Flow Duration Curve - Introduction

Graph of the average percentage of time a

flow is exceeded.
Horizontal axis generally % of time
Vertical axis generally Flow
Easily constructed with a spreadsheet

Flow Duration Curve - Uses

Hydropower calculate energy available
for a given installed generating capacity
Visualise effects of storages in system on
river regime
Summarise impacts of structures or
management options on flows in a river

Flow Duration Curve

Storage Effects
Effect of storage on flow regime - normalised flow duration curves

fraction of mean flow (cumecs)

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

% of time flow is exceeded

Blackwater at Ballyduff (no storage)

Corrib at Galway (storage effect)

Run-of-river
Hydropower

FDC by Spreadsheet

FDC Installed capacity vs Energy