Professor Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of North Dakota
Flood routing methods, like the Muskingum Routing, are essential in hydrological flood modeling, enabling accurate temporal predictions of downstream flood discharge and water levels. These methods depend on river reach-specific parameters, such as K and x in the context of the Muskingum Routing method. To establish these parameters, precise discharge measurements at two paired stream gauging stations are required for calibration. However, the likelihood of finding closely situated paired stream gauging stations within a river reach is nearly nonexistent. Initiating a new gauging station at a specific river section is a challenging and time-consuming task, involving long-term water level recording and rating curve development. In the absence of paired recorded hydrographs, modelers are unable to conduct calibration, necessitating them to make assumptions about the routing parameters. This introduces inaccuracies into many proposed flood models. A novel technique for deriving Muskingum parameters was developed, involving selecting a river reach with an existing streamflow measurement site, choosing an upstream or downstream study section, and deploying an autonomous surface vehicle (USV) equipped with acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP) to measure discharge during a major flood period as flood levels rise and recede. This process allowed for the collection of sufficient discharge points to construct a well-defined flood hydrograph at the study section. A field study has confirmed the effectiveness and safety of this novel technique, offering an alternative to traditional, time-consuming data collection methods that may take years to complete. The utilization of USVs with ADCP technology can significantly improve flood modeling by providing precise routing parameters, benefiting flood forecasting, hydraulic structure design, and water resource management.
