Usefulness of the Modified NRCS-CN Method for the Assessment of Direct Runoff in a Mountain Catchment

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of modified methods, developed on the basis of NRCS-CN method, in determining the size of an effective rainfall (direct runoff). The analyses were performed for the mountain catchment of the Kamienica river, right-hand tributary of the Dunajec. The amount of direct runoff was calculated using the following methods: (1) Original NRCS-CN model, (2) Mishra- Singh model (MS model), (3) Sahu-Mishra-Eldho model (SME model), (4) Sahu 1-p model, (5) Sahu 3-p model, and (6) Q-base model. The study results indicated that the amount of direct runoff, determined on the basis of the original NRCS-CN method, may differ significantly from the actually observed values. The best results were achieved when the direct runoff was determined using the SME and Sahu 3-p model.