Abstract

CAMPOS-ARANDA, Daniel F.. Calibration of the rational method in eight rural watersheds under 1,650 km² of the hydrological region No. 10 (Sinaloa), Mexico. Agrociencia [online]. 2008, vol.42, n.6, pp.615-627. ISSN 2521-9766.

The economic importance of the estimation of floods or design flows in the small and medium sized rural watersheds is highlighted, along with the great complexity involved in the hydrological processes they generate. Therefore, the calibration of any method of flood prediction would be helpful in obtaining a more reliable estimation. A detailed description is made of the Rational method and the strategy necessary for identifying its runoff coefficient associated with the return period, in eight rural watersheds of Hydrological Region No. 10 (Sinaloa), with numerically consistant results. The numerical results are processed to establish a regional procedure or method of runoff estimation in rural watersheds without gaging or with short records which are not recommended for probabilistic analysis, whose predictions are considered reliable. Finally, conclusions are made which underline the numerical consistance and accuracy of the developed flood estimation method, and thus the importance of the present study.

Keywords : Runoff coefficients; regional flood estimation; annual maximum flows; annual maximum daily rainfall; Rational method.