Kinematic wave approximation to forested watershed overland flow with urban hydrologic models.
Deterministic urban hydrologic simulation models may be applied with varying degrees of success to simulate forested watershed surface runoff. Since these watersheds are essentially pervious, the technique used to estimate infiltration rates becomes critically important and deserves detailed analysis. Both Horton's infiltration equation and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) curve number method were evaluated. Precipitation and streamflow data were available for a number of storm events that occurred over the Santee Experimental Forest, Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina. The U.S. EPAStorm Water Management Model and the Deterministic Urban Runoff Model were tested. The process of discretization of the natural watershed into appropriate segments for mathematical modelling involved uniquely different approaches. Results indicate that the latter model, which applies kinematic wave theory to both overland flow and flow in stream segments, is very satisfactory when the SCS curve number method is used to estimate infiltration. (A)
