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Estimation of Large to Extreme Floods Using a Regionalization Model

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Landscape Dynamics, Soils and Hydrological Processes in Varied Climates

Part of the book series: Springer Geography ((SPRINGERGEOGR))

Abstract

Estimation of large to extreme floods in the range of 100 years return periods to probable maximum floods (PMF) is needed in planning and designing of large water resources management projects. Due to the limited availability of observed flood data, the estimation of large to extreme floods requires significant extrapolation beyond the observed flood and rainfall data. This chapter provides a review of various techniques to estimate large to extreme floods. It also presents a case study in Australia where based on observed flood data, a large to extreme flood regionalization (LEFR) model has been developed which can be applied relatively easily as compared with rainfall runoff modeling. The LEFR model assumes that the maximum observed flood data over a large number of sites in a region can be pooled together by accounting for the at-site variation in the mean and coefficient of variation of the observed annual maximum flood data. The LEFR model has been developed and tested using data from 227 catchments in New South Wales and Victoria States in Australia. The method can easily be adapted to other Australian states and countries.

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Acknowledgments

The work has been financially supported by the Australian Government through Geosciences Australia and Engineers Australia. The data has been obtained from Australian Rainfall and Runoff Revision Project 5 Regional Flood Methods. Authors would like to acknowledge New South Wales Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, New South Wales, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria, and Australian Bureau of Meteorology for providing data and Associate Professor Erwin Weinmann, Professor George Kuczera, Associate Professor Mark Babister, Associate Professor James Ball, Dr William Weeks, Dr Mohammad Zaman, and Dr Wilfredo Caballero for their input to the project including data preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, University of Western Sydney, Building XB, Kingswood, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia

    Khaled Haddad & Ataur Rahman

Authors
  1. Khaled Haddad
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  2. Ataur Rahman
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Correspondence to Ataur Rahman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth & Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA

    Assefa M. Melesse

  2. South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA

    Wossenu Abtew

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Haddad, K., Rahman, A. (2016). Estimation of Large to Extreme Floods Using a Regionalization Model. In: Melesse, A., Abtew, W. (eds) Landscape Dynamics, Soils and Hydrological Processes in Varied Climates. Springer Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18787-7_14

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