CHAPTER 2

Fun Facts About Water

In a 100-year period, a water molecule spends 98 years in
the ocean, 20 months as ice, about 2 weeks in lakes and
rivers, and less than 1week in the atmosphere.

All the freshwater flowing in rivers and held in lakes is only

1 percent of the water on Earth.

There is the same amount of water on Earth as there was

when Earth was formed. The water from your faucet could
contain molecules that dinosaurs drank.

The bathroom is the room in the house where the most

water is used.
CHAPTER 2
 CHAPTER 2
PRECIPITATION
PRECIPITATION
TYPE OF PRECIPITATION
TYPE OF PRECIPITATION
TYPE OF PRECIPITATION
CLASSES OF PRECIPITATION
CLASSES OF PRECIPITATION
CLASSES OF PRECIPITATION
FORMATION OF PRECIPITATION
FORMATION OF PRECIPITATION
ANNUAL PRECIPITATION
ACID PRECIPITATION
CONTAMINATION OF PRECIPITATION
TERMS OR MEASUREMENTS
EXAMPLE 2.1

180
SOLUTION 2.1
1.08 = 0.18/(10/60)hr

1.26 = 0.21/(10/60)hr
TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
 TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
Rain Gauges

Record Non- Record

Weighing

Tipping bucket

Float
 TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
Rain gauge
 TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
Non Record
 TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
Weighing gauge
 TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
Tapping Bucket
 TYPE OF RAIN GAUGES
Float Type
 POINT PRECIPITATION
DEW POINT
Dew point is measured by the OUTDOOR HUMIDITY/TEMP SENSOR.
The dew point temperature is derived from the outdoor temperature
and relative humidity measurements.

OUTDOOR HUMIDITY / TEMP SENSOR

 POINT PRECIPITATION
WIND CHILL

Wind chill temperature is measured

by the WIND SENSOR and
OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE
SENSOR. It is calculated from wind
speed and outdoor temperature
measurements by the ULTIMETER
weather station.
 LOCATION

h Rain gage h
75cm or >2h
2-5 ft
 POINT and LOCATION
Ideal Placement of your Gauge

In open areas strive to be twice as far

from obstacles as they are high.

In developed areas strive to be as far

from obstacles as they are high.

In open areas place the gauge top approx.

2 feet off the ground.
Make sure your gauge is level In developed areas place the gauge top
Distance from obstacles approx. 5 feet off the ground
 MISSING DATA

Arithmetic Mean
Quadrant Method
Method

Normal Ratio Method Gage Consistency

Arithmetic Mean
EXAMPLE
Method
Arithmetic Mean
Method

EXAMPLE 2.2

694-69.4 = 624.6
694 + 69.4 = 763.4
 EXAMPLE
Normal Ratio Method
Normal Ratio Method

EXAMPLE 2.3
 EXAMPLE
Quadrant Method
EXAMPLE 2.4
Quadrant Method
 If all station
coordinated in
quadrant, calculate all
station

Draw coordinates in the quadrant

EXAMPLE 2.4
II I
Calculate L2
B
Select one nearest point to A every F
quadrant G
A
( only one point – lower L2 )
D
E
Calculate Wi and WiPi (Table)
C
III IV
Px = Total (WiPi) (Table)
 Quadrant Method

EXAMPLE 2.4

42.5 25.5
ignore

42.66

42.66 mm
 EXAMPLE
Gage Consistency
 EXAMPLE
Gage Consistency

Pa = Px [Ma/Mo]

correction

Px
 EXAMPLE
Gage Consistency
Gage Consistency

EXAMPLE 2.5
 Gage Consistency

EXAMPLE 2.5-
2.5- cont

Calculate point for 1927, 1928, 1929

correction
 Gage Consistency

EXAMPLE 2.5-
2.5- cont
Draw cumm. Rainfall in graph paper
Cul. every year adjusted

Determine years changes to adjust

Cul. New cumm. and draw

Determine the slopes, Ma /Mo

Adjust new slope – adjusted slope

 Gage Consistency

EXAMPLE 2.5-
2.5- cont

[679-148]/[2785-774]

Ma

Mo P1929 = 40.55 + 45.9+38.5+45) = ?

P1928 = (45.9+38.5+45) = ? mm
P1927 = (38.5 + 45) = ? mm
[148-33]/[774-154] P1926 = 45 mm
MEAN AREA PRECIPITATION
Arithmetic Mean
Method

Thiessen Polygon
Method

Isohyetal Method
 Arithmetic Mean
Method

MEAN AREA PRECIPITATION

 Thiessen Polygon
Method

MEAN AREA PRECIPITATION

 Thiessen Polygon
Method

MEAN AREA PRECIPITATION

 Thiessen Polygon
Method

MEAN AREA PRECIPITATION

 Thiessen Polygon
Method

MEAN AREA PRECIPITATION

Draw boundary and stations in the graph
paper (black dotted line)

Connect every station by draw the straight

line ( blue dotted lines)

Construct 90o –perpendicular bisectors

(red solid lines)

Connect each line to forming polygons

Area of polygons in boundary

Thiessen Polygon
Method

EXAMPLE 2.6
EXAMPLE 2.6
Isohyetal Method
 Isohyetal Method

Draw the boundary in the

graph paper

Draw stations precipitation

Start point from the lower

precipitation

Estimate extra point by

draw the line by connect to
each point precipitation

Draw contour lines by scale

unit from boundary to
boundary

Find the area and calculate

(table)
 Isohyetal Method

EXAMPLE 2.7

Column 2
[30+40]/2

Column 1
 Isohyetal Method

Calculate on graph paper

Column 1 Column 2 EXAMPLE 2.7
 Conclusion

Precipitation input is the main driver of the hydrologic

cycle, as it relates to river flow, water supply and urban
drainage. Too much or too little can mean the difference
between prosperity and disaster. In between these
extremes are the normal precipitation event that are
experienced with a frequency and intensity related mainly
to geographic position and topographic features.
At the end of this chapter you should be able to
estimate point and areal precipitation amounts from
gauge data and conceptualize simple hydrologic process
models.