Rainfall-Runoff Estimation in the North-Eastern Region of Bangladesh Using SCS-CN Method

Abstract

Measuring discharge in a developing nation like Bangladesh is very important for flood prediction, land management, and sustainable development. Rainfall-induced runoff is a part of the cycle of hydrology and is required for efficient water resource planning. The most significant debatable procedure in hydrology is calculating and determining catchment surface runoff. The study aims to estimate runoff using the GIS-based Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number method (SCS – CN) method, where this hydrological model has a physical foundation and spatial distribution, and the curve number plays a key role in this model's runoff computation. The Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG) present in the study area and the land use pattern are used to find the Curve Number (CN). The calculated weighted CN for Antecedent Moisture Condition (AMC) I, II, and III for the study area was roughly 74.78, 87.12, and 94.06 respectively with the incorporation of Land use and land cover (LULC) and HSG. For total average rainfall of 35163.8mm, the SCS-CN approach determined the total average runoff 16077.55 mm for the period of 2009-2018. With a correlation coefficient of 0.966, the average rainfall and SCS-CN discharge have a significant linear relationship. The runoff regulates the amount of water that enters stream systems and returns extra precipitation to the ocean benefitting the hydrological cycle. With this runoff estimation, the quality and amount of water resources can be better understood, managed, and tracked.

The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 12(2), 2023, P 83-96