Mountainous Precipitation Estimation Using Multivariate Statistical Analysis and Geographic Information Systems

by Gregory L. Johnson,
Clayton L. Hanson,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering Hydrology

Abstract:

Using rotated principal component analysis (PCA), unique, orthogonal spatial patterns of daily and monthly precipitation on a well-instrumented, mountainous watershed in Idaho (USA) were examined for their relationship to topography and geographic location. Precipitation pattern and homogeneous precipitation region differences between daily and monthly time scales and between winter and summer seasons were identified using the rotated PCA procedure. Spatial fields, derived from mapping rotated component loadings at 46 precipitation stations on a 234 km² watershed, were found to be highly correlated with topography and geographic location. Topographic variables were computed using a geographic information system, which also allowed scale effects to be evaluated.

Subject Headings: Information systems | Precipitation | Geographic information systems | Watersheds | Statistics | Topography | Rotation | United States | Idaho

Services: Buy this book/Buy this article

 

Return to search