Runoff Calculations

Cintia Bertacchi Uvo

 Hydrograph theory
Time (h)
Losses

Φindex
Ptot (mm/h)
Ptot = Peffective + Φindex
Peffective
Peffective = Qdirect
Qtot (m3/s)
Qtot = Qdirect + QBase flow

Qdirect

Base flow

Time (h)
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 Unit Hydrograph

• The runoff hydrograph for Peffective = 1mm

Time (h)

Peff (mm/h) Peffective = Qdirect

Qtot (m3/s)

Qdirect

VVR111 – Hydrology and Aquatic Ecology Time (h)

 Unit Hydrograph – Calculation

• Start from an observed hydrograph

• Extract Qbase flow from Qobs at each time step

• Divide Qobs-Qbase at each time step by the total Peffective.

q = (Qobs-Qbase)/ Peffective

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 • Find below the discharge values for a 30 min Unit Hydrograph.
a) What is the size of the catchment area?
b) Calculate and plot the hydrograph for a 60 minute rain with an
effective intensity of 10 mm/h.

Time (min) Discharge (m3/s)

0 0
15 4.5
30 10
45 12.5
60 11
75 9
90 6.5
105 4
120 2.5
135 1
150 0

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 a) What is the size of the catchment area?
Time (min) Discharge (m3/s)
0 0
15 4.5 Vol Qdir = sum(q)[m3/s.mm]* ΔT[s]
30 10
45 12.5 ΔT = 15*60s
60 11 sum(q) = 61m3/s
75 9
90 6.5 Vol Qdir=61 * 15*60 = 54900 m3
105 4 Peff[mm] = vol Qdir/area =>
120 2.5 area = vol Qdir[m3]/Peff [m3/m2]
135 1
area = 54900000 m 2 area =54.9 km 2
150 0

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 b) Calculate and plot the hydrograph for a 60 minute rain with an effective
intensity of 10 mm/h.
60 min of 10mm/h = 10 mm of rain in one hour
We can the assume that we had 5 mm in the first 30 min and 5 mm in the
next 30 min. (we need that as our unit hydrograph is per 30 min)
q (m3/s
Time (min) .mm) q*5 q*5 Σ (m3/s)
0 0 0 0
15 4.5 22.5 22.5
30 10 50 0 50
45 12.5 62.5 22.5 85
60 11 55 50 105
75 9 45 62.5 107.5
90 6.5 32.5 55 87.5
105 4 20 45 65
120 2.5 12.5 32.5 45
135 1 5 20 25
150 0 0 12.5 12.5
165 5 5
180 Ecology
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 m3/s Hydrograph
120

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180 s

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 • This hydrograph (total runoff in
m3/s every 10 min) from a
15 mm rainfall that fell during
10 min was observed on a
4.8 ha catchment.

• a) How large was the base flow?

• b) How much was the direct runoff in m3?
• c) What was the effective rainfall in mm?
• d) How large were the losses in mm?
• e) What will the hydrograph look like for the total runoff from
a design rainfall of 50 mm during 10 min?
• f) If another 50-mm rain will fall during the next 10 min (100
mm under 20 min), what will the hydrograph look like for this
total runoff?
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time disch
(min) (m3/s)
0 0.01
10 0.11
20 0.11
30 0.21
40 0.01
50 0.01
60 0.01

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 • a) How large was the base flow?

time disch
(min) (m3/s)
0 0.01
10 0.11
20 0.11
30 0.21
40 0.01
50 0.01
60 0.01
Qbase = 0.01 m3/s?

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 • b) How much was the direct runoff in m3?
• Qdir = ΔT * Σ(Qobs –Qbase)

ΔT = 10*60 s
time disch Qobs – Qbase
Σ(Qobs –Qbase) = 0.4 m3/s
(min) (m3/s) (m3/s)
Qdir = 240 m3
0 0.01 0
10 0.11 0.1
20 0.11 0.1
30 0.21 0.2
40 0.01 0
50 0.01 0
60 0.01 0
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 • c) What was the effective rainfall in mm?

• Qdir = 240 m3
• Area = 4.8 ha = 4.8 · 104 m2

• Peff = 240/ 4.8 · 104 * 1000 = 5 mm

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 • d) How large were the losses in mm?
• Ptot = Peff + Φindex (Φindex = losses)

• Ptot = 15 mm
• Peff = 5 mm

• Losses = Φindex = 10mm

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 • e) What will the hydrograph look like for the total runoff from
a design rainfall of 50 mm during 10 min?
• First we need the unit hydrograph
• Then multiply it by a 50 mm /10 min rainfall

time Qobs Qobs – Qbase q q*50 q*50+Qbase

(min) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s.mm) (m3/s) (m3/s)
0 0.01 0 0 0 0.01
10 0.11 0.1 0.02 1 1.01
20 0.11 0.1 0.02 1 1.01
30 0.21 0.2 0.04 2 2.01
40 0.01 0 0 0 0.01
50 0.01 0 0 0 0.01
60 0.01 0 0 0 0.01

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 • f) If another 50-mm rain will fall during the next 10 min (100
mm under 20 min), what will the hydrograph look like for this
total runoff?

time Qobs Qobs – Qbase q q*50 q*50 ΣQ + Qbase

(min) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s.mm) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s)
0 0.01 0 0 0 0.01
10 0.11 0.1 0.02 1 0 1.01
20 0.11 0.1 0.02 1 1 2.01
30 0.21 0.2 0.04 2 1 3.01
40 0.01 0 0 0 2 2.01
50 0.01 0 0 0 0 0.01
60 0.01 0 0 0 0 0.01
70 0 0.01

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