Open AccessPerformance of the Revitalised Flood Hydrograph method
Author(s) -
Faulkner D. S.,
Barber S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of flood risk management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.049
H-Index - 36
ISSN - 1753-318X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-318x.2009.01042.x
Subject(s) - hydrograph , flood myth , estimation , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , 100 year flood , sample (material) , return period , strengths and weaknesses , statistics , computer science , geography , mathematics , geology , engineering , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , chemistry , systems engineering , chromatography , philosophy , epistemology
The Revitalised Flood Hydrograph (ReFH) method is used for estimation of design flood hydrographs in the United Kingdom. This paper comments on aspects of the method, discussing its strengths and weaknesses and comparing its results with those of other methods. Design flood peaks estimated using the ReFH method and the statistical method presented in the Flood Estimation Handbook are compared at a sample of locations across Great Britain. The ReFH method gives higher flows at two‐thirds of the sites; on average 16% higher for a flood return period of 100 years. Differences between the results of the two methods are greatest on catchments with significant reservoirs and lakes and catchments with high average rainfall. Recommendations for users of the ReFH method and suggestions for further research are offered, the most urgent of which is to improve the performance of the method on heavily urbanised catchments.