Calculation of Overland Sheet Flow Travel Time

Using the Manning Kinematic Equation - S.I. units

Inputs Calculations
Manning Roughness Overland Flow Time
Coefficient, n =
0.15
Travel, t
1
=
32.9 min
Length of Flow Path, L =
25 m
2 yr, 24 hr rainfall, P =
120 mm
Ground Slope, S =
0.0004
Calculation of Shallow Concentrated Flow Travel Time
Using the NCRS Method - S.I. units
Inputs Calculations
Length of Flow Path, L =
30 m For unpaved surface:
Ground Slope, S =
0.0004
Flow Velocity, V =
0.098356 m/s
Travel time, t
2
=
5.1 min
For paved surface:
Flow Velocity, V =
0.12392 m/s
Travel time, t
2
=
4.0 min
Calculation of Channnel Flow Travel Time
Using the Manning Equation - S.I. units
For a Trapezoidal Channel Cross-section
Inputs Calculations
Bottom width, b =
0.7 m
Cross-Sect. Area, A =
0.76
m
2
Depth of flow, y =
0.4 m
Wetted Perimeter, P =
3.2 m
Side Slope, z =
3
Hydraulic Radius, R =
0.24 mm
( H:V = z:1 )
Discharge, Q =
0.23
m
3
/s
Manning roughness, n =
0.022
Ave. Velocity, V =
0.300 m/s
Channel bottom slope, S =
0.0003 m/m
Channel travel time, t
3
=
1.4 min
Length of Flow Path, L =
25 m
Calculation of Time of Concentration
( t
c
= t
1
+ t
2
+ t
3
)
Inputs ( values from above) Calculations
t
1
=
32.9 min
t
c
=
37.5 min
t
2
=
5.1 min
t
3
=
1.4 min
t
1
= overland sheet flow runoff travel time, min
n = Manning roughness coefficient, dimensionless
L = length of the flow path, m (Max. L should be 100 m)
P = 2 year, 24 hr rainfall, mm
S = ground slope, m/m
Equations for NCRS Method for Shallow Concentrated Flow
t
2
= L/(60V)
for unpaved surface: V = 4.9178S
0.5
for paved surface: V = 6.1960S
0.5
where: t
2
= shallow concentrated flow runoff travel time, min
L = length of the flow path, m
V = shallow concentrated flow velocity, m/sec
S = surface slope, m/m
V = Q/A
R = A/P
t
3
= L/(60V)
Where:
Q = channel flow rate, m
3
/s
V = average velocity of flow, m/s
A = channel cross-sectional area, m
2
P = wetted perimeter of channel, m
S = channel bottom slope, m/m
n = Manning roughness coefficient for channel
L = Length of flow path, m
t
3
= travel time for channel flow, min