College of Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

HYDROLOGY
May 2, 2024, Thursday, 1:00PM-2:00PM

To be submitted to:

DR. EUGENIA L. LAGMAY, FPSSE, FWEAP

CE, SE, MSSE, EDD

Professional Lecturer

To be submitted by:

KYLA ANGELA E. LIBERATO

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OUTLINE

I. DEFINITION OF HYDROGRAPH
II. TYPES OF HYDROGRAPH AND COMPONENTS
III. HYDROGRAPH SEPARATION
IV. UNIT HYDROGRAPH
V. ESTIMATION OF DISCHARGE USING UNIT HYDROGRAPH
VI. RATIONAL FORMULA
VII. SCS CURVE METHOD

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I. DEFINITION OF HYDROGRAPH

Hydrographs, as fundamental tools in hydrology, provide invaluable insights into the

dynamic behavior of water systems over time. Delving into the specifics, let's consider
the data meticulously gathered at the US Geological Survey's gaging station nestled
along the banks of the Tioga River in the scenic landscape of Mansfield, Pennsylvania.
These hydrographs, meticulously plotted and scrutinized, serve as vivid snapshots
capturing the ebb and flow of water dynamics within this particular riverine ecosystem.

However, the utility of hydrographs transcends the realm of streams; they extend their
applicability to diverse aquatic environments. Beyond the rushing currents of rivers,
hydrographs can be tailored to depict the nuanced behaviors of water bodies such as
tranquil lakes, subsurface aquifers accessed through water wells, the ephemeral bursts
of springs, and beyond. By encapsulating temporal variations in water levels, discharge
rates, or other pertinent hydrological parameters, hydrographs facilitate a comprehensive
understanding of the complex interplay between natural processes and human
interactions with water resources.

Through their graphical portrayal, hydrographs not only offer a retrospective glance at
historical trends but also serve as invaluable predictive tools, enabling informed decision-
making in water resource management, flood forecasting, and environmental
conservation efforts. Thus, amidst the intricacies of hydrological science, hydrographs
stand as indispensable instruments, illuminating the ever-evolving narrative of our

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planet's hydrological cycle.

II. TYPES OF HYDROGRAPH AND COMPONENTS

A. TYPES OF HYDROGRAPH

Unit Hydrograph: A Unit Hydrograph represents the hypothetical response of a watershed

to a unit input of rainfall, typically one inch over a specific duration, such as 24 hours. It's
used to estimate the runoff hydrograph for different storm events by scaling the unit
hydrograph to the actual rainfall depth and duration.

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Storm Hydrograph: A Storm Hydrograph depicts the variation in streamflow resulting from
a specific storm event. It illustrates the rise and fall of streamflow levels in response to
precipitation, showing the hydrological response of a watershed during and after a storm.

Snyder’s Synthetic Unit Hydrograph: Snyder's Synthetic Unit Hydrograph is a method

used to develop a synthetic unit hydrograph for a watershed based on its physical
characteristics, such as drainage area, shape, and land use. It's a tool for estimating
runoff hydrographs in watersheds lacking observed hydrological data.

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 B. COMPONENTS OF HYDROGRAPH

Rising Limb: Marks the initial phase of increasing streamflow after precipitation or
snowmelt. During this period, runoff accumulates in the watershed, causing a gradual rise
in river or stream discharge.

Falling Limb or Recession Limb: This phase follows the peak discharge, showing the
decline in streamflow as excess water either flows downstream or infiltrates the ground,
causing water levels to recede.

Peak Discharge: Represents the maximum flow rate observed during a storm or flood
event. It's vital for flood assessment, hydraulic structure design, and flood management
planning.

Lag Time: The interval between peak rainfall intensity and peak discharge in the
hydrograph. It reflects the delay between precipitation and the resulting peak flow,
influenced by watershed characteristics, soil properties, and antecedent conditions.
Understanding lag time aids in predicting peak flows, assessing flood risk, and designing
flood warning systems.

III. HYDROGRAPH SEPARATION

Hydrograph separation is a method used to dissect a total streamflow hydrograph into its

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individual components: baseflow and direct runoff. This process is crucial in hydrology for
understanding the dynamics of water movement within a watershed, particularly the
contributions of surface runoff and groundwater to streamflow. Here's a more detailed
explanation:

Baseflow: represents the portion of streamflow that is sustained between storm events,
primarily derived from groundwater sources. It slowly infiltrates into the stream channel
over time, contributing to baseflow during dry periods when there's minimal or no surface
runoff.

Direct Runoff: also known as stormflow or quickflow, comprises the portion of streamflow
generated directly by precipitation or snowmelt during storm events. This runoff occurs
when the rainfall intensity exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil or when the ground
is already saturated, leading to surface runoff.

IV. UNIT HYDROGRAPH

The unit hydrograph is a widely recognized and frequently employed empirical model that
describes the relationship between direct runoff and excess precipitation. Initially
proposed by Sherman in 1932, it defines the outflow from a basin resulting from a uniform
unit of direct runoff generated over the drainage area at a consistent rainfall rate during a

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specified rainfall duration. The fundamental premise of the unit hydrograph is the linearity
of the runoff process, where runoff for any amount greater or lesser than one unit is a
simple multiple of the unit runoff hydrograph.

To compute the direct runoff hydrograph using a unit hydrograph, the software utilizes a
discrete representation of excess precipitation. This representation involves identifying a
"pulse" of excess precipitation for each time interval. Subsequently, it solves a discrete
convolution equation for a linear system to determine the resulting runoff.

In the given equation, Qn represents the ordinate of the storm hydrograph at time nΔt,
while Pm signifies the excess rainfall depth during the time interval from mΔt to (m+1)Δt.
M denotes the total count of discrete rainfall pulses. Additionally, Un−m+1 stands for the
ordinate of the unit hydrograph at time (n-m+1)Δt. It's important to note that Qn and Pm
are measured in flow rate and depth respectively, whereas Un−m+1 has dimensions of
flow rate per unit depth.

V. ESTIMATION OF DISCHARGE USING UNIT HYDROGRAPH

Estimating discharge using a unit hydrograph involves a methodical approach

commonly applied in hydrology. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Unit Hydrograph: A unit hydrograph represents the response of a watershed to a unit

input of rainfall, typically one inch (or one millimeter) of rainfall spread evenly over the
watershed and occurring uniformly over a specified period, often 24 hours. It illustrates
how runoff from this unit input of rainfall is distributed over time.

2. Derivation of Unit Hydrograph:

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  Unit hydrographs are developed from observed or synthetic hydrographs of a
watershed in response to known unit inputs of rainfall.
 Historical rainfall-runoff data for a watershed is analyzed to create a unit
hydrograph that characterizes the watershed's response.

3. Characteristics of Unit Hydrograph:

 Time Base: Duration of effective rainfall or time over which the unit input of rainfall
produces runoff.
 Peak Flow: Maximum flow rate of runoff from the watershed in response to the unit
input of rainfall.
 Shape: Distribution of runoff over time, indicating buildup and recession.

4. Application in Estimating Discharge:

 Once a unit hydrograph is developed for a watershed, it can be used to estimate

the runoff hydrograph for any given rainfall event in that watershed.
 Convolution is applied, where the unit hydrograph is scaled to match the total depth
of rainfall for the event and convolved with the actual rainfall hyetograph (graphical
representation of rainfall intensity over time).
 This process yields the runoff hydrograph, from which discharge can be estimated
by converting runoff hydrograph ordinates into flow rates at various time intervals.

5. Assumptions and Limitations:

 Assumes linearity in the relationship between rainfall and runoff.

 Assumes watershed's response to rainfall remains constant over time, which may
not always hold true.
 Applicability may vary depending on watershed characteristics and accuracy of
 unit hydrograph derivation.

Unit hydrograph-based methods provide a simplified yet effective means of estimating

runoff and discharge, particularly for practical engineering applications such as flood
forecasting, watershed management, and hydraulic infrastructure design.

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VI. RATIONAL FORMULA

Unit equivalents for Rational Equation calculation are: ft³ (cubic foot), m³ (cubic meter),
mm (millimeter), and s (second).

The Rational equation, a straightforward approach for determining peak discharge from
drainage basin runoff, is less complex than methods like SCS TR-55, yet it remains widely
used for sizing sewer systems.

In the Rational Equation: \(Q = ciA\), the following units are utilized:

- \(Q\) represents Peak discharge, measured in cfs (cubic feet per second).

- \(c\) denotes the Rational method runoff coefficient.

- \(i\) stands for Rainfall intensity, in inches per hour.

- \(A\) signifies Drainage area, measured in acres.

It's important to note that our calculation accommodates various units.

The Rational method runoff coefficient (\(c\)) depends on factors such as soil type and
drainage basin slope. A simplified table is provided below. For more comprehensive
tables, including slope impact, refer to the cited references.

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Rainfall intensity (\(i\)) is typically obtained from Intensity/Duration/Frequency curves
specific to the region of interest. Duration usually matches the time of concentration of
the drainage area. Storm frequency, such as 10-year, 25-year, 50-year, or 100-year
events, is typically determined by local authorities based on development impact.

VII. SCS CURVE METHOD

Surface runoff poses a significant environmental challenge in the Rib Watershed. Thus,
this research aims to estimate runoff by integrating geospatial data with the Soil
Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) model within the watershed. Rainfall,
land use, land cover, hydrologic soil group, maximum soil water retention, and CN values
underwent processing using ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine software. The model's validity
was assessed using the coefficient of determination (R²) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency
(NSE). The R² values of 0.9861, 0.9508, and 0.9136, alongside NSE values of 0.7, 0.68,
and 0.6 for the years 2018, 2020, and 2022, respectively, confirm the model's strong
performance. Results indicate runoff ranging from 497 mm/year to 1,258 mm/year.
Consequently, elevated runoff is observed primarily in Farta and Debre Tabor, with some
areas in Lay Gayint, Fogera, and Kemkem districts also experiencing high runoff. This
may lead to decreased soil moisture, diminished surface and groundwater levels, reduced
crop yield and fodder production, and decreased land productivity, impacting food security
and the overall livelihoods of the community in the region. Hence, strategic watershed

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management practices, focusing on identified runoff hotspot areas, are imperative for
effective conservation efforts.

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REFERENCES:

- What is a hydrograph?. geology. (n.d.).

https://geology.com/articles/hydrograph.shtml
- Mohdsuhel. (2023, July 11). What is hydrograph, types of hydrograph and
components. CivilMint.Com. https://civilmint.com/what-is-hydrograph/
- Vyas, S. (2023, December 6). Introduction of Hydrograph. CivilDetail.
https://civildetail.com/introduction-of-
hydrograph/#:~:text=The%20elements%20of%20a%20hydrograph%20are%20th
e%20various,base%20flow%20elements%20and%20the%20storm%20flow%20e
lements.
- Unit Hydrograph Basic Concepts. (n.d.).
https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/confluence/hmsdocs/hmstrm/transform/unit-
hydrograph-basic-concepts
- Rational equation calculation, Q=CIA. (n.d.).
https://www.lmnoeng.com/Hydrology/rational.php

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