THE POTENTIAL OF SURFACE RUNOFF MANIFESTATION OBTAINED ON THE BASIS OF THE DIGITAL ELEVATION MODEL. CASE STUDY: THE SUBCARPATHIAN SECTOR OF BUZĂU CATCHMENT AREA

R. COSTACHE¹, R. PRĂVĂLIE²

ABSTRACT. The Potential of Surface Runoff Manifestation Obtained on the Basis of the Digital Elevation Model. Case study: the Subcarpathian Sector of Buzău Catchment Area. The analyzed  sector of Buzău catchment area is situated in the Curvature Subcarpathians, recognized as one of the areas in Romania with the highest values of potential surface runoff. The digital elevation model is one of the most important environmental variables used in the analysis of surface runoff. Thus, the present study tries to quantify the manifestation potential of surface runoff exclusively on the basis of the digital elevation model, determining seven morphometric and hydrographic indicators derived from it. Under these circumstances, the present work represents a preliminary analysis of the potential of surface runoff of the analyzed area. The final susceptibility of surface runoff depends on other important factors such as lithology, soil texture and land cover. According to the spatialisation of the Surface Runoff Index, obtained by superimposing the seven factors derived from the digital elevation model, areas within the basin with high susceptibility of surface runoff were delineated. They represent the genetic premises of risk hydrological phenomena such as flash‐floods.

Keywords: digital elevation model, surface runoff, Buzău catchment area.

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