Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Iran
2 MSc, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Iran
Abstract
Calculating low flow characteristics is very important for planning of water diversions; providing water for hydropower, water quality threshold in streams, water supply for cities and industries and estimate of sewerage discharge threshold. The objective of this research is analyzing low flow with different duration and return periods and extracting low flow regional models for locations without hydrometric station. This research was carried out in Gilan province where 35 hydrometric stations with long-term and reliable daily discharge data were selected. Low flows of durations 10, 30, 60, 90 and 180 days were estimated. Using frequency analysis, several statistical distributions were examined and log Parson Type 3 was found the best distribution for flow duration over 60 days and log normal best fitted flow durations shorter than 60 days. Then low flows of different return periods including 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 year were calculated. Independent factors were identified using factor analysis that included basin area, mean annual rainfall, slope, average elevation, and drainage density. Cluster analysis divided the basins in two homogeneous regions. In each homogeneous region, multivariate regression through step-by-step method determined basin area, mean annual rainfall and slope as independent influential parameters in low flow regional models. Regional models were extracted for low flow with various durations and return periods.
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