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Journal of Environmental Studies, Vol. 36, No. 55, Dec., 2010

Determination ofMtiximum Flood Flow by use of Sampling (observe)
Creager and SCS Method (Case study: Gharasoo river, Kermanshah, Iran)
Karkouti, A.R. 1, Nazariha, M.2, Baghvand, A? , Jafari Salim, B.4, Karbasi, A.R.5, Vosough, A.6
1- Graduate Student, Civil & Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran.
2-Assist Prof., of Natural Disaster Management Department, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran.
nazariha@utac.ir
3-Assist Prof., of Civil & Environment Engineering Department, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran.
baghvand@utac.ir
4- Graduate Student, Civil & Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran.
babak jafari_salim@yahoo..com
5-Assist Prof., of Civil & Environment Engineering Department, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran.
akarbasi@utac.ir
6- Graduate Student, Civil & Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran.
ali- vosoogh@yahoo.com
Received: Nov., 2009 Accepted: March, 2010
Introduction
Estimation of design floods in ungauged catchments is frequently required in hydrological practice and is of
great economic significance Hydrologists consider artificial unit hydro graph as one of applicable methods to
estimatepeak discharge for watershedsfor which hydro climatologydata is not available. .
In general, there are three methods for estimating pea'k discharges, including; Schneider, the Soil Conservation
Service (SCS) and triangular methods. All three methods give the same results in regards to the confidence level.
However, SCS method estimates flood hydro graphs with less error than other methods.
The aim of this research is to suggest the best peak discharge estimation which has the most compatibility with
natural hydrographs method. Moreover, natural and artificial methods and unit hydrograph will be compared
with .each other. In addition, the best estimation method will be proposed for calculation of coefficients of
artificial method. Finally, the flood peak and design flood will be determined.
The study area ~.
Kermanshah province with area of 24856km2 is located 'in west of Iran which its average altitude is around
1200m above sea level. Gharahso catchment is located in longitudes 45 22' to 47 and latitudes 34 and 34 55'.
Gharahso River is one of the most important tributary of Saytpareh River. It collects water from Kermanshah
and Kurdistan provinces and deliversit to SaymarehRiver..;t :
Materials and methods using flood data in gauged stations
In general, recorded data have some limitations. 'However, most of methods require complete statistical data
from under study catchment to estimate the peak discharge and to calculate more accurately runoffs. In
observational method, to estimate flood in the study area, the recorded data in gauged stations are been used.
Estimated maximum instantaneous discharges in selected stations based on different return periods are given in
table 1.
Flood estimation using Kriging method
Kriging's formula is a world widely used formula to determine maximum flood discharge for big and ungauged
catchments. Kriging's formula is as follows:
Corresponding author: Tel: 09195077184
E-mail: karkuti@yahoo.com
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Karkouti,A.R. and et al.
29
Q = 46CA (O.894A -<>048)
Where:
Q = peak flood discharge (ft3/S)
A = watershed area (mile)
C = coefficient of watershed which its amount depends on climatic and physiographic of under study watershed.
(1)
Table 1: Maximum estimated and observed instantaneous discharge in selected stations
3
Estimating flood using Soil Conversation Service (SCS) method
Estimating rain water discharge using Curve Number (CN) is an internationally known method.
Soil Conversation Service of untied states presented this method as SCSor dimensionless unit hydrograph
in year 1957. Results showed that this model can be used in each urban area, natwal and mixed water
shed.
Required in formation fore estimation in this soft ware are:
Physiographic of watershed.
Permeability status of watershed
Numerical amount of CN parameter.
Selecting design pattern and continuity of raining flood's trajectory in the river
Results and discussion
Results of Kriging Method
Peak flood in Gharahso River in Doab Ghazanchi station was estimated using Kriging method. Thus using this
method and estimated peak flood (for different return periods) in Pole Kohne gauge station the coefficient of C
was determined. Therefore, the estimated coefficient C was suggested for the study area and Pole Kohne station.
The coefficient C for different return periods are given in table 2.
Table 2: Flood' k in Gh h Ri . Doab Gh hi bv K . . hod for diffl
n period m3/s
- -- - -- - -- . -- n -- - n _n- ---- -- --- Is)
Return period(year)
Maximum observed
Station
100 50 25 10 5 2
instantaneous
discharge (m3/s)
Pole kohne 1587 1083 729 419 264 127 1255
Hojat abad
663 472 335 210 145 85
407
Khers abad 212 178 147 108 81 46 198
Doab merek
409 320 243 159 106 49 288
- --. u_u_- -- --- --no n nu - n_-
Place name
return period(year)
Area (Km2)
100 50 25 10 5 2
Pole kohne 1587 1083 729 419 264 127 5026
Creager's C
11.0 7.5 5.1 2.9 1.8 0.9
-
Doab Ghazanchi 1530 1045 703 403 254 122 4585
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Determination of Maximum Flood Flow by use of Sampling...
SCS method results
Considering the geographical characteristics of catchments and gauged stations in the study area, one
representative rain gauge station was determined for each sub basin. Using maximum precipitation for different
return periods, the volume of peak flood for 2 tolOOyears retuning periods were estimated. However, the flood
hydro graph for 100-year return period for Gharaso River in Doab Ghazanchi and Pole Kohne stations are shown
in figures 1 and 2. As it is observed, the maximum volume of peak flood of Gharaso River in Doab Ghazanchi
and Pole Kohne are estimated as l479m3 and l520m3.
Fig.l: IOO-yearreturn period for peak flowin Gharaso River, Doab Ghazanchi station
isoo
~OO
, ~
"me
"Jme2M' <rum-
Fig.2 : IOO-yearsreturn period peak flowin Gharaso river, Pole Kohne station
-1000
~ 800
!
"-600
111:
""
1600
1400
1200
400
200
0
2400 0000 1200 1800 2400 OBOO 1200 1600 2400 0600 '200 'BOO 2400
OU>n2000
01J,"2000 03Jan2000
.,,,,,.,,..
-
Conclusion
For Doab Ghazanchi (ungauged station), Kriging method was used to estimate the peak flood. The peak flood
was estimated to be l530m% for 100-year return period. Moreover, at the same station, the peak flood equaled
to l479m3/s for 100-year return period, using SCS method. Consequently considering possible mistakes in
recorded data and lack of determined and perfect hydro graph (useful for data collection) as well as weakness in
observational methods in one hand and the accuracy of SCS method which considers different climatic,
geological and Physiographic and precipitation specifications on the other hand led us to accept the results of
SCS method as the design flood.
Key words
Peak flood flow; Flood; SCS method; HEC-HMS Software; Creager method; Observing method
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