University of Mindanao

College of Engineering Education

Civil Engineering Program

A Written Report
PRECIPITATION DATA ANALYSIS: ESTIMATION OF MISSING DATA
Course & Code: BCE313 HYDROLOGY (9786)

Name of Student: John Lloyd M. Torculas

Name of Teacher: Engr. Showna Lee Sales

January 2023
 Objective
Because of instrument malfunction or observer absence, the
point observation from a precipitation gauge may have a brief gap in the
record. It is frequently necessary to make an estimate of the missing record
using information from the nearby station. The written report's objective is to
evaluate how well the various approaches to completing data gaps work.
 Introduction
An essential component of the hydrological cycle is rainfall.
Accessing reliable data is one of the first tasks in every hydrological and
meteorological investigation. Precipitation data, however, is usually lacking.
Precipitation data may be insufficient due to faulty measuring equipment,
measurement errors, a lack of data geographically (data gaps), changes in
instrumentation over time, changes in the measurement site, shifts in the
data collectors, irregular measurement patterns, or significant recent
changes in the climate of a region.
 Data recording at hydrological and meteorological stations often
doesn't provide any special challenges. However, the data record's
inaccuracy may occur specifically in some time periods.

Method for Estimation of Missing Rainfall Data

According to the Weather Bureau, a station's missing
precipitation is calculated using measurements of precipitation at other
stations that are as close to and evenly spaced as feasible from the station
with the missing record.
The missing station is referred to as the interpolation station,
and the gauging stations whose data are utilized to produce the missing
station data are referred to as index stations.

• Normal Ratio Method

If the normal precipitations vary considerably, then Px is
estimated by weighting the precipitation at various stations by the ratios of
normal annual precipitation.
 This method is based selecting m (m is usually 3) stations that
are near and approximately evenly spaced around the station with the
missing record.

Example: The normal annual rainfall at stations A, B, C and D in a basin are

80.97, 67.59, 76.28, and 92.01 cm, respectively. In the year 1975, the station
D was inoperative, and the stations A, B, and C recorded annual rainfall of
91.11, 72.23, and 79.89 cm, respectively. Estimate the rainfall at station D
in that year.

Solution: As the normal rainfall values vary by more than 10%, the ration
method is adopted.
 References
Jamal, H. (2017). Estimation and Analysis of Missing Precipitation Data.
Retrieved from: https://www.aboutcivil.org/analysis-of-precipitation-
data.html

Mohammad Taghi Sattari, et al. (2016). Assessment of different method for

estimation of missing data in precipitation studies. Retrieved from:
https://iwaponline.com/hr/article/48/4/1032/1542/Assessment-of-
differentmethods-for-estimation-of

Dr. C, Chatterjee. (n.d.). Watershed Hydrology. Retrieved from:

http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/course/view.php?id=56