Hydrologic Approaches to Playa Lakes, Areas of Significant Karst Geology, and Arid Regions (Synthesis of Current State of Knowledge and Practice)

Details

• Creators:
  Ahmari, Habib ; Baharvand, Saman ; Moradi, Mohammad
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Texas at Arlington. Department of Civil Engineering
• Corporate Contributors:
  Texas Department of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation Office ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Arid Land Design Methods Drainage Structures Flood Protection Guidelines Hydrology Infrastructure Karst Lakes Literature Reviews Playa Lakes Rainfall Runoff State Of The Practice Surveys Terrain

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/TX-24/0-7201-1
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Kansas ; Minnesota ; New Mexico ; Virginia
• Edition:
  Research Report: September 2023 – December 2024
• Corporate Publisher:
  Texas Department of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation Office
• Abstract:
  Playa lakes, arid regions, and karst terrains constitute important geographic and hydrological features across Texas, each presenting unique challenges due to their complex and varied hydrology. Currently, there are no uniform guidelines or standards for the hydrological and hydraulic design of transportation infrastructure in these landscapes, leading designers to rely heavily on project-specific judgment to determine suitable hydrological parameters. This report provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge and best practices related to hydrological studies within three distinct landscapes: playa lakes, arid regions, and karst terrains. The research findings were obtained through an extensive literature review, surveys, and follow-up interviews. Based on existing knowledge, the following conclusions were reached regarding the current hydrology approaches in playa lakes, arid regions, and karst terrains: Playa Lakes: There is no method specific to the hydrology of playa lakes. Traditional hydrological methods, including the Rational Method and the NRCS Curve Number method, often prove inadequate because they fail to fully account for the complexities of playa lake systems, specifically the influence of infiltration, evaporation, sediment mobilization, and the dynamic interplay between surface and subsurface water flows. Karst Regions: The FHWA recommends various standard and empirical hydrologic methods for estimating runoff in karst regions. However, these methods are site-specific and often fail to capture the full complexity of subterranean interactions, leading to inaccurate predictions of peak flows and flood extents. Arid Zones: Traditional hydrological methods, such as NRCS Curve Number method, which often rely on data and parameters from more humid climates, frequently underperform in arid environments, resulting in inaccurate flood predictions and potentially inadequate infrastructure design. The research reveals significant challenges in accurately predicting rainfall-runoff and effectively managing flood risks in these diverse environments, underscoring the need for region-specific approaches and further investigation. The inherent complexities of the hydrological processes within each region demand a refined understanding that extends beyond traditional methodologies.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  0-7201
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:36175aa2474dd5e83e11387c797ceca30b79c0845d57f0e7ab490b518187d37df43618eba59b9d235d70a1c325ae76e66a259a7fb6113fa702098b329479b12f
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/89944/dot_89944_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 963.07 KB ]