Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of modified methods, developed on the basis of NRCS-CN method, in determining the size of an effective rainfall (direct runoff). The analyses were performed for the mountain catchment of the Kamienica river, right-hand tributary of the Dunajec. The amount of direct runoff was calculated using the following methods: (1) Original NRCS-CN model, (2) Mishra—Singh model (MS model), (3) Sahu Mishra Eldho model (SME model), (4) Sahu 1-p model, (5) Sahu 3-p model, and (6) Q_base model. The study results indicated that the amount of direct runoff, determined on the basis of the original NRCS-CN method, may differ significantly from the actually observed values. The best results were achieved when the direct runoff was determined using the SME and Sahu 3-p model.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Banasik, K., and D.E. Woodward (2010), Empirical determination of runoff curve number for a small agricultural watershed in Poland. In: 2nd Joint Federal Interagency Conference, 27 June–1 July 2010, Las Vegas, USA.
Caviedes-Voullième, D., P. García-Navarro, and J. Murillo (2012), Influence of mesh structure on 2D full shallow water equations and SCS Curve Number simulation of rainfall/runoff events, J. Hydrol. 448-449, 39–59, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.04.006.
Chauhan, M.S., V. Kumar, and A.K. Rahul (2013), Modelling and quantifying water use efficiency for irrigation project and water supply at large scale, Int. J. Adv. Sci. Tech. Res. 3, 5, 617–639.
Cunha, L.K., W.F. Krajewski, R. Mantilla, and L. Cunha (2011), A framework for flood risk assessment under nonstationary conditions or in the absence of historical data, J. Flood Risk Manag. 4, 3–22, DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-318X.2010.01085.x.
Deshmukh, D.S., U.C. Chaube, A.E. Hailu, D.A. Gudeta, and M.T. Kassa (2013), Estimation and comparison of curve numbers based on dynamic land use land cover change, observed rainfall-runoff data and land slope, J. Hydrol. 492, 89–101, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.04.001.
Ebrahimian, M., A.A.B. Nuruddin, M.A.B.M. Soom, A.M. Sood, and L.J. Neng (2012), Runoff estimation in steep slope watershed with standard and slope-adjusted curve number methods, Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 21, 5, 1191–1202.
Efstratiadis, A., A.D. Koussis, D. Koutsoyiannis, and N. Mamassis (2014), Flood design recipes vs. reality: can predictions for ungauged basins be trusted? Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 14, 1417–1428, DOI: 10.5194/nhess-14-1417-2014.
Fan, F., Y. Deng, X. Hu, and Q. Weng (2013), Estimating composite curve number using an improved SCS-CN method with remotely sensed variables in Guangzhou, China, Remote Sens. 5, 3, 1425–1438, DOI: 10.3390/ rs5031425.
Garen, D.C., and D.S. Moore (2005), Curve number hydrology in water quality modeling: uses, abuses, and future directions, J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 41, 2, 377–388, DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2005.tb03742.x.
Geetha, K., S.K. Mishra, T.I. Eldho, A.K. Rastogi, and R.P. Pandey (2007), Modifications to SCS-CN method for long-term hydrologic simulation, J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 133, 5, 475–486, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(2007) 133:5(475).
Grimaldi, S., A. Petroselli, and N. Romano (2013), Green–Ampt Curve-Number mixed procedure as an empirical tool for rainfall-runoff modelling in small and ungauged basins, Hydrol. Process. 27, 8, 1253–1264, DOI: 10.1002/ hyp.9303.
Hawkins, R.H., A.T. Hjelmfelt Jr., and A.W. Zevenbergen (1985), Runoff probability, storm depth, and curve numbers, J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 111, 4, 330–340, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(1985)111:4(330).
Hong, Y., and R.F. Adler (2008), Estimation of global SCS curve numbers using satellite remote sensing and geospatial data, Int. J. Remote Sens. 29, 2, 471–477, DOI: 10.1080/01431160701264292.
Kabiri, R., A. Chan, and R. Bai (2013), Comparison of SCS and Green–Ampt methods in surface runoff-flooding simulation for Klang watershed in Malaysia, Open J. Modern Hydrol. 3, 3, 102–114, DOI: 10.4236/ojmh.2013.33014.
Krzanowski, S., A.T. Miler, and A. Wałega (2013), The effect of moisture conditions on estimation of the CN parameter value in the mountain catchment, Infrastruc. Ecol. Rural Areas 3, 4, 105–117 (in Polish).
Maidmend, D.R. (1993), Handbook of Hydrology, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1424 pp.
McCuen, R.H. (2003), Modeling Hydrologic Change: Statistical Methods, Lewis Publishers/CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Merz, R., and G. Blöschl (2009), A regional analysis of event runoff coefficients with respect to climate and catchment characteristics in Austria, Water Resour. Res. 45, 1, W01405, DOI: 10.1029/2008WR007163.
MHP (2005), Application of Hydrologic Methods in Maryland. Report, Maryland Hydrology Panel, The Maryland State Highway Administration and The Maryland Department of the Environment, Baltimore, USA.
Michel, C., V. Andréassian, and C. Perrin (2005), Soil conservation service curve number method: How to mend a wrong soil moisture accounting procedure, Water Resour. Res. 41, 2, 1–6, W02011, DOI: 10.1029/2004WR003191.
Miler, A.T. (2012), Influence of land use changes to flood outflows from areas with large afforestation of the Roztocze Srodkowe, Infrastruc. Ecol. Rural Areas 2, 1, 173–182 (in Polish).
Mishra, S.K., and V.P. Singh (2002), SCS-CN-based hydrologic simulation package. In: V.P. Singh and D.K. Frevert (eds.), Mathematical Models of Small Watershed Hydrology and Applications, Water Resources Publs., LLC, Highlands Ranch, 391–464.
Mishra, S.K., and V.P. Singh (2003a), Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) Methodology, Kluwer Academic Publ., Dordrecht.
Mishra, S.K., and V.P. Singh (2003b), Derivation of the SCS-CN parameter S from linearized Fokker-Planck equation, Acta Geophys. Pol. 51, 2, 179–202.
Mishra, S.K., M.K. Jain, P.K. Bhunya, and V.P. Singh (2005), Field applicability of the SCS-CN-based Mishra–Singh general model and its variants, Water Resour. Manag. 19, 1, 37–62, DOI: 10.1007/s11269-005-1076-3.
Mishra, S.K., S. Gajbhiye, and A. Pandey (2013), Estimation of design runoff curve numbers for Narmada watersheds (India), J. Appl. Water Eng. Res. 1, 1, 69–79, DOI: 10.1080/23249676.2013.831583.
Moriasi, D.N., J.G. Arnold, M.W. van Liew, R.L. Bingner, R.D. Harmel, and T.L. Veith (2007), Model evaluation guidelines for systematic quantification of accuracy in watershed simulations, Trans. Am. Soc. Agricult. Biol. Eng. 50, 3, 885–900.
Nash, J.E., and J.V. Sutcliffe (1970), River flow forecasting through conceptual models: Part I — A discussion of principles, J. Hydrol. 10, 3, 282–290, DOI: 10.1016/0022-1694(70)90255-6.
Petroselli, A., S. Grimaldi, and N. Romano (2013), Curve-Number/Green–Ampt mixed procedure for net rainfall estimation: A case study of the Mignone watershed, IT, Procedia Environ. Sci. 19, 113–121, DOI: 10.1016/j.proenv. 2013.06.013.
Ponce, V.M. (1989), Engineering Hydrology: Principles and Practices, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
Ponce, V.M., and R.H. Hawkins (1996), Runoff curve number: Has it reached maturity? J. Hydrol. Eng. 1, 1, 11–19, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(1996) 1:1(11).
Sahu, R.K., S.K. Mishra, T.I. Eldho, and M.K. Jain (2007), An advanced soil moisture accounting procedure for SCS curve number method, Hydrol. Process. 21, 21, 2872–2881, DOI: 10.1002/hyp.6503.
Sahu, R.K., S.K. Mishra, and T.I. Eldho (2010), An improved AMC-coupled runoff curve number model, Hydrol. Process. 24, 20, 2834–2839, DOI: 10.1002/ hyp.7695.
Sahu, R.K., S.K. Mishra, and T.I. Eldho (2012), Performance evaluation of modified versions of SCS curve number method for two watersheds of Maharashtra, India, ISH J. Hydraul. Eng. 18, 1, 27–36, DOI: 10.1080/09715010.2012. 662425.
SCS (1956), SCS National Engineering Handbook? Section 4. Hydrology. Supplement A, Chp. 10, Soil Conservation Service, US Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, USA.
Smith, R.E., and J.R. Williams (1980), Simulation of the surface water hydrology. In: W.G. Knisel (ed.), CREAMS: A Field-scale Model for Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems, Conservation Research Report No. 26, US Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, USA, 165–192.
Vánová, V., and J. Langhammer (2011), Modelling the impact of land cover changes on flood mitigation in the upper Lužnice basin, J. Hydrol. Hydromech. 59, 4, 262–274, DOI: 10.2478/v10098-011-0022-8.
Wałega, A., A. Cupak, and W. Miernik (2011), Influence of entrance parameters on maximum flow quantity receive from NRCS-UH model, Infrastruc. Ecol. Rural Areas 7, 85–95 (in Polish).
Wałega, A., E. Drozdzal, M. Piórecki, and R. Radon (2012), Some problems of hydrology modelling of outflow from ungauged catchments with aspects of flood maps design, Acta Scient. Polon. Format. Circum. 11, 3, 57–68 (in Polish).
Woodward, D.E., C.C. Hoeft, R.H. Hawkins, J. van Mullem, and T.J. Ward (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, J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 136, 6, 444–446, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE) IR.1943-4774.0000231.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.
To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
About this article
Cite this article
Wałęga, A., Rutkowska, A. Usefulness of the Modified NRCS-CN Method for the Assessment of Direct Runoff in a Mountain Catchment. Acta Geophys. 63, 1423–1446 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1515/acgeo-2015-0043
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acgeo-2015-0043