Dr.

Shakil Ahmad
NUST Institute of Civil Engineering (NICE)
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering (SCEE)
National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)
Islamabad, Pakistan

Water: A Fundamental of Life

(AL QURAN)

Water: A Gift of God

•Minimum domestic water requirement = 50 liter/person/day (20 m3/person/year)

And We send down water from the sky according to

(due) measure, and We cause it to soak in the soil;
and We certainly are able to drain it off (with easy).
With it We grow for you gardens of date-palms and
vines: in them have ye abundant fruits: and of
them Ye eat (and have enjoyment).

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People Live where it Rains!

a) 1 – 10 litres/day
b) 50 – 100 litres/day
c) 250 – 350 litres/day
d) 2500 – 5500 litres/day

ANSWER!
2500 – 5500 Litres/Day

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 Did you know that?

Outline
Hydrology: Definition, Importance, Scope & Applications

Hydrologic Data Needed

Difference between Hydrology & Hydraulics

Hydrologic Cycle: Processes

Hydrologic Equation

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 Hydrology
Hydrology is the science of the waters of
the earth & its atmosphere. It deals with
occurrence, circulation, distribution &
movements of these waters over the
globe & their interaction with the
physical & biological environments

Hydrology
Engineering Hydrology deals with the:
estimation & analysis of water resources;
study of processes such as precipitation, runoff,
evapotranspiration & their interaction;
study of hydrologic problems such as floods &
droughts, & strategies to combat them

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 Hydrology
Engineering Hydrology provides hydrologic data
essentially required for a variety of projects, such as:
 Hydraulic Structures like Dams, Bridges, Head-works,
Spillways & Culverts etc.
 Hydroelectric Power Generation
 Flood Control Projects
 Irrigation Projects
 Environmental Pollution Control
 Planning & Execution of Water Resources
Development Projects
 etc

Hydrologic Data
The hydrologic data comprises:
• Rainfall
• Snowfall & Snowmelt
• Runoff (Catchment Runoff & Stream Flows)
• Topographic Map
• Groundwater
• Evaporation
• Transpiration
• Land Use Map
• Satellite Imageries
• Soil Map
• etc

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Difference b/w Hydrology & Hydraulics
Hydraulics
Design of hydraulic
structures (like spillway,
bridges, barrages, weirs,
culverts, etc) to pass
design discharge
Storage requirement of a
reservoir for water supply
or irrigation
Stream flow design
calculations
Flood control/zoning &
design of hydraulic
structures below reservoir
Hydrology
 Determination of
magnitude of design
discharge
 Required water during
dry & wet season
 Effect of rainfall on
magnitude of flow 
rainfall-runoff
relationship
 Flood forecasting & effect
of reservoir on
downstream flood flows

Scope of Hydrology
Essential for analysis, design & operation of any hydraulic structure
which retains or conveys water (from the simplest culvert to the largest
complex of dams, hydroelectric works, barrages & irrigation structures).
Designer needs magnitude of stream flow & their probability of
occurrence not only for design of hydraulic structures but also for flood
control.
Combating the menace of water-logging & salinity in irrigated areas.
Predictable relationship between characteristics of a basin & rate of flow.
Probability of occurrence of floods & droughts.
Water availability into the reservoir from the basin.
Effect of rainfall occurring in basin on the magnitude of flow in stream
& predict rainfall-runoff relationship of the basin & probability of its
occurrence.
Probable flood flow over a spillway, at a highway culvert or in urban
storm drainage system.
Reservoir capacity sizing required to assure adequate water for
irrigation, hydropower or municipal water supply during droughts.
Effect of reservoir, levees & other control works exert on flood flows in
stream.
Assessment of reasonable boundaries of floodplain.

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 Distribution of Earth’s Water

Hydrologic Cycle
Total water supply of earth is in constant circulation from earth to
atmosphere, & back to earth. The earth’s water circulatory system
is known as Hydrologic Cycle. The cycle has no beginning or
end i.e. processes occur continuously

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 Hydrologic Cycle

Atmosphere
(water vapor)
The Hydrologic Cycle
Precipitation

Evaporation
Evaporation

Vapor
Flow ( ) = Storage
Liquid

surface
Land Streams Oceans
Surface Lakes
Compartmentalized (Ice, snow, etc.
depression
Hydrologic storage) Overland flow =
Direct Runoff
Infiltration

Cycle (Surface water) (Seawater)

Interflow
Volcanic outgassing

Vadose Zone
Runoff = Streamflow
(Soil moisture)
drainage

Infiltration
Gravity

Groundwater flow
& Baseflow
Subduction

Subsea outflow
Seafloor

Water Table
vents

(Ground water)