Use of Paleoflood Investigations to Improve Flood-Frequency Analyses of Plains Streams in Wyoming

摘要

The purpose of the report is to describe the results of the investigation of paleoflood techniques that were conducted to: (1) Develop additional information pertaining to historical peak flows at selected streamflow-gaging stations, and (2) use the additional information to improve flood-frequency curves at the stations by making the curves more representative of long-term conditions. Paleoflood hydrology is defined as '...the study of the movements of water and sediment in channels before the time of continuous hydrologic records or direct measurements' (Costa, 1986, p. 428). Paleoflood techniques have been used for describing the flood history and for extending flood records. Some pertinent paleoflood investigations include studies by Costa (1978, 1986); Kochel and Baker (1982); and Gregory (1983). A brief discussion of the methods used in paleoflood hydrology and examples of historical adjustments to flood-frequency curves are presented in the report.