Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Estimating potential direct runoff for ungauged urban watersheds based on RST and GIS

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Estimating the potential direct runoff for urban watersheds is essential for flood risk mitigation and rainwater harvesting. Thus, this study aims to estimate the potential runoff depth based on the natural resources conservation service (NRCS) method and delineation of the watersheds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. To accomplish this objective, the geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technique (RST) data were integrated to save time and improve analysis accuracy. The employed data include the digital elevation model (DEM), soil map, geology map, satellite images, and daily precipitation records. Accordingly, the hydrologic soil groups (HSG), the land use/land cover (LULC), and curve number (CN) were determined for each watershed in the study area. The results of this analysis show that the study area can be delineated into 40 watersheds with a total area of 8500 km2. Furthermore, the dominant HSG is group D, which represents about 71% of the total area. The LULC maps indicate four major land types in the entire study area: urban, barren land, agricultural land, and roads. The CN of the study area ranges from 64 to 98, while the weighted CN is 92 for the city. The rainfall-runoff analysis shows that the area has a high and very high daily runoff (35–50 and > 50 mm, respectively). Therefore, in this case, the runoff leads to flooding, especially in the urban area and agricultural lands.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbas A, Amjath-Babu T, Kächele H, Müller K (2016) Participatory adaptation to climate extremes: an assessment of households’ willingness to contribute labor for flood risk mitigation in Pakistan. J Water Clim Chang 7:621–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdullah M, Feagin R, Musawi L (2017) The use of spatial empirical models to estimate soil erosion in arid ecosystems. Environ Monit Assess 189:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad I, Verma V, Verma MK (2015) Application of curve number method for estimation of runoff potential in GIS environment. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Geological and Civil Engineering

  • Ajmal M, Kim T-W (2014) Quantifying excess stormwater using SCS-CN-based rainfall runoff models and different curve number determination methods. J Irrig Drain Eng 141:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajmal M, Waseem M, Ahn J-H, Kim T-W (2016) Runoff estimation using the NRCS slope-adjusted curve number in mountainous watersheds. J Irrig Drain Eng 142:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anaba LA, Banadda N, Kiggundu N, Wanyama J, Engel B, Moriasi D (2017) Application of SWAT to assess the effects of land use change in the Murchison Bay catchment in Uganda. Comput Water Energy Environ Eng 6:24–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angelakis A (2016) Evolution of rainwater harvesting and use in Crete, Hellas, through the millennia. Water Sci Technol Water Supply 16:1624–1638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Archer D, Fowler H (2015) Characterising flash flood response to intense rainfall and impacts using historical information and gauged data in Britain. J Flood Risk Manag 11:S121–S133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashwan MSA, Salam AA, Mouselhy MA (2012) Population growth, structure and distribution in Saudi Arabia. Humanit Soc Sci Rev 1:33–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck HE, de Jeu RA, Schellekens J, van Dijk AI, Bruijnzeel LA (2009) Improving curve number based storm runoff estimates using soil moisture proxies. IEEE J Sel Top Appl Earth Obs Remote Sens 2:250–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhagat N (2016) Estimation of SCS-CN for lower Mahi basin, Gujarat, India. Int J Adv Eng Res Technol 4:61–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Chavda DB, Makwana JJ, Parmar HV, Kunapara AN, Prajapati GV (2016) Estimation of runoff for Ozat catchment using RS and GIS based SCS-CN method. Curr World Environ 11:212–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cronshey R (1986) Urban hydrology for small watersheds. US Dept. of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Engineering Division

  • Dale M, Clarke J, Harris H (2016) Urban flood prediction and warning—challenges and solutions. Proc Water Environ Fed 2016:2237–2242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng L, McCabe MF, Stenchikov G, Evans JP, Kucera PA (2015) Simulation of flash-flood-producing storm events in Saudi Arabia using the weather research and forecasting model. J Hydrometeorol 16:615–630

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dile YT, Srinivasan R (2014) Evaluation of CFSR climate data for hydrologic prediction in data-scarce watersheds: an application in the Blue Nile River basin. JAWRA J Am Water Resour Assoc 50:1226–1241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durán-Barroso P, González J, Valdés JB (2016) Improvement of the integration of soil moisture accounting into the NRCS-CN model. J Hydrol 542:809–819

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahimian M (2012) Application of NRCS-curve number method for runoff estimation in a mountainous watershed. Caspian J Environ Sci 10:103–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahimian M, See LF, Ismail MH, Malek IA (2009) Application of natural resources conservation service–curve number method for runoff estimation with GIS in the Kardeh watershed, Iran. Eur J Sci Res 34:575–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Elfeki A, Masoud M, Niyazi B (2017) Integrated rainfall–runoff and flood inundation modeling for flash flood risk assessment under data scarcity in arid regions: Wadi Fatimah basin case study, Saudi Arabia. Nat Hazards 85:87–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher P, Comber AJ, Wadsworth R (2005) Land use and land cover: contradiction or complement. In: Fisher P (ed) Re-presenting GIS. Wiley, England, pp 85–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuka DR, Walter MT, MacAlister C, Degaetano AT, Steenhuis TS, Easton ZM (2014) Using the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis as weather input data for watershed models. Hydrol Process 28:5613–5623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gajbhiye S, Mishra S, Pandey A (2014) Relationship between SCS-CN and sediment yield. Appl Water Sci 4:363–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GhaffarianHoseini A, Tookey J, GhaffarianHoseini A, Yusoff SM, Hassan NB (2016) State of the art of rainwater harvesting systems towards promoting green built environments: a review. Desalin Water Treat 57:95–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Harish N, Hemalatha T, Babu CM (2016) Sensitivity of curve number and initial abstraction coefficient on SCS-CN method of runoff estimation in an ungauged watershed integrated with RS & GIS. PARIPEX-Indian J Res 4:50–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins RH, Hjelmfelt AT Jr, Zevenbergen AW (1985) Runoff probability, storm depth, and curve numbers. J Irrig Drain Eng 111:330–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoedjes JC, Kooiman A, Maathuis B, Said M, Becht R, Limo A, Mumo M, Nduhiu-Mathenge J, Shaka A, Su B (2014) A conceptual flash flood early warning system for Africa, based on terrestrial microwave links and flash flood guidance. ISPRS Int J Geo-Inf 3:584–598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong Y, Adler RF, Hossain F, Curtis S, Huffman GJ (2007) A first approach to global runoff simulation using satellite rainfall estimation. Water Resour Res 43:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber HS, Mansor S, Pradhan B, Ahmad N (2016) Rainfall–runoff modelling and water balance analysis for Al-Hindiyah barrage, Iraq using remote sensing and GIS. Geocarto Int 32:1407–1420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karagiorgos K, Thaler T, Hübl J, Maris F, Fuchs S (2016) Multi-vulnerability analysis for flash flood risk management. Nat Hazards 82:63–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan AN (2011) Analysis of flood causes and associated socio-economic damages in the Hindukush region. Nat Hazards 59:1239–1260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal M et al (2016) Evaluation of the Soil Conservation Service curve number methodology using data from agricultural plots. Hydrogeol J 25:151–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee RS, Traver RG, Welker AL (2016) Evaluation of soil class proxies for hydrologic performance of in situ bioinfiltration systems. J Sustain Water Built Environ 2:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Li R, Rui X, Zhu A-X, Liu J, Band LE, Song X (2015) Increasing detail of distributed runoff modeling using fuzzy logic in curve number. Environ Earth Sci 73:3197–3205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mack B, Leinenkugel P, Kuenzer C, Dech S (2017) A semi-automated approach for the generation of a new land use and land cover product for Germany based on Landsat time-series and Lucas in-situ data. Remote Sens Lett 8:244–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmood S, Mayo SM (2016) Exploring underlying causes and assessing damages of 2010 flash flood in the upper zone of Panjkora River. Nat Hazards 83:1213–1227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmood S, Ullah S (2016) Assessment of 2010 flash flood causes and associated damages in Dir Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct 16:215–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud SH, Gan TY (2018a) Impact of anthropogenic climate change and human activities on environment and ecosystem services in arid regions. Sci Total Environ 633:1329–1344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud SH, Gan TY (2018b) Long-term impact of rapid urbanization on urban climate and human thermal comfort in hot-arid environment. Build Environ 142:83–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud SH, Gan TY (2018c) Multi-criteria approach to develop flood susceptibility maps in arid regions of Middle East. J Clean Prod 196:216–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud SH, Gan TY (2018d) Urbanization and climate change implications in flood risk management: developing an efficient decision support system for flood susceptibility mapping. Sci Total Environ 636:152–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud SH, Gan TY (2019) Irrigation water management in arid regions of Middle East: assessing spatio-temporal variation of actual evapotranspiration through remote sensing techniques and meteorological data. Agric Water Manag 212:35–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masseroni D, Cislaghi A, Camici S, Massari C, Brocca L (2016) A reliable rainfall–runoff model for flood forecasting: review and application to a semi-urbanized watershed at high flood risk in Italy. Hydrol Res 48:726–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra SK, Singh V (2013) SCS-CN method. In: Soil conservation service curve number (SCS-CN) methodology, vol 42. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 84–146

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra S, Jain M, Babu PS, Venugopal K, Kaliappan S (2008) Comparison of AMC-dependent CN-conversion formulae. Water Resour Manag 22:1409–1420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mistry A, Lodha P, Prakash I, Mehmood K (2017) Estimation of direct runoff for purna river sub-basin, using SCS-CN method, Dangs District, Gujarat. Int J Adv Eng Res Dev 4:581–593

    Google Scholar 

  • Moon G-W, Ajmal M, Ahn J-H, Kim T-W (2016) Investigating practical alternatives to the NRCS-CN method for direct runoff estimation using slope-adjusted curve numbers. KSCE J Civ Eng 20:3022–3030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nonglait TL, Tiwari B (2016) Application of SCS-CN method for estimation of runoff in a humid microwatershed. Int J Curr Agric Sci 6:121–127

    Google Scholar 

  • NRCS (2007) National Engineering Handbook: part 630—hydrology. USDA Soil Conservation Service, Washington, DC, USA. Available online at https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/viewerFS.aspx?hid=21422

  • NRCS (2009) National engineering handbook: part 630—hydrology. USDA Soil Conservation Service, Washington, DC, USA. Available online at https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/viewerFS.aspx?hid=21422

  • Oliveira P, Nearing M, Hawkins R, Stone J, Rodrigues D, Panachuki E, Wendland E (2016) Curve number estimation from Brazilian Cerrado rainfall and runoff data. J Soil Water Conserv 71:420–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patel GR, Trivedi MM (2016) Prediction and validation of runoff through RS and GIS-based distributed SCS-CN method. Adv Life Sci 5:4965–4977

    Google Scholar 

  • Patil J, Sarangi A, Singh A, Ahmad T (2008) Evaluation of modified CN methods for watershed runoff estimation using a GIS-based interface. Biosyst Eng 100:137–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitt R (1999) Small storm hydrology and why it is important for the design of stormwater control practices. J Water Manag Model 7:61–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahman MT, Aldosary AS, Nahiduzzaman KM, Reza I (2016) Vulnerability of flash flooding in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nat Hazards 84:1807–1830

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rajeevan M (2017) Past and future trends of hydroclimatic intensity over the Indian monsoon region. J Geophys Res Atmos 122:896–909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ranjan R (2017) Flood disaster management. In: Sharma N (ed) River system analysis and management. Springer, Singapore, pp 371–417

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ryu J, Jung Y, Kong DS, Park BK, Kim YS, Engel BA, Lim KJ (2016) Approach of land cover based asymptotic curve number regression equation to estimate runoff. Irrig Drain 65:94–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salih AA, Hamid AA (2017) Hydrological studies in the White Nile State in Sudan. Egypt J Remote Sens Space Sci 20:S31–S38

    Google Scholar 

  • Sartori A, Hawkins RH, Genovez AM (2011) Reference curve numbers and behavior for sugarcane on highly weathered tropical soils. J Irrig Drain Eng 137:705–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shadeed S, Almasri M (2010) Application of GIS-based SCS-CN method in West Bank catchments, Palestine. Water Sci Eng 3:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shah M, Bhagat N (2017) Estimation of weighted SCS-CN: case of Narmada river basin, India. Int J Sci Res 5:687–688

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharif HO, Al-Juaidi FH, Al-Othman A, Al-Dousary I, Fadda E, Jamal-Uddeen S, Elhassan A (2016) Flood hazards in an urbanizing watershed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Geomat Nat Haz Risk 7:702–720. https://doi.org/10.1080/19475705.2014.945101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi Z-H, Chen L-D, Fang N-F, Qin D-F, Cai C-F (2009) Research on the SCS-CN initial abstraction ratio using rainfall-runoff event analysis in the Three Gorges Area, China. Catena 77:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh LK, Jha MK, Chowdary V (2017) Multi-criteria analysis and GIS modeling for identifying prospective water harvesting and artificial recharge sites for sustainable water supply. J Clean Prod 142:1436–1456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobhani G (1976) A review of selected small watershed design methods for possible adoption to Iranian conditions. M.S. Thesis, Utah State University, Logan, UT

  • Starosolszky O, Melder O (2014) Hydrology of disasters. Routledge, Geneva

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tirkey AS, Ghosh M, Pandey A, Shekhar S (2017) Assessment of climate extremes and its long term spatial variability over the Jharkhand State of India. Egypt J Remote Sens Space Sci 21:49–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang F, Ge Q, Yu Q, Wang H, Xu X (2017) Impacts of land-use and land-cover changes on river runoff in Yellow River basin for period of 1956-2012. Chin Geogr Sci 27:13–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodward DE, Hawkins RH, Jiang R, Hjelmfelt J, Allen T, Van Mullem JA, Quan QD (2003) Runoff curve number method: examination of the initial abstraction ratio. In: World Water & Environmental Resources Congress 2003, pp 1–10

  • Yuan Y, Nie W, McCutcheon SC, Taguas EV (2014) Initial abstraction and curve numbers for semiarid watersheds in Southeastern Arizona. Hydrol Process 28:774–783

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Luo G, Li L, Zhang M, Lv N, Wang X (2017) An analysis of oasis evolution based on land use and land cover change: a case study in the Sangong River basin on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains. J Geogr Sci 27:223–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The project was financially supported by King Saud University, Vice Deanship of Research Chairs.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alamoudi Water Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Farid Radwan & A. A. Alazba

  2. Agricultural Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    A. A. Alazba & Amr Mossad

  3. Agricultural Engineering Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Amr Mossad

Authors
  1. Farid Radwan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. A. Alazba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Amr Mossad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Farid Radwan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Radwan, F., Alazba, A.A. & Mossad, A. Estimating potential direct runoff for ungauged urban watersheds based on RST and GIS. Arab J Geosci 11, 748 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-4067-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-4067-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation