Skip to main content
Log in

Comparison of SCS-CN determination methodologies in a heterogeneous catchment

  • Published:
Journal of Mountain Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the runoff amount from a catchment characterized by diverse land uses by using the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method based on Curve Number (CN) defined for dominant homogeneous elementary sub-regions. The calculations employed the SCS-CN method, involving the division of the catchment in two homogeneous parts and determining the runoff amount. The obtained results were compared with the results provided by three other CN determination methods, i.e. the Hawkins function, the kinetics equation, and a complementary error function peak. The catchment is located in a mountain dominated by forest land cover. Empirical CN-Precipitation (CNemp-P) data pairs were analyzed using the mentioned methods, and the highest quality score was achieved from model 1. The results suggest that dividing a catchment into two homogeneous areas and determining their separate CN parameters, used later on to calculate the runoff by means of the presented approach, could be an alternative to the standard methods. The described method is relatively easy, and as it does not require an adoption of numerous parameters, and it can be employed for designing hydraulic facilities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aronica GT, Candela A (2007) Derivation of flood frequency curves in poorly gauged Mediterranean catchments using a simple stochastic hydrological rainfall-runoff model. Journal of Hydrology 347: 132–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baltas EA, Dervos NA, Mimikou MA (2007) Technical Note: Determination of the SCS initial abstraction ratio in an experimental watershed in Greece. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 11: 1825–1829.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banasik K, Pham N (2010) Modeling of the effects of land use changes on flood hydrograph in a small catchment of the Plaskowicka, southern part of Warsaw, Poland. Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW. Land Reclamation 42 (2): 229–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banasik K, Woodward DE (2010) Empirical determination of runoff Curve Number for a small agriculture catchment in Poland. proceedings of the 2 Joint Federal Interagency Conference “Hydrology and Sedimentation for a Changing Future: Existing and Emerging Issues” Las Vegas, NV, USA, June 27-July 1. p 11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banasik K, Rutkowska A, Kohnová S (2014a) Retention and Curve Number Variability in a Small Agricultural Catchment: The Probabilistic Approach. Water 6: 1118–1133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banasik K, Krajewski A, Sikorska A, et al. (2014b) Curve Number estimation for a small urban catchment from recorded rainfall-runoff events. Archives of Environmental Protection 40 (3): 75–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bedient PB, Huber WC, Vieux BE (2013) Hydrology and floodplain analysis. Pearson, London. p 813

    Google Scholar 

  • Berni N, Viterbo A, Pandolfo C, et al. (2008) Effects of rainfall and soil/land use spatial distribution on hydrological response at different scales. In: Sànchez-Marrè M et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the 4 International Environmental Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 7-10 July. pp 470–477.

  • Caviedes-Voullième D, Garcia-Navarro P, Murillo J (2012) Influence of mesh structure on 2D full shallow water equations and SCS Curve Number simulation of rainfall/runoff events. Journal of Hydrology 448-449: 39–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deshmukh DS, Chaube UC, Hailu A, et al. (2013) Estimation and comparison of curve numbers based on dynamic land use land cover change, observed rainfall-runoff data and land slope. Journal of Hydrology 492: 89–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahimian M, Nuruddin AAB, Soom MA, et al. (2012) Runoff estimation in steep slope catchment with standard and slopeadjustment Curve Number Method. polish Journal of Environmental Studies 21 (5): 1191–1202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Efstriatiadis A, Koussis AD, Koutsoyiannis D, et al. (2014) Flood design recipes vs. reality: can predictions for ungauged basins be trusted? Natural Hazards Earth System Sciences 14: 1417–1428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garen DC, Moore DS (2005) Curve number hydrology in water quality modeling: Uses, abuses, and future directions. Journal of American Water Resources Association 41 (2): 377–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geetha K, Mishra SK, Eldho TI, et al. (2007) Modification to SCS-CN method for long-term hydrologic simulation. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering 133 (5): 475–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimaldi S, Petroselli A, Romano N (2013) Green-Ampt Curve Number mixed procedure as an empirical tool for rainfallrunoff modelling in small and ungauged basins. Hydrological Processes 27: 1253–1264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins RH (1993) Asymptotic determination of Curve Numbers from data. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Division 119 (2): 334–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King KW, Balogh JC (2008) Curve numbers for golf course watersheds. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 51 (3): 987–996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krzanowski S, Miler AT, Walega A (2013) The effect of moisture conditions on estimation of the CN parameter value in the mountain catchment. Infrastructure and Ecology of Rural Areas 3/IV: 105–117 (In Polish).

    Google Scholar 

  • Maidment DR, Hoogerwerf TN (2002) Parameter Sensitivity in Hydrologic Modeling. Technical Report, University of Texas at Austin, USA. p 153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merz R, Blöschl G (2009) A regional analysis of event runoff coefficients with respect to climate and catchment characteristics in Austria. Water Resources Research 45 (1) W01405. DOI:10.1029/2008WR007163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michel C, Vazken A, Perrin C (2005) Soil conservation service curve number method: how to mend a wrong soil moisture accounting procedure. Journal of Water Resources Research 41: 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miler AT (2012a) Influence of land use changes to flood outflows from areas with large afforestation of the Roztocze Srodkowe. Infrastructure and Ecology of Rural Areas 2/1: 173–182 (In Polish).

    Google Scholar 

  • Miler AT (2012b) Influence of possible land use changes to flood outflows from representative forest Catchment of the Krajenskie Lakeland. Infrastructure and Ecology of Rural Areas 3/3: 145–154. (In Polish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra SK, Singh VP (2002) SCS-CN-based hydrologic simulation package. In: Singh VP, Frevert DK (eds.), Mathematical models in small catchment hydrology and applications. Water Resources Publications, Hardcover, USA. pp 391–464.

  • Mishra SK, Singh VP (2003) Soil conservation service curve number (SCS-CN) methodology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Moriasi DN, Arnold JG, Van Liew MW, et al. (2007) Model evaluation guidelines for systematic quantification of accuracy in watershed simulations. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 50 (3): 885–900.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nash JEand Sutcliffe JV (1970) River flow forecasting through conceptual models, Part-I: a discussion of principles. Journal of Hydrology 10 (3): 282–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pilgrim DH, Cordery I (1993) Flood runoff. In: Maidment DR (eds.), Handbook of Hydrology. McGRAW-HILL, New York, USA. pp 9.1–9.224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponce VM (1989) Engineering Hydrology: Principles and Practices. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA. p 526

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponce VM, Hawkins RH (1996) Runoff curve number: has it reached maturity? Journal of Hydrology Engineering ASCE 1 (1): 11–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Punzet J (1991) Characteristics flow. In: Dynowska I, Maciejewski M (eds.), Upper Vistula Basin, The Governmental Scientific Publisher Warsaw-Krakow, Poland. pp 167–216. (In Polish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutkowska A, Kohnová S, Banasik K, et al. (2015) Probabilistic properties of a curve number: A case study for small Polish and Slovak Carpathian Basins. Journal of Mountain Science 12 (3): 533–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sahu RK, Mishra SK, Eldho TI (2012) Performance evaluation of modified versions of SCS curve number method for two catchments of Maharashtra. India. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering 18 (1): 27–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silveira L, Charbonnier F, Genta JL (2000) The antecedent soil moisture condition of the curve number procedure. Hydrological Sciences–Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques 45 (1): 3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soulis K, Dercas N (2007) Development of a GIS-based Spatially Distributed Continuous Hydrological Model and its First Application. Water International 32 (1): 177–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soulis KX, Valiantzas JD, Dercas N, et al. (2009) Investigation of the direct runoff generation mechanism for the analysis of the SCS-CN method applicability to a partial area experimental watershed. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 13 (5): 605–615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soulis KX, Valiantzas JD (2012) SCS-CN parameter determination using rainfall-runoff data inheterogeneous watersheds–the two-CN system approach. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 16: 1001–1015.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soulis KX, Valiantzas JD (2013) Identification of the SCS-CN parameter spatial distribution using rainfall-runoff data in heterogeneous watersheds. Water Resources Management 27: 1737–1749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Systat Software Incorporation (2002) Table Curve 2D v5.01 for Windows. Chicago, IL, USA.

  • Xiao B, Wang QH, Fan J, et al. (2011) Application of the SCS-CN model to runoff estimation in a small watershed with high spatial heterogeneity. Pedosphere 21 (6): 738–749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • USDA (2004) Estimation of direct runoff from storm rainfall. National Engineering Handbook, Chapter 10, part 630. USDA Soil Conservation Service, Washington, USA. pp 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walega A, Cupak A, Miernik W (2011) Influence of entrance parameters on maximum flow quantity receive from NRCSUH model. Infrastructure and Ecology Rural Areas 7: 85–95 (In Polish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Walega A, Radecki-Pawlik A, Kaczor G (2013) Natural methods of stormwater management. Publishing House of the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland. p 235 (In Polish).

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaezi AR (2014) Modeling runoff from semi-arid agricultural lands in Northwest Iran. Pedosphere 24 (5): 595–604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Váňová V, Langhammer L (2011) Modeling the impact of land cover changes on flood mitigation in the upper Lužnice basin. Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics 59 (4): 262–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodward DE, Hoeft CC, Hawkins RH, et al. (2010) Discussion of “Modifications to SCS-CN Method for Long-Term Hydrologic Simulation” by K. Geetha, S. K. Mishra, T. I. Eldho, A. K. Rastogi, and R. P. Pandey”. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering 136(6): 444–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrzej Walega.

Additional information

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2436-7301

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6960-9218

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7756-4360

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9947-7949

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Walega, A., Michalec, B., Cupak, A. et al. Comparison of SCS-CN determination methodologies in a heterogeneous catchment. J. Mt. Sci. 12, 1084–1094 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3592-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3592-9

Keywords

Navigation