Flood Routing in Ungauged Catchments Using Muskingum Methods

Flood Routing in Ungauged Catchments Using Muskingum MethodsBy Mesfin Hagos Tewolde and Prof. Jeff SmithersFlood routing is a crucial process in hydraulic engineering particularly for designing flood protection measures and predicting flood wave propagation in river systems. In many regions river reaches are ungauged making it challenging to estimate the stages or flow rates required for planning and evaluating hydraulic structures. This book provides a comprehensive study of the Muskingum-based methods for flood routing in ungauged catchments focusing on their application and performance.The book examines the use of the Muskingum-Cunge method a modification of the traditional Muskingum method for flow routing in river reaches that lack direct inflow or outflow measurements. The authors explore various models for gauged catchments and derive parameters that can be applied to ungauged areas. Key variables such as slope reach width reach length and channel geometry are considered for model development.Three sub-catchments in the Thukela catchment in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa serve as case studies for applying the Muskingum-Cunge method and other related methods. The book discusses data collection techniques model calibration using observed data and sensitivity analyses to identify key variables influencing flood routing accuracy. The results demonstrate that the Muskingum-Cunge method can effectively route floods in ungauged catchments with reasonably accurate predictions regarding peak discharge timing and volume.This book is an essential resource for hydrologists civil engineers and environmental scientists engaged in flood risk management river engineering and water resource management. It offers practical insights and methodologies for applying flood routing techniques in regions where river flow data is scarce or unavailable.