Synthetic rain flood hydrology for the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins

In response to the destructive floods of 1983, 1986, 1995, and 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Reclamation Board of the State of California are partnering a study to investigate flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration opportunities in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins, California. This paper provides a short background on the study and details the methodology used to develop the baseline technical hydrology needed to support ongoing system analyses and modeling efforts. Discussion emphasizes conceptual relations between rain flood hydrology and floodplain delineation, a short retrospective of Central Valley flood events, and a method for developing synthetic flood hydrographs. Conclusions are drawn regarding the effective use of gaged flow data in flood frequency analyses, benefits of performing flood frequency analyses from a watershed perspective, and potential of Comprehensive Study methodologies for use in other macroscale studies.