Discussion of “NRCS Curve Number Method: Comparison of Methods for Estimating the Curve Number from Rainfall-Runoff Data”, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 10.1061/JHYEFF.HEENG-5904, 28, 8, (2023).
- Jonathan David D. Lasco, Empirical Evidence Shows That Curve Numbers Vary from Event to Event, World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2023, 10.1061/9780784484852.115, (1263-1270), (2023).
- David A. Chin, The State of the Curve-Number Method, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001717, 148, 11, (2022).