Hydrologic Science and Engineering

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
Jorge A. Ramírez
HOMEWORK NO. 6 - SOLUTION
Problem 1.: Use the Storage-Indication Method to route the Input hydrograph tabulated
below.
Time Input Time Input
(h) Hydrograph (h) Hydrograph
(m3/s) (m3/s)
0 0 90 450
6 50 96 330
12 120 102 280
18 225 108 210
24 300 114 160
30 525 120 110
36 700 126 90
42 1100 132 50
48 1500 138 30
54 1475 144 20
60 1300 150 15
66 1100 156 10
72 900 162 0
78 750
84 600

Inflow (m3/s)

1600
1400
1200
Inflow (m3/s)

1000
800 Inflow (m3/s)
600
400
200
0
0 50 100 150 200
Time (h)

This hydrograph flows into a reservoir whose storage and discharge characteristics are as
presented in the following table. The initial storage in the system is 1'000,000 m3, and the
initial outflow is 9.5 m3/s.

1 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014

H (m) O (m3/s) S (m3)

130 20 2081872.34
131 34 3539182.98
132 57 5933336.17
133 96 9992987.23
134 162 16863165.96
136 463 48195344.68
137 781 81297114.89
138 1318 137195387.23
139 2226 231712391.49

4500
4000
3500
Discharge (m3/s)

3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
128 130 132 134 136 138 140
Elevation (m)

2 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014

300000000

250000000
Storage (m3)

200000000

150000000

100000000

50000000

0
128 130 132 134 136 138 140
Elevation (m)

Reservoir or level pool routing refers to routing for systems whose storage and outflow
are related by a function of the type S(t) = f[O(t)] which is of the invariable type (unique, non-
hysteretic). These relationships imply that for a given set of conditions (e.g. stage) the outflow
is unique, independent of how that stage is achieved. Reservoirs or systems with horizontal
water surfaces have S Vs. O relationships of the invariable type. Such systems have a pool that
is wide and deep compared to its length in the direction of flow, and low flow velocities in the
reservoir. For such systems, the peak outflow occurs when the outflow hydrograph intersects
the inflow hydrograph.
The Storage-Indication method is a level pool routing procedure for calculating the
outflow hydrograph of a system with horizontal water surface, given its inflow hydrograph,
and storage outflow characteristics. The solution involves integrating the continuity equation
as indicated below, and rearranging terms such that all the unknown quantities are on the left
hand side of the equation.

dS (t )
= I (t ) − O(t )
dt
S ( ti +1 ) ti +1 ti +1

S (ti+1 ) − S (ti ) = ∫
S ( ti )
dS (t ) = ∫ I (t )dt − ∫ O(t )dt
ti ti

3 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014

Δt Δt
S (ti+1 ) − S (ti ) = [ I (ti+1 ) + I (ti )] − [O(ti+1 ) + O(ti )]
2 2
Storage-Indication Routing Equation:

2S (ti+1 ) 2S (ti )
+ O(ti+1 ) = [ I (ti+1 ) + I (ti )] + [ − O(ti )]
Δt Δt
For a level pool reservoir, the storage is a unique function of elevation; and the outflow is a
unique function of elevation. Thus, the left hand side of the equation above is a unique
function of elevation in the system, only. Usually, the storage-elevation relationship is
available from topographic surveys, and the outflow-elevation relationship is available from
hydraulic considerations with respect to the outlet structures (e.g. spillways, etc.)

The solution involves the development of the function 2S/Δt + O = f(O) and then solving it
sequentially for every time step. These steps are illustrated below.

A- Develop the function 2S/Δt + O vs. O. Use a Δt of 6 hours, as suggested by the time
interval of the inflow hydrograph.

1 2 3 5
H (m) O (m3/s) S (m3) 2S/Δt + O (m3/s)
130 20 2081872.34 212.7659574
131 34 3539182.98 361.7021278
132 57 5933336.17 606.3829787
133 96 9992987.23 1021.276595
134 162 16863165.96 1723.404256
136 463 48195344.68 4925.531915
137 781 81297114.89 8308.510638
138 1318 137195387.2 14021.2766
139 2226 231712391.5 23680.85106

In the table above, Columns 1-3 are given. Columns 2 and 5 correspond to the desired
function, 2S/Δt + O vs. O , which has been graphed above.

4 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
2500"

2000"

1500"
O"(m3/s)"

1000" Series1"

500"

0"
0" 5000" 10000" 15000" 20000" 25000"
2S/Dt"+"O"(m3/s)"

B - Proceed with the routing of the inflow hydrograph by using the Storage-Indication routing
equation sequentially for every time step:

t = 0 - i = 0. Initial Conditions: So = 1'000,000 m3; Oo = 9.5 m3/s.

t=6-i=1

(Io + I1) = (0 + 50) m3/s = 50 m3/s

(2So /Δt - Oo) = (2 x 1'000,000 m3)/(6 x 3600 s) - 9.5 m3/s = 83.09 m3/s

(2S1 /Δt + O1) = (Io + I1) + (2So /Δt - Oo) = 133.09 m3/s

Using the relationship (2S/Δt + O) vs. O developed in Part A obtain the outflow O
corresponding to the value of (2S1 /Δt + O1) obtained above. Use interpolation as indicated
below.

O1 = 12.51 m3/s

t = 12 - i = 2

(I1 + I2) = (50 + 120) m3/s = 170 m3/s

(2S1 /Δt - O1) = (2S1 /Δt + O1) - 2 x O1 = 133.09 m3/s - 2 x 12.51 m3/s = 108.07 m3/s

5 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
(2S2 /Δt + O2) = (I1 + I2) + (2S1 /Δt - O1) = 278.07 m3/s

Using the relationship (2S/Δt + O) vs. O developed in Part A, obtain the outflow O
corresponding to the value of (2S1 /Δt + O1) obtained above. Use interpolation as indicated
below.

O1 = 26.14 m3/s

Proceed as above for every time step. Results are tabulated below.

Time (h) I (m3/s) Ii + Ii+1 2Si/Δt - OI 2Si+1/Δt + Oi+1 O 2Si+1/Δt - Oi+1

(m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s)
0 0 20
6 50 50 72.59259 122.5926 21.51417 79.56425
12 120 170 79.56425 249.5643 40.80086 167.9625
18 225 345 167.9625 512.9625 82.1251 348.7123
24 300 525 348.7123 873.7123 139.0532 595.6058
30 525 825 595.6058 1420.606 225.1725 970.2609
36 700 1225 970.2608 2195.261 345.0893 1505.082
42 1100 1800 1505.082 3305.082 513.6837 2277.715
48 1500 2600 2277.715 4877.715 755.2402 3367.234
54 1475 2975 3367.235 6342.234 980.8015 4380.631
60 1300 2775 4380.631 7155.631 1105.502 4944.628
66 1100 2400 4944.628 7344.628 1133.417 5077.794
72 900 2000 5077.794 7077.794 1094.005 4889.785
78 750 1650 4889.785 6539.785 1011.228 4517.33
84 600 1350 4517.33 5867.33 907.658 4052.014
90 450 1050 4052.014 5102.014 789.7861 3522.441
96 330 780 3522.442 4302.441 666.6382 2969.165
102 280 610 2969.165 3579.165 555.3199 2468.525
108 210 490 2468.525 2958.525 461.0377 2036.449
114 160 370 2036.449 2406.449 377.1712 1652.107
120 110 270 1652.107 1922.107 303.5941 1314.919
126 90 200 1314.919 1514.919 240.0203 1034.878
132 50 140 1034.878 1174.878 186.4873 801.9036
138 30 80 801.9036 881.9036 140.3459 601.2119
144 20 50 601.2119 651.2119 103.9415 443.3288
150 15 35 443.3287 478.3287 76.65971 325.0093

6 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014

1600
1400
Discharge (m3/s)

1200
1000
Inflow (m3/s)
800
Outflow (m3/s)
600
400
200
0
0 50 100 150 200
Time (h)

7 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
Problem 2. Using the information tabulated below for a river reach, estimate the Muskingum
parameters k and x. The initial storage in the reach is 6,000,000 m3. Use both the least-squares
approach and the graphical method.

Time (h) Inflow (m3/s) Output (m3/s)

1 180. 160.
2 270. 200.
3 420. 280.
4 650. 415.
5 890. 590.
6 1100. 770.
7 1270. 950.
8 1360. 1090.
9 1380. 1180.
10 1390. 1250.
11 1370. 1280.
12 1350. 1290.
13 1310. 1300.
14 1260. 1280.
15 1210. 1250.
16 1160. 1220.
17 1100. 1190.
18 1000. 1150.
19 950. 1100.
20 900. 1040.
21 790. 980.
22 710. 920.
23 650. 860.
24 590. 790.
25 510. 710.
26 450. 650.
27 380. 590.
28 300. 510.
29 230. 460.
30 180. 410.

Finally, using the parameters estimated using the least squares procedure, estimate Co,
C1, and C2, using a Δt of 1 hour, and then route the original inflow hydrograph. Compare the
observed outflow with that predicted using the Muskingum method.

8 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
S(vs.(Q(
300000000"

250000000"

200000000"
Storage((m3)(

150000000"
S"vs."Q"

100000000"

50000000"

0"
0" 200" 400" 600" 800" 1000" 1200" 1400"
Flow((m3/s)(

A. Parameter Estimation

Graphical Procedure:

The graphical procedure consists in generating graphs of [xI + (1-x)O] vs. S for different
values of x, arbitrarily selected such that 0 < x < 0.5. The optimal value of x is selected as that
which produces the narrowest and straightest loop graph of [xI + (1-x)O] vs. S. The slope of
the least squares linear fit to the resulting points is the estimate of k.

a) Generate accumulated storage in the system. Use continuity equation as follows:

0 1 2 3 4 5 xI + (1-x)O (m3/s)
Time Inflow Outflow Average Average Storage
(days) (m3/s) (m3/s) I (m3/s) O (m3/s) (m3)
0.4 0.1 0.3 0.2
1 180 160 60000000 168 162 166 164
2 270 200 225 180 63888000 228 207 221 214
3 420 280 345 240 72960000 336 294 322 308
4 650 415 535 347.5 89160000 509 438.5 485.5 462
5 890 590 770 502.5 112272000 710 620 680 650
6 1100 770 995 680 139488000 902 803 869 836
7 1270 950 1185 860 167568000 1078 982 1046 1014
8 1360 1090 1315 1020 193056000 1198 1117 1171 1144
9 1380 1180 1370 1135 213360000 1260 1200 1240 1220
10 1390 1250 1385 1215 228048000 1306 1264 1292 1278
11 1370 1280 1380 1265 237984000 1316 1289 1307 1298
12 1350 1290 1360 1285 244464000 1314 1296 1308 1302
13 1310 1300 1330 1295 247488000 1304 1301 1303 1302
14 1260 1280 1285 1290 247056000 1272 1278 1274 1276
15 1210 1250 1235 1265 244464000 1234 1246 1238 1242
16 1160 1220 1185 1235 240144000 1196 1214 1202 1208
17 1100 1190 1130 1205 233664000 1154 1181 1163 1172
18 1000 1150 1050 1170 223296000 1090 1135 1105 1120
19 950 1100 975 1125 210336000 1040 1085 1055 1070
20 900 1040 925 1070 197808000 984 1026 998 1012

9 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
21 790 980 845 1010 183552000 904 961 923 942
22 710 920 750 950 166272000 836 899 857 878
23 650 860 680 890 148128000 776 839 797 818
24 590 790 620 825 130416000 710 770 730 750
25 510 710 550 750 113136000 630 690 650 670
26 450 650 480 680 95856000 570 630 590 610
27 380 590 415 620 78144000 506 569 527 548
28 300 510 340 550 60000000 426 489 447 468
29 230 460 265 485 40992000 368 437 391 414

Columns 1 & 2 are given.

Columns 3 & 4 are the average inflow flux (Ii+1 + Ii)/2 and outflow flux (Oi+1 + Oi)/2,
respectively.
Column 5 is the cumulative storage in the system obtained using the continuity equation
below.
Δt Δt
Si+1 = Si + (I i+1 + I i ) − (Oi+1 + Oi )
2 2
Columns 6 - 9 are the values of the weighted average flux [xI + (1-x)O] for different
values of x. The graph of Columns 6 - 9 vs. Column 5 is shown below.

300000000#

250000000#

x=.4#
200000000#
x=.1#
Storage((m3)(

x=.3#
150000000#
x=.2#

Linear#(x=.4)#
100000000# Linear#(x=.1)#
R²#=#0.93376# Linear#(x=.3)#
R²#=#0.9435#
Linear#(x=.2)#
50000000# R²#=#0.94186#
y#=#188923x#2#4E+06#
R²#=#0.9452#
0#
0# 200# 400# 600# 800# 1000# 1200# 1400#
xI+(11x)O((m3/s)(

Based on these results, a value of x = 0.2 is selected. The best fit to the corresponding
points yields a value of k = 188923 s = 2.187 d.

Least Squares Procedure

Time(days) Inflow(m3/s) Outflow(m3/s) Stor (m3) O2 (m3/s)2 I2 (m3/s)2 OI (m3/s)2 SO (m6/s) SI (m6/s)
1 180 160 60000000 25600 32400 28800 9600000000 10800000000
2 270 200 63888000 40000 72900 54000 12777600000 17249760000
3 420 280 72960000 78400 176400 117600 20428800000 30643200000
4 650 415 89160000 172225 422500 269750 37001400000 57954000000

10 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
5 890 590 112272000 348100 792100 525100 66240480000 99922080000
6 1100 770 139488000 592900 1210000 847000 1.07406E+11 1.53437E+11
7 1270 950 167568000 902500 1612900 1206500 1.5919E+11 2.12811E+11
8 1360 1090 193056000 1188100 1849600 1482400 2.10431E+11 2.62556E+11
9 1380 1180 213360000 1392400 1904400 1628400 2.51765E+11 2.94437E+11
10 1390 1250 228048000 1562500 1932100 1737500 2.8506E+11 3.16987E+11
11 1370 1280 237984000 1638400 1876900 1753600 3.0462E+11 3.26038E+11
12 1350 1290 244464000 1664100 1822500 1741500 3.15359E+11 3.30026E+11
13 1310 1300 247488000 1690000 1716100 1703000 3.21734E+11 3.24209E+11
14 1260 1280 247056000 1638400 1587600 1612800 3.16232E+11 3.11291E+11
15 1210 1250 244464000 1562500 1464100 1512500 3.0558E+11 2.95801E+11
16 1160 1220 240144000 1488400 1345600 1415200 2.92976E+11 2.78567E+11
17 1100 1190 233664000 1416100 1210000 1309000 2.7806E+11 2.5703E+11
18 1000 1150 223296000 1322500 1000000 1150000 2.5679E+11 2.23296E+11
19 950 1100 210336000 1210000 902500 1045000 2.3137E+11 1.99819E+11
20 900 1040 197808000 1081600 810000 936000 2.0572E+11 1.78027E+11
21 790 980 183552000 960400 624100 774200 1.79881E+11 1.45006E+11
22 710 920 166272000 846400 504100 653200 1.5297E+11 1.18053E+11
23 650 860 148128000 739600 422500 559000 1.2739E+11 96283200000
24 590 790 130416000 624100 348100 466100 1.03029E+11 76945440000
25 510 710 113136000 504100 260100 362100 80326560000 57699360000
26 450 650 95856000 422500 202500 292500 62306400000 43135200000
27 380 590 78144000 348100 144400 224200 46104960000 29694720000
28 300 510 60000000 260100 90000 153000 30600000000 18000000000
29 230 460 40992000 211600 52900 105800 18856320000 9428160000
O2 (m3/s)2 I2 (m3/s)2 OI (m3/s)2 SO (m6/s) SI (m6/s)
Total 25931625 26389300 25665750 4.7898E+12 4.77515E+12
n n n n

∑O i
2
∑ S I − ∑ Oi Ii ∑ SiOi
i i
A= i=1
n
i=1
n
i=1
n
i=1

∑ I ∑O
i=1
i
2

i=1
i
2
− [ ∑ Oi I i ]2
i=1

n n n n

∑ I ∑ S O − ∑O I ∑ S I
i
2
i i i i i i
B= i=1
n
i=1
n
i=1
n
i=1

∑ I ∑O
i=1
i
2

i=1
i
2
− [ ∑ Oi I i ]2
i=1
Using the above equations yields:

A = 34917.74035 s
B = 150149.2469 s
k = A+B = 185066.9873 s = 2.14197902 h
x = A/(A + B) = 0.188676224

B. Muskingum Routing

Use the Muskingum routing procedure to route the original hydrograph.

11 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
Select a Δt = 1 h, as suggested by the inflow data. However, check that with the selected
Δt, parameter values meet restrictions:

x < 0.5 Δt/k < 1 - x

For this case, we have 2 sets of parameters. Both sets meet the parameter restrictions.

Proceed with routing, by obtaining Co, C1, and C2.

In what follows, the Least Squares parameters are used.

−kx + 0.5Δt kx + 0.5Δt k(1 − x) − 0.5Δt

Co = C1 = C2 =
k(1 − x) + 0.5Δt k(1 − x) + 0.5Δt k(1 − x) + 0.5Δt
This yields: Co = 0.042835748; C1 = 0.404024022; and C2 = 0.55314023. Using these values in the
Muskingum routing equation:
Oi+1 = Co I i+1 + C1I i + C2Oi
obtain the outflow hydrograph as tabulated below.
Time(days) Inflow(m3/s) Oobs (m3/s) Co x Ii+1 C1 x Ii (m3/s) C2 x Oi (m3/s) Opred (m3/s)
(m3/s)
1 180 160 160
2 270 200 11.56565201 72.72432391 88.50243681 172.7924127
3 420 280 17.99101423 109.0864859 95.57843494 222.655935
4 650 415 27.84323631 169.6900891 123.1599551 320.6932806
5 890 590 38.12381587 262.6156141 177.388355 478.127785
6 1100 770 47.11932299 359.5813794 264.471713 671.1724154
7 1270 950 54.40140018 444.4264239 371.2524643 870.0802884
8 1360 1090 58.25661751 513.1105076 481.2764109 1052.643536
9 1380 1180 59.11333248 549.4726696 582.2594877 1190.84549
10 1390 1250 59.54168996 557.55315 658.7045482 1275.799388
11 1370 1280 58.68497499 561.5933902 705.6959671 1325.974332
12 1350 1290 57.82826003 553.5129098 733.4497473 1344.790917
13 1310 1300 56.1148301 545.4324294 743.8579573 1345.405217
14 1260 1280 53.97304269 529.2714685 744.1977512 1327.442262
15 1210 1250 51.83125529 509.0702674 734.2617184 1295.163241
16 1160 1220 49.68946788 488.8690663 716.4068932 1254.965427
17 1100 1190 47.11932299 468.6678652 694.1718652 1209.959053
18 1000 1150 42.83574817 444.4264239 669.2770292 1156.539201
19 950 1100 40.69396076 404.0240217 639.7283599 1084.446342
20 900 1040 38.55217335 383.8228207 599.8508994 1022.225893
21 790 980 33.84024105 363.6216196 565.4342659 962.8961265
22 710 920 30.4133812 319.1789772 532.616585 882.2089433
23 650 860 27.84323631 286.8570554 487.9852579 802.6855496
24 590 790 25.27309142 262.6156141 443.9976696 731.8863752
25 510 710 21.84623157 238.3741728 404.835798 665.0562024
26 450 650 19.27608668 206.0522511 367.8693408 593.1976786
27 380 590 16.2775843 181.8108098 328.1215004 526.2098945
28 300 510 12.85072445 153.5291283 291.0678621 457.4477148

12 Jorge A. Ramírez
 Hydrologic Science and Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372
(970) 491-7621
CIVE322 BASIC HYDROLOGY
FALL 2014
29 230 460 9.852222079 121.2072065 253.0327342 384.0921628

The resulting hydrographs are graphed below.

1600"

1400"

1200"

1000"
Flow%(m3/s)%

800"

600"

400"

Inflow(m3/s)""
200"
Ou8low:observed"(m3/s)"
Ou8low:predicted"(m3/s)"
0"
1" 2" 3" 4" 5" 6" 7" 8" 9" 10" 11" 12" 13" 14" 15" 16" 17" 18" 19" 20" 21" 22" 23" 24" 25" 26" 27" 28" 29"
Time%(days)%

13 Jorge A. Ramírez