Watershed Hydrology

FRST 385 / FOPR 388

Lecture 2 – Watershed concept and

hydrologic cycle
Course topics

A. Fundamentals of Hydrology C. Quantitative methods

1. Introduction to Hydrology 12. Frequency analysis

2. Watershed concept and hydrologic cycle 13. Rainfall-runoff models
3. Energy and mass balance 14. Hydrologic models

B. Hydrologic components and processes D. Forest Hydrology

4. Precipitation 15. Forest operations and water resources

5. Soil water 16. Forests and peak flows: a paradigm shift
6. Infiltration 17. Forests and water yield
7. Groundwater 18. Forests and water quality
8. Evapotranspiration
9. Runoff generation
10. Streamflow
11. Snow hydrology

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Outline
1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition
1.2 Factors that influence watershed characteristics
1.3 Watershed delineation
1.4 Watershed parameters
1.5 Elements affected by watershed characteristics

2. Hydrologic cycle
2.1 Global water cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle
2.3 Water balance equation

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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition
• “The area that appears on the basis of topography to contribute all the water
that passes through a given cross section of a stream.” (Dingman, 2002).
• An area of land with a topographic divide that collects rain and snow, and
discharges most of this water to a stream, river or other water body.
• Synonyms: basin, drainage basin, catchment.

Drainage
area

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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

Topographic divide
Phreatic divide

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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

Athabasca Glacier,
Alberta: headwaters of
the Fraser River

Fraser River delta at

Richmond
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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

It is BC's largest and Canada’s fifth largest watershed:

240,000 km2 (2.9 million people). One of the world's
most productive salmon river systems, supporting
seven species (Chinook, Sockeye, Coho, Chum, Pink,
Steelhead and Cutthroat Trout) and many other species
of fish.

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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

Why is the Fraser

river water dirtier
than Thompson?
Lytton, BC: where the Thompson River meets the Fraser River
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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition
• The largest Fraser River flood on
record occurred in May of 1894 when
rapid snowmelt caused river levels to
rise dramatically, triggering flooding
from Harrison to Richmond. The flood
was massive, but property damage
was limited due to sparse settlement.

• The next largest Fraser flood of record

occurred in 1948. Due to increased
development and population growth
within the floodplain, the impacts were
much greater than in 1894, including:
- Evacuation of 16,000 people.
- Damage or complete destruction of 2,300
homes.
- 1,500 residents left homeless.
- Recovery costs of about $150 million
(current values).

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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

Continental divides

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1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

Maps by Hungarian cartographer Robert Szucs 11

1. Watershed concept
1.1 Definition

Maps by Hungarian cartographer Robert Szucs 12

1. Watershed concept
1.2 Factors that influence watershed characteristics

Climate Topography Geology

Vegetation Human intervention

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1. Watershed concept
1.3 Watershed delineation

www.iac.ethz.ch/en/research/riet/overview.html

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 1. Watershed concept
1.3 Watershed delineation

Water flows to the

* Lab 1 opening of the V’s
of contour lines

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters

A number of factors affect the way water

and sediment move from upland areas to
the stream and from there to its terminus.
X

Basic parameters:
• Area [ha or km2]
• Elevation (max, min, mean, outlet) [m]
• Land use (forest, open, agriculture,
urban, etc.)
• Stream discharge (max, min, mean, etc.)
[L s-1 or m3 s-1]
• Soil characteristics (type, depth)
• Road network

http://cnr.usu.edu
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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters

• Drainage density (Rd) = total channel length

basin area
* Lab 1

Rd = 0.7 km/km2 Rd = 0.2 km/km2

Adapted from Gordon et al. (2004)

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters

• Relief ratio (Rr) = maximum elevation difference

basin length * Lab 1

Outlet Maximum elevation

Rr = 0.33

Elevation
Outlet

Basin length

Maximum elevation

Elevation
Basin Rr = 0.12
length Outlet

Basin length
Maximum elevation

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters
* Lab 1
• Basin circularity (Bc) = basin area
area of equivalent circle

Perimeter = 6,780 m

Bc = 0.15

Bc = 0.92

Diameter of equivalent circle = 2,158 m

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters
• Sinuosity (S) = main channel length * Lab 1
basin length

Outlet

S = 1.8

Main channel origin S = 0.9

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters * Lab 1

• Mean stream slope (SC) = source elevation – outlet elevation

stream length

Outlet
Source

Sc = 0.33

Elevation
Outlet

Stream length

Source
Elevation Sc = 0.12
Source
Outlet

Stream length

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters

Stream orders

* Lab 1
Adapted from Gordon et al. (2004)

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters

Patterns determined by:

• Climate
• Topography
• Geology
• Vegetation
• Human intervention
Adapted from Gordon et al. (2004)
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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters
• Influent / effluent
• Perennial / intermittent / Ephemeral
ephemeral
• Bedrock controlled / alluvial Intermittent
• Headwater / middle-order /
lowland
• Stable / aggrading / degrading
• Regulated / natural Perennial
• Channelized / non-channelized

Influent (losing) Effluent (gaining)

Adapted from Gordon et al. (2004)

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters
• Influent / effluent

Bedrock controlled
• Perennial / intermittent /
ephemeral
• Bedrock controlled / alluvial
• Headwater / middle-order /
lowland
• Stable / aggrading / degrading
• Regulated / natural
• Channelized / non-channelized

Alluvial

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1. Watershed concept
1.4 Watershed parameters
• Influent / effluent Headwater

• Perennial / intermittent /
ephemeral
• Bedrock controlled / alluvial Middle-order
• Headwater / middle-order /
lowland Lowland
• Stable / aggrading / degrading
• Regulated / natural
• Channelized / non-channelized
Gordon et al. (2004)

Headwater Lowland
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1. Watershed concept
1.5 Factors affected by watershed characteristics
• Discharge
• Response speed
• Water velocity
• Flood risk
• Sediment load
• Water availability
• Ecosystems and habitats www.hiking.org.uk

www.niwa.co.nz
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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.1 Global water cycle

Atmospheric
water

Precipitation Vapor

Storage Process

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.1 Global water cycle

Phases of water in the hydrologic cycle

Gas
Solid
Condensation
Melting Freezing Evaporation

Liquid
Liquid

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.1 Global water cycle

Global storages Global processes

Storage km3 Flux km3 y-1

Ocean 1.35×109 Precipitation on land 110,300

Ice and glaciers 2.78×107 Evaporation from land 72,900

Groundwater 7.97×106 Runoff from land 37,400

Lakes and rivers 1.30×105 Precipitation on oceans 385,700

Atmosphere 1.30×104 Evaporation from oceans 423,100

TOTAL precipitation 496,000

TOTAL evaporation 496,000

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle

Types of terrestrial water Surface

water

Soil
moisture

Groundwater

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle

Saturated and unsaturated zones

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle

Processes at the
vegetation layer
P
Inputs
E I Tr P – Precipitation
D – Direct
T – Throughfall
Dr – Drip
Se – Stemflow

T Dr Se Outputs
D
I – Interception
Tr – Transpiration
E – Evaporation

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle

Processes at the
ground layers
F – Infiltration
L – Lateral flow
Pe – Percolation
D – Direct precipitation
O O – Overland flow
D Ss – Subsurface flow
Q – Streamflow
Unsaturated
zone
L
F GR – Groundwater recharge
Pe Ss GD – Groundwater discharge
Q
Saturated
Zone (groundwater)

GR GD

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle
INFILTRATION
GROUNDWATER
Lateral flow RECHARGE
Infiltration
Percolation

GROUNDWATER
DISCHARGE
PRECIPITATION
EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
Throughfall
Interception
Drip Evaporation /
sublimation
Transpiration
Stemflow

Direct

RUNOFF

Saturation-excess
Overland flow Streamflow
Infiltration-excess

Subsurface flow

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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle

Glossary
• Direct precipitation: precipitation falling directly on stream channel; also called channel
precipitation.
• Throughfall: precipitation that reaches the ground directly through gaps in the canopies;
some textbooks include canopy drip and stemflow in throughfall.
• Canopy drip: precipitation dripping from canopy elements.
• Stemflow: precipitation that reaches the ground by circulating through the stems.
• Infiltration: the movement of water from the soil surface into the soil (Dingman, 2002).
• Lateral flow: lateral movement of water in the soil matrix.
• Percolation: a general term for downward flow in the unsaturated zone (Dingman,
2002).
• Interception: precipitation captured by the canopy or litter elements, that later
evaporates.
• Transpiration: loss of water previously absorbed by the plant roots; it occurs through
leaf stomata.
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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.2 Terrestrial water cycle

Glossary
• Evaporation: vaporization of liquid water located at any storage of the cycle; when ice
or snow are transformed into vapor, the process is called sublimation.
• Overland flow: movement of water in the ground surface; it can be infiltration-excess
overland flow (also called hortonian) when it is caused by soil conditions preventing the
water from infiltrating, or saturation-excess when it is caused by the water table reaching
the surface.
• Subsurface flow: also called subsurface stormflow, this refers to the water moving
“laterally down a hillslope through soil layers or permeable bedrock to contribute to the
storm hydrograph in a river… It is also known as interflow, lateral flow, subsurface
runoff, transient groundwater or soil water flow” (Weiler et al. 2005).
• Streamflow: water moving through an open channel.
• Groundwater recharge: movement of water into the groundwater reservoir, either from
the soil or streamflow.
• Groundwater discharge: movement of water from the groundwater reservoir into the
streamflow; also known as baseflow.
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2. Hydrologic cycle
2.3 Water balance equation
P + Gin – (Q + ET + Gout) = ∆S
Q = P – ET ± ∆S (simplified)
Q = P – ET (ultra-simplified)
where P = precipitation, Gin = groundwater in, Q = stream outflow, ET = evapotranspiration,
Gout = groundwater out and S = storage. All in depth (e.g. mm) or volume (e.g. m3).
ET

P
Gin

Gout 38
References
Chang M. 2006. Forest Hydrology: An introduction to water and forests. Second Edition. CRC Press.
474.
Dingman S.L. 2002. Physical Hydrology. Second Edition. Prentice Hall. 646 p.
Gordon N.D., McMahon T.A., Finlayson B.L. 2004. Stream Hydrology; Chapter 4 - Getting to know
your stream. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York.
United States Geological Survey. 2012. The USGS Water Science School (http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/)
Weiler M., McDonnell J. et al. 2005. Subsurface stormflow. Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences,
ch. 123.

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