Problem #1

The area shown in Figure is composed of a square plus an equilateral

triangular plot of side 10 km. The annual precipitations at the rain-gauge
stations located at the four corners and center of the square plot and apex of
the triangular plot are indicated in figure. Find the mean precipitation over the
area by Thiessen polygon method, and compare with the arithmetic mean.
Solution
The Thiessen polygon is constructed by drawing perpendicular bisectors to
the lines joining the rain-gauge stations as shown in Figure.

A 10 km B
46 cm 65 cm
70 cm
60 cm
F E

80 cm 76 cm

D C 1
Calculations of Areas

Area of square plot = 10 × 10 = 100 km2

Area of inner square plot =

(50)0.5 × (50)0.5 = 50 km2
Difference = 50 km2

Area of each corner triangle in the square plot = 50/4 = 12.5 km2

Area of the equilateral triangular plot

= ( 1/2 × 10 × 10 sin 60o) = 43.3 km2
1/3 Area of the equilateral triangular plot = 43.3/3 = 14.4 km2

2
 Station Area Precipitation AxP
A (km2) P (cm) (km2 – cm)
A 12.5 + 14.4 = 26.9 46 1237.4
B 12.5 65 812.5
C 12.5 76 950
D 12.5 + 14.4 = 26.9 80 2152
E 50 70 3500
F 14.4 60 864
Total 143.2 397 9515.9

Thiessen Polygon Method:

P 
 ( AP ) 9515.9
  66.45 cm

av
A 143.2
Arithmetic Average Method:
1 1
Pav   P   397  66.17 cm 3
n 6
Problem #2
A catchment of area 200 km2 is subjected to a storm with the following profile.
Time (hr) 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24
Rain (mm) 16.5 48.0 20.0 12.8 9.1 5.5 3.1 1.2
If the volume of storm runoff is 1.6 x 107 m3, estimate the phi-index
(in mm/hr) (neglect the effect of ET).

Solution
Storm Volume = 1.6 x 107 m3
Storm Depth = 80 mm

Trial #1
A value of f between 1.2 and 3.1 mm is assumed. A mass balance leads to

(16.5 - f) + (48 - f) + (20 - f) + (12.8 - f) + (9.1 - f) + (5.5 - f) + (3.1 - f) = 80

115 - 7 f = 80
Solving gives f = 5 mm, which does not lie within assumed range of 1. 2and 3.1
4
Trial #2
A value of f between 3.1 and 5.5 mm is assumed. A mass balance leads to

(16.5 - f) + (48 - f) + (20 - f) + (12.8 - f) + (9.1 - f) + (5.5 - f) = 80

111.9 - 6 f = 80

Solving gives f = 5.32 mm, which does lie within assumed range of 3.1 and 5.5

Infiltration Rate = 5.32 / 3 = 1.77 mm/hr

5
Checking the Consistency of Data of a Rain Gauge Station

• Significant change may occur in and around a particular rain

gauge station due to change in:
– Location of rain gauge station, which may go unreported
– Neighboring area of the rain gauge station may undergo
significant changes, such as new heavy built up coming
in & around the station
– Surrounding ecosystem may undergo significant changes
due to calamities like slides, forest fires, etc.

After a number of years, the station is not giving consistent

rainfall value. In order to detect any such inconsistency,
and to correct and adjust the rainfall data, Double Mass
Curve Method is used.
 Double Mass Analysis

• The double mass curve is obtained by plotting the

accumulated precipitation at the station in question along
Y-axis and the average accumulated precipitation of a
number of other nearby stations which are situated under
the same meteorological conditions along X-axis.
• If the curve has a constant slope, the record of station “X”
is consistent. However if there is any break in the slope of
the curve, the record of the station is inconsistent and has
to adjusted by the formula.
 Double Mass Analysis
Double Mass Curve Analysis

accumulated annual rainfall of X stn in 10^3 cm

4.5

3.5

Pa = Po (Sa / So) 3

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Accumulated annual rainfall of neigbouring stns in 10^3 cm

 Where
 Pa = Corrected ppt at station X
 Po = Original Recorded ppt station X
 Sa = slope prior to the break in curve
 So = slope after the break in curve
 Example #3:
• Check the consistency of the data given in
table and adjust it if it is found to be
inconsistent.
 Mean of annual
precipitation of 20
Annual precipitation surrounding stations
Year at x (mm) (mm)
1972 188 264
1971 185 228
1970 310 386
1969 295 297
1968 208 284
1967 287 350
1966 183 236
1965 304 371
1964 228 234
1963 216 290
1962 224 282
1961 203 246
1960 284 264
 Mean of annual
precipitation of 20
Annual precipitation surrounding stations
Year at x (mm) (mm)
1959 295 332
1958 206 231
1957 269 234
1956 241 231
1955 284 312
1954 223 360
1953 173 234
1952 282 333
1951 218 236
1950 246 251
1949 284 284
1948 493 361
1947 320 282
 Mean of annual
precipitation of 20
Annual precipitation surrounding stations
Year at x (mm) (mm)
1946 274 252
1945 322 274
1944 437 302
1943 389 350
1942 305 228
1941 320 312
1940 328 284
1939 308 315
1938 302 280
1937 414 343
 Cummulative
Cummulative annual precipitation of 20
precipitation at x surrounding stations
Year (mm) (mm)
1972 188 264
1971 373 492
1970 683 878
1969 978 1175
1968 1186 1459
1967 1473 1809
1966 1656 2045
1965 1960 2416
1964 2188 2650
1963 2404 2940
1962 2628 3222
1961 2831 3468
1960 3115 3732
 Cummulative
Cummulative annual precipitation of 20
precipitation at x surrounding stations
Year (mm) (mm)
1959 3410 4064
1958 3616 4295
1957 3885 4529
1956 4126 4760
1955 4410 5072
1954 4633 5432
1953 4806 5666
1952 5088 5999
1951 5306 6235
1950 5552 6486
1949 5836 6770
1948 6329 7131
1947 6649 7413
 Cummulative
Cummulative annual precipitation of 20
precipitation at x surrounding stations
Year (mm) (mm)
1946 6923 7665
1945 7245 7939
1944 7682 8241
1943 8071 8591
1942 8376 8819
1941 8696 9131
1940 9024 9415
1939 9332 9730
1938 9634 10010
1937 10048 10353
• Draw graph between cumulative annual precipitation at station
X and cumulative precipitation of 20 surrounding stations.
• Find the slope before and after the break in curve.

Double Mass Curve

12000

10000

8000
Sa /So
=0.7 So
ΣPx

6000
=1.176
4000

2000 Sa =0.854
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000
ΣPav(s)
• The correction for slope is to be applied to readings
beyond break in slope.
• Slope before the break=0.854
• Slope after the break=1.176
• Correction factor=0.854/1.176=0.70
• Regime changes before 1950. so upto 1950 no correction is
required. Before 1950 all readings are multiplied by
correction factor 0.70 to get the corrected precipitation.
 Annual Corrected
precipitation at precipitation
Year x (mm) (mm) Remarks
1972 188 188
1971 185 185
1970 310 310
1969 295 295
1968 208 208

No correction
1967 287 287
1966 183 183
1965 304 304
1964 228 228
1963 216 216
1962 224 224
1961 203 203
1960 284 284
 Annual Corrected
precipitation at precipitation
Year x (mm) (mm) Remarks
1959 295 295
1958 206 206
1957 269 269

No correction
1956 241 241
1955 284 284
1954 223 223
1953 173 173
1952 282 282
1951 218 218
1950 246 246
1949 284 198.8
1948 493 345.1 Precipitation at
1947 320 224 X x 0.7
 Mean of annual
Annual precipitation of
precipitation at 20 surrounding
Year x (mm) stations (mm) Remarks

Precipitation at station X x 0.7

1946 274 191.8
1945 322 225.4
1944 437 305.9
1943 389 272.3
1942 305 213.5
1941 320 224
1940 328 229.6
1939 308 215.6
1938 302 211.4
1937 414 289.8