The runoff coefficient is one of the fundamental hydrological characteristics of a catchment. It indicates a share of the precipitation water that runs off from the catchment.

The results of the runoff coefficient calculation based on measurements carried out continuously in the Cerhovický Stream catchment over a considerable period of time, i.e. from 1988 up to 2006 are presented. The precipitation and runoff data in the catchment were used. Mean value of the runoff coefficient and the runoff coefficients for the agricultural and forest parts of the catchment are presented. The total mean runoff coefficient for the Cerhovický Stream is 0.19 with the standard deviation of 0.06. Mean runoff coefficient for the forest part is 0.13 and for the agricultural part – 0.24.

Differences between the years with a higher and a lower precipitation were followed as well. We also statistically evaluated possible hydrological changes caused by the construction of the highway and the market centre. For another possible explanation of quite high standard deviation of the mean annual runoff coefficient we followed the monthly runoff coefficient dependence on water temperature and of ground water table depth.

A flood occurs for many reasons, such as excessive rainfall, runoff coefficient, or an insufficient river channel capacity. The discharge flowing through the floodway depends on the maximum main river dimension that can be normalized. LU/LC changes are affected by runoff discharge, and runoff discharge is affected by the floodway design. The study dis-cusses the effect of land use (LU) or land cover (LC) changes and the design of floodway channel dimensions in the Kali Kemuning watershed, East Java Province, Indonesia. The Nakayasu synthetic unit hydrograph has been used to analyse the runoff discharge, and the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System software analysed the hydraulic proper-ties of river and floodway channels. Results show that the floodway channel design is determined by LU/LC conditions, and the river channel is normalized toward its maximum dimensions. Normalized channel depths and widths vary from 4 to 7 m and 16 to 46 m, respectively. The floodway channel is rectangular, with a bottom width of 10 m and depth of 4.5 m. With the runoff coefficient equal to 0.75, these normalized channel and floodway dimensions are suitable for the flood up to the 100-year return period runoff discharge.