Abstract

HERNANDEZ-GUZMAN, Rafael  and  ONCHI-RAMUCO, Norma Leticia. Estimating surface runoff using the curve number method in an ungauged watershed in Jalisco, Mexico evaluating its morphometric parameters. Earth Sci. Res. J. [online]. 2022, vol.26, n.4, pp.313-320.  Epub Jan 16, 2024. ISSN 1794-6190.  https://doi.org/10.15446/esrj.v26n4.99194.

The surface runoff was estimated using the curve number (CN) method for different storm events, and it was associated with the morphometric parameters of an ungauged watershed in Jalisco, Mexico. We derived the land use and land cover map for the year 2019 from the unsupervised classification of a Sentinel-2 image at 10 m resolution. The morphometric analysis revealed that the study area is dominated by áreas of gentle slope and moderate to high permeability with dense vegetation and low relief. It is a well-drained watershed with low flood potentiality besides a groundwater potential zone. About 69% of the study área corresponds to natural cover with tropical dry forest and evergreen forest as the most representative classes. The number of storm events identified from 2013 to 2019 was 77, with runoffs ranging from 0.05 to 227.2 Mm3. September and October were the months with the most intense rainfall and, therefore, the months with the highest runoff volume. The average runoff was 14.52 Mm3, corresponding to an average runoff coefficient of 12.86%. Together, the methods used here provide useful results for delineating conservation strategies at the watershed level.

Keywords : Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve; Curve number runoff; Geographic Information Systems; Tropical dry forest.

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