Abstract

CAMPOS-ARANDA, Daniel F.. Contrast of a regional method for estimating IDF curves on the coastal plain of Tabasco, México. Agrociencia [online]. 2012, vol.46, n.7, pp.637-649. ISSN 2521-9766.

The Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves summarize the characteristics of storms occurring in a certain area and are the basis of flood estimates in rural watersheds without hydrometric records and in urban areas. Because of the scarcity of rain gauge records, IDF curves are estimated by empirical formulas. Chen's formula requires only hourly rainfall predictions with return periods of 10 and 100 years. The 13 recording rain gauges records available in the coastal plain of Tabasco and north zone of Chiapas were analyzed probabilistically to establish regional relationships between hourly and daily predictions obtained from the rain gauges. Based on the relationships found, IDF curves were estimated using the suggested procedure and were further contrasted against those obtained in six recording rain gauge stations, three of which are not used in the derivation of regional relations. Generally, the estimated IDF curves have higher intensities than observed; however, they show excellent correspondence to those where records are not short nor statistically anomalous. Terefore, the systematic application of the proposed regional method based on the Chen formula is recommended.

Keywords : recording rain gauges; annual maximum daily rainfall; probabilistic analysis; standard error of fit; Chen formula.