Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CE 355
HYDROLOGY
Prof. Kwaku Amaning Adjei
&
Dr. Charles Gyamfi
Dept. of Civil Engineering
KNUST
1
Where Do You Find Your Lecture
Materials?
rebrand.ly/LNCE355
2 www.knust.edu.gh
Text Book & References
Textbook
• Subramanya, K. (2017). Engineering hydrology.
McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
References:
• Raghunath, H. M. (2006). Hydrology: principles, analysis
and design. New Age International.
• Gupta, R. S. (2016). Hydrology and hydraulic systems.
Waveland Press.
• Applied Hydrology (Chow et al.)
3 www.knust.edu.gh
RUNOFF GENERATION
4 www.knust.edu.gh
Learning Outcomes
• Define and explain the concept of runoff generation,
including the factors that influence it.
• Understand the difference between surface runoff and
subsurface runoff, and the conditions that favour each type
of runoff.
• Describe the hydrologic cycle and its role in runoff
generation.
• Explain how different land cover types and land use practices
impact runoff generation, including urbanization,
deforestation, and agricultural practices.
• Understand the concept of infiltration capacity and how it
influences runoff generation.
5 www.knust.edu.gh
Runoff Generation
As we discuss mechanisms, remember…
6 www.knust.edu.gh
Runoff processes at the field scale
7 www.knust.edu.gh
Infiltration-excess overland flow
8 www.knust.edu.gh
Infiltration excess overland flow
• This occurs when the rate of rainfall on a surface exceeds
the rate at which water can infiltrate the ground, and any
depression storage has already been filled.
9 www.knust.edu.gh
Saturation-excess Overland flow
10 www.knust.edu.gh
Saturation excess overland flow
• When the soil is saturated, and the depression storage is
filled, and rain continues to fall, the rainfall will
immediately produce surface runoff.
• The level of antecedent soil moisture is one factor
affecting the time until soil becomes saturated. This
runoff is called saturation excess overland flow or
saturated overland flow.
11 www.knust.edu.gh
Antecedent soil moisture
• Soil retains a degree of moisture after a rainfall event.
This residual water moisture affects the soil's infiltration
capacity. During the next rainfall event, the infiltration
capacity will cause the soil to be saturated at a different
rate.
• The higher the level of antecedent soil moisture, the
more quickly the soil becomes saturated. Once the soil is
saturated, runoff occurs.
12 www.knust.edu.gh
Subsurface return flow
• After water infiltrates the soil on an up-slope portion of a
hill, the water may flow laterally through the soil, and
exfiltrate (flow out of the soil) closer to a channel. This is
called subsurface return flow or throughflow.
13 www.knust.edu.gh
Infiltration and runoff overtime
14 www.knust.edu.gh
Channel Water Sources
15 www.knust.edu.gh
Channel Water Sources
16 www.knust.edu.gh
Classification of Streams
Streams may be classified as:
(i) Influent and Effluent streams
(ii) Intermittent and perennial streams
17 www.knust.edu.gh
Classification 0f Streams
18 www.knust.edu.gh
Gaining and Losing Streams
19 www.knust.edu.gh
Catchment Characteristics
• Drainage basin, watershed or catchment area : It is
the area of land that contributes water to a stream or
river.
• Drainage divide: It is the boundary line, along a
topographic ridge, separating two adjacent drainage
basins
21 www.knust.edu.gh
Factors affecting runoff
Precipitation
Topography Soils
Basin shape
Land cover/land use
22 www.knust.edu.gh
Factors Affecting Shape of Hydrograph
23 www.knust.edu.gh
Hydrograph Shape
24 www.knust.edu.gh
Hydrograph- Basin Scale and Shape
25 www.knust.edu.gh
Watershed Urbanization
26 www.knust.edu.gh
Estimation Of Runoff
The runoff from rainfall may be estimated by the following
methods:
Ø Empirical formulae, curves and tables
Ø Infiltration method
Ø Rational method
Ø Overland flow hydrograph
Ø Unit hydrograph method
27 www.knust.edu.gh