WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
NORMAL ROAD, BALIWASAN, ZAMBOANGA CITY

REPORT IN CE 145
(HYDROLOGY)

3.4 Derivation of UH: COLLINS

METHOD

PREPARED BY:

JHASSA ANNE S. CAMBALON

(BSCE 4A)

SUBMITTED TO:

DR. JESSICA MARIA PAZ S. CASIMIRO

(CE145 Instructor)
 Sherman (1932) first proposed the unit hydrograph concept. 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 to as the effective
duration, defines and labels the particular unit hydrograph. The unit volume
is usually considered to be associated with 1 cm (1 inch) of effective rainfall
distributed uniformly over the basin area. (Ramrez, J. A., 2000)

Collins Method
Assume that the unit hydrograph has four ordinates, viz., U1, U2, U3,
and U4, corresponding to t values equal to T, 2T, 3T and 4T; and there are
three periods of time T of excess rainfall, viz., PE1, PE2, and PE3 with P E2
representing the maximum rainfall volume.
Let: Ui = ordinates of UH; Qi = ordinates of a direct surface runoff hydrograph;
and i= an integer value for an ordinate.

Q1 =PEI U1
Q2 = PEIU2 + PE2U1
Q3 =PEIU3 + PE2U2+ PE3U1
Q4 =PEIU4 + PE2U3+ PE3U2
Collins introduced a method of successive approximation to obtain a
unique solution of the set of equations (Collins, 1939: Quoted from Chow et
al., 1988) as shown above.
Computations for other Q values can be done in a similar manner. For a
gauged catchment, a unit hydrograph can be derived using Collins method,
according to the following steps:
(I) Derive the flood hydrographs for major flood events from stream flow

(II) Estimate the direct surface runoff by separating the base-flow, using a suitable
approach, from the total hydrograph.
(III) Estimate the average rainfall hyetograph.
(IV) Compute the effective rainfall hydrograph by separating the losses from the
total rainfall hyetograph.
(V) Ignore the terms in the equation that contain the maximum rainfall [P E2, termed
PE (MAX)].
(VI) Assume a first trial unit hydrograph, i.e., a set of U-values, which appears
reasonable. To this end, use either constant value for unit hydrograph ordinates or
single division procedure for the first estimate of unit hydrograph. The number of
unit hydrograph ordinates can be determined using the following relation:
Periods in unit hydrograph base = (Periods in direct surface runoff base number
of periods of excess rainfall blocks) + 1. Arrange this set of values in Col. 3 of
Table 1.
(VII) Apply the initial trial unit hydrograph to all periods of excess rainfall except PE
and determine the resulting hydrograph, as shown in Columns 2 through 4 of Table
1.
(VIII) Deduct the sum of PEiUi from the actual direct surface runoff hydrograph
ordinates, and estimate the runoff from the maximum rainfall P E (MAX), as shown in
Column 6 of Table 1. Retain only those values having the term P E (MAX) as the
resultant DSRO is the response of PE (MAX).
(IX) Divide the ordinates computed at step (VIII) by PE and obtain another estimate
of the unit hydrograph ordinates, as shown in Column 7.

(X)Compare the derived unit hydrograph ordinates (U ic) with the original trial
ordinates (Ui).

(XI) If the comparison is not satisfactory, take an average of the unit hydrograph
ordinates of the first trial for computing unit hydrograph values for the second trial,
as given below:

MU i NU ic
U
M N
Eq. (1)

Where, M= total excess rainfall (= PE1 + PE2 + . . .) except PE (MAX), and

N = PE (MAX). Equation (1) ensures that the trial ordinates of the unit hydrograph
correspond to the unit runoff volume. Note that the unit runoff volume can be any
multiple of 1 mm. The conversion factor (F) is applied as shown in Column 9 of Table
1. It is computed as follows:

F
U i

U ic
Eq. (2)
U ic
Where, X q is the sum of trial unit hydrograph ordinates, and is the sum
computed unit hydrograph ordinates falling between the limits of P E (MAX) influence.

(XII)Repeat step (VII) to (XI) until the calculated unit hydrograph agrees with the
trial unit hydrograph.
TABLE 1: Collins Method
EXAMPLE #1:
 The excess rainfall and surface runoff ordinates for a storm of typical
catchment of 170,000 ha are given below. Derive a 6-hr 100 mm unit hydrograph
using Collins Method.

Time qi
Pei
Period (m3/s/6hr
(mm)
(6hr) )
1 40 250
2 100 1050
3 60 2050
4 4350
5 4150
6 2300
7 1070
8 450
9 120
Table 1.1: Data for Example #1

SOLUTION:

Number of DSRO Periods = 9

Rainfall Periods = 3

Total Period of UH= (9-3) + 1 = 7 (6-hr periods) (see STEP VI)

10,000m 2
170,000ha 1,700,000,000m 2 1700 10 6 m 2
ha
Area=
ExcessRa inf all 40 60 100 200mm 0.2m
Total Surface Runoff =
2
10,000m 1m
170,000 (200mm ) 340,000,000m 3 340 10 6 m 3
ha 1000mm

1m
1700 10 6 m 2 1mm 1.7 10 m
6 3

1000 mm
Unit Runoff per 1 mm =
1m
1700 10 6 m 2 100mm 170 10 m
6 3

1000mm
Unit Runoff per 100 mm =
1m
1700 10 6 m 2 200mm 340 10 m
6 3

1000 mm
Unit Runoff per 200 mm =

Since Unit Hydrograph of 100 mm is to be developed:

PE1 = 40 mm = 0.4
PE(MAX) = 100 mm = 1.0
PE2 = 60 mm = 0.6
FIRST TRIAL:
Magnitude of Ordinates:
Total Period UH= 7 x 6hr = 42 hr

170 10 6 m 3
Ui 1125m 3 / sec
3600 sec
42hr
1hr

The tabulations were done in MS Excel for precise computations.

TABLE 2: TRIAL 1 of UH Derivation using Collins Method

Using the formula given from Table 1, we derived the tabulations for the first
trial shown in Table 2.
Column 1 presents the time steps and Column 2 presents the excess rainfall
values which are divided by 100 and the resulting values are shown in Column 3.
Column 4 presents the trial unit hydrograph ordinates and computations of direct
surface runoff hydrograph from PE1 and PE2 values of Column 3. The respective sum
of ordinates which is the response of PE1 and PE2 is shown in Column 5. Column 6
presents the actual observed direct surface runoff and the difference of Column 6
and Column 5. Colum 7 lists the values of Column 6 divided by P E(MAX), yields the
ordinates of the 100 mm unit hydrograph derived from only P E(MAX).
The first negative value of Row 1 Column 7 is excluded because of the P E(MAX)
starts from second time-step onwards only. Since these ordinates deviate far from
the trial values, rainfall weighted ordinate values are computed and represented in
Column 8.
Using the formula in Eq. 1 to derive the values for Column (8):

MU i NU ic

M N

Where:

M= total excess rainfall (=PE1+PE2+) except PE(MAX)

N= PE(MAX)
Ui= represents the ordinates in Column (4)
Uic= Values under Column (7)

MU i NU ic (1.0)(1125) (1.0)(600)
863m 3 / sec
M N 11

8273
F 1.05
1125(7)
Using formula in Equation 2 for conversion Factor:

The ordinates of Column 8 are divided by the conversion factor

resulting in Column 9 for adjusted .
TABLE 3: Trial 2 of UH Derivation using Collins Method

Using the formula given from Table 1, we derived the tabulations for
the second trial shown in Table 3. In this case, the adjusted of the first trial
will be the new set of magnitude of ordinates (See Row above Column 4) of the
second trial. The same process from the previous table also applies here.
Thus, the summation of i or ( i) is equals 7874.2947 m3/s and the
conversion factor is 1.02. (Solution below, refer to Table 3)
Using the formula in Eq. 1 to derive the values for Column (8):

MU i NU ic

M N

Where:

M= total excess rainfall (=PE1+PE2+) except PE(MAX)

N= PE(MAX)
Ui= represents the ordinates in Column (4)
Uic= Values under Column (7)

MU i NU ic (1.0)(821) (1.0)(659.700816)
740.m 3 / sec
M N 11

8003
F 1.02
7874.2947
Using formula in Equation 2 for conversion Factor:

TABLE 4: TRIAL 3 of UH Derivation using Collins Method

Using the formula given from Table 1, we derived the tabulations for
the first trial shown in Table 4. In this case the adjusted of the second trial
will be the new set of magnitude of ordinates ( See Row above Column 4) of the
third trial. The same process from the previous table also applies here. Thus,
the summation of i or ( i) is equals 7876.0799 m3/s and the conversion
factor is 1.01. (Solution below, refer to Table 4)
Using the formula in Eq. 1 to derive the values for Column (8):

MU i NU ic

M N

Where:

M= total excess rainfall (=PE1+PE2+) except PE(MAX)

N= PE(MAX)
Ui= represents the ordinates in Column (4)
Uic= Values under Column (7)
MU i NU ic (1.0)( 729) (1.0)(714.4584573)
722.m 3 / sec
M N 11

7940
F 1.01
7876.0799
Using formula in Equation 2 for conversion Factor:
PLOTTING THE UH
You could make as many trials as possible because Collins Method is a
trial and error approach. This method could show the line of best fit for Unit
Hydrograph derivation. The last step in this method is to graph the Adjusted
of all the trials (Trials 1-3) including the observed or actual discharge data
(see Table 1.1).
Below is the graph representing UH derivation using Collins Method.
 Figure 1: UH Derived using Collins Method
References:
Chow, V.T., Maidment, D.R., and Mays, L.W. (1988). Applied Hydrology McGraw- Hill,
Inc., Singapore.

Ojha, C.S.P., Berndtsson, R., Bhunya, P. (2008). Derivation of UH. Chapter 3 Hyetograph and
Hydrograph Analysis: Engineering Hydrology. Oxford University Press

Ramrez, J. A., 2000: Prediction and Modeling of Flood Hydrology and Hydraulics. Chapter 11
of Inland Flood Hazards: Human, Riparian and Aquatic Communities Eds. Ellen Wohl;
Cambridge University Press.

Salim, Najim O. AL- Gazali Unit Hydrograph, New approach Civil Engineering Department,
Babylon University
Sherman, L. K. (1932). Streamflow from Rainfall by the Unit Graph Method. Eng. News
Rec., 108, 501-505.