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HYDROGRAPH
Hydrograph
Definition: A plot or listing that
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Streamflow Hydrograph
Discharge (cfs))
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Time (hr)
Hydrograph
A hydrograph is a continuous graph showing the
properties of stream flow with respect to time.
Normally obtained by means of a continuous strip
recorder that indicates stage versus time, and is
then transformed to a discharge hydrograph by
application of a rating curve.
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Discharge Hydrograph
Stage Hydrograph
Stage-Discharge Curve
or Rating Curve
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PartsofaHydrograph
Ahydrographconsistsofthreeparts:
RisingLimb
CrestorPeak
FallingLimb
RecessionCurve
D
Discharge (m3/s)
3
Overland
flow
2
mm
4
Through flow
3
2
Base flow
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Discharge
D
(m3/s)
12
24
36
48
30
72
D
Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
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Discharge in m3/s, as a
line graph
Discharge
D
(m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
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D
Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
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Peak flow
Peak flow
Maximum discharge in
the river
Discharge
D
(m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
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Peak flow
D
Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
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Peak flow
Discharge
D
(m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
72
Peak flow
D
Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4
3
2
12
24
36
48
30
72
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Base flow
Discharge
D
(m3/s)
Normal discharge of
the river
2
mm
4
3
2
Base flow
12
24
36
48
30
72
Overland flow
Peak flow
Through flow
D
Discharge (m3/s)
Overland
flow
Storm Flow
mm
4
Through flow
3
2
Base flow
12
24
36
48
30
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tc
Discharge (cfs)
1000
tp
tr
800
600
400
tb
200
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Time (hr)
Lag time, L
Time to peak, tp
Time of concentration, tc
Recession time, tr
Time base, tb
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Hydrograph
Lag Time (L) Difference in time between the center of
Hydrograph
Streamflow hydrograph is a combination
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ComponentsofHydrograph
The stream flow that is measured at a gauging station
d constitutes
tit t a hydrograph,
h d
h normally
ll consists
i t off
and
four components.
Channel Precipitation
Direct runoff
Interflow or Subsurface flow
Groundwater flow or base flow
Hydrograph
Channel precipitation. It is the amount of
precipitation
that
i it ti
th t falls
f ll directly
di tl on the
th
stream. Since this amount is usually very
small as compared to the stream flow it is
neglected.
Direct Runoff. The direct runoff is the
ff which
hi h flows
fl
b
th
componentt off runoff
above
the
ground surface after all losses. This flow
forms the major part of any ordinate of the
hydrograph.
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Hydrograph
Flow It is that part
Interflow or Subsurface Flow.
of infiltrated water which flows, laterally in
the upper strata below the ground surface
and it reaches the stream a couple of days
after the storm. Normally it is difficult to
distinguish
direct
di ti
i h between
b t
di t runoff
ff and
d
interflow, because the later reaches the
stream very quickly. Hence interflow is
combined with direct runoff.
Hydrograph
Groundwater
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SeparationofHydrographComponents
StraightLineMethod
FixedBaseLengthMethod
VariableSlopeMethod
Recession Curve Equation
MethodsofBaseFlowSeparation
g
(
)
StraightLineMethod(AE)
FixedBaseLengthMethod(ABDE)
VariableSlopeMethod(ABCE)
2
N=A0.2
(N:days,A:mile )
N=6.59A0.2 (N:hours,A:acres)
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FixedBaseLengthMethod
The base flow existing before the storm is
projected
down to a p
point directlyy under the
p
j
hydrograph crest. Then a straight line is used to
connect the projection to the fall limb N days later.
N is determined by inspection or by rule of thumb
equations:
2
N=A0.2
(N:days,A:mile )
0 2 (N:hours,A:acres)
N=6.59A
N 6 59A0.2
(N:hours A:acres)
VariableSlopeMethod
Based on the assumption that the shape of the
base flow curve before the storm will match the
shape
off the
flow
h
h base
b
fl curve after
f the
h storm. Base
B
flow curve after the storm is projected back under
the hydrograph to a point under the inflection
point of the falling limb. The separation line
under the rising limb is drawn arbitrarily
inflection assumed to mark the time at
Point of inflectionassumed
which the surface inflow to the channel system
ceases. After the point of inflection, the recession
curve represents withdrawal of water from the
basin.
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PhysiographicFactorsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Size of the catchment
H d
h off smaller
ll
i
d
Hydrograph
area rises
and
recedes to peak more rapidly than for a
larger catchment area. Larger is more
heterogeneous in nature.
Shape of the catchment area
Time of concentration depends upon the
shape.
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PhysiographicFactorsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Catchment Elevation. Variation in temperature
and precipitation. In IndoPak subcontinent,
snowmelt at 15,000 ft. (above m.s.l) altitude. Low
peak and broader base.
Catchment Slope. Rate of infiltration and surface
runoff affected.
Channel Slope. Steeper channel slope gives rapid
rise in hydrograph.
Miscellaneous factors. Man made changes like
dams,
barrages,
forest
developments,
urbanization, etc
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StormCharacteristicsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Seasonal distribution of rainfall. Summer high
g
losses of evapotranspiration may produce small
hydrograph peak for even high intensity rainfall.
Rainfall Intensity. Higher intensity storm will
produce a rapid rise in hydrograph with a higher
peak.
Duration
D ti off rainfall.
i f ll Duration
D ti as compared
d to
t time
ti
of concentration is important. For longer
durations whole of area contributes and peak rate
will be maintained.
StormCharacteristicsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Storm distribution over area. Two storms of same
intensity may produce different hydrographs if
they are distributed differently over the area.
Direction of movement of storm. The peak
discharge will be more if the storm is moving
towards g
gauging
g g station,, and there will be lag
g if it
is moving away.
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TwoStormHydrograph
UNITHYDROGRAPH
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UnitHydrographTheory
Sherman(1932)firstproposedtheunithydrograph
concept
concept.
WhatisUnitHydrographTheory?
Giventwoevenlydistributedrainfalleventsover
anentirewatershed
Theresponsehydrographsofthewatershedwill
havesimilarcharacteristics
Theonlydifferencewillbeinthemagnitudeof
theflows
UnitHydrographTheory
Storm Hydrograph (4 inches)
400
350
300
Flow
250
200
150
100
50
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
Time
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UnitHydrographTheory
Storm Hydrograph (4 inches vs 2 inches)
400
350
300
Flow
250
200
150
100
50
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
Time
UnitHydrographTheory
Hydrograph Characteristics
400
350
300
Flow
250
200
150
100
50
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
Time
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UnitHydrographTheory
The Unit Hydrograph (UH) of a watershed is
defined as the direct runoff hydrograph
resulting from a unit volume of excess rainfall of
constant intensity and uniformly distributed
over the drainage area. The duration of the unit
volume of excess or effective rainfall, sometimes
referred
duration.
The
f
d to as the
h effective
ff i
d
i
Th unit
i
volume is usually considered to be associated with
1cm (or 1inch) of effective rainfall distributed
uniformly over the basin area.
UnitHydrographTheory
Unit Hydrograph vs Storm Hydrographs
400
350
300
Flow
250
200
150
100
50
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
Time
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SignificanceofUnitHydrograph
Watersheds response to a given amount
UnitHydrograph
If a given rainfall produces a 1in depth of
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UHGSalients
Hydrograph that results from 1inch (or 1cm)
of excess precipitation (or runoff) spread
uniformly in space and time over a watershed
for a given duration.
The key points :
1inch (or 1cm) of excess precipitation
Excess precipitation spread uniformly over
space evenly over the entire watershed
Excess precipitation spread uniformly in time
excess rate is constant over the time interval
There is a given duration
AssumptionsinUnitHydrograph
Excess precipitation has constant intensity within the
duration
Excess precipitation uniformly distributed over the
entire catchment area
Constant base length (i.e. base time) of direct runoff
for a given duration storm (assumption of uniqueness
or variance)
Ordinates of unit hydrograph are proportional to total
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MethodsofDevelopingUHG
StreamFlowData Aunithydrographis
deri edfromhistoricalrainfall&runoffdata
derivedfromhistoricalrainfall&runoffdata
Synthetically
SnyderMethod(1938)
ClarksTimeAreaMethod(1945)
SCSMethod(1957)
FittedDistributions
Geomorphologic
RulesofThumb
y uniform in nature &
The storm should be fairly
excess precipitation should be equally as uniform
throughout the basin. This may require the initial
conditions throughout the basin to be spatially
similar.
The storm should be relatively constant in time,
periods
meaning
g that there should be no breaks or p
of no precipitation.
The storm should produce at least 1inch ( or 1
cm) of excess precipitation (area under the
hydrograph after correcting for base flow).
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DerivationofUnitHydrograph
Construct stream flow hydrograph from the
il bl data
d
available
Separate the base flow and direct runoff to
obtain direct runoff hydrograph
Obtain excess/effective/net precipitation in
g the direct runoff
inches ((or cm)) byy dividing
volume by watershed area
Ordinates of the unit hydrograph are obtained
by dividing the direct runoff hydrograph
ordinates by the excess precipitation depth
UHGDerivation
25000
Hydrograph
20000
Flow (cfs)
15000
Unit Hydrograph
10000
Base Flow
5000
133
126
119
112
98
105
91
84
77
70
63
56
49
42
35
28
21
14
0
Time (hrs.)
In this example, units of the unit hydrograph would be cfs/inch of excess precipitation
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EXAMPLE
Example6.1(TextbookPage158160)
From the data given in Table 6.1, derive
a 6hour unit hydrograph if this data is
obtained from a sixhour duration
storm and the catchment area is 3,200
square kilometers.
DerivationofHydrographfromaUHG
Once the UHG of certain duration is
determined, it can be used to compute
a hydrograph of the same duration. In
order to derive the hydrograph of same
duration as that of the UHG, we have to
d in reverse to the
h process used
d
proceed
to derive UHG.
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DerivationofHydrographfromaUHG
The procedure will be as follows:
Th UHG off a certain
t i duration
d ti is
i given.
i
1. The
2. Derive the ordinates of direct runoff
hydrograph by multiplying the UHG
ordinates by effective rainfall.
3. Add base flow to the ordinates of direct
runoff hydrograph to get total runoff
hydrograph. The peak of this hydrograph
gives the maximum flow due to the storm.
EXAMPLE
Example6.2(TextbookPage160)
GiventheUHGof4hourduration(Table
h
f h
d
( bl
6.3),calculatetheordinatesoftotalrunoff
hydrographofsamedurationfromanexcess
precipitationof10cm.Assumeconstant
BaseFlowof14m
4 3//sec.
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ApplicationsofUnitHydrograph
OnceaUHisderived,itcanbeused/appliedto
fi ddi t
ff d t
fl h d
h
finddirectrunoffandstreamflowhydrograph
fromotherstormevents.
Flood estimation and prediction
Flood routing through reservoirs or lower reaches
Design of hydraulic structures. Alternative
approach to probable maximum precipitation
(PMP)
Index of catchment characteristics
LimitationsofUnitHydrograph
Satisfaction of all assumptions is difficult
Consistency of results for area exceeding 500
sq miles
Not applicable if snow precipitation
Not applicable if freezing occurs
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SCurve
SCurve
60000.00
50000.00
40000.00
30000.00
20000 00
20000.00
10000.00
120
114
108
96
102
90
84
78
72
66
60
54
48
42
36
30
24
18
0.00
12
Flow (cfs)
Time (hrs.)
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EXAMPLE
Example6.3(TextbookPage162)
Gi
i a unit
i hydrograph
h d
h off 2 hour
h
Given
is
duration (Table 6.5). Derive the 2 hours
duration S Curve.
DerivationofAnyDurationUHG
The procedure for derivation of any required duration
UHG from a given duration UHG is described below:
1. Derive the SCurve (as per procedure explained earlier).
2. Offset the position of the SCurve for a period equal to
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EXAMPLE
Example6.4(TextbookPage165)
Given is unit hydrograph of 2hours
duration (Table 6.5). Find 6hours unit
hydrograph for the same catchment.
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