This paper analyses the bivariate relationship between flood peaks and corresponding flood event volumes modelled by empirical and theoretical copulas in a regional context, with a focus on flood generation processes in general, the regional differentiation of these and the effect of the sample size on reliable discrimination among models. A total of 72 catchments in North-West of Austria are analysed for the period 1976-2007. From the hourly runoff data set, 25 697 flood events were isolated and assigned to one of three flood process types: synoptic floods (including long- and short-rain floods), flash floods or snowmelt floods (both rain-on-snow and snowmelt floods). The first step of the analysis examines whether the empirical peak-volume copulas of different flood process types are regionally statistically distinguishable, separately for each catchment and the role of the sample size on the strength of the statements. The results indicate that the empirical copulas of flash floods tend to be different from those of the synoptic and snowmelt floods. The second step examines how similar are the empirical flood peak-volume copulas between catchments for a given flood type across the region. Empirical copulas of synoptic floods are the least similar between the catchments, however with the decrease of the sample size the difference between the performances of the process types becomes small. The third step examines the goodness-of-fit of different commonly used copula types to the data samples that represent the annual maxima of flood peaks and the respective volumes both regardless of flood generating processes (the traditional engineering approach) and also considering the three process-based classes. Extreme value copulas (Galambos, Gumbel and Hüsler-Reiss) show the best performance both for synoptic and flash floods, while the Frank copula shows the best performance for snowmelt floods. It is concluded that there is merit in treating flood types separately when analysing and estimating flood peak-volume dependence copulas; however, even the enlarged dataset gained by the process-based analysis in this study does not give sufficient information for a reliable model choice for multivariate statistical analysis of flood peaks and volumes.
Regional frequency analysis of heavy precipitation amounts based on the estimation of the parameters of a regional distribution function using L-moments is adopted for the specific geographical-climatological settings of Slovakia. The paper focuses on the first step of the regional L-moment algorithm (Hosking, Wallis, 1997), which is the delineation of homogeneous regions. Objective and process-based logical pooling techniques are used to form homogeneous pooling groups of rainfall gauging stations for regional frequency analysis of k-day precipitation amounts (k = 1 to 5 days). Even though the delineation of homogeneous regions by means of objective methods is generally accepted and recommended in the literature, it is concluded here that such a pooling of similar sites should not be carried out automatically in precipitation analysis. Instead, a combination of physical/geomorphological considerations and objective methods should be preferred. and Článok sa zaoberá regionálnou frekvenčnou analýzou mimoriadnych úhrnov zrážok, ktorá je založená na odhade parametrov regionálneho rozdelenia pravdepodobnosti pomocou L-momentov a ktorá sa aplikuje v špecifických geograficko-klimatických podmienkach Slovenska. Článok je užšie zameraný na prvý krok tzv. regionálneho L-momentového algoritmu (Hosking, Wallis, 1997), ktorým je vyčlenenie homogénnych regiónov pre k-denné úhrny zrážok (k = 1 až 5). Na formovanie homogénnych zoskupení klimatologických a zrážkomerných staníc sa použila objektívna aj subjektívna (logická) metodika. Napriek tomu, že odborná literatúra všeobecne uznáva a odporúča použiť objektívne postupy na vyčlenenie homogénnych regiónov, v štúdii sme usúdili, že by sa vo frekvenčnej analýze úhrnov zrážok navzájom podobné stanice nemali vyčleňovať automaticky. Namiesto toho odporúčame, aby sa k tomuto účelu použila kombinácia objektívnych postupov, resp. úvah založených na fyzicko-geografických charakteristikách krajiny
The aim of this study was to test the applicability of a simple scaling methodology for a regional estimation of intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves in Slovakia. The analysis is based on the regionalization process of Gaál (2006), which focused on the delineation of homogeneous regions for a regional frequency analysis of precipitation maxima. In order to examine the regionally estimated IDF curves, a region covering the western parts of Slovakia was chosen. The selected region, which encompasses 19 raingauging stations, may be characterized by the dominant influence of Atlantic circulation patterns. Three of the 19 stations belonging to the target region were set aside and flagged as verification stations. The regional dimensionless growth curve of 1-day precipitation maxima in the warm season was derived for the region, and the local T-year quantiles were estimated by the index value method for the stations. At the same time, a regionally averaged scaling exponent was derived using all the stations except for the three verification ones. The local IDF curves at the verification stations were estimated by downscaling the Tyear quantiles of the 1-day precipitation maxima using the regionally averaged scaling exponent. Finally, the IDF curves for these stations were compared with those defined by Šamaj, Valovič (1973). This study is the first step in assessing the applicability of a simple scaling theory for the regional estimation of IDF curves in Slovakia. and Cieľom tejto práce bolo otestovať možnosť použitia metódy jednoduchého škálovania zrážok pri regionálnom odhade návrhových hodnôt zrážkových intenzít na Slovensku. Pre analýzu bolo vybraných 19 zrážkomerných staníc vo vopred vyčlenenom regióne na území západného Slovenska, pričom tri stanice boli separované ako verifikačné stanice. Pre vybraný región sme odvodili bezrozmernú regionálnu čiaru prekročenia jednodenných maximálnych úhrnov zrážok v teplom polroku a následne sme pre verifikačné stanice metódou indexovej hodnoty odhadli lokálne návrhové hodnoty pre rôzne významné doby opakovania T (tzv. T-ročné kvantily). Vo vyčlenenom regióne sme určili priemerný regionálny škálovací koeficient. Návrhové zrážkové intenzity pre tri verifikačné stanice sa stanovili zoškálovaním T-ročných kvantilov jednodenných maximálnych zrážok pomocou regionálneho škálovacieho koeficientu. Určené návrhové hodnoty sme porovnali s výsledkami Šamaja, Valoviča (1973). Štúdia potvrdila možnosť využitia metódy jednoduchého škálovania na regionálny odhad návrhových hodnôt zrážkových intenzít na Slovensku.