Introduction Kinds of stream feeding Definitions Rainfall-Runoff relationship Hydrograph Unit hydrograph Duration change of Unit hydrograph Using

of Unit Hydrograph with Complex Storm

Introduction

Kinds of stream feeding

Overland flow Underflow or subsurface flow or interflow Groundwater flow

Drainage basin
Drainage basin or watershed or catchment area of the river flowing is the total area of a river basin whose surface runoff (due to a storm) drains into the river in the basin

Drainage divide
The boundary line, along a topographic ridge, separating two adjacent drainage basins

Concentration point or Measuring point

the single point or location at which all surface drainage from a basin comes together or concentrates as outflow from the basin in the stream channel, since the stream outflow is usually measured at this point

Concentration time
The time required for the rain falling at the most distant point in a drainage area (i.e. on the fringe of the catchment) to reach the concentration point. tc = 0.0195 L 0.77 S -0.385
tc: time of concentration in minutes. L: maximum length of flow in meters. S: the difference in elevation between the outlet and the most remote point divided by the length L.

Rainfall-Runoff relationship
Rational Method

Qp = C . I . A
C: runoff coefficient (dimensionless). I: intensity of rainfall (L/T). A: area of watershed (L2).

Runoff coefficients for various types of catchments Type of catchment Value of C

Rocky and impermeable Slightly permeable, bare Cultivated or covered with vegetation Cultivated absorbent soil Sandy soil Heavy forest

0.8 1.0 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2

Assumptions for applying Rational method:

Constant/uniform rate of rainfall intensity (I) during the whole storm duration. The storm duration must be equal to or greater than the time of concentration.

Required time for reaching the peak flow rate Qp is equal to the time of concentration tc.
Rational method can be applied to watersheds with area not more than 15*106 m2 (relatively small area). In this method the whole rainfall losses (by evaporation, infiltration, interception, depression storage, etc.) are considered as a constant ratio from the rainfall intensity I.

Example:
The following figure shows a plan view of an urbanized area. The area topography and the system of streets and gutters induce the flow pattern shown by arrows. Inlet I collect runoff from this area. The collected water from this area is routed through pipe P. The relationship between mean rainfall intensity and duration for a given recurrence can be represented as (I = a/(b + tc)), where a and b are constants have values equal 3 cm and 0.17 hr respectively. Take the coefficient C equals 0.7 and the time of concentration equals Z 10 minutes. Use Manning equation to design the pipe diameter. Take Manning coefficient equals 0.015 and the slope of the designed pipe equals 0.005.

I = a / (b + tc) I =3 / (0.17 + tc) C = 0.7, tc = 10 min = 0.167 hr, n = 0.015, and S = 0.005

Solution:
I = a / (b + tc) = 3 / (0.17 + 0.167) = 8.91 cm/hr = 0.089 m/hr Qp = C.I.A = 0.7 * 0.089 * 40000 * (1/3600) = 0.7 m3/sec Qp = (1/n) . Ap . R2/3 . S1/2 0.7 = (1/0.015) * ( r2) * (r/2)2/3 * (0.005)1/2 Then, r = 0.38 m = 38 cm, D = 2 * 38 = 76 cm V = Qp/A = 0.7 / 0.454 = 1.54 m/sec

Methods of determination Runoff Direct Measurement

Hydrograph
Hydrograph is the relationship between discharge in the channel and the time.

Description of Hydrograph

qt = qo . e -kt
Time t tb tp P tc tr

qo : specified initial discharge at inflection point B.

qt : discharge at any time t after point B.

Recession curve B

DRO

k : recession constant.

A
A

BF
Time t

The timing aspects of the hydrograph

Time base (tb): total duration of the DRO hydrograph. Lag time (L): the time from the center of mass of rainfall excess to the peak of the resulting hydrograph. Recession time (tr): the time from the peak to the end of the DRO for the resulting hydrograph.

The timing aspects of the hydrograph

Time of concentration (tc): The time from the end of rainfall excess to the end of the DRO for the resulting hydrograph.

Peak time (tp): the time from the start of rainfall excess to the peak of the resulting hydrograph.

Base flow
Base flow represents the relatively steady contribution to stream discharge from groundwater return flow

Separation of Base Flow

The separation of baseflow from direct runoff in a hydrograph is often of interest to hydrologists, planners, and engineers.
It aids in determining the influence of different hydrologic processes on discharge from the subject catchment.

Base Flow Separation

= A0.2

(1) E
(3) (2)

Time t

Excess rainfall
Rainfall that is neither retained on the land surface nor infiltrated into the soil Graph of excess rainfall versus time is called excess rainfall hyetograph Direct runoff = observed streamflow baseflow Excess rainfall = observed rainfall abstractions

Unit hydrograph
A unit hydrograph is defined as: the DRO hydrograph resulting from unit depth of excess rainfall that produced by a storm of uniform intensity and a specified duration.

1-hr unit hydrograph is mean that the hydrograph produced by 1mm of rainfall excess falling over the basin in 1 hr at a rate of 1 mm/hr

3-hr unit hydrograph means the hydrograph produced by 1 mm of rainfall excess occurring
uniformly during a 3 hr period at a rate of 1/3 mm/hr.

The following assumption must be satisfied to apply the unit

hydrograph theory:
Rainfall excesses of equal duration are assumed to produce hydrographs with equivalent time bases regardless of the intensity of the rain. Direct runoff ordinates for a storm of a given duration are assumed directly proportional to rainfall volumes. Thus, twice the rainfall produces a doubling of hydrograph ordinates. The time distribution of direct runoff is assumed independent of previous precipitation. Rainfall distribution is assumed to be the same for all storms of equal duration, spatially and temporally.

The following general rules should be observed in developing unit hydrographs from gauged watersheds:

Storms should be selected with simple structure with relatively uniform spatial and temporal distributions.
Watersheds sizes should generally fall between 1000 acre and 1000 mi2. Direct runoff should range from 0.5 to 2.0 in. Duration of rainfall excess D should be approximately 25 30 % of lag time (L). A number of storms of similar duration should be analyzed to obtain an average unit hydrograph for that duration. Step (5) should be repeated for several different durations.

The following are the essential steps for developing a unit

hydrograph from a single storm hydrograph:

Analyze the hydrograph and separate the base flow. Measure the total volume of DRO under the hydrograph and convert this to inches (cm) over the watershed. Convert total rainfall to rainfall excess using infiltration methods and evaluate duration for the DRO hydrograph and the unit hydrograph.

Divide the ordinates of the DRO hydrograph by the volume in inches (cm) and plot these results as the unit hydrograph for the basin. The time base (tb) is assumed constant for storms of equal equal durations and thus it will not change.
Check the volume of the unit hydrograph to make sure it is 1.0 in (1.0 cm), and graphically adjusted ordinates as required.

Chapter (4)

Stream feeding
Surface flow Subsurface flow Groundwater flow

Definitions Drainage basin Drainage divide Concentration point Concentration time

Kinds of storms Simple/Single complex

Chapter (4) (Continued)

Rainfall-runoff Relationship Rational method Qp = C.I.A

Hydrograph Definition Description Timing aspects Base flow separation

Unit hydrograph Definition Developing importance

Example:
Convert the following hydrograph into a 2-hr unit hydrograph. The rainfall intensities are 0.5 in/hr, 1.5 in/hr, 1.5 in/hr, and 0.5 in/hr for first hour, second hour, third hour, and fourth hour respectively. The index for the storm was 0.5 in/hr. The base flow in the channel was 100 cfs (constant). Calculate the time from the mass center of rainfall excess to the peak of the hydrograph and the total

duration of the DRO hydrograph.

T (hr) Q (cfs)

0 100

1 100

2 300

3 700

4 1000

5 800

6 600

7 400

8 300

9 200

10 100

11 100

Solution:
The net rainfall = the total rainfall - index value Then, the net rainfalls for four hours are 0, 1.0, 1.0 and 0.0 in/hr. this represents 2 in of rainfall or 1 in/hr for 2 hr.

T (hr)

10

11

Q (cfs)
Q-BF (cfs) 2-hr UH, Q

100
0 0

100
0 0

300
200 100

700
600 300

1000
900 450

800
700 350

600
500 250

400
300 150

300
200 100

200
100 50

100
0 0

100
0 0

500.0 450.0 400.0 350.0 300.0

1 in/hr

Q (in/hr)

250.0 200.0 150.0 100.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 Time (hr)

L = 4 2 = 2 hr, tb = 9 hr

Example:
The following table lists the storm hydrograph and the rainfall pattern given in the following figures. Construct and draw a 4-hr unit hydrograph. What is the area of the basin?
T (hr) Q (cfs)
2.5

0 0

1 50

2 150

3 350

4 500

5 400
2.5

6 300

7 200

10 50

11 0

150 100

2.0

2.0

P (in/hr)

1.5

Losses (in/hr)
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 Time (hr) 4.0 5.0

1.5

1.0

1.0

0.5

0.5

0.0

0.0 6.0 0.0

7.0 1.0

2.0

3.0 Time (hr)

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Solution:
T (hr) Q (cfs) 4-hr UH 0 0 0 1 50 25 2 150 75 3 350 175 4 500 250 5 400 200 6 300 150 7 100 8 75 9 50 10 50 25 11 0 0 200 150 100

300.0

250.0

0.5 in/hr

200.0

Q (cfs)

150.0

100.0

50.0

0.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 Time (hr) 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0

To calculate the area of the basin: Area under UH = volume of direct runoff t1125 cfs.hr, where t =1 h = Ui *= = 1125 * 3600 = 4050000 ft3 (Volume of direct runoff)/A = 1in A = (4050000 * 12/1) / 43560 = 1115.7 acre

Example:
The following table listed the values of a hydrograph resulted from a 6-hr storm on a basin of 770 km2. Deduce the values of unit hydrograph.
T, hr Q, m3/s 0 40 6 65 12 215 18 360 24 400 30 350 36 270 42 205 48 145 54 100 60 70 66 50 72 42

Solution:
T, hr Q, m3/s Base flow DRO, m3/s DRD*, cm 6-hr UH = DRO/DRD

0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72

DRD

40 65 215 360 400 350 270 205 145 100 70 50 40

40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40

0 25 175 320 360 310 230 165 105 60 30 10 0

1790

5.0

0 5 35 64 72 62 46 33 21 12 6 2 0
358

DRO * (t ) * 3600 *100 , cm

A *10 6

Calculation of a flood hydrograph from existing unit hydrograph having the same storm duration: Determine the volume of excess rainfall in inches (cm).

Multiply the volume of excess rainfall in each ordinate of unit hydrograph.

Estimate the rate of the base flow. Add the estimated base flows to each ordinate value obtained from step (2) to obtain the required flood hydrograph.

Duration Change of Unit Hydrograph

S-Curve method
for each

S-curve or the summation curve is the hydrograph of direct surface discharge that would result from a continuous succession of unit storms producing 1 cm of rainfall in tr (hr).

 Required number of unit hydrograph for obtaining S-curve = tb/tr

tb: the base time of the unit hydrograph (hr) tr: storm duration

Qe = 2.78 A / tr
Qe: constant outflow (m3/s) tr: duration of the unit hydrograph (hr) A: area of the basin (km2)

for each

Example (4.5):
Convert the following tabulated 2-hr unit hydrograph to a 3-hr unit hydrograph using the S-curve method.
T, hr 2-hr UH, cfs 0 0 1 75 2 250 3 300 4 275 5 200 6 100 7 75 8 50 9 25 10 0

Solution:
it is necessary to repeat the process for five times tb/tr = 10/2 = 5
T, hr 0 2-hr UH 0 2-hr lagged UH's SUM 0

1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

75
250 300 275 200 100 75 50 25 0 0 75 250 300 275 200 100 75 50 25 0 75 250 300 275 200 100 75 0 75 250 300 275 200 0 75 250 300 0 75

75
250 375 525 575 625 650 675 675 675 675

T, hr

S-curve ordinate

S-curve Differences lagged 3-hr

3-hr UH ordinate

A
0
75

B=(tr /tr = 2/3)*A

0
50 166.7 250 300 216.7 166.7 83.3 66.7 33.3 16.7 0

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

0
75 250 375 525 575 625 650 675 675 675 675 0 75 250 375 525 575 625 650 675

250 375 450 325 250 125 100 50 25 0

Exam 2011
The following table listed the values of a 2-hr Unit Hydrograph.
T, hr
2-hr UH, cfs

0
0

1
75

2
250

3
300

4
275

5
200

6
100

7
75

8
50

9
25

10
0

(i)

Convert the tabulated 2-hr UH to a 3-hr UH using the S-curve method. (ii) Using the results of the previous step to calculate the ordinates of a flood hydrograph resulting from 3-hr uniform excess rainfall of intensity 0.83 in/hr and the base flow was 100 cfs (constant). (iii) Use the obtained value of peak flow, resulting from aforementioned step, to design a collecting drain having trapezoidal cross section using Chezy equation if b = 2y, z = 1, C = 50, and S = 0.0001.

Solution:
(ii) Volume of excess rainfall = 0.83 * 3 = 2.49 in
3 hr UH, cfs 0 50 166.7 250 300 216.7 166.7 88.3 66.7 33.3 16.7 0 DRD, in DRO, cfs 0 124.5 415.08 622.5 747 539.6 415.08 219.9 166.08 82.9 41.6 0 BF, cfs 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Q, cfs 100 224.5 515.08 722.5

847 max.
639.6 515.08 319.9 266.08 182.9 141.6 100

2.49

Use of Unit Hydrograph with Complex Storm

Flood hydrograph from complex storm
Before applying this technique, care should be taken to ensure that the time increments of rainfall excess are equal to the existed unit hydrograph duration

 Multiply the ordinates of unit hydrograph by rainfall excesses to obtain DRO hydrographs corresponding to each time increment. Lag each estimated DRO hydrograph for time step equal to the time increment of rainfall excess. Add the ordinates of lagged DRO hydrographs that occurs in the same time to obtain the flood hydrograph resulting from complex storm. Added the base flow to the ordinates of the flood hydrograph resulted from the previous step to obtain a more realistic hydrograph.

convolution equation
Qn P iU n i 1
i 1 n

or Qn = PnU1 + Pn-1U2 + Pn-2U3 + + P1Un

Qn: the flood hydrograph ordinate. Pi: rainfall excess.

Uj: the unit hydrograph ordinate, (j = n i + 1).

Example (4.6):
The rainfall excess hyetograph and the 1-hr unit hydrograph are given in the following figures. Derive the flood hydrograph for the watershed. Assume no losses due to infiltration or evapotranspiration.
3

700 600 500

2.5

rainfall excess, in/hr

1.5

Q, cfs
0 1 2 3 4 5 T, hr 6

400 300 200

0.5

100 0
7

0 8

1 9

2 10

5 Time (hr)

10

Solution:
T, hr P1 * 1 hr UH P2 * 1-hr UH P3 * 1-hr UH P4 * 1-hr UH P5 * 1-hr UH Flood hydrograph

1
2 3 4 5

125
250 187.5 125 62.5

0
250 500 375 250 0 375 750 562.5 0 0 0 0 125

125
500 1062.5 1250 1000

6
7 8 9 10

125
0

375
187.5 0

0
0 0 0

250
187.5 125 62.5 0

750
375 125 62.5 0

Unit hydrograph for complex storm Example (4.7):

For the total storm hydrograph tabulated as follows, with a constant base flow of 10 cfs, (a) Find the 1-hr unit hydrograph (b) Determine the size of drainage basin
T, hr Net rainfall, in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 P1 = 1.0 P2 = 2.0 P3 = 0.0 P4 = 1.0 Q, cfs 10 20 130 410 570 510 460 260 110 60 10

Solution:
T, hr Q, cfs Q-BF, cfs 0 10 0 = Q1 1 20 10 = Q2 2 130 120 = Q3 3 410 400 = Q4 4 570 560 = Q5 5 510 500 = Q6 6 460 450 = Q7 7 260 250 = Q8 8 110 100 = Q9 9 60 50 = Q10 10 10 0 = Q11

Q1 = P1 * U1 = 0.0 Q2 = P2 * U1 + P1 * U2 = 10 Q3 = P3 * U1 + P2 * U2 + P1 * U3 = 120 Q4 = P4 * U1 + P3 * U2 + P2 * U3 + P1 * U4 = 400 Q5 = P4 * U2 + P3 * U3 + P2 * U4 + P1 * U5 = 560 Q6 = P4 * U3 + P3 * U4 + P2 * U5 + P1 * U6 = 500 Q7 = P4 * U4 + P3 * U5 + P2 * U6 + P1 * U7 = 450 Q8 = P4 * U5 + P3 * U6 + P2 * U7 + P1 * U8 = 2560 Q9 = P4 * U6 + P3 * U7 + P2 * U8 = 100 Q10 = P4 * U7 + P3 * U8 = 50 Q11 = P4 * U8 = 0

j
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

T, hr
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1-hr UH, (cfs)

0 10 100 200 150 100 50 0

610 *1* 3600 = 605 acre Area of the drainage basin = 1 / 12 * 43560