Regional Flood-Frequency Study for Urban and Rural Streams in Wisconsin
Project Number: 9KO27
Project Chief: John F. Walker
Project Topics: flood, water budget, frequency
Cooperators: City of Fond du Lac; Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Period of Project: July 1985–Continuing
Website: Flood Frequency in Wisconsin
Flood-frequency estimates are required at many sites for bridge and culvert design, as well as for flood-plain management and flood-insurance studies. Most sites at which such estimates are required do not have records of flood peaks.
Problem
Flood-frequency estimates are required at many sites for bridge and culvert design, as well as for flood-plain management and flood-insurance studies. Most sites at which such estimates are required do not have records of flood peaks.
Objectives
Objectives are to: (1) operate a state-wide network of crest gages to obtain ongoing information on flood peaks, (2) develop improved regression equations for the State of Wisconsin, and (3) analyze and improve the network of crest-stage gages to obtain better data for developing improved regression equations.
Approach
A network of approximately 90 crest-stage gages will be maintained to gather flood peak information, especially on streams with small drainage areas. The information on annual flood peaks will be used to compute flood-frequency at these sites. Periodically, the expanded information on flood frequency at streams throughout the state will be used to compute regional flood frequency equations to estimate flood frequency at ungaged sites.
Progress
Annual flood peaks were computed and published in the annual data report for 85 crest-stage stations, including 19 of the new stations. Work began on a Fact Sheet related to bridge scour and an analysis of regression residuals and trends in the flood-peak records.
Plans
The crest-stage-gage network will be monitored throughout the year. More new gages will have ratings developed for them as measurements and surveys are available. Significant effort will be made to improve ratings at all the gages. Drainage-basin characteristics will be determined for the 312 stations in the stream-gaging network. A Fact Sheet related to bridge scour will be completed. Results of the residual and trend analyses will be transmitted to the cooperator.
Publications and Reports
Walker, J.F., and Krug, W.R., 2003, Flood-frequency characteristics of Wisconsin streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4250, 37 p. 2 pls.
Krug, W.R., 1996, Simulation of temporal changes in rainfall-runoff characteristics, Coon Creek Basin, Wisconsin: Journal of the American Water Resources Association, v. 32, no. 4, p. 745–752.
Krug, W.R., Conger, D.H., and Gebert, W.A., 1992, Flood-frequency characteristics of Wisconsin streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 91-4128, 185 p., 2 pls.
Conger, D.H., 1986, Estimating magnitude and frequency of floods for Wisconsin urban streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4005, 18 p.
Conger, D.H., 1981, Techniques for estimating magnitude and frequency of floods for Wisconsin streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Open-File Report 80–1214, 116 p., 2 pls.
Conger, D.H., 1971, Estimating magnitude and frequency of floods in Wisconsin: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 200 p.
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