CRWR Online Report 95-1

Hydrologic Data Development System

By Peter N. Smith and David R. Maidment

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ABSTRACT

The Hydrologic Data Development System (HDDS) is a package of spatial data and menu-driven programs that allows user-interactive determination of hydrologic parameters and estimation of flood frequency relationships for the design of highway drainage structures. The program employs Arc/Info, a commercial geographic information system.

A data base was developed to cover the extent of Texas at a scale of 1:2,000,000 and a smaller sample area of Northeast Texas at a scale of 1:250,000. The data include digital elevation models, major highways, soil characteristics, design rainfall depth/frequency/duration, land use, stream gauge sites, and other themes. New tables were developed to spatially relate soil characteristics and land use to runoff coefficients used in the Soil Conservation Service Runoff Curve Number method.

Spatial analysis techniques were employed to define watershed outlets and determine important hydrologic parameters. The system delineates drainage boundaries and flow paths using relevant digital elevation data, and overlays other data layers to determine parameters such as average watershed slope, time of concentration, area-weighted runoff curve numbers, and area-weighted design rainfall. Input files can be established and submitted to THYSYS, the Texas Department of Transportation hydraulic program, to determine flood frequency relationships. The results can then be used for the design of drainage structures.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

CRWR Online Report 95-1

Hydrologic Data Development System

By Peter N. Smith and David R. Maidment

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Download the whole report...(2,707KB)

FRONT PAGES (43KB)

1. INTRODUCTION...(19 KB)

2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND QUESTIONNAIRE...(16KB)

3. BASIC CONCEPTS...(350 KB)

4. METHODS...(990 KB)

5. APPLICATION...(142KB)

6. RESULTS...(832KB)

7. ASSESSMENT AND CONCLUSIONS...(30 KB)

Appendix A :Hydrologic Data Development Systerm Coding...(197 KB)

Appendix B : Metadata for Arc/info Format Highway Vector Coverage...(15 KB)

Appendix C : Questionnaire Summary of Responses...(43 KB)

Bibliography...(14 KB)

Vita...(6 KB)


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