Chapter 5
Chapter 5
• Hydrograph: It is the plot of the runoff discharge of a stream / river and the
corresponding time duration. i.e., discharge of flow is plotted in y- axis and the
corresponding time in x – axis. Hydrograph determines the peak flood
magnitude of flood for the design of hydraulic structures i.e., a dam, spillway,
bridge, culvert, etc.
• A storm hydrograph/flood hydrograph is a graph showing the relationship
between rainwater and discharge in a river. Discharge is the water flowing in a
river in a given unit of time. The storm hydrograph is mainly used to observe
discharges for given storm events.
• Hydrograph may be single peak or multiple peaks, depending upon the nature
of the storm and characteristics of the catchment.
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• Components of hydrograph:
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• Rising limb: The rising limb is the ascending portion of the hydrograph
corresponding to the increase of discharge due to gradual accumulation of
storage in the channels existing in the area and also over the watershed surface.
The rising limb is also known as the concentration curve.
• The peak or crest: - The peak or crest segment includes the part of the
hydrograph from the inflection point on the rising limb to an inflection point
on the recession limb. The peak segment is the most important part of the
hydrograph because it indicates the peak flow rate. The peak represents the
arrival of flow at the outlet from all the parts.
• Recession limb / falling limb: After the inflection point, there is no inflow to
the stream due to surface runoff. The recession limb extends from the
inflection point, to the point of recommencement of the natural base flow or
ground water flow. The recession limb represents the withdrawal of water from
the storage already built up in the catchment during the earlier phase of the
hydrograph when surface runoff was occurring.
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
Lag Time: TL: It is the time interval from the center of the
mass of rainfall to the center of mass of hydrograph.
Base time: Tb: It is the total time of the direct runoff
hydrograph from the starting point of rising limb to the end of
the recession limb; i.e it is the duration of direct runoff
hydrograph after deducting the base flow from the flood
hydrograph.
Time of concentration: TC: It is the total time required to
flow/ travel water from the most remote / farthest part of the
catchment to its outlet i.e. inlet point considered of river /
stream.
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• Method 2: The base flow curve prior to the commencement of the surface
runoff is extended to the line drawn vertically from the peak to determine point
C and is joined with B. line AC and CB separates base flow and surface runoff.
• Method 3: Draw the vertical line from the inflection point Pi ( point on
hydrograph where rainfall end) of recession limb. Again, extend the line from
the lower point of the recession limb E to the line drawn earlier to find the
position of F. join A and F. the line AF and FE separate base flow and surface
flow.
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• Basic assumptions:
• There is linear response between the ER and the direct runoff discharge. i.e
• DRH ordinates = ER X UH ordinates. if ER is 3cm then DRH will be triple of
UH.
• Given ER will always produce same DRH what ever may be the season of the
year. ( unchanging basin characteristics)
• Features of unit hydrograph:
• Rainfall excess ER = 1cm produces the runoff depth of 1cm.
• continuity = total depth of rainfall excess = total depth of direct runoff
• runoff volume = basin area x runoff depth
• rainfall intensity = 1/D cm/hr.
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• Limitations of UH
• For the area below 2 km2 and above 5000 km2, UH theory cannot be applied.
• Not suitable for long basin.
• Applicable for short duration.
• Precipitation must be from rainfall only and not applicable for basin having
large storage.
• Not applicable for the basins having high / large variations in rainfall
intensities.
• This theory is not very accurate. Accuracy is ±10% only.
• The principle of linearity is not strictly correct. It is found that UH derived
from light rainfall generally, has lower peaks in comparison to heavy rainfall.
• The base period of the DRH is not exactly the same for all storms of same
duration but different intensities.
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
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• Now, sum up all the DRHs i.e Total DRH of each D- hr. will be
• then, U1R1 = Q1
• U2R1 + U1R2 = Q2
• U3R1+ U2R2+ U1R3 = Q3
• U4R1+ U3R2+ U2R3 = Q4
• and so on ….
• where Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 Qn are the ordinates of DRH.
• solving these terms then values of U1, U2, U3, U4… Un can be worked out
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• A: Method of superposition:
• If a D-h unit hydrograph is available, and it is desired to develop a unit
hydrograph of nD h, where n is integer , it is easy accomplished by superposing
n unit hydrograph with each graph separated from the pervious one by D h. If
the two unit hydrograph are added graphically or analytically, the combined
hydrograph (3) is obtained.
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• S- Curve
• If it is desired to develop a unit hydrograph of duration mD, where m is a
fraction, the method of superposition cannot be used.
• A different techniques known as the S- curve method is adopted.
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• Steps
• Calculate, m = T/D
• Compute S-curve addition (=S (t-D)).
• Compute the ordinate of S-curve.
• S = UH(t)+ S(t-D)
• Lag the ordinates of S, hydrograph by the duration T. This is S₂.
• Ordinate of T-hour UH= (S₁-S₂)/m
• Numerical 1: Given below are the observed flows from a storm of 6-h duration
on a stream with a catchment area of of 500 km2. Assume the base flow be zero.
Determine the ordinates of 6-h unit hydrograph.
Time h 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72
Volume of runoff =Area under DRH = ∑𝐷𝑅𝐻 𝑥 𝛥𝑡 = 1000m3/s x (6h x 60 x 60) s = 21600000m3
Depth of ER = volume / Area of catchment = 21600000m3 / (500km2 x 106) m2 = 0.043m = 4.3cm
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
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6-h unit 0 150 250 450 600 800 700 600 450 320 200 100 50 0
hydrograph
A storm had three successive 6-h intervals of rainfall magnitudes of 3, 5 and 4cm
respectively. Assuming ф- index of 0.20cm/h and a base flow of 30m3/s; determine
the resulting hydrograph of flow.
Solution:
• From the question,
• the infiltration loss per 6 hours = 0.20cm/hr x 6hr = 1.2cm
• Now Excess Rainfall of 1st 6 h duration of rainfall = R1 = 3-1.2 = 1.8cm
• ER of 2nd 6 h duration = R2 = 5-1.2 = 3.8cm
• ER of 3rd 6 h duration = R3 = 4-1.2 = 2.8cm
• DRH = UH x ER= UH x R
• Base flow = 30 m3/s
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
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• Determine the ordinates of S- curve hydrograph and using this determine the
ordinates of 6 h unit hydrograph.
• Also determine the 6-h UH by method of superposition.
• Solution:
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• Solution:
• Calculation of 6-h UH and 12 h unit hydrograph by assuming base flow of 40
m3/s
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Ordinates of DRH 6- h UH 12 -h UH
Base flow m3/s ordinates 6-h UH Total DRH of ordinates
flood hydrograph ordinates m3/s = lagged by 6 h 12 -h of = Total DRH
Time h m3/s 2cm ER m3/s /2
DRH /5
m3/s (2) m3/s m3/s
(1) = (1) - (2)
0 - 0 0
0 40 40 0
5 0 5 2.5
6 65 40 25
35 5 40 20
12 215 40 175
64 35 99 49.50
18 360 40 320
24 400 40 360 72 64 136 68
30 350 40 310 62 72 134 67
36 270 40 230 46 62 108 54
42 205 40 165 33 46 79 39.50
48 145 40 105 21 33 54 27
54 100 40 60 12 21 33 16.50
60 70 40 30 6 12 18 9
66 50 40 10 2 6 8 4
72 40 40 0 0 2 2 1
78 - - - - 0 0 0
∑𝑸=1790 m3/s
Excess Rainfall for the given catchment = (1790m3/s x 6h x 60 x60) / (770 x 106) =
0.050m = 5cm
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
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2 8 5 13 0 13 6.5
3 5 13 18 5 13 6.5
4 3 18 21 13 8 4
5 1 21 22 18 4 2
6 0 22 22 21 1 0.50
7 - 22 22 22 0 0
∑𝑄
= 22 m3/s BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
• Area of the catchment = volume / ER = (22 x 1 x 3600) / (1cm/100) = 7920000m2= 7.92 km2
• Method of super position
1-hUH DRH
1-h UH m3/s lagged by of 2h of 2cm
Time h 2-h UH = DRH/2
(1) ER
another
1 h. (2) 1+2
0 0 - 0 0
1 5 0 5 2.5
2 8 5 13 6.5
3 5 8 13 6.5
4 3 5 8 4
5 1 3 4 2
6 0 1 1 0.50
7 - 0 0 0
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
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• Solution:
• Required duration of UH (D’) = 6hrs
• Given duration (D) = 12 hrs
• n= D’/D = 0.5
To derive UH of 6hrs , the interval of ordinate of given UH should be at least 6 hr.
Plot given UH versus t on a graph paper and get the values of UH at 6 hr interval.
S curve addition = Ordinate of s- curve at (t-D)
Ordinate of S curve (S1) = ordinate of UH + S- curve addition
S2 = S1 lagged by 6 hrs
6-hr UH = (S1-S2)/(D’/D) = (S1-S2)/ 0.5
12-Unit Hydrograph
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120
12-Unit Hydrograph
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Compution of 6-hrs UH
6-hr UH
t(hrs) UH (m3/s) S curve addition S1 S2 6-hr UH
corrected
0 0 0 0 0
6 48 48 0 96 96
12 103 0 103 48 110 110
18 191 48 239 103 272 272
24 279 103 382 239 286 286
30 238 239 477 382 190 190
36 165 382 547 477 140 140
42 117 477 594 547 94 94
48 78 547 625 594 62 62
54 53 594 647 625 44 44
60 36 625 661 647 28 28
66 27 647 674 661 26 26
72 20 661 681 674 14 14
78 15 674 689 681 16 16
84 11 681 692 689 6 6
90 8 689 697 692 10 4
96 5 692 697 697 0 0
102 4 697 701 697 8 0
108 3 697 700 701 -2 0
114 2 701 703 700 6 0
120 0 700 700 703 -6 0
BY Er. Saugat Tiwari
126 703 700 700 0 0
•Thanks
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