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Title: Transfer function modeling and characteristics of rainfall-runoff behaviors in an Oklahoma watershed.

Author
item CHEN, JIN SONG
item STEINER, JEAN

Submitted to: Soil and Water Conservation Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2006
Publication Date: 10/11/2006
Citation: Chen, J., Steiner, J.L. 2006. Transfer function modeling and characteristics of rainfall-runoff behaviors in an Oklahoma watershed. Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference, Managing Agricultural Landscapes for Environmental Quality. p. 92.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract Only.

Technical Abstract: Understanding rainfall characteristics and a watershed's response to that rainfall is essential in hydrological modeling, and especially to meet the goals of the USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP). Excess rainfall was estimated using the O- index and 15-min rainfall and direct runoff (separated from streamflow) data from the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed (LWREW), located in south central Oklahoma. Data were extracted through a prototype of the CEAP data system, STEWARDS, to facilitate manipulation of a large volume of data. A transfer function was used to model rainfall-runoff response. The transfer function shape (width and height) characteristics and runoff coefficients (runoff to total rainfall ratio) in three sub-watersheds of different sizes were examined for the 2005-2006 study period. The study results indicate that the characteristics of the transfer function and runoff coefficients depend upon rainfall excess and runoff may be useful for SWAT model calibration by comparison to model simulations.