Copula-Based Flood Frequency Analysis at Ungauged Basin Confluences: Nashville, Tennessee

    Authors

    S. C. Kao;N. B. Chang

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Hydrol. Eng.

    Keywords

    Flood frequency analysis; Gaussian copula; Goodness-of-fit; Joint; probability; Confluence point; PEARSON TYPE-3 DISTRIBUTION; JOINT PROBABILITY; DISTRIBUTIONS; RIVER; MODEL; Engineering, Civil; Environmental Sciences; Water Resources

    Abstract

    Many cities are located at or near the confluence of streams where availability of water resources may be enhanced to sustain user needs while also posing an increased flooding risk from multiple tributaries. An accurate flood-frequency estimator that models the joint flood potential at a basin confluence is needed. Given that long-term flow observations are often unavailable, estimating flood-frequency at ungauged basin confluences proves challenging. Through the use of copulas, this case study demonstrates how an improved flood-frequency analysis can be performed for stream confluences at Nashville, Tennessee. The approach involves four major steps: initial data quality control, fitting of marginal distributions of tributary peak flows, construction of a suitable copula dependence structure, and identification of flood-frequency at the confluence point based on synthesized peak flows. This case study may help researchers and practitioners develop a better understanding of joint flood-frequency with consideration of upstream dam regulation among several contributing watersheds. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000477. (C) 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Hydrologic Engineering

    Volume

    17

    Issue/Number

    7

    Publication Date

    1-1-2012

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    790

    Last Page

    799

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000312709900003

    ISSN

    1084-0699

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