The value of regional information to flood frequency analysis using the method of L-moments

Abstract

The value of regional flood frequency analysis is investigated using the method of L-moments. This study shows that the variability of L-skewness in the province of Nova Scotia is due in large part to sampling error. This implies that a relation between the L-skewness and the basin's characteristics cannot be determined. This study demonstrates that flood data in Nova Scotia can best be described by the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution. The results also indicate that the regional GEV model is more accurate than the single site analysis. Key words: L-moments, skewness, regional flood analysis, generalized extreme value distribution, simulation.