Drought Frequency Analysis Based on the Development of a Two-Variate Standardized Index (Rainfall-Runoff)

Authors

Gholamreza Nikravesh, Iran University of Science and Technology
Mohammad Aghababaei, Washington State University
Mohammad Nazari-Sharabian, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Moses Karakouzian, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-17-2020

Publication Title

Water

Volume

12

Issue

9

First page number:

1

Last page number:

17

Abstract

Drought is one of the most drastic events, which has imposed irreparable damages on human societies and may occur in any climate regime. To define drought, given its properties of multidimensionality and randomity, one cannot rely on a single variable/index (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture, and runoff). Accordingly, implementing a novel approach, this study investigated drought events in two basins with different climatic regimes, using multivariate frequency analyses of drought duration, severity, and severity peak, based on developing a Two-variate Standardized Index (TSI). The index was developed based on the concept of copula, by applying rainfall-runoff data (1974-2019) and comparing them with two popular drought indices, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Stream Flow Index (SSFI), in terms of derived drought characteristics. The results show that TSI determined more severe drought conditions with fewer return periods than SPI and SSFI in a specific drought event. This implies that the disadvantages of SPI and SSFI might not be found in TSI. The developed index can be employed by policymakers and planners to protect water resources from drought.

Keywords

Copula; Drought frequency analysis; Standardized precipitation index; Standardized stream flow index; Two-variate standardized index

Disciplines

Civil and Environmental Engineering | Engineering | Hydraulic Engineering

File Format

pdf

File Size

41.15 KB

Language

English

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Repository Citation

Nikravesh, G., Aghababaei, M., Nazari-Sharabian, M., Karakouzian, M. (2020). Drought Frequency Analysis Based on the Development of a Two-Variate Standardized Index (Rainfall-Runoff). Water, 12(9), 1-17.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/W12092599