ISSN:
1436-3259
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Architecture, Civil Engineering, Surveying
,
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Geography
,
Geosciences
Notes:
Abstract A basic problem in hydrology is computing confidence levels for the value of the T-year flood when it is obtained from a Log Pearson III distribution in terms of estimated mean, estimated standard deviation, and estimated skew. In an important paper Chowdhury and Stedinger [1991] suggest a possible formula for approximate confidence levels, involving two functions previously used by Stedinger [1983] and a third function, λ, for which asymptotic estimates are given. This formula is tested [Chowdhury and Stedinger, 1991] by means of simulations, but these simulations assume a distribution for the sample skew which is not, for a single site, the distribution which the sample skew is forced to have by the basic hypothesis which underlies all of the analysis, namely that the maximum discharges have a Log Pearson III distribution. Here we test these approximate formulas for the case of data from a single site by means of simulations in which the sample skew has the distribution which arises when sampling from a Log Pearson III distribution. The formulas are found to be accurate for zero skew but increasingly inaccurate for larger common values of skew. Work in progress indicates that a better choice of λ can improve the accuracy of the formula.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02428425
