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Read Full Article (file size: 220718 bytes) Cited by
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH,
VOL. 43,
W01201,
doi:10.1029/2006WR005293,
2007
Relating low-flow characteristics to the base flow recession time constant at partial record stream gauges
Ken Eng
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, USA
P. C. D. Milly
U.S. Geological Survey and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Abstract
Base flow recession information is helpful for regional estimation of low-flow characteristics. However, analyses that exploit
such information generally require a continuous record of streamflow at the estimation site to characterize base flow recession.
Here we propose a simple method for characterizing base flow recession at low-flow partial record stream gauges (i.e., sites
with very few streamflow measurements under low-streamflow conditions), and we use that characterization as the basis for
a practical new approach to low-flow regression. In a case study the introduction of a base flow recession time constant,
estimated from a single pair of strategically timed streamflow measurements, approximately halves the root-mean-square estimation
error relative to that of a conventional drainage area regression. Additional streamflow measurements can be used to reduce
the error further.
Received 27
June
2006;
accepted 10
October
2006;
published 5
January
2007.
Keywords: base flow;
drought;
low-flow characteristics;
partial record sites;
regionalization.
Index Terms: 1829 Hydrology: Groundwater hydrology; 1860 Hydrology: Streamflow; 1869 Hydrology: Stochastic hydrology; 1874 Hydrology: Ungaged basins.
Read Full Article (file size: 220718 bytes) Cited by
Citation: Eng, K., and P. C. D. Milly
(2007),
Relating low-flow characteristics to the base flow recession time constant at partial record stream gauges,
Water Resour. Res.,
43,
W01201,
doi:10.1029/2006WR005293.
This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. Published in 2007 by the
American Geophysical Union.
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