Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
In ungauged watersheds, the estimation of the time of concentration (<i>Tc</i>) is always a challenging task due to the intrinsic uncertainty involved when making assumptions. Given that <i>Tc</i> is one of the main inputs in a hydrological analysis for the design of hydrauli...
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Hydrology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/7/3/47 |
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| author | Álvaro González-Álvarez José Molina-Pérez Brandon Meza-Zúñiga Orlando M. Viloria-Marimón Kibrewossen Tesfagiorgis Javier A. Mouthón-Bello |
| author_facet | Álvaro González-Álvarez José Molina-Pérez Brandon Meza-Zúñiga Orlando M. Viloria-Marimón Kibrewossen Tesfagiorgis Javier A. Mouthón-Bello |
| author_sort | Álvaro González-Álvarez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In ungauged watersheds, the estimation of the time of concentration (<i>Tc</i>) is always a challenging task due to the intrinsic uncertainty involved when making assumptions. Given that <i>Tc</i> is one of the main inputs in a hydrological analysis for the design of hydraulic structures for stormwater management, ten equations (including one proposed in several local studies) and two <i>Tc</i> methodologies (overland flow time plus channel flow time) were used to compute the <i>Tc</i> in fifteen urban ungauged watersheds, located in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), with different area sizes and slopes to statistically assess their performance against the value obtained via the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) velocity method (assumed to be the true value). According to the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency index, none of the equations proved to be reliable in all watersheds as only four equations predicted the <i>Tc</i> value in 53% of the cases. In addition, based on the percent bias, all equations tended to significantly over- or underestimate the <i>Tc</i>, which affects the quantification of the runoff volume necessary for, among others, the implementation of best management practices for watershed management (e.g., conventional and/or sustainable drainage system design), flood-prone area delineation and flood risk analyses, urban planning, and stream restoration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:12:43Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:12:43Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1b003a6fa9494e249102e0cf45299f2e2023-11-20T07:58:33ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382020-07-01734710.3390/hydrology7030047Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, ColombiaÁlvaro González-Álvarez0José Molina-Pérez1Brandon Meza-Zúñiga2Orlando M. Viloria-Marimón3Kibrewossen Tesfagiorgis4Javier A. Mouthón-Bello5Boswell Engineering, 330 Phillips Ave, South Hackensack, NJ 07606, USAIndependent Researcher, Cartagena de Indias 130012, ColombiaIndependent Researcher, Cartagena de Indias 130012, ColombiaIndependent Researcher, Cartagena de Indias 130012, ColombiaDepartment of Science, Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers St., New York, NY 10007, USAGrupo de Investigación Modelación Ambiental (GIMA), Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130015, ColombiaIn ungauged watersheds, the estimation of the time of concentration (<i>Tc</i>) is always a challenging task due to the intrinsic uncertainty involved when making assumptions. Given that <i>Tc</i> is one of the main inputs in a hydrological analysis for the design of hydraulic structures for stormwater management, ten equations (including one proposed in several local studies) and two <i>Tc</i> methodologies (overland flow time plus channel flow time) were used to compute the <i>Tc</i> in fifteen urban ungauged watersheds, located in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), with different area sizes and slopes to statistically assess their performance against the value obtained via the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) velocity method (assumed to be the true value). According to the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency index, none of the equations proved to be reliable in all watersheds as only four equations predicted the <i>Tc</i> value in 53% of the cases. In addition, based on the percent bias, all equations tended to significantly over- or underestimate the <i>Tc</i>, which affects the quantification of the runoff volume necessary for, among others, the implementation of best management practices for watershed management (e.g., conventional and/or sustainable drainage system design), flood-prone area delineation and flood risk analyses, urban planning, and stream restoration.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/7/3/47time of concentrationnon-stationarityungauged urban watershedstormwater managementCartagena de Indias |
| spellingShingle | Álvaro González-Álvarez José Molina-Pérez Brandon Meza-Zúñiga Orlando M. Viloria-Marimón Kibrewossen Tesfagiorgis Javier A. Mouthón-Bello Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia Hydrology time of concentration non-stationarity ungauged urban watershed stormwater management Cartagena de Indias |
| title | Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia |
| title_full | Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia |
| title_short | Assessing the Performance of Different Time of Concentration Equations in Urban Ungauged Watersheds: Case Study of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia |
| title_sort | assessing the performance of different time of concentration equations in urban ungauged watersheds case study of cartagena de indias colombia |
| topic | time of concentration non-stationarity ungauged urban watershed stormwater management Cartagena de Indias |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/7/3/47 |
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