A method of estimating flood volumes in western Kansas

Relationships between flood volume and peak discharge in western Kansas were developed considering basin and climatic characteristics in order to evaluate the availability of surface water in the area. Multiple-regression analyses revealed a relationship between flood volume, peak discharge, channel slope , and storm duration for basins smaller than 1,503 square miles. The equation VOL=0.536 PEAK1.71 SLOPE-0.85 DUR0.24, had a correlation coefficient of R=0.94 and a standard error of 0.33 log units (-53 and +113 percent). A better relationship for basins smaller than 228 square miles resulted in the equation VOL=0.483 PEAK0.98 SLOPE-0.74 AREA0.30, which had a correlation coefficient of R=0.90 and a standard error of 0.23 log units (-41 and +70 percent). (USGS)