Publication Citation

USGS Series Water-Resources Investigations Report
Report Number 96-4085
Title Estimating flood hydrographs for urban basins in North Carolina
Edition -
Language ENGLISH
Author(s) Mason, R. R., Jr.; Bales, J. D.
Year 1996
Originating office
USGS Library Call Number (200) WRi no.96-4085
Physical description iii, 19 p. :ill., maps ;28 cm.
ISBN

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Abstract

A dimensionless hydrograph for North Carolina was developed from data collected in 29 urban and urbanizing basins in the State. The dimen- sionless hydrograph can be used with an estimate of peak flow and basin lagtime to synthesize a design flood hydrograph for urban basins in North Carolina. Peak flows can be estimated from a number of avail- able techniques; a procedure for estimating basin lagtime from main channel length, stream slope, and percentage of impervious area was developed from data collected at 50 sites and is presented in this report. The North Carolina dimensionless hydrograph provides satis- factory predictions of flood hydrographs in all regions of the State except for basins in or near Asheville where the method overestimated 11 of 12 measured hydrographs. A previously developed dimensionless hydrograph for urban basins in the Piedmont and upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina provides better flood-hydrograph predictions for the Asheville basins and has a standard error of 21 percent as compared to 41 percent for the North Carolina dimensionless hydrograph.