61872018 EH, Chap, 0, Reading, Hycrology of Small Catchments, Engineering Hydrology, Principles and Practices, Second Edton, Victor Miguel P Goto => Presentation format [Rational Method] [Overland Flow] [Questions] [Problems] [References] * CHAPTER 4: HYDROLOGY OF SMALL CATCHMENTS ‘only when the Seddon colerity exceeds the Laprange celerity” ‘Antoine Craya (1952) This chapter deals with the hydrology of small catchments. It is divided into two sections. Section 4.1 describes the rational method and its application to urban storm drainage design, Section 4.2 discusses overland flow theory and applications. The choice of method is one scale, aided by individual preference and experience. 4.1, RATIONAL METHOD [Overland Flow] [Questions]. [Problems] [References] * [Top] ‘Small Catchments A smaitcatchment is described by the folowing features: 1. Storm rainfall can be assumed to be uniformly distributed in time, 2. Storm rainfall can be assumed to be uniformly distributed in space hntptpence.sdsu.edulenghycrofenginesring_hydrology_04.ohp 1serar2018 EH, Chap. 06, Reading, Hydrology of Small Catchments, Engineering Hydrology, Principles ane Practices, Second Eaton, Vitor Miguel P. 3. Storm duration typically exceeds time of concentration, 4, Runoff is primarily by overland flow, and 5. Channel slopes are steep enough so that channel storage processes are negligible. A caichment possessing some or all of the above properties is small in a hydrologic sense, Its runoff response may be described using relatively simple parametric or empirical methods, which lump all the relevant hydrologic processes into a few key descriptors such as rainfall intensity and catchment area. When increased detail is required, small catchments may be analyzed using the more complex overland flow techniques, which can be either spatially lumped (the conceptual storage model, or storage concept) or distributed (a deterministic model of the kinematic or diffusion wave types). For routine applications, all that is usually required is the simple parametric approach. Exceptions may be warranted in certain specialized applications, e.g. when coupling water quantity and water quality models, Itis difficult to set the upper limit of a small catchment without being arbitrary to some degree, Given the natural variability in catchment slopes, vegetation cover, and so on, no single value is universally applicable. In practice, both time of concentration and catchment area have been used to define the upper limit of a small catchment. Some authorities regard a catchment with a time of concentration of 11h or less as a small catchment. For others, a catchment of 2.5 km? or less is considered small. Any such limit is bound to be arbitrary, reflecting the accumulated body of experience in runoff response. Rational Method The rational method is the most widely used method for the analysis of runoff response from small catchments. It has particular application in urban storm drainage, where it is used to calculate peak runoff rates for the design of storm sewers and small drainage facilities. The popularity of the rational method is attributed to its simplicity, although reasonable care is necessary in order to use the method effectively. The rational method takes into account the following hydrologic characteristics or processes 1. Rainfall intensity, 2. Rainfall duration, 3. Rainfall frequency, 4. Catchment area, 5. Hydrologic abstractions, 6, Runoff concentration, and 7. Runoff diffusion: In general, the rational method provides only a peak discharge, although in the absence of runoff diffusion it is possible to obtain an isosceles-triangle-shaped runoff hydrograph. The peak discharge is the product of: = Runoff coefficient, = Rainfall intensity, and Intpiponce.sdsu.edulenghycralengineering_nydrology_04.9hp 2185erar2018 EH, Chap. 06, Reading, Hydrology of Small Catchments, Engineering Hydrology, Principles ane Practices, Second Eaton, Vitor Miguel P. = Catchment area All processes are lumped into these three parameters. Rainfall intensity contains information on rainfall duration and frequency. In tum, rainfall duration is related to time of concentration, i.e, to the runoff concentration properties of the catchment. The runoff coefficient accounts for hydrologic abstractions and runoff diffusion, and may also be used to account for frequency. In this way, all the major hydrologic processes responsible for runoff response are embodied in the rational formula, The rational method does not take into account the following characteristics or processes: 1. Spatial or temporal variations in either total or effective rainfall, 2. Time of concentration much greater than storm duration, and 3. A significant portion of runoff occurring in the form of streamflow. In addition, the rational method does not explicitly account for the catchment’s antecedent moisture condition; however, the latter may be implicitly accounted for by varying the runoff coefficient. The above conditions dictate that the rational method be restricted to small catchments. To start, the assumption of constant rainfall in space and time can only be justified for small catchments. Furthermore, in a small catchment, storm duration typically exceeds the time of concentration. Finally, ina small catchment, surface runoff processes are usually dominated by overland flow. There is no consensus regat ing the upper limit of a small catchment. Values ranging from 0.625 to 12.5 km? have been quoted in the literature [2, 26]. The current trend is to use 1.25 to 2.5 km? as the upper limit for the applicability of the rational method. There is no theoretical lower limit, however, and catchments as small as 1 ha or less may be analyzed by the rational method. The rational method is based on the following formula: Q,=CIA (4-1) in which Q, = peak discharge corresponding to a given rainfall intensity, duration, and frequency; C = runoff coefficient, a dimensionless empirical coefficient related to the abstractive and diffusive properties of the catchment; / = rainfall intensity, averaged in time and space; and A = catchment area, In SI Units, for rainfall intensity in millimeters per hour, catchment area in square kilometers, and peak discharge in cubic meters per second, the formula for the rational method is the following: Qp = 0.2778 CIA (4-2) For rainfall intensity in millimeters per hour, catchment area in hectares, and peak discharge in liters per second, the formula is: Qp=2.778 CIA (4-3) In U.S, Customary units, for rainfall intensity in inches per hour, catchment area in acres, and peak discharge in cubic feet per second, the formula is: Q, = 1.008 CIA (4-4) Intpiponce.sdsu.edulenghycralengineering_nydrology_04.9hp 56182018 EH, Chap, 04, Reading, Hycrology of Small Catchment, Engineering Hydrology, Priciles and Practices, Second Eaton, Vitor Miguel P. The unit conversion coefficient 1.008 is usually neglected on practical grounds. Methodology ‘The first requirement of the rational method is that the catchment be small. Once the size requirement has been met, the three components of the formulla are evaluated, The catchment area is determined by planimetering or other suitable means, Boundaries may be established from topographic maps or aerial photographs. The drainage area survey should also include: = Land use and land use changes, = Percentage of imperviousness, = Characteristics of soil and vegetative cover that may affect the runoff coefficient, and. = General magnitude of ground slopes and catchment gradient necessary to determine time of concentration. The evaluation of rainfall intensity is a function of several factors. First, it is necessary to determine the time of concentration. Normally, this is accomplished either: = By using an empirical formula, = By assuming a flow velocity based on hydraulic properties and calculating the travel time through the catchment’s hydraulic length, or = By calculating the steady equilibrium flow velocity (using the Manning equation) and associated travel time through the hydraulic length Procedures to calculate time of concentration are not very well defined, often involving crucial assumptions such as flow level, channel shape, friction coefficients, and so on. Nevertheless, a value of time of concentration can usually be developed for practical use. For urban storm-sewer design, time of concentration at a point is the sum of two parts: 1. Inlet time, and 2. Time of flow in the storm sewer up to that point. Inlet time is the longest time required for runoff to flow over the catchment surface to the nearest sewer inlet (Fig. 4-1). Time of flow in the sewer, from inlet to point of interest, is calculated using hydraulic flow formulas. np tiponce.sdsuedulenghydre/engineering_hysrology_04:php 410s