Probability models for unit hydrograph derivation

SummaryRecently, use of probability distributions for the derivation of synthetic unit hydrographs has received much attention. In this note, we explore the use of eleven of the most flexible probability distributions. For each, we derive expressions for the unknown parameters in terms of the time to peak (tp), the peak discharge (qp) and the time base (tB). We also provide simple Maple programs for calculating these expressions. We expect that this work could serve as a useful reference and lead to improved derivation of the unit hydrograph.