Revisiting the design flood problem

© 34th IAHR Congress 2011. All rights reserved. While previous editions of ARR have served the engineering profession well, a number of issues have necessitated the production of a new edition. These issues include the many recent developments in knowledge about rainfall-runoff processes, the increased computational capacity available to engineering hydrologists, and the rapidly expanding body of information about climate change. As part of the development of the new edition, it has been necessary to look at the history of methods used and the implications of assumptions necessary for implementation of these methods. Arising from this review, a way forward for design flood estimation in Australia is proposed that addresses many of the simplifying assumptions inherent in past methods for flood estimation but also recognises the differing levels of complexity required for design flood estimation. This new vision for design flood estimation will be incorporated in the new edition of ARR