Flood frequency analysis by an event-based rainfall-runoff model in selected catchments of southern Poland

Abstract

The study evaluated the applicability of Event-Based Approach for Small and Ungauged Basins (EBA4SUB) for calculating annual peak flows with a specific return period (Q_T) in southern Poland. Data used in the calculations in a form of observation series of annual peak flows were derived from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management in Warsaw and covered a multi-year period 1971–2015. The data were statistically verified for their homogeneity, significance of monotonic trends, outliers and equality of variances. Peak flows with a given return period were estimated by a statistical method of Pearson Type III distribution, and by EBA4SUB model. The analysis showed that Q_T for the investigated catchments was the most accurately matching the values derived from the statistical method when EBA4SUB model was employed. This was evidenced by the values of average relative errors that reached 34% for EBA4SUB model (with beta hyetograph). The results of the study demonstrated usefulness of EBA4SUB model for the estimation of Q_T quantiles in catchments of the upper Vistula water region.