Assessment of Wavelet Energy Function Capability in Flood Risk Estimation in Compare with Traditional Methods

In this paper a method to perform Estimation of Flood Risk (EFR) is presented when the assumption of stationary is not important (or not valid). A wavelet transform model is developed to EFR. A full series is applied to EFR using energy function of wavelet. The data were decomposed into some details and an approximation through different wavelet functions and decomposition levels. The approximation series was employed to EFR. This was performed using daily maximum discharge data from of the Polroud River in the north of Iran. In this way, the data from 1956 to 2007 were evaluated by wavelet analysis. The study shows that wavelet full series model results (density function) are too small compared with the results of combined method and they are both lesser than traditional methods (AM and PD). In other hand, the results of energy function method are closed to the combined method when they are compared with the full series data results. These wavelet models were assessed with the AM and PD methods. The concrete result of this paper is that, the watershed hydrologic conditions and nature of the data are very important parameters to improve FFA and to select the best method of analysis.