Depth-Duration Frequency of Precipitation for Texas
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DistrictCover.fmPage1Wednesday,October23,20023:47PM In cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation Depth-Duration Frequency of Precipitation for Texas Water-Resources Investigations Report 98–4044 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Depth-Duration Frequency of Precipitation for Texas By William H. Asquith U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 98–4044 In cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation Austin, Texas 1998 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bruce Babbitt, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas J. Casadevall, Acting Director Second printing Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information write to District Chief U.S. Geological Survey 8011 Cameron Rd. Austin, TX 78754–3898 Copies of this report can be purchased from U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services Box 25286 Denver, CO 80225–0286 ii CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Previous Studies ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Climate of Texas ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Data Base of Precipitation Annual Maxima ............................................................................................................ 3 Data Sources ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Correction of Precipitation Annual Maxima for Fixed-Interval Recording ................................................. 6 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Regionalization of Precipitation Annual Maxima ............................................................................................................... 11 L-moments ............................................................................................................................................................... 12 Generalized Logistic and Generalized Extreme-Value Distributions ...................................................................... 16 Spatial Averaging of L-coefficient of Variation and L-skew and Estimation of L-scale ......................................... 17 Contouring Distribution Parameters ........................................................................................................................ 21 Depth-Duration Frequency of Precipitation for Texas ........................................................................................................ 21 Examples of Depth-Duration Frequency Computation ........................................................................................... 23 Precipitation Intensity-Duration Frequency Curve .................................................................................................. 24 Comparison to Previous Studies .............................................................................................................................. 25 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Selected References ............................................................................................................................................................ 26 Appendix 1. Fifteen-Minute Precipitation Stations in Texas With at Least 10 Years of Annual Maxima Data Through 1994 ........................................................................................................................................ 72 2. Hourly Precipitation Stations in Texas With at Least 10 Years of Annual Maxima Data Through 1994 ................................................................................................................................................. 75 3. Daily Precipitation Stations in Texas With at Least 10 Years of Annual Maxima Data Through 1994 ................................................................................................................................................. 83 PLATE (Plate is in pocket) 1. Map showing locations of 15-minute, hourly, and daily recording precipitation stations in Texas with at least 10 years of annual maxima data through 1994 FIGURES 1. Graph showing relation between precipitation depth and storm duration for world record, Texas record, and Texas data-base maxima ............................................................................................................................... 4 2. Map showing modified National Weather Service climatic regions of Texas ..................................................... 5 3. Boxplots showing record-length distribution for 15-minute, hourly, and daily precipitation stations in climatic regions of Texas ..................................................................................................................................... 7 4–7. Graphs showing: 4. Time series of 1-day precipitation annual maxima for long-term stations (1778, 2266, and 2444) and distribution of available record in corresponding climatic regions of Texas ..................................... 8 5. Time series of 1-day precipitation annual maxima for long-term stations (3262, 3873, and 3992) and distribution of available record in corresponding climatic regions of Texas ..................................... 9 6. Time series of 1-day precipitation annual maxima for long-term stations (4058, 5272, and 9522) and distribution of available record in corresponding climatic regions of Texas ..................................... 10 7. L-moment ratio diagrams for selected precipitation durations in Texas .................................................. 14 8–9. Boxplots showing: 8. Effects of spatial averaging on the statewide distribution of L-coefficient of variation for each precipitation duration ................................................................................................................................ 19 9. Effects of spatial averaging on the statewide distribution of L-skew for each precipitation duration ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 CONTENTS iii 10–18. Maps showing location (ξ) parameter of generalized logistic (GLO) distribution for: 10. 15-minute precipitation duration in Texas ................................................................................................ 28 11. 30-minute precipitation duration in Texas ................................................................................................ 29 12. 60-minute precipitation duration in Texas ................................................................................................ 30 13. 1-hour precipitation duration in Texas ...................................................................................................... 31 14. 2-hour precipitation duration in Texas ...................................................................................................... 32 15. 3-hour precipitation duration in Texas ...................................................................................................... 33 16. 6-hour precipitation duration in Texas ...................................................................................................... 34 17. 12-hour precipitation duration in Texas .................................................................................................... 35 18. 24-hour precipitation duration in Texas .................................................................................................... 36 19–23. Maps showing location (ξ) parameter of generalized extreme-value (GEV) distribution for: 19. 1-day precipitation duration in Texas ........................................................................................................ 37 20. 2-day precipitation duration in Texas ........................................................................................................ 38 21. 3-day precipitation duration in Texas ........................................................................................................ 39 22. 5-day precipitation duration in Texas ........................................................................................................ 40 23. 7-day precipitation duration in Texas ........................................................................................................ 41 24–32. Maps showing scale (α) parameter of generalized logistic (GLO) distribution for: 24. 15-minute precipitation duration in Texas ...............................................................................................