Flood peak distributions for the eastern United States

摘要: [1] Annual maximum peak discharge time series from 572 stations with a record of at least 75 years in the eastern United States are used to examine flood distributions regional perspective. The central issues this study (1) "mixtures" distributions, (2) upper tail properties peaks, (3) scaling (4) spatial heterogeneities and (5) temporal nonstationarities annual peaks. Landfalling tropical cyclones an important element throughout States, but their relative importance "mixture" peaks varies widely, abruptly, space over region. Winter-spring extratropical systems warm season thunderstorm also introduce distinct populations, spatially varying control frequency States. We abrupt changes mean variance through change point analyses trends records nonparametric tests. Abrupt changes, rather than slowly trends, typically responsible for detected points often linked regulation river basins. Trend gaging provide little evidence (2009) increasing associated human-induced climate change. Estimates location, scale, shape parameters generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution framework examining distributions. It is shown that anomalously large values GEV parameter estimates role controlling Scaling highlight magnitudes region maxima scaled high-elevation Appalachian Mountains minima low-gradient Coastal Plain.