AN INDEX OF FLOOD-PRODUCING RAINFALL BASED ON RAINFALL AND SOIL MOISTURE DEFICIT

THE INVESTIGATION DESCRIBED HERE CONCERNS THE PREPARATION OF A SIMPLE INDEX OF FLOOD-PRODUCING RAINFALL. THIS INDEX, CALLED RAINFALL EXCESS IN THIS PAPER, IS BASED ON DAILY RAINFALL AND ON SOIL MOISTURE DEFICIT DATA. IT IS INTENDED FOR USE AS A PREDICTING VARIABLE IN ESTIMATING THE MAGNITUDE AND FREQUENCY OF FLOODS AT UNGAUGED SITES. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT AT ANY LOCATION AND IN ANY SEASON THE RAINFALL EXCESS OF T YEAR RETURN PERIOD DIFFERS FROM THE RAINFALL OF THE SAME RETURN PERIOD BY A CONSTANT AMOUNT, WHICH IS THE SAME FOR ALL VALUES OF T. THIS CONSTANT AMOUNT CAN BE VIEWED AS A MEAN SOIL MOISTURE DEFICIT FOR THE GIVEN LOCATION AND SEASON. SEASONAL MAPS OF MEAN SOIL MOISTURE DEFICIT CAN BE PREPARED AND USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH RAINFALL STATISTICS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATELY AN INDEX OF FLOOD-PRODUCING RAINFALL. THIS CONVENIENT RESULT, THE SUBTRACTICE PROPERTY OF THE MEAN SOIL MOISTURE DEFICIT, DERIVES FROM A PROPERTY OF THE EXPONENTIAL DISTRIBUTION WHICH WAS USED TO DESCRIBE THE DISTRIBUTION OF DAILY RAINFALL DATA. /AUTHOR/

• Authors:
  • Beran, M A
  • Sutcliffe, J V
• Publication Date: 1972-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 229-36
• Serial:
  • Journal Hydrology /Neth/
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue Number: 3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Exponential functions; Floods; Frequency (Electromagnetism); Magnitude; Rainfall; Runoff; Seasons; Soil water; Weather forecasting
• Uncontrolled Terms: Seasonal variations
• Subject Areas: Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00204481
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 13 1973 12:00AM