2- Empirical Formula:

The empirical formulate used for estimation of the flood

peak are essentially regional formulate based on
statistical correlation of the observed peak and
important catchment properties. To simplify the form
of equation only a few parameters affecting the flood
peak are used. Almost all formulate use the catchment
area as a parameter affecting the flood peak and most
of them neglect the flood frequency as a parameter.
1- Dicknes Formula:
For moderate size basins:
QP = CD A 3/4
QP = Maximum flood discharge (m3/sec).
CD = the Dickness constant which value between (6-30). It is
used in the central & northern parts of the country.
A = Catchment area (km2).

2- Ryves Formula:
QP = CR A2/3
QP = Maximum flood discharge (m3/sec).
A = Catchment area (km2)
CR = Ryves coefficient
CR = 6.8 for areas within 80 km from the coast.
= 8.3 for areas which are 80-2400 km from the coast
= 10.O for limited area near hills.
3- Inglis formula:
QP = 124A
A  10.4

QP = Maximum flood discharge (m3/sec).

A = Catchment area (km2). Used for small catchments.
4- Fullers formula:
This formula relate to the peak discharge and also to
the flood frequency, Fullers formula derived for
catchments in USA is a typical one of this kind and is
given by:
QTP = Cf A0.8 (1+ 0.8 log T)
QTP = maximum flood with a frequency of T years in
m3/s.
A= catchment area in km2.
Cf = constant with values between 0.8-1.88
5- Baird Formula:
Based on the maximum related floods through
out the world, Baird have correlated the
maximum discharge with catchment area as:

3025A
Q=
278  A 0.78
4- Flood frequency studies:
When stream flow are arranged in descending
order of magnitude they constitute a statistical
array whose distribution can be expressed in
terms of frequency occurrence.
First, it is necessary to correctly understand the
terminology used in frequency analysis, the
probability of occurrence an event (e.g.
rainfall) whose magnitude is excess a speific
magnitude X is denoted by P also known as
return period.
Return Period:
A return period, also known as a recurrence interval (sometimes
repeat interval) is an estimate of the likelihood of flood or a
river discharge flow to occur.
For example, a 10 year flood has a 1/10=0.1 or 10% chance of
being exceeded in any one year. it means that, in any given
year, there is a 10% chance that it will happen.
Return Period is a statistical measurement typically based on
historic data and is usually used for risk analysis.
T = 1/P , P = 1/T
For example in a long period of say 100 years, 10 such events can
be expected. The probability of a rainfall of 20 cm occurring
in any 24 h in10 year at a station A is:
1/T = 1/10 = 0.1.
Consider ,for example , a list of flood magnitude
of a river arranged in descending order shown
in table below, the length on the record is 50
years.
Order No. Flood magnitude T in years
m Q(m3/s) 51/m
1 160 51.00
2 135 25.00
3 128 17.00
4 116 12.75
.
.
50 63 1.02
T=n+1/m , n= number of years.
 Frequency distribution functions for predication
of extreme flood values
1-Real Gumbel's Equation
It is one of the most widely used probability – distribution functions for
prediction of flood peaks.

XT = X + k σn-1
XT = maximum discharge with a return period T.
X = mean of the variable x.
σn-1 = standard deviation of the variable.
K= frequency factor which depends on the return period.

k= YT  Yn
Sn
T
YT = - [ ln . ln ]
T 1
YT = reduced variant, a function of T.
Yn = reduced mean, a function of sample size N.
is given in table (1).
Sn = reduced standard deviation, a function of
sample size N. is given in table (2).

σn-1=
X= flood discharge.
Soil Conservation Service- Curve number (SCS-CN)
method for measuring excess rainfall:
The curve- number model (CN) was originally
developed by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS), by U.S. This method is the most
widely method for estimating rainfall excess, the
NRCS curve-number model separates rainfall in to
three components, Q is the rainfall excess, Ia is initial
abstraction and F is retention, these components are
illustrated graphically in Figure below.
 Ia = 0.2S
S= maximum retention
Q = (P - 0.2S) 2 / (P + 0.8S) For P > 0.2S
Q = runoff in (mm) of depth.
P = total precipitation (mm) (average monthly records used).
S = retention including the initial abstraction which is assumed to be
0.25S.
Instead of specifying S directly, a curve number, CN, is usually
specified, when CN related to S by :

1000
CN =
(10 + 0.0394S)
P,Q,F
,Ia

CN = curve number
The SCS rainfall/runoff relationship (Soil
Conservation Service.
Group Description Infiltration

Rate

A Deep sand. Deep loess, > 7.6

aggregated silt

B Shallow loess , sandy loam 3.8 - 7.6

C Clay loams, shallow sandy 1.3 - 3.8

loam, soil low in organic

content, soils usually high

in clay

D Soils that swell significantly 0 - 1.3

when wet, heavy plastic

clays , contain saline soils