Abstract
Estimation of flooding is indispensable for the design of hydraulic structures such as dams, especially when there are many potential small dam sites available, but no flow data is being measured at these sites. If stream gauging stations are present upstream and downstream of the proposed dam site, empirical relationships can be developed for the site. The equation development process becomes more difficult when lateral flow releases are considered at various locations in a river reach. This issue is addressed in the present study, in which empirical equations are developed for flood prediction in the upper reaches of the Chenab River, between Marala Headworks and Qadirabad Headworks. The purpose is to predict flood magnitudes within selected reaches of the Chenab River. The selected gauging stations are Marala Headworks, Alexandra Bridge, Khanki Headworks and Qadirabad Headworks. To develop the equations, a multiple nonlinear regression analysis is used. Average river and watershed slopes for four watersheds are extracted from a digital elevation model, using geographic information systems software. The developed peak flood equations for the region are tested with observed flood data, and results show that these equations estimate peak floods within an acceptable range of accuracy. The developed empirical equations are region-specific, so their application to other areas requires discretion. However, these equations can be used to approximate floods in other regions with similar climatic and physiographic characteristics.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Lima C.H.R., Lall U.: Climate informed monthly stream flow forecasts for the Brazilian hydropower network using a periodic ridge regression model. J. Hydrol. 380, 438–449 (2010)
Chow V.T.: Handbook of Applied Hydrology. McGraw-Hill, New York (1964)
Rayner S., Lach D., Ingram H.: Weather forecasts are for wimps: why water resource managers do not use climate forecasts. Clim. Change 69, 197–227 (2005)
Morss R.E., Wilhelmi O.V., Downton M.W., Gruntfest E.: Flood risk, uncertainty, and scientific information for decision making: lessons from an interdisciplinary project. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 86, 1593–1601 (2005)
Doswell C.A. III.: Weather forecasting by humans—heuristics and decision making. Weather Forecast. 19, 1115–1126 (2004)
Stewart, T.R., Sarewitz, D., Pielke, R.A. Jr.; Byerly, R. (eds.): Uncertainty, judgment and error in prediction. In: Prediction: Science, Decision Making, and the Future of Nature, pp. 41–57. Island Press, Washington, DC (2000)
Thomas D.M., Benson M.A.: Generalization of stream flow characteristics from drainage-basin characteristics. US Geological Survey, Water Supply Paper (1970)
Vogel R.M., Kroll C.N.: Generalized low flow frequency relationships for ungaged sites in Massachusetts. Water Resour. Bull. 26(2), 241–253 (1990)
Tasker G.D., Hodge S.A., Barks C.S.: Region of influence regression for estimating the 50-year flood at ungaged sites. Water Resour. Bull. 32(1), 163–170 (1996)
Sahoo G.B., Schladow S.G., Reuter J.E.: Forecasting stream water temperature using regression analysis, artificial neural network, and chaotic non-linear dynamic model. J. Hydrol. 378, 325–342 (2009)
Izhar ul Haq: Barrages and dams in Pakistan. In: Pakistan Engineering Congress, p. 130. Allahwala Printers, Lahore (1990)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Habib-ur-Rehman, Naeem, U.A., Nisar, H. et al. Development of Empirical Equations for the Peak Flood of the Chenab River Using GIS. Arab J Sci Eng 37, 945–954 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-012-0227-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-012-0227-0