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Derivation of Base Flow Recession Curves and Parameters
Author(s) -
Singh Krishan P.,
Stall John B.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr007i002p00292
Subject(s) - inflection point , hydrograph , base flow , flow (mathematics) , exponential function , recession , base (topology) , mathematics , function (biology) , mechanics , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , mathematical analysis , geometry , geotechnical engineering , physics , geography , economics , drainage basin , cartography , keynesian economics , evolutionary biology , biology
The Boussinesq equation is used to show that base flow recession is an exponential decay function. For a single peaked hydrograph, the storage delay factor K b , the time for base flow to decrease by a factor of 10, is estimated. The parameter K b is adjusted by trial so that surface flow, or the observed total flow minus base flow, is also an exponential decay function after the point of inflection on the hydrograph recession. Surface flow K s is so determined. For 22 basins in Illinois, dormant season K b ranges from 15–100 days and is associated with physiography. K s varies from 1.8–6.0 days.