Geographia Polonica (1986) vol. 52

Drainage density as an index of the ratio of base flow to total runoff

Irena Dynowska

Geographia Polonica (1986) vol. 52, pp. 31-36 | Full text

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the application of drainage density exclusivelyfor evaluation of the mean ratio of base flow to total runoff, or in other words,the share of base flow in total runoff, within ungauged basins. Only a few basins,especially those of small areas have been observed long enough to evaluate themean outflow, including base flow. In majority of small drainage basins the outflowhasnot been measured. For this reason it would be useful to find a relationshipbetween base flow and a parameter, by origin bound to base flow. Drainage densitycan be considered such parameter. In this paper drainage density has not been usedas an input for rainfall-runoff modelling, so it can be treated as a static parameter.Knowledge of the ratio of base flow to total runoff may have practical applications.On the basis of this ratio it is possible to, indirectly, estimate water resources.The higher the ratio, the less variable the discharges and the lesser the droughts.

Irena Dynowska, Institute of Geography, Jagiellonian University. Cracow, Poland