CURRENT RESEARCH IN BRITISH SNOWMELT RIVER FLOODING

ABSTRACT

An adaptation of the degree-day method has been used to analyse a number of snowmelt events on two catchments as a first step in a programme of research on snowmelt river flooding in Britain. The analysis indicates that the degree-day factor varies during events and between events on the same catchment. A snowmelt event is seen as consisting of three phases, an initial lag phase, a phase of nearly constant degree-day factor and a recession phase. The degree-day factor in the constant part of each event has significant correlation with the total flood volume on both catchments and with liquid precipitation during the snowmelt on one catchment only. Separate procedures are considered necessary for forecasting the initial lag phase and runoff during the recession.