Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region
Relationships between peak discharges and catchment size (e.g., flood scaling) in a catchment have the potential to support new river flood forecasting approaches but have not been tested in tropical regions. This study determined flood scaling relationships between peak discharge and nested drainag...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IWA Publishing
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Hydrology Research |
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| Online Access: | http://hr.iwaponline.com/content/55/2/161 |
| _version_ | 1797205356058771456 |
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| author | Charles Mazivanhanga Robert C. Grabowski Eunice Pérez-Sánchez Victor R. Carballo-Cruz |
| author_facet | Charles Mazivanhanga Robert C. Grabowski Eunice Pérez-Sánchez Victor R. Carballo-Cruz |
| author_sort | Charles Mazivanhanga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Relationships between peak discharges and catchment size (e.g., flood scaling) in a catchment have the potential to support new river flood forecasting approaches but have not been tested in tropical regions. This study determined flood scaling relationships between peak discharge and nested drainage areas in the La Sierra catchment (Mexico). A statistical power law equation was applied to selected rainfall–runoff events that occurred between 2012 and 2015. Variations in flood scaling parameters were determined in relation to catchment descriptors and processes for peak downstream discharge estimation. Similar to studies in humid temperate regions, the results reveal the existence of log-linear relationships between the intercept (α) and exponent (θ) parameter values and the log–log power–law relationships between (α) and the peak discharge observed from the smallest headwater catchments. The flood parameter values obtained were then factored into the scaling equation (QP = αAθ) and successfully predicted downstream flood peaks, especially highly recurrent flood events. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the nature of flood wave generation and support the development of new flood forecasting approaches in unregulated catchments suitable for non-stationarity in hydrological processes with climate change.
HIGHLIGHTS
Peak discharge in the La Sierra catchment follows a power–law relationship, similar to humid temperate regions.;
Log-linear and log–log relationships can be used to estimate flood parameters and peak downstream discharge especially for frequent events.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:49:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6930ba9e28c342afaa408684762f6bcc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1998-9563 2224-7955 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:49:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-6930ba9e28c342afaa408684762f6bcc2024-04-16T12:31:41ZengIWA PublishingHydrology Research1998-95632224-79552024-02-0155216117910.2166/nh.2024.111111Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical regionCharles Mazivanhanga0Robert C. Grabowski1Eunice Pérez-Sánchez2Victor R. Carballo-Cruz3 School of Water Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Bedford, United Kingdom School of Water Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Bedford, United Kingdom División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco, Tabasco, Mexico División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco, Tabasco, Mexico Relationships between peak discharges and catchment size (e.g., flood scaling) in a catchment have the potential to support new river flood forecasting approaches but have not been tested in tropical regions. This study determined flood scaling relationships between peak discharge and nested drainage areas in the La Sierra catchment (Mexico). A statistical power law equation was applied to selected rainfall–runoff events that occurred between 2012 and 2015. Variations in flood scaling parameters were determined in relation to catchment descriptors and processes for peak downstream discharge estimation. Similar to studies in humid temperate regions, the results reveal the existence of log-linear relationships between the intercept (α) and exponent (θ) parameter values and the log–log power–law relationships between (α) and the peak discharge observed from the smallest headwater catchments. The flood parameter values obtained were then factored into the scaling equation (QP = αAθ) and successfully predicted downstream flood peaks, especially highly recurrent flood events. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the nature of flood wave generation and support the development of new flood forecasting approaches in unregulated catchments suitable for non-stationarity in hydrological processes with climate change. HIGHLIGHTS Peak discharge in the La Sierra catchment follows a power–law relationship, similar to humid temperate regions.; Log-linear and log–log relationships can be used to estimate flood parameters and peak downstream discharge especially for frequent events.;http://hr.iwaponline.com/content/55/2/161catchmentflood forecastingflood peakhydrological scalingrainfall eventstreamflow response |
| spellingShingle | Charles Mazivanhanga Robert C. Grabowski Eunice Pérez-Sánchez Victor R. Carballo-Cruz Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region Hydrology Research catchment flood forecasting flood peak hydrological scaling rainfall event streamflow response |
| title | Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region |
| title_full | Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region |
| title_short | Analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region |
| title_sort | analysis of scaling relationships for flood parameters and peak discharge estimation in a tropical region |
| topic | catchment flood forecasting flood peak hydrological scaling rainfall event streamflow response |
| url | http://hr.iwaponline.com/content/55/2/161 |
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