It is difficult to estimate stormflow hydrographs with hydrologic simulation models for upstream watersheds of Taiwan due to lack of hyetographs. In this study, analyses of storm pattern characteristics and establishment of design storm distribution were carried out with rainfall records of the Lienhuachih weather station at the Shuilichi upstream watershed of central Taiwan. The results showed that hyetographs of 24-h duration at Lienhuachih were mostly middle peak type of storm pattern with 15-h time to rainfall peak and 19% rainfall peak ratio. The design storm distributions of 24-h duration were also established by using Huff's, allocation, and ranking methods. Based on error analyses, the ranking method showed good results for solving the design storm distribution of 24-h duration at this area. Meanwhile, the empirical equations of exponential type to estimate design storm distribution of 24-h duration were established from the data of ranking method.