Summary:

The study was aimed to verify the selected empirical formulas to calculate SNQ, SSQ and Qminp% flows in four catchments of the rivers: Cicha Woda-Biały Dunajec, Czarny Dunajec, Ochotnica and Wielki Rogoźnik which are located in the Dunajec basin. The verification was aimed to assess the usefulness of the analyzed empirical formulas to calculate minimum and mean flows in relation to current hydrological data. The data were obtained from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute and include data string from the period of 1980 - 2009. Hydrometric data were evaluated considering their homogeneity and independence using Mann- Kendall-Sneyers test and the trend analysis was performed using Mann-Kendall Statistic S. The Gumbel's method was used to calculate the probability of not exceeding minimum flow thresholds. Based on the obtained results the comparative analysis was conducted between the calculated values of SNQ, SSQ and real flows from the period of 1980 - 2009.
The calculations have shown significant differences between the SNQ, SSQ and Qminp% values calculated by empirical formulas and the values determined based on hydrological data. This justifies the need for verification and updating the empirical formulas used previously for the calculation of minimum and mean flows in uncontrolled catchments of the analyzed basin. The trend analysis of NQ and SQ shows that the trend is statistically insignificant in all of the analyzed catchments with the exception of the catchment of Cicha Woda - Biały Dunajec, for which the calculated test probability indicates the increasing trend in the SQ flows.