Introduction to Hydrology

Course Outline
• Introduction – Hydrological cycle, rainfall, measurement of rainfall
and analysis of rainfall, Evaporation: Measurement of evaporation.
Formula and theories, their use and application. Infiltration: The
role of infiltration in hydrological cycle, infiltration as factor of run
off and as recharge of ground water, comparison of methods of
estimating infiltration, Drainage basins and hydrographs: monthly
and annual runoff relations, characteristic of drainage basin,
hydrograph: monthly and annual runoff relations, characteristic of
drainage basin, hydrograph analysis. The unit hydrograph: Basic
principles, unit hydrographs for various durations, derivation of
unit hydrographs from complex storms, synthetic unit hydrograph.
Flood routing: routing in a simple reservoir stream flow. Routing,
Frequency and duration studies. Hydraulics of walls, groundwater
investigations and exploration for water.

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 Learning Objectives

On completion of this course students should be able to:

1. Understand the hydrological cycle, assess and apply related

theories in various contexts .
2. Collect and analyse a range of hydrological field data of
relevance to civil engineers from local and national
perspectives
3. Assess the hydrological suitability of sites, predict likely
hydrological related problems and suggest reasonable
engineering solutions.

Personal Transferable Skills

4. Collect, collate, evaluate and synthesize a range of information
sources on hydrological issues to report on the potential
engineering design and construction impacts and explain how
identified negative impacts could be prevented and controlled
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Reading List
1. Hydrology For Engineers By Ray Linsley, Max Kohler And Joseph
Paulhaus, Mcgraw Hill, 1975
2. Engineering Hydrology By E.M. Wilson, Mac Millan, 1991
3. Applied Hydrology By Ven Te Chow, David Maidment And Larry W.
Ways, Mcgraw Hill, 1988
4. Introduction To Hydrology By Warren Viessman Et Al, Crowell, Harper
And Row, Fourth Edition, 1996

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 Outline of Presentation

1. Introduction

2. Distribution of Global Water

3. Hydrological Cycle

4. Hydrological Continuity Equation (Water Balance)

5. Delineating Watersheds.

6. Stream Profiles

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Definition of Hydrology
Study about water (quantitative and qualitative).

In Civil Engineering, quantitative hydrology is

given more emphasis because it relates to
infrastructural development.

Hydrology is a science of water; its existence, its

cycle, its distribution, physical and chemical
properties, and its response to biotic and abiotic
factors.
Hydrology is a science to study the processes of
controlling surface water of the earth.
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Branches of Hydrology

• Engineering Hydrology
• Physical Hydrology
• Environmental Hydrology
• Hydrological Processes
• Forest Hydrology
• Hydrologic Modeling

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Terminology
• Region : geographic area, most relevant to Federal agencies
• River Basin : It is composed of a river system, a reach of a stream and
• its tributaries to that reach, a closed basin or a group of streams composing a
coastal drainage area.
• Watershed : refers to areas of land from which surface waters flow.
• The terms Region, Subregion, River Basin, Subbasin, Watershed,
• Subwatershed, Drainage, and Site are common.
• Catchment Area : The area drained by a river or body of water or The
• surrounding area served by an institution, such as a hospital or school
• Drainage basin : is an extent or area of land where surface water from
• rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the
• exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a
• river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean.
• Hydrologic Unit : are similar with drainage basin but allow multiple
• inlets, outlets, or sinks.

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HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
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Hydrologic Cycle

• Form / Phase :
• – Liquid : water
• – Gas : cloud
• – Solid : ice / snow
• • Location:
• – Surface
• – Underground
• – Ocean
• – Lake
• – Atmosphere

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 Drought

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 Agricultural Loss

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 Empty Dam 

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 Flood at Vietnam
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 Hydrologic Continuity Equation
(Water Balance)

A statement about water balance and water conservation law

occurring in a clearly defined catchment area:

𝑑𝑆
𝛥𝑆
𝑑𝑡= 𝐼 − 𝑂  𝛥𝑡 = 𝛥𝐼 − 𝛥𝑂
With :
dS/dt = rate of storage change Ground water
level
I = water input rainfall
O = water output ET, Runoff, infiltration

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Delineating Watersheds

Watershed (Catchment, Drainage Basin):

– A topographically delineated area drained by a

stream system, or, the total land above some
point, on a river/stream that drains past that
point.

– Can range from a fraction of an acre to thousands

of square miles.
– Why is this unit of area important to us as land
and water managers?

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Delineating Watersheds Cont’d

• The watershed is a hydrologic unit of land used as a

• physical, biological, socioeconomic, and political unit
• for the management and planning of natural
• resources.
• • Aids in describing and quantifying the variables that
• influence water quality:
• – Topography
• – Soils
• – Vegetation
• – Land use, etc.

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Identifying Watershed Boundaries

• Steps to delineation
• – Trace/outline outline the main stem of the stream
• that you want to examine
• – Trace all perennial or influential tributaries
• – Locate the lowest point/outlet of the main stem and
• work uphill
• Working uphill, Identify the ridges and hill tops
• that divide the water from flowing into separate
• watersheds
• When in doubt, consider,
• – Where will the rain drops go

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Exercise

• There is land as presented

on Fig. 1
• How much the area?
• If there are 2mm
outlet • depth of 2 hour
• rainfall with uniform
• depth all over the area,
• how much is the volume
of the Rainfall?
• How much is the
maximum flow rate at
FIG. 1
the outlet?

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Area / Size

• Important to watershed features because

• – Estimating total annual water yield
• – Flood potential
• – Hydro characteristics: drainage density, time of
• concentration, drainage shape, etc..
• – Amount of ground that you must deal with

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Methods to Determine Size

• Planimeter
• GIS
• Historical Data (USGS etc.)
• Dot method using a grid

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Stream Profile

• Graph that provides longitudinal profile of the

stream.
– X-axis is stream mileage
– Y-Axis is elevation
• Stream profiles help to stratify zones
– Alpine, foothills, basins
• Locate sample sites
• Zones of erosion etc.

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Profile Cont’d

•Using a 1:24,000 or better map

– Record interval at contours
– Using a graphing program, create a
line graph with
elevation as the y-axis and stream
miles as the xaxis

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Sinuosity

• The repetition downstream of patterns of channel

• curves for a given length of stream. (channel length /
• valley length)
• Measure of:
– Bends
– Curves
– Meanders
• Sinuosity is important for:
– Stream Classification
– Variation in erosion and sediment concentration

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Calculating Sinuosity

•GIS
•Longitudinal Profiles in the field
•Standard Map and Map Wheels

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Stream Order

• Characterizes the drainage networks

• Broad reference for flow characteristics of a
• watershed
• Higher streams usually mean higher flow
• volume

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Watershed Shape

• Watershed shape has an effect on flow

• characteristics
• Shape can be calculated by form factors and
• circulatory ratios
• Circular watersheds will concentrate water quickly
• and have a flashy discharge
• Long narrow watersheds tend to have steep slopes,
• high overland flow, high sediment yields, lower peak
• volumes over long periods of time.

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