Statistical Analysis to Quantify the Impact of Map Type on Estimating Peak Discharge in Non-Instrumented Basins

Abstract

The calculation of peak discharge in non-instrumented basins requires including morphometric parameters, which in turn depend on the map type used. This study analyses the impact of and variation in peak discharges of the Caño Ricaurte basin, Colombia, based on three types of maps at different resolution scales. The reference map used was the map made for the detailed designs of the channel analysed, which was extracted from the Master Plan of the City. Additionally, maps from a 90 × 90 m digital elevation model and contour lines extracted from Google Earth were used. The time of concentration was determined by different equations (Kirpich, Témez, Bureau, and TR-55) using the mapping methods described above, and the peak discharge was determined using rainfall-runoff models.