storm Erosivity Using Idealized Intensity Distributions

Abstract

ABSTRACT EQUATIONS were derived that compute storm rainfall energy, maximum thirty-minute intensity, and erosivity directly from rainfall amount, storm duration, and tabulated factor values. The method was based on the assumption of idealized rainfall intensity distributions where intensities were arranged in descending order. Several observed storms were evaluated to determine how well the distributions fit observed data and to determine parameter values for individual rainfall events. Each distribution was described by a nonuniformity coefficient, which was defined by a relationship between peak and average intensity. A revised unit energy equation was also developed and used to compute storm energy values by this method. These values were very close to those computed by standard procedures for the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The method tends to overestimate maximum 30 min intensity, which in general gives larger rainfall erosivity values than does the USLE procedure. Please view the PDF for the complete article. The text below is only to aid searches. It is unformatted and incomplete, lacking figures, tables, and equations.