Course: CE 401 (Water Resources Engineering)

Hydrograph Analysis
- Derivation of Unit Hydrograph
- Applications

Instructor:
Prof. M. J. Reddy
[email protected]

Unit Hydrograph (UH)

Unit Hydrograph is a direct runoff hydrograph resulting from one unit ER (1 cm)
occurring uniformly over the entire watershed at a constant rate

Basic assumptions
1. Time invariance
 The direct-runoff response to a given Effective Rainfall (ER) in a catchment is
time-invariant.
» It implies that the DRH for a given ER in a catchment is always the same
irrespective of when it occurs.

2. Linear Response
 The direct-runoff response to the ER is assumed to be linear.
 The rainfall –runoff relation obeys the principles of superposition
e.g., Principles of superposition states that for a linear system
if input A produces response X & input B produces response Y
then input (A + B) produces response (X + Y).

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 Unit Hydrograph
Applications of UH
• It is useful in calculating DRH of a given storm occurred for D hr
• If a D hr duration UH is available, it is possible to derive multiples
of mD hr duration UH

Example: Given below are the ordinates of 6-hr unit hydrograph for a catchment.
Calculate and draw the DRH to a rainfall excess of 5 cm occurred in 6-hr

Time UH ordinates Ordinates of 5cm

(h) (m3/s) DRH (m3/s)

0 0 0

3 25 125

6 50 250

9 85 425

12 125 625

15 160 800

18 185 925

24 160 800

30 110 550

36 60 300

42 36 180
48 25 125
54 16 80
60 8 40
Observe the time of measurement of runoff
69 0 0

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Example: Two consecutive storms each of 6-hr duration having rainfall excess of 5 cm & 4 cm
respectively have occurred in the same basin. Calculate the resulting DRH?
Given: 6-hr UH
Time UH ordinates
(h) (m3/s)
0 0
3 25
6 50
9 85
12 125
15 160
18 185
24 160
30 110
36 60
42 36
48 25
54 16
60 8
69 0

Calculating the resulting ordinates of DRH in tabular form

Two consecutive storms (6hr duration) occurred having rainfall excess of 5 cm & 4 cm

Ordinates of Ordinates of
UH ordinates 5cm DRH 4cm DRH Total DRH
Time (h) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s)
0 0 0 0 0
6 50 250 0 250
12 125 625 200 825
18 185 925 500 1425
24 160 800 740 1540
30 110 550 640 1190
36 60 300 440 740
42 36 180 240 420
48 25 125 144 269
54 16 80 100 180
60 8 40 64 104
66 2.7 13.5 32 45.5
72 0 0 10.8 10.8
78 0 0

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 Derivation of unit hydrograph
• Flood hydrographs used in the analysis should be selected to meet
the following desirable features:
– The storms should be an isolated storm.
– The rainfall should be fairly uniform during the duration and should
cover the entire catchment area.
– The duration of the rainfall should be 1/5 to 1/3 of the basin lag.
– The excess rainfall of the selected storm should be high.
(ER values in the range of 1.0 to 4.0 cm is preferred)

Derivation of UH for Different Cases

 Possible rainfall events to derive UH
1. Single storm of D hr duration
2. Complex storm (or multiple storms)
i. Multiple storm of each D hr duration (only magnitude varies)
ii. Multiple storm of varying magnitude and varying duration

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 Steps in Derivation of Unit Hydrographs
Collect the rainfall intensity, duration, and runoff values over a period of time.
1. Plot the storm hydrograph.
2. Find the direct runoff hydrograph: by Separating the base flow from TRH
3. Find the volume of direct runoff from the DRH
4. Find the rainfall excess: by dividing the volume of direct runoff by area of
the catchment.
5. Find the ordinates of the UH: by dividing each and every DRH ordinates
by the rainfall excess

Example: Given below are observed flows from a storm of 6hr duration on a stream
with a catchment area of 500 km2. Derive the ordinates of 6-hr unit hydrograph
Observed DRH = UH = Steps:
Time flow Observed-base DRH/4.32
(h) (m3/s)
• Draw the flood hydrograph,
flow (m3/s) (m3/s)
Estimate the base flow (in this
0 0 0 0.0 case, Min. flow is zero)
6 100 100 23.1  Calculate the DRH
12 250 250 57.9 = Total flow - base flow
18 200 200 46.3
 Estimate the volume of runoff
24 150 150 34.7 =  DRH ordinates×Δt
30 100 100 23.1 =1000×(6×3600) = 21.6×106 m3
36 70 70 16.2
42 50
 Estimate rainfall excess
50 11.6
ER = volume of runoff
48 35 35 8.1 area of catchment
54 25 25 5.8 = (21.6×106 ) / (500×106)
60 15 15 3.5 = 0.0432 m (or 4.32 cm)
66 5 5 1.2
72 0  Ordinates of UH
0 0.0
= DRH / 4.32
 DRH =1000

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 Plotting Hydrographs

Derivation of Unit Hydrograph from a

complex storm of constant duration

In this case rainfall of varying

magnitude has occurred for
constant duration of D hr
Consider a UH for D hr
duration, &
the ordinates u1, u2, u3, u4, u5,
….

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 Derivation of Unit hydrograph from a
complex storm of constant duration
(method of least squares)
Q1 = R1u1
Q2 = R1u2 + R2 u1
Q3 = R1u 3+ R2 u2 + R3u1
Q4 = R1u4 + R2 u3 + R3 u2 + R4 u1

t = at any measured time

M = rainfall events
(Sum only positive u values !)

• This equation holds good if R1 u 2

discharge measured time interval
is equal to UH time duration.
R1 u 1
R2 u 1
• Eqs. can be converted into a matrix
form and then solve, to obtain the
UH ordinates

Derivation of Unit hydrograph from a

complex storm of constant duration

Time (h) Total DRH (m3/s) R1 = 5 cm, R2 = 4 cm UH ordinates (m3/s)

0 0 0 0
6 Q1 250 Q1 = R1u1 = 250 u1 = 50 50
12 Q2 825 Q2 = R1u2 + R2 u1=825 u2 = 125 125
18 Q3 1425 Q3 = R1u 3+ R2 u2 = 1425 u3 = 185 185
24 Q4 1540 Q4 = R1u4 + R2 u3 = 1540 u4 = 160 160
30 Q5 1190 Q5 = R1u5 + R2 u4 = 1190 u5 = 110 110
36 Q6 740 Q6 = R1u6 + R2 u5 = 740 u6 = 60 60
42 Q7 420 Q7 = R1u7 + R2 u6 = 420 u7 = 36 36
48 Q8 269 Q8 = R1u8 + R2 u7 = 269 u8 = 25 25
54 Q9 180 Q9 = R1u9 + R2 u8 = 180 u9 = 16 16
60 Q10 104 Q10 = R1u10 + R2u9 = 104 u10 = 8 8
66 Q11 45.5 Q11 = R1u11 + R2 u10 = 45.5 u11= 2.7 2.7
72 Q12 10.8 Q12 = R1u12 + R2 u11 = 10.8 u12 = 0 0
78 0 0

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 Derivation of Unit Hydrograph (UH) of various
mD hr duration from available D hr UH

• Method of superposition
– suitable when m is an integer

• Method of S- curve
– suitable when m is a fraction or integer

Derivation of mD hr duration Unit Hydrograph

 Method of Superposition
(Suitable when m is an integer)
– To use this method a D hr Unit hydrograph should be available
– Super impose m unit hydrographs, with each hydrograph lagged by
D hr from the previous UH
– The sum of ordinates of lagged hydrographs gives rise to DRH of m
cm in mD hr duration
– To derive the UH of mD hr, divide the DRH ordinates by m.

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 Derivation of mD hr Unit Hydrograph
from available D hr UH
Example: Time UH ordinates
(h) (m3/s)
Derive 30hr UH from 6 hr unit hydrograph
using Method of Superposition 0 0
6 50
12 125
18 185
24 160
30 110
36 60
42 36
48 25
54 16
60 8
66 2.7
72 0

Method of
Superposition

Steps:
1. Plot the 6 hr UH
2. Plot 4 more such UH
each one lagged by 6 h
3. Add the ordinates at
respective time periods.
The resulting is DRH of
5cm rainfall excess in 30 hr
4. Divide the ordinates of
DRH by 5 to arrive the UH
of 30 hr duration.

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Method of Superposition
Time UH ordinates Lag 1 Lag 2 Lag 3 Lag 4 DRH of 5 cm UH of 30 hr
(h) (m3/s) by 6 hr by 12 hr by 18 hr by 24 hr Rain in 30 hr duration
0 0 0 0
6 50 0 50 10
12 125 50 0 175 35
18 185 125 50 0 360 72
24 160 185 125 50 0 520 104
30 110 160 185 125 50 630 126
36 60 110 160 185 125 640 128
42 36 60 110 160 185 551 110.2
48 25 36 60 110 160 391 78.2
54 16 25 36 60 110 247 49.4
60 8 16 25 36 60 145 29
66 2.7 8 16 25 36 87.7 17.54
72 0 2.7 8 16 25 51.7 10.34
78 0 2.7 8 16 26.7 5.34
84 0 2.7 8 10.7 2.14
90 0 2.7 2.7 0.54
96 0 0 0

What happens when mD hr unit hydrograph is derived

from D hr unit hydrograph in case of m is an integer

• The magnitude of the 1 cm in D hr duration

peak discharge gets
reduced 1 cm in mD hr duration

• The base time increased

• Time to peak delayed
(increased)
• Overall the hydrograph
gets flattened
• However the volume of
runoff remains the same.

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 S-curve Method for Derivation of mD hr UH from
available D hr UH

 S-Curve Method
– is suitable when m is a fraction (it also works for integers)
– to use this method a D hr UH should be available

S-curve
– The S-curve (also known as S-hydrograph)
is a hydrograph produced by a continuous effective rainfall of
D hr at a constant rate for an infinite period.
– S-curve is obtained by summation of an infinite series of D-hr
UH spaced D-hr apart.

Construction of S-curve

SA

If Tb is base period of the UH, addition

of only Tb/D unit hydrographs are
sufficient to obtain the S-curve.

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 S-curve
• This S-curve is due to a D-hr UH.
• It has an initial steep portion and
reaches a maximum equilibrium
discharge at a time equal to the time
base of the first UH.

• The average intensity of ER

producing the S-curve is 1/D cm/h
the equilibrium discharge is

where A is area Km2 ; D is duration in hrs

S-curve Construction

S-curve Method

SA

If we lag the S-curve by mD hr (say 3h)

and take the difference between the two
S curves (SA-SB), which gives DRH
SB produced by a m cm rainfall excess for
mD hr duration

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 Derivation of mD hr duration Unit Hydrograph
from available D hr UH
• (SA-SB) will give the DRH produced by mD hr duration
storm with a rainfall excess equal to m cm (≈ )

• Thus the ordinate difference (SA-SB) divided by (or m)

results in a UH of mD hr duration.

S curves lagged by 3 hr duration

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Time hr SA-SB 3 hr UH
0 0.0 0.0
3 20.0 40.0
6 32.5 65.0 UH of 3 hr duration
9 52.5 105.0
12 67.5 135.0
15 100 200
18 95.0 190.0 After getting the difference of SA-SB
21 77.5 155.0
24 65.0 130.0
The ordinates of 3 hr UH
27 55.0 110.0 = (SA-SB)/(mD/D)
30 50.0 100.0 = (SA-SB)/0.5
33 32.5 65.0
36 30.0 60.0
in this case (mD/D) = 3/6=0.5
39 20.0 40.0
42 16.3 32.5
45 15.0 30.0

48 12.5 25.0
51 10.0 20.0
54 7.5 15.0
57 5 10.0
60 3.5 7.0
63 2 4.0
66 1 2.0
69 0.0 0.0

Example: Derive 12 hr UH from the 6 hr UH

S curves lagged by 12 hr duration

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 UH of 12 hr duration
From actual S curves
Time SA-SB (from S 12 hr UH
After getting the difference of hr curve graph) ordinates (SA-SB)/2
(SA-SB), the ordinates of 12 hr 0 0 0
UH 6

= (SA-SB)/ (mD/D) 12 178 89

18
24 335 167.5
in this case (mD/D) = 12/6 =2
30
36 171 85.5
42
48 64 32
54
60 25 12.5
66
72 2 1
78
84 0 0

What happens when mD hr unit hydrograph is derived from D hr unit

hydrograph in case of m is an integer and m is a fraction ?

? Now
Check the volume of
runoff from each UH?
Are they equal?

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 Special Cases
- Distribution Graphs
- SCS Dimensionless UH
- SCS triangular UH

Distribution Graph
• The distribution graph introduced by
Bernard(1935) is a variation of the UH.

• It is a D-hr UH with ordinates showing the

percentage of the surface runoff occurring
in successive periods of D-hr.
– The base period of the UH is divided into
number of uniform time periods each equal
to the duration of the UH.
– The % of surface runoffs are drawn as
regular bars against the time periods.
Fig. A 4-hr distribution graph

• Applications of Distribution Graphs

‒ Distribution Graphs are useful to generate a DRH for a known Effective
Rainfall (the procedure is similar to that of a UH)
‒ Distribution Graphs are useful to compare the runoff characteristics of
different catchments.

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 Example
A catchment of 200 ha area has received a rainfall of 7.5cm, 2.0cm and
5.0cm in three consecutive days.
The average φ-index is estimated as 2.5 cm/day.
Distribution graph percentages of the surface runoff which extended over
6 days for every rainfall of 1-day duration are 5, 15, 40, 25, 10 & 5.
Determine the ordinates of the discharge hydrograph by neglecting
the base flow.

Solution: Runoff Distribution:

Avg. Distributed runoff
Time distributi for rainfall excess Runoff
Rainfall Effective Interval on
Infiltration of
Day (cm) rainfall (days) ratio
loss (cm) m3/s
(cm) (%) 5cm 0 2.5cm cm (×10-2)
1 7.5 2.5 5.0 0-1 5 0.25 0.25 5.79
2 2 2.5 0 1-2 15 0.75 0 0.75 17.36
3 5 2.5 2.5 2-3 40 2 0 0.125 2.125 49.19
3-4 25 1.25 0 0.375 1.625 37.62
Catchment area
4-5 10 0.5 0 1 1.5 34.72
A = 200 ha= 200x104 m2
5-6 5 0.25 0 0.625 0.875 20.25
6-7 0 0 0 0.25 0.25 5.79
7-8 0 0.125 0.125 2.89
8-9 0 0 0
Runoff of 1 cm per day =10-2 ×(200×104)/(86400) m3/s
=23.148×10-2 m3/s

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 SCS Triangular Unit Hydrograph
• The values of Qp and Tp may be estimated using a simplified model
of triangular UH.
tr
Qp = peak discharge in m3/s
tr = duration of effective rainfall/duration of UH, hr
Tp = time to peak, hr Tp =(tr/2)+tp
tp = lag time, hr
Tb = base length, hr

• SCS suggested that For small watershed,

where tc = time of concentration (hrs),

which is related to tp ,

A = catchment area in km2

Example
Develop a 30 minutes SCS triangular UH for a watershed of an area 550 ha
and time of concentration 50 minutes. tr

Solution:
Given: A = 550 ha =5.5 km2;

tc = 50 min = 0.833 h;

tp = 0.6 tc = 0.6×0.833 = 0.5h

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 SCS dimensionless Unit Hydrograph
• It is another kind of synthetic UH based on study of a large
number of unit hydrographs over different regions.
• In this SUH plot
– the ordinate is (Q/Qp), which is the discharge Q expressed as
a ratio to the peak discharge Qp and
– the abscissa is (t/Tp), which is the time t expressed as a ratio
to the time to peak Tp

By definition
Q/QP = 1.0 when t/TP = 1

SCS dimensionless Unit Hydrograph

• The coordinates of the SCS dimensionless UH

t/Tp Q/Qp t/Tp Q/Qp t/Tp Q/Qp

0 0 1.1 0.98 2.8 0.098

0.1 0.015 1.2 0.92 3 0.074
0.2 0.075 1.3 0.84 3.5 0.036
0.3 0.16 1.4 0.75 4 0.018
0.4 0.28 1.5 0.66 4.5 0.009
0.5 0.43 1.6 0.56 5 0.004
0.6 0.6 1.8 0.42
0.7 0.77 2 0.32
0.8 0.89 2.2 0.24
This helps for further use in developing
0.9 0.97 2.4 0.18 SUHs for ungauged watersheds
(in place of Snyder's equations)
1 1 2.6 0.13

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 Uses of hydrographs
• Development of flood hydrographs for extreme rainfall
magnitudes for use in the design of hydraulic structures

• Extension of flood-flow records based on rainfall records

• Development of flood forecasting and warning systems based

on rainfall.

Limitations of hydrographs
• It assumes uniform distribution of rainfall over the catchment.

• Intensity of rainfall is assumed constant for the duration of the rainfall

excess.

• Precipitation must be from rainfall only. Snow-melt runoff cannot be

satisfactorily represented by unit hydrograph.

• The catchment should not have unusually large storages (like tanks,
ponds, large flood-bank storages, etc.), which may affect the line
relationship between storage and discharge.

• For derivation of a Unit hydrograph the upper limit of basin area is 5000
km2 and lower limit is 2 km2 (or 200 ha).

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