04-May-16

HYDROGRAPH

Derivation of Hydrograph from a UHG
Once the UHG of certain duration is
determined, it can be used to compute
a hydrograph of the same duration. In
order to derive the hydrograph of same
duration as that of the UHG, we have to
proceed in reverse to the process used
to derive UHG.

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Derivation of Hydrograph from a UHG
The procedure will be as follows:
1. The UHG of a certain duration is given.
2. Derive the ordinates of direct runoff
hydrograph by multiplying the UHG
ordinates by effective rainfall.
3. Add base flow to the ordinates of direct
runoff hydrograph to get total runoff
hydrograph. The peak of this hydrograph
gives the maximum flow due to the storm.

EXAMPLE
Example
Given the UHG of 4‐hour duration (Table), 
calculate the ordinates of total runoff 
hydrograph of same duration from an excess 
precipitation of 10 cm. Assume constant 
Base Flow of 14 m3/sec.

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Data for unit hydrograph and derivation of total runoff hydrograph.

Ordinates of Unit
Date Time Hydrograph
(Hours) (m³/s)
(1) (2) (3)
1-Jan 12 noon 0.00
24 midnight 3.00
2-Jan 12 noon 17.00
24 midnight 34.00
3-Jan 12 noon 51.00
24 midnight 17.00
4-Jan 12 noon 6.00
24 midnight 0.00

Solution

The excess rainfall has been reported

as 10 cm. The ordinates of unit
hydrograph are simply multiplied by
excess rainfall to get ordinates of Direct
Runoff (DRO). Once the ordinates of
DRO are obtained, base flow is added
to it to get Total flow ordinates. These
computations are given in Table.

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Derivation of total runoff hydrograph.

Date Time Time Ordinates DRO Base Total Flow

of Unit Flow
Hydrogra
ph
(Hours
(Hours) (m³/s) (m³/s) (m³/s) (m³/s)
)
(5)=(4) x
(1) (2) (3) (4) Excess Rainfall (6) (7)=(5)+(6)
Depth

1-Jan 12 noon 0 0.00 0 14 14

24 midnight 12 3.00 30 14 44
2-Jan 12 noon 24 17.00 170 14 184
24 48 34.00 340 14 354
3-Jan 12 noon 60 51.00 510 14 524
24 72 17.00 170 14 184
4-Jan 12 noon 84 6.00 60 14 74
24 96 0.00 0 14 14

Derivation of Total Runoff Hydrograph

600
550
500
450
400
Flow(m³/s)

350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Time (Hours)

12 Hour Unit Hydrograph DRO Hydrograph Total Runof f Hydrograph

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Applications of Unit Hydrograph
 Once a UH is derived, it can be used/applied to 
find direct runoff and stream flow hydrograph 
from other storm events of same/different 
durations.
 Flood estimation and prediction
 Flood routing through reservoirs or lower reaches
 Design of hydraulic structures. Alternative
approach to probable maximum precipitation
(PMP)
 Index of catchment characteristics

Limitations of Unit Hydrograph
 Satisfaction of all assumptions is difficult
 Consistency of results for area exceeding 500
sq miles
 Not applicable if snow precipitation
 Not applicable if freezing occurs

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Application of UH
 Once a UH is derived, it can be used/applied to find 
direct runoff and stream flow hydrograph from other 
storm events.

Given: Ex. 7.5.1

P1 = 2 in, P2 = 3 in and P3 = 1 in, baseflow = 500 cfs and
watershed area is 7.03 mi2. Given the Unit Hydrograph
below, determine the streamflow hydrograph

7.5.1 solution (cont’d)

See another example at: http://www.egr.msu.edu/~northco2/BE481/UHD.htm

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S‐Curve
 The S‐Curve is hydrograph obtained by summation
of infinite number of unit hydrographs of given
duration each lagged by time interval equal to the
duration of the given hydrograph.
 The S‐Curve can be used to derive unit hydrograph
of any desired duration.
 The derivation of the S‐Curve is very simple. We
keep on adding given unit hydrograph ordinates
each lagged by time equal to the duration of given
hydrograph from the previous one till we obtain a
constant value after addition or it starts fluctuating
between some values.

S‐Curve
60000.00

50000.00

40000.00
Flow (cfs)

30000.00

20000.00

10000.00

0.00
0
6

102
108
114
120
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
78
84
90
96

Time (hrs.)

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Hydrograph & S-Curve

45000

40000

35000

30000
Q (cfs)

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (hrs)

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EXAMPLE
Example
Given is a unit hydrograph of 2 hour
duration (Table). Derive the 2 hours
duration ‘S’ Curve.

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Ordinates of 2-Hour Unit Hydrograph

Time
(Hours) Flow m³/s

0 0
2 95
4 164
6 121
8 91
10 54
12 18
14 0

SOLUTION

First, we derive ‘S’ curve: The calculations are

shown in Table. In this table ordinates of unit
hydrograph of 2-hour duration are given in
column 2. Column 1 is time in hours. Other
columns have ordinates in m³/s. Columns 3 to
14 show lagged unit hydrographs. Column 15
is the addition which is the ‘S’ curve.

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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15)
Tim
e
0 0 0
2 95 0 95
4 164 95 0 259
6 121 164 95 0 380
8 91 121 164 95 0 471
10 54 91 121 164 95 0 525
12 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543

14 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543

16 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543

18 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543

20 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543
22 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543
24 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 0 543
26 0 18 54 91 121 164 95 543
28 0 18 54 91 121 164
30 0 18 54 91 121
32 0 18 54 91
34 0 18 54
36 0 18
38 0

S Curve
600
500
Flow (m³/s)

400
300
200
100
0
0 10 20 30 40
Time (Hours)

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Derivation of Any Duration UHG
The procedure for derivation of any required duration
UHG from a given duration UHG is described below:
1. Derive the S‐Curve (as per procedure explained earlier).
2. Offset the position of the S‐Curve for a period equal to
the desired duration of the UHG to be derived. This is
called the lagged S‐Curve.
3. Subtract the ordinates of lagged S‐Curve from the
original S‐Curve at the respective time intervals.
4. The ordinates of UHG of required duration are obtained
by multiplying the difference obtained in step‐3 with the
ratio ‘given duration over required duration’ (i.e.
multiply by ratio = given duration/desired duration).

EXAMPLE
Example
Given previous example is the unit
hydrograph of 2‐hours duration. Find 6‐
hours unit hydrograph for the same
catchment.

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Solution

The derivation of S curve is given in previous Example. Using that S curve

the derivation of 6 hours unit hydrograph is given in below Table.
Time 2-hour S- Lagg Differe 6 Hour Unit
Unit Curve ed S- nce Hydrograph
Hydrogr Curv Ordinates
aph e
Ordinat
es
(5)=(3)-
(1) (2) (3) (4) = (5) x 2 / 6
(4)
0 0 0 0 0
2 95 95 95 32
4 164 259 259 86
6 121 380 0 380 127
8 91 471 95 376 125
10 54 525 259 266 89
12 18 543 380 163 54
14 0 543 471 72 24
16 543 525 18 6
18 543 543 0 0

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