Regression estimates for topological-hydrograph input

Physiographic, hydrologic, and rainfall data from 18 small drainage basins in semiarid, central Wyoming were used to calibrate topological, unit-hydrograph models for celerity, the average rate of travel of a flood wave through the basin. The data set consisted of basin characteristics and hydrologic data for the 18 basins and rainfall data for 68 storms. Calibrated values of celerity and peak discharges subsequently were regressed as a function of the basin characteristics and excess rainfall volume. Predicted values obtained in this way can be used as input for estimating hydrographs in ungaged basins. The regression models included ordinary least-squares and seemingly unrelated regression. This latter regression model jointly estimated the celerity and peak discharge. The correlation between residuals of the celerity and peak-discharge regressions was sufficiently large to decrease the variances of estimated univariate-model parameters.