Regional Frequency Analysis : An Approach Based on L-Moments

Rating:
Summary: First complete account on RFA with L-Moments
Review: Hosking and Wallis have succeeded in their book to give a complete overview of the methodology for doing a regional frequency analysis with estimation methods based on L-Moments. They have subdivided the methodology in 4 parts: screening data (using the Wilks discordancy measure), formation of homogeneous regions (using grouping methods with fine tuning by a heterogeneity measure), and selection and estimation of a regional frequency distribution (using a goodness-of-fit measure). In all 4 steps the L-Moments of the available data sets are used for parameter estimation and for deciding on discordancy, heterogeneity and goodness-of-fit. H&W have shown (in their 1980 to 1996 papers and summarizing it in this book) that the approach works well and that it is robust against intersite dependence (certainly present between neighboring sites), robust against small heterogeneity between the sites, and robust against a possible misspecification of the regional distribution. Two large case studies show the methodology in practice. This book will be appreciated by hydrologists and civil engineers in general, because the whole RFA-methodology is contained in one single book (224 pages) added with lots of references for the interested reader. I am sure that H&W may expect quite a number of citations to this work in the near future (they will have mine...)!