Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rainfall-runoff modeling of ungauged Wadis in arid environments (case study Wadi Rabigh—Saudi Arabia)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Flash flood forecasting of catchment systems is one of the challenges especially in the arid ungauged basins. This study is attempted to estimate the relationship between rainfall and runoff and also to provide flash flood hazard warnings for ungauged basins based on the hydrological characteristics using geographic information system (GIS). Morphometric characteristics of drainage basins provide a means for describing the hydrological behavior of a basin. The study examined the morphometric parameters of Wadi Rabigh with emphasis on its implication for hydrologic processes through the integration analysis between morphometric parameters and GIS techniques. Data for this study were obtained from ASTER data for digital elevation model (DEM) with 30-m resolution, topographic map (1:50,000), and geological maps (1,250,000) which were subject to field confirmation. About 36 morphometric parameters were measured and calculated, and interlinked to produce nine effective parameters for the evaluation of the flash flood hazard degree of the study area. Based on nine effective morphometric parameters that directly influence on the hydrologic behavior of the Wadi through time of concentration, the flash flood hazard of the Rabigh basin and its subbasins was identified and classified into three groups (High, medium, and low hazard degree). The present work proved that the physiographic features of drainage basin contribute to the possibility of a flash flood hazard evaluation for any particular drainage area. The study provides details on the flash flood prone subbasins and the mitigation measures. This study also helps to plan rainwater harvesting and watershed management in the flash flood alert zones. Based on two historical data events of rainfall and the corresponding maximum flow rate, morphometric parameters and Stormwater Management and Design Aid software (SMADA 6), it could be to generate the hydrograph of Wadi Rabigh basin. As a result of the model applied to Wadi Rabigh basin, a rainfall event of a total of 22 mm with a duration of 5 h at the station nearby the study area, which has an exceedance probability of 50 % and return period around 2 years, produces a discharge volume of 15.2 × 106 m3 at the delta, outlet of the basin, as 12.5 mm of the rainfall infiltrates (recharge).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al saud M (2009) Morphmetric analysis of Wadi Aurnah drainage system Western Arbian Peninsula. Open hydrol J 3:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-ahmadi ME, El-Fiky AA (2009) Hydrogeology department, faculty of earth sciences, King Abdulaziz available online 27 October 2009. J King Saud Univ (Sci) 21:179–190. doi:10.1016/j.jksus.2009.10.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bapalu GV, Sinha, R (2005) GIS in Flood Hazard Mapping: A Case Study of Kosi River Basin, India”. GIS Development Weekly, 1(13):1–3. Accessed from http://www.gisdevelopment.net/application/natural_hazards/floods on 10th October 2008

  • Bardossy A, Schmidt F (2002) GIS approach to scale issues of perimeter-based shape indices for drainage basins. Hydrol Sci J (J Sci Hydrol) 47(6):931–942

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bindagji HH (1980) Atlas of Saudi Arabia: Oxford University Press, London, 10p. 61 maps. Briz-Kishore, B.H., and G. Murali. 1992. Factor analysis for revealing hydrochemical characteristics of a watershed. Environ Geol Water Sci 19(1):3–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop MP, Shroder JF, Bonk R, Olsenholler J (2002) Geomorphic change in high mountains. A western Himalayan perspective. Glob Planet Chang 32:311–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chorlev RJ, Malm DEG, Poaorzelski HA (1957) A new standard for estimating basin shape. Am J Sci 255:138–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chorley RJ, Morley LSD (1959) A simplified approximation for the hypsometric integral. J Geol 67:566–571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow VT (1964) Handbook of applied hydrology. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1418

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis JC (1975) Statics and data analysis in geology. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Faniran A (1968) The index of drainage intensity—a provisional new drainage factor. Aust J Sci 31:328–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez D, Lutz M (2010) Urban flood hazard zoning in Tucumán Province, Argentina, using GIS and multi-criteria decision analysis. Eng Geol 111(1–4):90–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardiner V (1990) Drainage basin morphometry. In: GOUDIE A (ed) Geomorphological techniques. Unwin Hyman, London, pp 71–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Gheith H, Sultan M (2002) Construction of hydrologic model for estimating Wadi runoff and groundwater recharge in the Eastern Desert, Egypt. J Hydrol 263:36–55. doi:10.1016/S0022-1694(02)00027-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottschalk LC (1964) Reservoir sedimentation in handbook of applied hydrology. McGraw Hill Book Company, New York, Section 7–1

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory KJ, Walling DE (1973) Drainage basin form and process. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 456

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory KJ, Walling DE (1985) Drainage Basin Form and Process. A Geomorphological approach, Edward Arnold, London, pp. 47–54

  • Gupta BL (1999) Engineering Hydrology, 3rd Ed. p 380, Runoff, pp. 46–56

  • Guzzetti F, Tonelli G (2004) Information system on hydrological and geomorphological catastrophes in Italy (SICI): a tool for managing landslide and flood hazards. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 4:213–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haan CT, Johnson HP (1966) Rapid determination of hypsometric curves. Geol Soc Am Bull 77:123–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haan CT, Barfield BJ, Hayes JC (1994) Design hydrology and sedimentology for small catchments. Academic, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Haggett P (1965) Locational analysis in human geography. St. Martin’s Press-Arnold, London, p 339

  • He YP, Xie H, Cui P, Wei FQ, Zhong DL, Gardner JS (2003) GIS-based hazard mapping and zonation of debris flows in Xiaojiang Basin, southwestern China. Environ Geol 45(2):286–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horton RE (1932) Drainage basin characteristics. Trans Am Geophys Union 13:350–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horton RE (1945) Erosional development of streams and their drainage basins, hydrophysical approach to quantitative morphology. Geol Soc Am Bull 56:275–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard AD (1967) Drainage analysis in geologic interpretation: a summation. Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 51(11):2246–2259

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard W (2007) Hydrological modeling in arid and semi-arid areas (International Hydrology Series). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 206

  • Hurtrez JE, Sol C, Lucazeau F (1999) Effect of drainage area on the hypsometry from an analysis of small-scale drainage basins in the Siwalik Hills (central Nepal). Earth Surf Process Landf 24:799–808

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izzard CF (1946) Hydraulics of runoff from developed surfaces. Proc Highw Res Board 26:129–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Leopold LB, Wolman MG, Miller JP (1964) Fluvial processes in geomorphology. Freeman, San Francisco, p 522

  • Lykoudi E, Zanis D (2004) The influence of drainage network formation and characteristics over a catchment′s sediment yield, Proceedings. Second International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics-River Flow. University of Napoli -Federico II, Naples, Italy, pp 793–800, 2325 June

    Google Scholar 

  • Macka Z (2001) Determination of texture of topography from large scale contour maps. Geografski Vestnik 73(2):53–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Maidment DR (2002) ArcHydro GIS for water resources. ESRI Press, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Majure JJ, Soenksen PJ (1991) Using a geographic information system to determine physical basin characteristics for use in flood-frequency equations. In: Balthrop BH, Terry JE (eds) U.S. geological survey national computer technology meeting-proceedings, Phoenix, Arizona, p 14–18, 1998: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report, 90-4162:31–40

  • Melton MN (1957) An analysis of the relations among elements of climate surface properties and geomorphology. Project NR 389-042 Tech Rept. II, Columbia Univ., Dept. Of geology, On Geog., R., Branch, New York, 34

  • Melton MA (1965) The geomorphic and palaeoclimatic significance of alluvial deposits in Southern Arizona. J Geol 73:1–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merzi N, Aktas MT (2000) Geographic information systems (GIS) for the determination of inundation maps of Lake Mogan, Turkey. Water Int 25(3):474–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller VC (1953) A quantitative geomorphic study of drainage basin characteristics in the Clinch Mountain area, Virginia and Tennessee. Project NR, Technical Report 3, Columbia Univ., Department of Geology, ONR, Geography Branch, New York, pp. 389–042

  • Moore TA, Al-Rehalie MH (1989) Geologic map of the Makkah Quadrangle, Sheet 21D. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Directorate General of Mineral Resources, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan RPC (2005) Soil Erosion and Conservation. 3rd Edition, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, p 316

  • Mueller JE (1968) An introduction to the hydraulic and topographic sinuosity indexes1. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 58(2):371–385. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8306.1968.tb00650.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nag SK (1998) Morphometric Analysis using remote sensing techniques in the Chaka sub-basin Purulia District. West Bengal J Indian Soc Remote Sens 26(1&2):69–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nageswararao K, Swarna LP, Arun KP, Hari KM (2010) Morphometric analysis of Gostani river basin in Andhra Pradesh State, India using spatial information technology. I Journal of Geomatics and Geosciences 1(2):79–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton PC (1988) Drainage basin morphometry and floods. In: Baker VR et al (eds) Flood geomorphology. Wiley, New York, pp 51–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Pike RJ, Wilson SE (1971) Elevation-relief ratio, hypsometric integral and geomorphic area altitude analysis. Geol Soc Am Bull 82:1079–1084

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsey CR (1986) Geological map of the Rabigh Quadrangle, sheet 22D, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Directorate General of Mineral Resources, Jeddah

    Google Scholar 

  • Roger (1971) http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/5456/9/09_chapter%205.pdf, chapter 5 page 24, 20.02.2013

  • Rudraiah M, Govindaiah S, Srinivas Vittala S (2008) Morphmetry using remote sensing techniques in the sub-basins of Kagna River Basin, Gulburga District, Karnataka, India. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 36(12):351–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanyal J, Lu X (2006) GIS-based flood hazard mapping at different administrative scales: a case study in Gangetic West Bengal, India. Singap J Trop Geogr 27:207–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt KH (1984) Der Fluss und sein Einzugsgebiet. Wiesbaden-Germany, p 108

  • Schumm SA (1956) Evolution of drainage system and slope in badlands of Perth Amboy. New Jersey 67:597–646

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumm SA (1965) Geomorphic research: Applications to erosion control in New Zealand. Soil Water (Soil Conserv and Rivers Control Council) 1:21–24

  • Singh O, Sarangi A, Sharma M (2008) Hypsometric integral estimation methods and its relevance on erosion status of North-Western Lesser Himalayan Watersheds. Water Resour Manag 22(11):1545–1560. doi:10.1007/s11269-008-9242-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KG (1958) Erosional processes and landforms in Badlands National Monument, South Dakota. Geol Soc Am Bull 69:975–1008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soil Conservation Service (SCS) (1972) Hydrology guide for use in watershed planning. SCS National engineering handbook, Section 4: Hydrology. US Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Engineering Division, Washington

  • Soil Conservation Service (SCS) (1985) National engineering handbook, Section 4: Hydrology. US Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Engineering Division, Washington

  • Soil Conservation Service (SCS) (1986) Urban hydrology for small watersheds. Technical Release 55, Section 4: Hydrology. US Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Engineering Division, Washington

  • Sreedevi PD, Subrahmanyam K, Ahmed S (2005) The significance of morphometric analysis for obtaining groundwater potential zones in a structurally controlled terrain. Environmental Geology, International Journal of Geosciences, Springer-Verlag GmbH, 47, 3, 412–420

  • Strahler AN (1952) Hypsometric analysis of Erosional topography. Bull Geol Soc Am 63:1117–1142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strahler AN (1953) Revision of Hortons` quantitative factors in erosional terrain. Trans Am Geophys U 34:356

    Google Scholar 

  • Strahler AN (1957) Quantitative analysis of watershed geomorphology. Trans Am Geophys Union 38:913–920

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strahler AN (1964) Quantitative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. Handbook of Applied Hydrology. McGraw Hill Book Company, New York, p 411

    Google Scholar 

  • Stubchaer JM (1975) The Santa Barbara urban hydrograph method: Proceedings of the national symposium on urban hydrology and sediment control, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 28–31 July, pp 131–141

  • Subyani AM (2009) Hydrologic behavior and flood probability for selected arid basins in Makkah area, western Saudi Arabia. Arab J Geosci. doi:10.1007/s12517-009-0098-1

    Google Scholar 

  • Sui DZ, Maggio RC (1999) Integrating GIS with hydrological modeling: practices, problems, and prospects. Comput Environ Urban Syst 23:33–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toy TJ, Hadley RF (1987) Geomorphology and reclamation of distributed lands. Academic press Incorporation. Jhon Wiley and Sons, New York, pp 289–343

    Google Scholar 

  • Unesco, WHO, UNEP (1992) Water quality assessments: A guide to the use of biota, sediments and water in environmental monitoring. 2nd edition Chapter 6 (Rivers), 71

  • Vincent P (2008) Saudi Arabia: An Environmental Overview. Taylor & Francis, p 309

  • White AB, Kumar P, Saco PM, Rhoads BL, Yen BC (2004) Hydrodynamic and geomorphologic dispersion. Scale effects in the Illinois River Basin. Elsevier. J Hydol 288:237–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willgoose G, Hancock G (1988) Revisiting the hypsometric curve as an indicator of form and process in transport-limited catchment. Earth Surf Process Landf 23:611–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zerger A, Smith DI (2003) Impediments to using GIS for real-time disaster decision support. Comput Environ Urban Syst 27:123–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors are highly thankful and appreciated to Professor Dr. Jalal Basahi, Director of Water Research Center-King Abdulaziz University for his support and providing the materials.

Author information

Author notes

  1. M. Masoud

    Present address: Water Research Centre, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hydrology Department, Desert Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt

    M. Masoud

Authors
  1. M. Masoud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Masoud.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Masoud, M. Rainfall-runoff modeling of ungauged Wadis in arid environments (case study Wadi Rabigh—Saudi Arabia). Arab J Geosci 8, 2587–2606 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1404-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1404-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation