An Application of Kriging to Rainfall Network Design

Universal kriging techniques based on the generalized covariances corresponding to IRF-k theory, are applied to analyze the design of raingauging networks in regions where the spatial mean is not constant. The objective is to obtain an optimal estimate of watershed precipitation. For the purpose of analysis, symmetric and asymmetric hypothetical rainfall fields are considered. The hypothesized storms provide the bases for comparing the results of the analysis. The results are also compared with traditional approaches in current use. The investigation depicts the superiority of kriging techniques over the other methods. The effect of storm spatial variability on the network design is also examined.