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Determination of potential runoff coefficient for Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia using GIS

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Abstract

The curve number (CN) is a hydrologic parameter used to describe the stormwater runoff potential for drainage areas, and it is a function of land use, soil type, and soil moisture. This study was conducted to estimate the potential runoff coefficient (PRC) using geographic information system (GIS) based on the area’s hydrologic soil group, land use, and slope and to determine the runoff volume. The soil map for the study area was developed using GPS data carried on to identify the soil texture to be used in building a soil hydrological groups map. Unsupervised and supervised classifications were done to Landsat 5/7 TM/ETM image to generate land-use and land-cover map. This map was reclassified into four main classes (forest, grass and shrub, cropland, and bare soil). Slope map for Al-Baha was generated from a 30-m digital elevation model. The GIS technique was used to combine the previous three maps into one map to generate PRC map. Annual runoff depth is derived based on the annual rainfall surplus and runoff coefficient per pixel using raster calculator tool in ArcGIS. An indication that in the absence of reliable ground measurements of rainfall product, it can satisfactorily be applied to estimate the spatial rainfall distribution based on values of R and R 2 (0.9998) obtained. Annual runoff generation from the study area ranged from 0 to 82 % of the total rainfall. Rainfall distribution in the study area shows the wise use of identifying suitable sites for rainwater harvesting, where most of the constructed dams are located in the higher rainfall areas.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank the two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful comments, which substantially improved this manuscript.

This project was financially supported by King Saud University, Deanship of Scientific Research, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Research Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Shereif H. Mahmoud

  2. Department of Agriculture Engineering, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    F. S. Mohammad & A. A. Alazba

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  1. Shereif H. Mahmoud
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  2. F. S. Mohammad
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  3. A. A. Alazba
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Correspondence to Shereif H. Mahmoud.

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Mahmoud, S.H., Mohammad, F.S. & Alazba, A.A. Determination of potential runoff coefficient for Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia using GIS. Arab J Geosci 7, 2041–2057 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1303-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1303-4

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