A technique for estimating flood heights on small streams in the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

A method for estimating the height reached by floods having recurrence intervals of 10, 20, and 100 years is defined for unregulated streams in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County draining areas of less than 1.0 square mile. Flood heights, defined as the vertical distance between the streambed at riffles and the floodwater surface, can be used to estimate flood elevations on small streams where flood profiles and flood inundation maps are not available. An illustrative example is given of how the method can be used with streambed elevation data and topographic maps to estimate flood elevations and delineate inundated areas.