THUNDERSTORM RUNOFF IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA

AIR-MASS THUNDERSTORM RAINFALL PRODUCES THE MAJOR FLOODS ON SMALL (100 SQ MILE OR LESS) RANGELAND WATERSHEDS IN THE SOUTHWEST. THE INTENSE CENTRAL VOLUME OF THUNDERSTORM RAINFALL, REFERRED TO AS THE CORE OF RUNOFF-PRODUCING RAINFALL, IS CORRELATED TO PEAK DISCHARGE. THE CORE WAS REPRESENTED BY THE MAXIMUM 30-MIN. DEPTH OF RAINFALL AT EACH GAGE AS ESTIMATED FROM A DENSE RAIN GAGE NETWORK ON THE ARS WALNUT GULCH EXPERIMENTAL WATERSHED. PHYSICAL LIMITS ARE CONSIDERED FOR THUNDERSTORM RAINFALL AND RUNOFF IN THE SOUTHWEST. THESE LIMITS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE SCARCITY OF RECORDS AND THE UNCERTAINTIES INVOLVED IN EXTRAPOLATING SHORT RECORDS TO LONGER RECURRENCE INTERVALS. SOME UPPER LIMITS FOR PEAK DISCHARGES ARE SUGGESTED FOR DIFFERENT SIZED WALNUT GULCH WATERSHEDS, AND THE VARIANCES OF THE INDIVIDUAL PREDICTIONS ARE ESTIMATED THROUGH LEAST SQUARES FITTING OF THE SAMPLE DATA. /ASCE/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • PROC PAPER NO 9871 2 APP
• Authors:
  • Osborn, H B
  • Laursen, E M
• Publication Date: 1973-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 1129-43
• Serial:
  • Journal of the Hydraulics Division
  • Volume: 99
  • Issue Number: hy7
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Flood protection; Mathematical models; Rainfall; Thunderstorms; Watersheds
• Uncontrolled Terms: Models
• Subject Areas: Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00204521
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 27 1974 12:00AM