Accuracy of discharge determined from a rating curve

An error analysis shows that three types of errors influence the random error of a single discharge measurement determined from a rating curve. They are rating curve error, water level measurement error and an error caused by ignoring all physical parameters, other than water level, that affect discharge. Methods in the literature for evaluating the first two types of errors are reviewed and a method for evaluating the third type is given. The error of average discharge for an arbitrary period is also considered.