Daily Maximum Half-Hour Rain Value

The user has the option of using the monthly maximum half-hour rainfall for all days in the month or generating a daily value. The variable ISED_DET in the basin input file (.bsn) defines which option the user prefers. The randomness of the triangular distribution used to generated daily values can cause the maximum half-hour rainfall value to jump around. For small plots or microwatersheds in particular, the variability of the triangular distribution is unrealistic.

The triangular distribution used to generate the maximum half-hour rainfall fraction requires four inputs: average monthly half-hour rainfall fraction, maximum value for half-hour rainfall fraction allowed in month, minimum value for half-hour rainfall fraction allowed in month, and a random number between 0.0 and 1.0.

The maximum half-hour rainfall fraction, or upper limit of the triangular distribution, is calculated from the daily amount of rainfall with the equation:

$\alpha_{0.5U}=1-exp(\frac{-125}{R_{day}+5})$ 1:3.2.3

where is the largest half-hour fraction that can be generated on a given day, and is the precipitation on a given day (mm HO). The minimum half-hour fraction, or lower limit of the triangular distribution, , is set at 0.02083.

The triangular distribution uses one of two sets of equations to generate a maximum half-hour rainfall fraction for the day. If then

1:3.2.4

If then

1:3.2.5

where is the maximum half-hour rainfall fraction for the day, is the average maximum half-hour rainfall fraction for the month, is a random number generated by the model each day, is the smallest half-hour rainfall fraction that can be generated, is the largest half-hour fraction that can be generated, and is the average of , , and .

Table 1:3-2: SWAT+ input variables that pertain to generation of maximum half-hour rainfall.