Abstract
This study analyzes how the stochastically generated rainfall time series accounting for the inter-annual variability of rainfall statistics can improve the prediction of watershed response variables such as peak flow and runoff depth. The modified Bartlett–Lewis rectangular pulse (MBLRP) rainfall generation model was improved such that it can account for the inter-annual variability of the observed rainfall statistics. Then, the synthetic rainfall time series was generated using the MBLRP model, which was used as input rainfall data for SCS hydrologic models to produce runoff depth and peak flow in a virtual watershed. These values were compared to the ones derived from the synthetic rainfall time series that is generated from the traditional MBLRP rainfall modeling. The result of the comparison indicates that the rainfall time series reflecting the inter-annual variability of rainfall statistics reduces the biasness residing in the predicted peak flow values derived from the synthetic rainfall time series generated using the traditional MBLRP approach by 26–47 %. In addition, it was observed that the overall variability of the peak flow and run off depth distribution was better represented when the inter-annual variability of rainfall statistics are considered.
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Acknowledgments
This study was financially supported by the Construction Technology Innovation Program (08-Tech-Inovation-F01) through the Research Center of Flood Defence Technology for Next Generation in Korea Institute of Construction & Transportation Technology Evaluation and Planning (KICTEP) of Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM). The work of the 1st author (Prof. Dongkyun Kim) was supported by the Hongik University new faculty research support fund.
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Kim, D., Olivera, F., Cho, H. et al. Effect of the inter-annual variability of rainfall statistics on stochastically generated rainfall time series: part 2. Impact on watershed response variables. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 27, 1611–1619 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-013-0697-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-013-0697-y