Streamflow extremes and climate variability in Southeastern United States

• Other Authors: Bobsein, Jenna (author), Teegavarapu, Ramesh (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Florida Atlantic University
• Subjects: Atmospheric physics > Statistical methods; Climate change mitigation; Climatic changes > Measurement; Hydrology; Mathematical statistics; Maxima and minima; Stream measurement; Pacific; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004348; https://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A31265/datastream/TN/view/Streamflow%20extremes%20and%20climate%20variability%20in%20Southeastern%20United%20States.jpg

Trends in streamflow extremes at a regional scale linked to the possible influences of four major oceanic-atmospheric oscillations are analyzed in this study. Oscillations considered include: El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The main emphasis is low flows in the South-Atlantic Gulf region of the United States. Several standard drought indices of low flow extremes during two different phases (warm/positive and cool/negative) of these oscillations are evaluated. Long-term streamflow data at 43 USGS sites in the region from the Hydro-Climatic Data Network that are least affected by anthropogenic influences are used for analysis. Results show that for ENSO, low flow indices were more likely to occur during La Niña phase; however, longer deficits were more likely during El Niño phase. Results also show that for PDO (AMO), all (most) low flow indices occur during the cool (warm) phase. Includes bibliography. Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection