Int. J. Hydrology Science and Technology, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2013
141
Copyright 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
Assessment of the effect of slope on runoff potential of a
watershed using NRCS-CN method
Vaibhav Garg*, Bhaskar R. Nikam, Praveen K. Thakur and S.P.
Aggarwal Water Resource Department, Indian Institute of Remote
Sensing, 4, Kalidas Road, Dehradun, 248 001, Uttarakhand, India
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] *Corresponding
author
Abstract: The rainfall-runoff is a very complex hydrological
phenomenon, as this process is highly non-linear, time-varying and
spatially distributed. The average slope within the watershed
together with the overall length and retardance of overland flow
are considered to be the main factors which govern the runoff
process. The natural resources conservation service curve number
(NRCS-CN), formerly known as soil conservation services curve
number, is the most widely used method to estimate direct runoff
from rainfall, due to its simplicity and the use of the single CN
parameter. However, the NRCS-CN method has been developed for
limited watershed area and slope. In the present study, the
modified NRCS-CN method for slope and CN conversion have been
investigated to determine runoff potential of a watershed in
geo-spatial environment. Solani watershed, which is a sub-watershed
of Ganga basin located partly in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh
states of India; has been considered for analysis. The daily
rainfall-runoff study has been carried out for year 2006. It was
found that slope factor effects runoff estimation
significantly.
Keywords: geospatial approach; modified NRCS-CN;
rainfall-runoff; remote sensing; runoff potential.
Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Garg, V.,
Nikam, B.R., Thakur, P.K. and Aggarwal, S.P. (2013) Assessment of
the effect of slope on runoff potential of a watershed using
NRCS-CN method, Int. J. Hydrology Science and Technology, Vol. 3,
No. 2, pp.141159.
Biographical notes: Vaibhav Garg is presently working as a
Scientist/Engineer SD at Water Resources Department (WRD), Indian
Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun, India. His research
interests are in the fields of surface water hydrology,
hydrological modelling, erosion and reservoir sedimentation
studies. He did his doctoral research at the Department of Civil
Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, India. He
has also been awarded with the Excellence in Thesis Work award for
the year 20092010 by the institute. He had completed his Masters
degree from Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, India
in the year 2005. He has also worked with the National Institute of
Hydrology, Roorkee; IIRS, Dehradun and IIT Bombay, Mumbai at
Research Fellow position. To date, he has published 14 refereed
journal publications dealing with water resources problems. He is a
life member of IAHS, ISH, ISRS, IAH and IMS.
