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Techniques for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods in the Dallas - Fort Worth metropolitan area, Texas

Water-Resources Investigations Report 82-18
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/wri8218

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Abstract

Equations for predicting the magnitude and frequency of floods in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area were developed from recorded data from streams with drainage areas ranging in size from 1.25 to 66.4 square miles. The U. S. Geological Survey urban rainfall-runoff model was used to generate long-term flood-discharge record for gaged streams in the area. Simulated and recorded annual-peak data were subjected independently to log Pearson III frequency analyses. The results were weighted to determine appropriate discharges for selected 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year recurrence intervals. These T-year values were then used as the dependent variables in a multiple regression analysis. The independent variable determined to be statistically significant and retained in the resulting equations were drainage area and an urbanization index that expresses the degree of urban development. Analysis of the results shows that a land-use change from rural to fully urbanized is accompanied by a 180% increase in discharge of a flood with a 5-year recurrence interval and about 100% increase in discharge of a flood with a 100-year recurrence interval. 

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Techniques for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods in the Dallas - Fort Worth metropolitan area, Texas
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 82-18
DOI 10.3133/wri8218
Year Published 1982
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Austin, TX
Contributing office(s) Texas Water Science Center
Description vi, 55 p.
Country United States
State Texas
City Dallas, Fort Worth
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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