Flood-frequency relations for urban streams in Georgia; 1994 update

Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4017
By:

Links

Abstract

A statewide study of flood magnitude and frequency in urban areas of Georgia was made to develop methods of estimating flood characteristics at ungaged urban sites. A knowledge of the magnitude and frequency of floods is needed for the design of highway drainage structures, establishing flood- insurance rates, and other uses by urban planners and engineers. A U.S. Geological Survey rainfall-runoff model was calibrated for 65 urban drainage basins ranging in size from 0.04 to 19.1 square miles in 10 urban areas of Georgia. Rainfall-runoff data were collected for a period of 5 to 7 years at each station beginning in 1973 in Metropolitan Atlanta and ending in 1993 in Thomasville, Ga. Calibrated models were used to synthesize long-term annual flood peak discharges for these basins from existing Long-term rainfall records. The 2- to 500-year flood-frequency estimates were developed for each basin by fitting a Pearson Type III frequency distribution curve to the logarithms of these annual peak discharges. Multiple-regression analyses were used to define relations between the station flood-frequency data and several physical basin characteristics, of which drainage area and total impervious area were the most statistically significant. Using theseregression equations and basin characteristics, the magnitude and frequency of floods at ungaged urban basins can be estimated throughout Georgia.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Flood-frequency relations for urban streams in Georgia; 1994 update
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 95-4017
DOI 10.3133/wri954017
Edition -
Year Published 1995
Language ENGLISH
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey ; U.S.G.S. Earth Science Information Center, Open-File Reports Section [distributor],
Contributing office(s) South Atlantic Water Science Center
Description v, 27 p. : maps; 28 cm.
Country United States
State Georgia
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details