The significance of basin slope for curve number estimation and the impact on flood prediction in arid basins

ABSTRACT

The Natural Resources Conservation Service Curve Number (NRCS-CN) method was developed in agricultural basins with slopes less than or equal to 5%. This research investigates the relationship between the basin slope and runoff depth in arid basins by the NRCS-CN method. The results show that there is a clear effect of the proposed curve number equation with slope (the slope adjusted CN, CN_IIα) on the runoff depth in the studied basins, and this is consistent with the literature. However, large basin areas with a high percentage of alluvium area and vegetation, and high infiltration rates, counteract the slope of the basin, and consequently the basin slope will not have a significant effect on runoff. The correlation coefficient of various developed equations varies between 0.89 and 0.93 and the root mean square error of runoff depth varies between 11 mm for λ = 0.2 and 5.2 mm for λ = 0.01.

KEYWORDS:

• Curve number
• Saudi Arabia
• NRCS-CN method
• basin slope
• runoff depth

Editor A. Fiori; Associate Editor A. Petroselli

Editor A. Fiori; Associate Editor A. Petroselli

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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