Techniques for estimating streamflow characteristics in the Eastern and Interior coal provinces of the United States

Techniques are presented for estimating various streamflow characteristics, such as peak flows, mean monthly and annual flows, flow durations, and flow volumes, at ungaged sites on unregulated streams in the Eastern Coal region. Streamflow data and basin characteristics for 629 gaging stations were used to develop multiple-linear-regression equations. Separate equations were developed for the Eastern and Interior Coal Provinces.

Drainage area is an independent variable common to all equations. Other variables needed, depending on the streamflow characteristic, are mean annual precipitation, mean basin elevation, main channel length, basin storage, main channel slope, and forest cover.

A ratio of the observed 50- to 90-percent flow durations was used in the development of relations to estimate low-flow frequencies in the Eastern Coal Province. Relations to estimate low flows in the Interior Coal Province are not presented because the standard errors were greater than 0.7500 log units and were considered to be of poor reliability.