Time of concentration: a paradox in modern hydrology

S. Grimaldi, A. Petroselli, F. Tauro, M. Porfiri

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The time of concentration is a primary parameter for a variety of modern hydrological models adopted in professional and scientific communities. Nevertheless, a universally accepted working definition of this parameter is currently lacking and several definitions can be found in the technical literature along with related estimation procedures. This study brings to light the inherent variability of these definitions through the empirical analysis of four small basins. These case studies demonstrate that available approaches for the estimation of the time of concentration may yield numerical predictions that differ from each other by up to 500%.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)217-228
Number of pages12
JournalHydrological Sciences Journal
Volume57
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2012

Keywords

  • lag time
  • time of concentration
  • travel time
  • ungauged basins

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Water Science and Technology

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