Average Rainfall Estimation: Methods Performance Comparison in the Brazilian Semi-Arid

Fernando D. Barbalho, Gabriela F. N. da Silva, Klebber T. M. Formiga

Civil and Environmental Engineering School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, Brazil.
Civil and Environmental Engineering School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, Brazil Email: [e-mail].

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2014.62014                

Abstract

Considering the rainfall’s importance in hydrological modeling, the objective of this study was the performance comparison, in convergence terms, of techniques often used to estimate the average rainfall over an area: Thiessen Polygon (TP) Method; Reciprocal Distance Squared (RDS) Method; Kriging Method (KM) and Multiquadric Equations (ME) Method. The comparison was done indirectly, using GORE and BALANCE index to assess the convergence results from each method by increasing the rain gauges density in a region, through six scenarios. The Coremas/Mae D’água Watershed employed as study area, with an area of 8385 km², is situated on Brazilian semi-arid. The results showed the TP, as RDS and ME techniques to be employed successfully to obtain the average rainfall over an area, highlighting the MEM. On the other hand, KM, using two variograms models, had an unstable behavior, pointing the prior study of data and variogram’s choice as a need to practical applying.

Keywords

Average Rainfall; Interpolation Techniques; Multiquadric Equations; Reciprocal Distance Squared Method; Semiarid Rainfall; Thiessen’s Method

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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