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FOREWORD An accurate estimate of the flood damage potential is a key element to an effective, nationwide flood damage abatement program. Further, there is an acute need for a consistent approach to such estimates because management of the nation's water and related land resources is shared among various levels of government and private enterprise. To obtain both a consistent and accurate estimate of flood losses requires development, acceptance, and widespread application of a uniform, consistent and accurate technique for determining flood-flow frequencies. In a pioneer attempt to promote a consistent approach to flood-flow frequency determination, the U.S. Water Resources Council in December 1967 published Bulletin No. 15, "A Uniform Technique for Determining Flood Flow Frequencies." The technique presented therein was adopted by the Council for use in all Federal planning involving water and related land resources. The Council also recommended use of the technique by State, local government, and private organizations. Adoption was based upon the clear understanding that efforts to develop methodological improvements in the technique would be continued and adopted when appropriate. An extension and update of Bulletin No. 15 was published in March 1976 as Bulletin No. 17, "Guidelines for Determining Flood Flow Frequency." It presented the currently accepted methods for analyzing peak flow frequency data at gaging stations with sufficient detail to promote uniform application. The guide was a synthesis of studies undertaken to find methodological improvements and a survey of existing literature on peak flood flow determinations. The present guide is the next step in a continuing effort to improve these methodologies. It revises and expands some of the techniques in Bulletin 17 and offers a further explanation of other techniques. It is the result of a i /