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.
In this study, the FRIER rainfall-runoff model with distributed parameters was developed to assess changes in runoff and water balance due to changes in land use and climate. The water balance was calculated at 3 levels: on the surface and in unsaturated and saturated zones. Six basins from the central and eastern parts of Slovakia were selected on the basis of their similar size, but different topography, land use, soil texture and climate: the upper Hornád, the upper Hron, the Poprad, the Rimava, the Slaná and the Torysa River basins. Model parameters were estimated using data from the period from June 1998 to May 2000 in daily time steps. The differences and similarities of the hydrologic processes in individual basins were investigated during the calibration period. Several scenarios of changes in land use and two simple scenarios of changes in climate were developed to estimate the impact of these changes on water balance and runoff. The changes in the hydrological regime were compared and discussed. and V posledných rokoch sa veľmi často hodnotia a diskutujú vplyvy zmien využitia krajiny a klímy na procesy hydrologickej bilancie, aj keď miera ich vplyvu na hydrologický režim sa najmä pre komplexnosť týchto procesov veľmi ťažko kvantifikuje. Na odhad vplyvu zmien využitia krajiny a klímy na odtok a zložky hydrologickej bilancie bol vyvinutý zrážkovo-odtokový model FRIER s rozčlenenými parametrami. Na základe podobnej veľkosti, ale rôznej topografie, využitia krajiny a pôdnej štruktúry bolo vybraných šesť pilotných povodí: povodie horného Hornádu, horného Hrona, Popradu, Rimavy, Slanej a Torysy. Parametre modelu boli kalibrované pre obdobie jún 1998 - máj 2000 v dennom časovom kroku. Na základe simulácií hydrologickej bilancie pre súčasný stav sa hodnotili rozdiely a podobnosti procesov tvorby odtoku v jednotlivých povodiach. Odtok a zložky hydrologickej bilancie boli následne simulované pre sedem scenárov zmien využitia krajiny a dva jednoduché scenáre zmeny zrážok a teploty vzduchu. Zmeny odtoku a hydrologickej bilancie boli porovnané a diskutované.
The erosion, transport and deposition of sediments in small valley reservoirs represent a significant impact on their operations, mainly with regard to reducing the volume of their accumulation. The aim of this study is a comparison and uncertainty analysis of two modelling concepts for assessment of soil loss and sediment transport in a small agricultural catchment, with an emphasis on estimating the off-site effects of soil erosion resulted in sedimentation of a small water reservoir. The small water reservoir (polder) of Svacenicky Creek which was built in 2012, is a part of the flood protection measures in Turá Lúka and is located in the western part of Slovakia, close to the town of Myjava. The town of Myjava in recent years has been threatened by frequent floods, which have caused heavy material losses and significantly limited the quality of life of the local residents. To estimate the amount of soil loss and sediments transported from the basin, we applied two modelling concepts based on the USLE/SDR and WaTEM/SEDEM erosion models and validated the results with the actual bathymetry of the polder. The measurements were provided by a modern Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) hydrographic instrument. From the sediment data measured and the original geodetic survey of the terrain conducted at the time of the construction of the polder, we calculated changes in the storage volume of the polder during its four years of operation. The results show that in the given area, there has been a gradual clogging of the bottom of the polder caused by water erosion. We estimate that within the four years of the acceptance run, 10,494 m3 of bottom sediments on the Svacenicky Creek polder have accumulated. It therefore follows that repeated surveying of the sedimentation is very important for the management of the water reservoir.
Real time prediction of return periods of flood events that might occur in the course of anticipated dangerous meteorological situations at a catchment could be useful as additional information for decision makers involved in flood warning. Such a method is proposed in the paper for the Torysa basin in the western part of East Slovakia for rainfall-induced floods. A conceptual rainfall-runoff model with a daily time step was adopted for modelling of the runoff. The study of the relationship between the modelled basin’s soil moisture index at the beginning of the annual maximum floods and the flood-causing precipitation totals showed no dependence between these two quantities. Based on that finding, several scenarios involving the independent joint occurrence of synthetic extreme precipitation and antecedent basin saturation indexes were constructed. Using event-based flood simulations, synthetic flood waves were generated for these scenarios with the rainfall-runoff model. The relationships between the return periods of the synthetic precipitation and the return periods of the simulated floods were analysed, and the effect of antecedent basin saturation index on the extremity of the floods was quantified. Critical values of the basin saturation index leading to floods with higher return periods than the return period of flood-causing precipitation were suggested. A simple method of implementing such critical values into real time flood risk warnings in a hydrological forecasting and warning system in the Torysa basin was outlined. and Predpovedanie N-ročnosti povodní v reálnom čase pri výskyte kritických meteorologických situácií na povodiach je dôležité ako dodatočná informácia z hľadiska rozhodovacieho procesu v protipovodňovom varovnom systéme a následných opatreniach na povodiach. Táto štúdia bola preto zameraná na posudzovanie vzájomného pôsobenia extrémnych príčinných tekutých zrážok a rôznych stavov predchádzajúceho nasýtenia na pilotnom povodí Torysy po Prešov. Pre modelovanie odtoku na povodí bol použitý koncepčný zrážkovo-odtokový model s denným krokom. Pri výbere počiatočných podmienok vzniku povodní sme posudzovali rôzne stavy nasýtenia povodia pred vznikom najväčších ročných povodní, ktoré sa vyskytli na uvedenom povodí v minulosti. Na základe kombinácií modelových extrémnych príčinných zrážok s rôznymi stavmi predchádzajúceho nasýtenia povodia sme hydrologickým modelovaním simulovali odtok z povodia. Analyzoval sa vzťah medzi dobou opakovania modelových zrážok a simulovaných povodní a následne sa kvantifikoval vplyv predchádzajúceho nasýtenia povodia na extremitu odtoku. Určili sa kritické hodnoty nasýtenia povodia, kedy doba opakovania povodní prevyšuje hodnotu doby opakovania príčinných zrážok. Záverom bola navrhnutá jednoduchá metóda implementácie týchto kritických hodnôt pri predpovedaní povodní v reálnom čase na povodí Torysy.
Flood frequency analysis is usually performed as a univariate analysis of flood peaks using a suitable theoretical probability distribution of the annual maximum flood peaks or peak over threshold values. However, other flood attributes, such as flood volume and duration, are necessary for the design of hydrotechnical projects, too. In this study, the suitability of various copula families for a bivariate analysis of peak discharges and flood volumes has been tested. Streamflow data from selected gauging stations along the whole Danube River have been used. Kendall’s rank correlation coefficient (tau) quantifies the dependence between flood peak discharge and flood volume settings. The methodology is applied to two different data samples: 1) annual maximum flood (AMF) peaks combined with annual maximum flow volumes of fixed durations at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 60 days, respectively (which can be regarded as a regime analysis of the dependence between the extremes of both variables in a given year), and 2) annual maximum flood (AMF) peaks with corresponding flood volumes (which is a typical choice for engineering studies). The bivariate modelling of the extracted peak discharge - flood volume couples is achieved with the use of the Ali-Mikhail-Haq (AMH), Clayton, Frank, Joe, Gumbel, Hüsler-Reiss, Galambos, Tawn, Normal, Plackett and FGM copula families. Scatterplots of the observed and simulated peak discharge - flood volume pairs and goodness-of-fit tests have been used to assess the overall applicability of the copulas as well as observing any changes in suitable models along the Danube River. The results indicate that for the second data sampling method, almost all of the considered Archimedean class copula families perform better than the other copula families selected for this study, and that for the first method, only the upper-tail-flat copulas excel (except for the AMH copula due to its inability to model stronger relationships).
In the paper a methodology for estimating monthly potential evapotranspiration (E0) as an input for hydrological balance modelling in the upper Hron River basin was developed. Four different methods were used to calculate monthly potential evapotranspiration in 6 climate stations in the basin - the Tomlain method based on equations of energy balance, the FAO method based on equations of radiation balance and empirical parameters, and 2 empirical methods - the Thornthwaite and Ivanov methods. Because of the relatively different results of E0 values estimated by these 4 methods, the physically based Tomlain method was considered as a reference method. Other methods containing empirical parameters were calibrated to estimate E0 with the best agreement to the Tomlain method. Calibration was done for each method and individual climate station, as well as for the whole region and was aimed to find a regional set of parameters for methods of E0 calculation. The method of genetic algorithm was used for the calibration. The efficiency of E0 computed by each of the calibrated methods was compared with the Tomlain method and the results were used for modelling of the hydrological balance in the basin. and Článok opisuje metodiku určovania mesačnej potenciálnej evapotranspirácie (E0) na povodí horného Hrona ako vstupu do hydrologického bilančného modelu s mesačným časovým krokom. Mesačná potenciálna evapotranspirácia je v modeli určovaná jednou zo 4 vybraných metód - metódou založenou na riešení energetickej bilancie, rozpracovanou Tomlainom, FAO metódou založenou na riešení radiačnej bilancie a 2 empirickými metódami výpočtu podľa Ivanova a Thornthwaitea. Podľa uvedených metód bol urobený výpočet E0 v 6 klimatických staniciach na povodí horného Hrona. Pretože metóda výpočtu podľa Tomlaina je založená na riešení rovníc energetickej bilancie, výsledky výpočtu E0 podľa nej boli ďalej považované za referenčné. Ostatné použité metódy, obsahujúce aj rovnice s empirickými parametrami boli kalibrované tak, aby výsledky výpočtu E0 týmito metódami boli v čo najlepšej zhode s výsledkami výpočtu E0 podľa Tomlainovej metódy. Kalibrácia metód na výpočet E0 bola urobená pre každú metódu a stanicu zvlášť. Následne boli pre každú metódu súbežnou kalibráciou vo všetkých staniciach určené regionálne parametre týchto metód, vhodné pre celé povodie. Pri kalibrácii parametrov boli využité metódy genetického algoritmu, ako objektívna funkcia bol použitý Nash-Sutcliffe koeficient. Výsledky výpočtu E0 sú v článku porovnané a využité na modelovanie priemerných mesačných prietokov v záverečnom profile povodia.
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.
This work examines the main features of the flash flood regime in Central Europe as revealed by an analysis of flash floods that have occurred in Slovakia. The work is organized into the following two parts: The first part focuses on estimating the rainfall-runoff relationships for 3 major flash flood events, which were among the most severe events since 1998 and caused a loss of lives and a large amount of damage. The selected flash floods occurred on the 20th of July, 1998, in the Malá Svinka and Dubovický Creek basins; the 24th of July, 2001, at Štrbský Creek; and the 19th of June, 2004, at Turniansky Creek. The analysis aims to assess the flash flood peaks and rainfall-runoff properties by combining post-flood surveys and the application of hydrological and hydraulic post-event analyses. Next, a spatially-distributed hydrological model based on the availability of the raster information of the landscape’s topography, soil and vegetation properties, and rainfall data was used to simulate the runoff. The results from the application of the distributed hydrological model were used to analyse the consistency of the surveyed peak discharges with respect to the estimated rainfall properties and drainage basins. In the second part these data were combined with observations from flash flood events which were observed during the last 100 years and are focused on an analysis of the relationship between the flood peaks and the catchment area. The envelope curve was shown to exhibit a more pronounced decrease with the catchment size with respect to other flash flood relationships found in the Mediterranean region. The differences between the two relationships mainly reflect changes in the coverage of the storm sizes and hydrological characteristics between the two regions.
The necessity to generate time series of runoff for planning and design purposes and environmental protection at ungauged sites is often the case in water resources studies. As in the case of the absence of measured runoff optimisation techniques cannot be used to estimate the parameters of rainfall-runoff models, regional estimation methods are used instead. In previous studies usually regression methods were used for relating the model parameters to the catchment characteristics in a given region. In the paper a different method for the regional calibration of a monthly water balance model is proposed for the case of sparse runoff data. Instead of using the regional regression, the method involves the regional calibration of a monthly water balance model to several gauged catchments in a given region simultaneously. These catchments were pooled together using cluster analysis of selected basin physiographic properties. For the model calibration a genetic programming algorithm was employed and two problem specific fitness functions were proposed. It is expected, that the regionally calibrated model parameters can be used in ungauged basins with similar physiographic conditions. The performance of such a regional calibration scheme was compared with two single site calibration methods in the Záhorie region of West Slovakia. and Článok sa zaoberá možnosťami využitia hydrologického modelovania pre účely určovania prietokov v povodiach bez ich pozorovaní. V takýchto prípadoch nemožno určiť parametre modelu klasickou kalibráciou, pri ktorej sa pri hľadaní parametrov modelu posudzuje čo najlepšia zhoda medzi simulovanými a pozorovanými prietokmi. Jednou z možností je zisťovanie parametrov modelu na základe posudzovania ich vzájomného vzťahu s hydrologickými, topografickými alebo fyzicko-geografickými vlastnosťami povodí, ktoré zohrávajú pri tvorbe odtoku dominantnú úlohu, ďalšia možnosť je určenie jednotných parametrov modelu kalibráciou modelu pre skupinu povodí (región alebo regionálny typ), vyčlenenú na základe podobných vlastností ovplyvňujúcich tvorbu odtoku. V článku je aplikovaná metodika určovania regionálnych parametrov hydrologického bilančného modelu v mesačnom časovom kroku na vybraných povodiach západného Slovenska. Namiesto prístupu regionálnej regresie je tu využitý spôsob regionálnej kalibrácie modelu pre regióny vyčlenené na základe podobnosti rôznych fyzicko-geografických vlastností. Pri regionálnej kalibrácii modelu boli využité metódy genetického algoritmu, pričom boli testované dve objektívne funkcie. Výsledky regionálnej kalibrácie sú porovnané s výsledkami kalibrácie modelu pre jednotlivé povodia. Regionálne určené parametre modelu môžu byť využité na modelovanie priemerných mesačných prietokov v povodiach bez pozorovaní, patriacich do príslušného regiónu alebo regionálneho typu.
Regional design flood computation formulae in Slovakia were traditionally based on the regionalisation of the 100-year flood discharge. Floods with shorter return periods have usually been computed by regional frequency factors from the 100-year flood discharge. Several previous studies have indicated that a rather high safety factor is included in some of the traditional regional formulae. In this paper therefore an alternative method for the determination of the flood frequency curve in ungauged catchments in the high core mountain region of Slovakia has been investigated. Floods from rainfall and snowmelt were treated separately; the study was focused on summer floods. For the division catchments into pooling groups subjective and objective methods e.g. cluster analysis were used. The methodology was based on the regional estimation of the index flood and its standard deviation from catchment characteristics. Flood quantiles were determined from a two-parameter distribution. The performance of several regional methods was compared and the applicability of the tested methods for various hydraulic and hydro-ecological design tasks was also discussed. and Odhad N-ročných maximálnych prietokov bol na Slovensku tradične založený na regionalizácii maximálnych storočných prietokov. V príspevku sme preto navrhli a testovali alternatívne regionálne metódy nepriameho odhadu štatistických charakteristík maximálnych prietokov v letnej sezóne v oblasti Tatier. Skúmali sme viaceré možnosti rozdeliť tento región na oblasti s rovnakým vzťahom medzi podmieňujúcimi činiteľmi tvorby odtoku a priemernou hodnotou a smerodajnou odchýlkou maximálnych letných prietokov. Subregióny boli konštruované použitím subjektívnych úvah, logickým delením, ako aj pomocou objektívnych metód využívajúc princípy zhlukovej analýzy. Regionálne vzťahy na určovanie charakteristík maximálnych letných prietokov boli odvodené použitím viacnásobnej regresie. V závere sme porovnali hodnoty N-ročných maximálnych letných prietokov určené použitím viacerých metód a diskutovali sme vhodnosť použitia aplikovaných postupov pre inžiniersku prax.