• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.491-500
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• 2015

In order to improve the runoff estimation accuracy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) curve number (CN) model, this study incorporated rainfall and maximum potential retention as contributors for initial abstraction. The modification was proposed based on 658 rank-order data of rainfall and subsequent runoff from 15 watersheds. The NRCS-CN model (M1), one of its inspired modified model (M2), and the proposed model (M3) were analyzed employing different CN approaches. Using tabulated, calculated and least squares fitted CNs ($CN_T$, $CN_C$, $CN_{LSF}$, respectively), the models' performances were evaluated based on Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), and Percent Bias (PBIAS). Applications of model M1, M2, and M3, respectively exhibited watershed cumulative mean [RMSE (23.60, 18.12, 16.04), NSE (0.54, 0.73, 0.79), and PBIAS (36.54, 20.25, 12.00)]. Similarly, using CNC (for M1 and M2 model) and $CN_{LSF}$ (for M3 model), the performance of three models respectively were assessed based on watershed cumulative mean [RMSE (17.17, 15.88, 13.82), NSE (0.76, 0.80, 0.85), and PBIAS (3.06, 4.47, 0.11)]. The proposed model (M3) that linked all of the NRCS-CN variants showed more statistically significant agreement between the observed and estimated data.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.849-858
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• 2014

The mount of antecedent 5-day rainfall (P5) is usually used to determine the antecedent soil moisture condition for estimating effective rainfall using the NRCS-CN method. In order to re-establish the threshold of P5 considering basin characteristics, this study investigated the sensitivity of the threshold of P5 to effective rainfall by comparing the corresponding observed direct runoff. The overall results indicate that the direct runoff estimated using the re-establihed threshold of P5 has smaller mean error (RMSE of 27.3 mm) than those using the conventional threshold (RMSE of 35.2 mm). In addition, after evaluating the effectiveness of threshold of P5 using the improvement index, the threshold re-established in this study improved the ability to estimate the direct runoff by 30% on average. This study also suggested to employ regression models using topographic indices to re-establish the threshold for ungauged basins. When using the re-established threshold from the regression model, the RMSE decreased ranging from 0.4 mm to 15.1 mm and the efficiency index of Nash and Sutcliffe increased up to 0.33.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.3B
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• pp.211-220
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• 2011

In this study a conceptual soil water model is proposed to simulate water balance at catchment scale. The model is based on the sequential separation of daily precipitation into surface runoff, wetting, vaporization, and percolation. The proposed model is calibrated by using three observation sets: empirically estimated annual vaporization, monthly wetting estimated by NRCS-CN method, and both of them. The model performance is evaluated to understand which hydrologic components for calibrating the model are needed. It is shown that both of annual vaporization and monthly wetting are indispensable hydrologic components to simulate reasonably precipitation partitioning.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.759-767
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• 2017

Two main parameters of NRCS-CN method are curve numbers and intial loss ratio. They are generally selected according to the guideline of US National Engineering Handbook, however, they might cause errors on estimated runoff in Korea because there are differences between soil types and hydrological characteristics of Korean watersheds and those of United States. In this study, applying asymptotic CN regression method, we suggested eight modified NRCS-CN models to decide optimum runoff estimation model for Korean watersheds. RSR (RMSE-observations standard deviation ratio) and NSE (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency) were used to evaluate model performance, consequently M6 for gauged basins (Avg. RSR was 0.76, Avg. NSE was 0.39) and M7 for ungauged basins (Avg. RSR was 0.82, Avg. NSE was 0.31) were selected. Furthermore it was observed that initial loss ratios ranging from 0.01 to 0.10 were more adequate than the fixed ${\lambda}=0.20$ in most of basins.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.519-535
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• 2012

In order to establish a rainfall-runoff model, calibration of hydrological parameters for the model is very important. Especially, Curve Number(CN), estimated by NRCS method, is a main factor to apply unit hydrograph theory to calculation of peak discharge. For using NRCS method, it is needed selecting AMC because CN is strongly connected with that. In this study, we focus our concern on finding a applicable standard for selecting AMC for CN. For this, three dams which are Boryeong, Habchon, Namgang are selected as target basins to use observed data including rainfall and dam inflow. As a result of this research, it is found that CN must be included as a calibrated parameter to calculate effective rainfall for the rainfall-runoff model. Also, it is preferred to use PWRMSE of HEC-HMS program as a objective function for optimizing hydrological parameters. From the analyzing result of variation of AMC for peak discharge, it is recommended to apply AMC-III to estimation of CN for calculating effective rainfall of design hydrograph.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.56-62
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• 2000

The NRCS curve number (CN) method has been widely adopted in practice to synthesize runoff hydrographs from small watersheds with complex land use. It may not be valid to apply this model for irrigated paddies, since hydrological characteristics of irrigated rice paddies are not sufficiently considered in CN method. This paper attempts to extend the capability of the well-known SCS TR-20 model to local conditions by formulating a submodel for the runoff-processes in paddies. The modified model was tested with field data from the Baran watershed. The results were in good agreement with field data. It was also applicable to simulate runoff changes resulting from land use changes within the watershed.

• KCID journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.87-100
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• 2011

This study is to delineate the watershed hydrological parameters such as area, slope, rain gauge weight, NRCS-CN and time of concentration (Tc) by using the Geographic Information Sytem (GIS) technique, and estimation of design flood for an ungauged watershed. Especially, we attempted to determine the Tc of ungauged watershed and develop simple program using the cell-based algorithm to calculates upstream or downstream flow time along a flow path for each cell. For a $19km^2$ watershed of tributary of Nakdong river (Seupmoon), the parameters including flow direction, flow accumulation, watershed boundary, stream network and Tc map were extracted from 30m Agreeburn DEM (Digital Elevation Model) and landcover map. And NRCS-CN was extracted from 30m landcover map and soil map. Design rainfall estimation for two rainfall gauge which are Sunsan and Jangcheon using FARD2006 that developed by National Institute for Disaster Prevention (NIDP). Using the parameters as input data of HEC-l model, the design flood was estimated by applying Clark unit hydrograph method. The results showed that the design flood of 50 year frequency of this study was $8m^3/sec$ less than that of the previous fundamental plan in 1994. The value difference came from the different application of watershed parameter, different rainfall distribution (Huff quartile vs. Mononobe) and critical durations. We could infer that the GIS-based parameter preparation is more reasonable than the previous hand-made extraction of watershed parameters.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.582-594
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• 2012

A simple ecohydorlogic model that simulates hydrologic components and vegetation dynamics simultaneously based on equations of soil water dynamics and vegetation's growth and mortality is discussed. In order to simulate ungauged watersheds, the proposed model is calibrated with indirected estimated observation data set; 1) empirically estimated annual vaporization, 2) monthly surface runoff estimated by NRCS-CN method, and 3) vegetation fraction estimated by SPOT/VEGETATION NDVI. In order to check whether the model is performed well with indirectly estimated data or not, four upper dam watersheds (Andong, Habcheon, Namgang, Milyang) in Nakdong River watershed are selected, and the model is verified.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.897-905
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• 2007

Approximately 70% of Korea is composed of forest areas. Especially 48% of agricultural field is practiced at highland areas over 400 m in elevation in Kangwon province. Over 90% of highland agricultural farming is located at Kangwon province. Runoff characteristics at the mountainous area such as Kangwon province are largely affected by steep slopes, thus runoff estimation considering field slopes needs to be utilized for accurate estimation of direct runoff. Although many methods for runoff estimation are available, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), now Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Curve Number (CN)-based method is used in this study. The CN values were obtained from many plot-years dataset obtained from mid-west areas of the United States, where most of the areas have less than 5% in slopes. Thus, the CN method is not suitable for accurate runoff estimation where significant areas are over 5% in slopes. Therefore, the CN values were adjusted based on the average slopes (25.8% at Doam-dam watershed) depending on the 5-day Antecedent Moisture Condition (AMC). In this study, the CN-based Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA) direct runoff estimation model used and the Web-based Hydrograph Analysis Tool (WHAT) was used for direct runoff separation from the stream flow data. The $R^2$ value was 0.65 and the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient value was 0.60 when no slope adjustment was made in CN method. However, the $R^2$ value was 0.69 and the Nash-Sutcliffe value was 0.69 with slope adjustment. As shown in this study, it is strongly recommended the slope adjustment in the CN direct runoff estimation should be made for accurate direct runoff prediction using the CN-based L-THIA model when applied to steep mountainous areas.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.405-412
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• 2011

Increased Non-permeable areas which have resulted from civilization reduce the volume of groundwater infiltration that is one of the important factors causing water shortage during a dry season. Thus, seeking the efficient method to analyze the volume of groundwater in accurate should be needed to solve water shortage problems. In this study, two different watersheds were selected and precipitation, soil group, and land use were surveyed in a particular year in order to figure out the accuracy of estimated infiltration recharge ratio compared to Web-based Hydrograph Analysis Tool (WHAT). The volume of groundwater was estimated considering Antecedent soil Moisture Condition (AMC) and Curve Number (CN) using Long Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA) model. The results of this study showed that in the case of Kyoung-an watershed, the volume of both infiltration and baseflow seperated from WHAT was 46.99% in 2006 and 33.68% in 2007 each and in Do-am watershed the volume of both infiltration and baseflow was 33.48% in 2004 and 23.65% in 2005 respectively. L-THIA requires only simple data (i.e., land uses, soils, and precipitation) to simulate the accurate volume of groundwater. Therefore, with convenient way of L-THIA, researchers can manage watershed more effectively than doing it with other models. L-THIA has limitations that it neglects the contributions of snowfall to precipitation. So, to estimate more accurate assessment of the long term hydrological impacts including groundwater with L-THIA, further researches about snowfall data in winter should be considered.