Spatial Interpolation of Annual Precipitation in Annaba-Algeria - Comparison and Evaluation of Methods

The availability of rainfall data is fundamental for most hydrological analyses and for the design and management of water resources systems. There are many methods of spatial interpolation of rainfall despite their effectiveness and ease of use variables, the choice of one or the other depends on the aim of the study, but also on the territorial context of the area (surface, network density, etc.). The study area is the coastal city of Annaba located in eastern Algeria, and which contains a low rainfall network density. The purpose of this study is to determine the most adequate rainfall interpolation technique. Three interpolation techniques, determinist and stochastic, have been tested by visual observation and cross-validation, the best results were achieved by inverse distance weighting to characterize rainfall distribution.