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<br /> <br />4.1. SPS FOR EASTERN AND CENTRAL UNITED STATES. Deriving the <br />SPS for drainage basins greater than 1000 square miles requires special studies by the <br />National Weather Service. The general criteria in EM 1110-2-1411 are applicable to <br />basins of less than 1000 square miles. The sequence of SPS derivation described in <br />the reference includes: selection of an "index" rainfall, determination of the 24-, 48-, <br />72- and 96-hour SPS rainfall based on the index and the drainage area under study, <br />adjustment of the rainfall for a basin shape factor, division into incremental rainfall <br />amounts, and arrangement of the incremental rainfall values into the storm sequence. <br /> <br />4.1.1. The SPS index rainfall is determined using Plate 2 of EM 1110-2- <br />1411. The rainfall depth determined from this figure represents the SPS rainfall for <br />an area of 200 square miles and for a 24-hour duration. Further adjustment of this <br />rainfall value is required, however, because a SPS is a 96-hour storm by definition, <br />and because the drainage area under study will never be exactly 200 square miles. <br /> <br />4.1.2. Plate 9 of EM 1110-2-1411 is used to convert the index rainfall <br />to 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-hour accumulated depths adjusted for the actual drainage <br />area. The four values taken from the curves in the figure are each multiplied by the <br />index to arrive at the accumulated rainfall values for each duration. <br /> <br />4.1.3. These values are divided into total rain for each 24-hour period <br />and ranked in the sequence 4,2,1,3, and 1 being the highest 24-hour total. The <br />percentage of the total 96-hour storm which each 24-hour period represents is then <br />computed. The SPS criteria are developed using the symmetrical oval-shaped <br />isohyetal pattern shown in Plate 12 of EM 1110-2-1411. The rainfall values computed <br />thus far are for a drainage basin that the symetrical pattern matches perfectly. The <br />fit will always be imperfect in the real world, however, so an adjustment will be <br />required for actual basin shape. That is done by overlaying the storm pattern on the <br />basin, using a planimeter to compute total storm volume, and from this determining <br />the maximum depth that could occur from the most severe arrangement of the <br />pattern. The storm pattern may require several centerings to determine the maximum <br />depth. Unless the drainage area is extremely small, the maximum 96-hour depth will <br />be less than the 96-hour depth already determined. This maximum value of the 96- <br />hour depth is then multiplied by the 24-hour percentages discussed at the start of this <br />subparagraph. The result is the 24-hour SPS rainfall totals adjusted for the shape of <br />the study basin. <br /> <br />4.1,4. DIVISION INTO INCREMENTS AND ARRANGEMENT OF STORM. <br /> <br />Each 24-hour period is next subdivided into four 6-hour periods using the <br />criteria in Plate 10 of EM 1110-2-1411. Division into smaller increments uses a simple <br />average of the rainfall in each 6-hour interval, except for the peak 6-hour period of the <br />entire storm. Further breakdown of the peak 6-hour period to one-hour periods is <br />made using the guidelines given in Plate 11 of EM 1110-2-141. It should be noted <br /> <br />7-18 <br /> <br /> <br />