Graduation Year

2006

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Granting Department

Civil Engineering

Major Professor

Mark Ross, Ph.D.

Keywords

Rating curve, Runoff, Open channel flow, Data management, West Central Florida, Non-dimensional streamflow

Abstract

A generalized non-dimensional mathematical expression has been developed to describe the rating relation of depth and discharge for intermediate and high streamflow of natural and controlled streams. The expressions have been tested against observations from forty-three stations in West-Central Florida. The intermediate-flow region model has also been validated using data from thirty additional stations in the study area. The proposed model for the intermediate flow is a log-linear equation with zero intercept and the proposed model for the high-flow region is a log-linear equation with a variable intercept. The models are normalized by the depth and discharge values at 10 percent exceedance using data published by the U.S. Geological Survey. For un-gauged applications, Q10 and d10 were derived from a relationship shown to be reasonably well correlated to the watershed drainage area with a correlation coefficient of 0.94 for Q10 and 0.86 for d10. The average relative error for this parameter set shows that, for the intermediate-flow range, better than 50% agreement with the USGS rating data can be expected for about 86% of the stations and for the high-flow range, better than 50% for 44% of the stations. Testing the model outside West Central Florida, in some stations at North Florida, and South Alabama and Georgia, show some reasonable relative errors but not as good as the results obtained for West Central Florida. Using a model with a different slope, developed specific for those particular stations improved the results significantly.

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