Maximum rainfall intensity analysis using L-moments in Spain

Flood predictions are frequently the basis for engineering works, structures design, and land useplanning, but quite often there are no gauged stations and consequently hydrometeorological modelsbecome an essential tool. These models require maximum rainfall intensity estimations -for differentdurations and return periods -an IDF law-. The IDF law actually used in Spain was developed in theseventies and it was based on an at-site analysis on the 21 available gauged stations in that moment,using Gumbel distribution for adjustment.Last paragraph is an invitation to revising methodology and updating data as nowadays thereare more gauged stations with sufficient records in the Spanish peninsular area. However, classicalapproach to the regionalization technique cannot be used due to scarce stations -there are 63 stationsin 500.000 km2- and great climate variability in short distances -from semi-arid in the southeast toAtlantic climate in the north-. Thus, authors propose an “intra-station” regionalization, it is to say, aregionalization in the same station.Besides, they suggest new expressions in order to extend results to the rest of the territory.According to practical character of this study, a GIS (geographical information system) applicationwas developed –MAXIN- and it is available in:http://www.forestales.upm.es/hidraulica/paginas/programas/programas.htm

Paper presented at The Seventh International Conference on HydroScience and Engineering (ICHE) hosted by the College of Engineering at Drexel Univeristy on September 10-13, 2006 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The conference theme was IT in the Field of HydroSciences. It included several mini-symposia that emphasized IT topics in HydroSciences and the yearly meeting of the metadata group of the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange organization.