School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, AAiT, AAU

Chapter 01 – Example

1. A river each had a flood wave passing through it. At a given instant the storage of water in
the reach was estimated as 15.50ha.m. What would be the storage in the reach after an
interval of 3 hours if the average inflow and outflow during the time period are 14.2m3/s
and 10.6m3/s respectively.

Solution:
• Initial Storage= 15.5 ha.m = 15.5 x104 m3
• Inflow rate= 14.2 m3/s
• Inflow volume in 3 hours= 14.2 x 3x 60x 60 = 153,360 m3
• Outflow rate= 10.6 m3/s
• Outflow volume in 3 hours= 10.6 x 3x 60x 60 = 114,480 m3
• Final Storage=?

From the water budget equation,

Inflow – Outflow = Change in storage
Inflow – Outflow = Final Storage – Initial Storage
153,360-114,480 = Final Storage – 15.5 x 104
Final Storage = 38,880+15.5×104
= 193,880 m3

2. Estimate the constant rate of withdrawal from a 1,375-ha reservoir in a month of 30 days
during which the reservoir level dropped by 0.75 m in spite of an average inflow into the
reservoir of 0.5million m3/day. During the month the average seepage loss from the
reservoir was 2.5cm, the total precipitation was 18.5 cm and total evaporation was 9.5cm.

Solution:
• Reservoir area= 1375 ha = 1375 x104 m2
• Inflow into the reservoir= 0.5×106 m3/day
• Inflow volume in a month= 0.5×106 x 30 = 15×106 m3
• Inflow in terms of depth(I)= 15 x 106/ (1375×104) = 1.091 m
• Change in storage (ds)= 0.75 m
• Seepage Loss(G) = 2.5cm =0.025m
• Precipitation(P) = 18.5 cm= 0.185m
• Evaporation= 9.5 cm = 0.095 m
• Withdrawal (Q) =?
Writing water balance equation
(P+I)-(Q+G+E) = ds
(0.185+1.091) -(Q+0.025+0.095) = 0.75
Q= 0.406m for a month

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Rate of withdrawal = 0.406x1375x104/(30x24x60x60)

= 2.15 m3/s

3. A catchment area of 140 Km2 received 120cm of rainfall in a year. At the outlet of the
catchment, the flow in the stream draining the catchment was found to have an average
rate of 2 m3/s for 3 months, 3m3/s for 6 months, and 5 m3/s for 3 months. Calculate the
runoff coefficient of the catchment.

If the afforestation of the catchment reduced the runoff coefficient to 0.5, what is the
increase in the abstraction from precipitation due to infiltration, evaporation, and
transpiration, for the same annual rainfall of 120 cm?

Solution,
a. Catchment area = 140 Km2
Rainfall= 120 cm = 1.2 m
Rainfall in terms of volume (R)= 1.2 x140x106 =168×106 m3
Starting from January, Runoff = 2m3/s for 3 months (90 days), 3m3/s for 6 months (183 days)
and 5 m3/s for 3 months (92 days)
Total runoff volume(Q)= 2x24x60x60x90+3x24x60x60x183+ 5x24x60x60x92 = 102.73x 106 m3
Runoff coefficient (C)=?
C= Q/R= 1.0273x 108/ 168X106 = 0.61
b. Runoff coefficient (C1) = 0.50
Rainfall(R)= 120 cm = 1.2 m
Increase in abstraction=?
C1= Q/R
Runoff = C1 x Rainfall =0.5×1.2= 0.6m
Abstraction = Rainfall – Runoff
=1.2-0.6 = 0.6 x 140×106 = 84×106 m3
Abstraction in case = Rainfall – Runoff = 168×106 – 1.0273×108 = 84×106 m3
Increase in abstraction= 84×106– 65.27×106
= 18.73 x106 m3

4. The catchment area of the reservoir is 10.5 km2. Uniform precipitation of 0.5 cm/h for 2h
was observed on a particular day. 50% of the runoff reached the reservoir. A canal carrying
a flow of 1 m3/s is taken from the reservoir. The rate of evaporation was 0.7 mm/hr/m2.
Assuming seepage loss to be 50% of evaporation loss, find the change in reservoir level for
8 hours in the next, if the water spread of the reservoir was 0.45 km2.

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Solution:
The catchment area of the reservoir (A) = 10.5 Km2
Precipitation for 2h = 0.5×2 = 1cm = 0.01m
Volume of precipitation as inflow (I)= 50% of PxA = 0.5X0.001X10.5X106 = 52500 m3
Canal discharge (Q) = 1m3/s
Outflow volume for 8h (O) = 1x8x3600 =28800 m3
Rate of evaporation (Er) = 0.7 mm/hr/m2 = 0.7/1000 m/hr/m2
Water spread of the reservoir (a) = 0.45 km2
Evaporation loss for 8h (E) = (Erxax8) = 0.7/1000 x 0.45×106 x 8 = 2520 m3
Seepage loss (S) = 0.5E = 0.5 x 2520 = 1260 m3
Change in reservoir level (dh) =?
Water Balance Equation,
I-(O+E+S) = dh
dh= 52500-(28800+2520+1260)
= 19920 m3
dh in terms of depth unit is given by,
dh/a = 19920/(0.45×106)
= 0.0443 m
dh/a = 44.3 m

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 School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, AAiT, AAU

Chapter Three – Assignment

1. The following data were collected during a stream – gauging operation in a river.
Compute the discharge

Distance from left Velocity (m/sec)

water edge (m) Depth (m)
@ 0.2d @ 0.8d
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1.5 1.3 0.6 0.4
3.0 2.5 0.9 0.6
4.5 1.7 0.7 0.5
6.0 1.0 0.6 0.4
7.5 0.4 0.4 0.3
9.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Ans: 6.429m3/sec

2. The following are the data obtained in a stream – gauging operation. A current meter
with a calibration equation V = (0.32N + 0.032) m/se where N = revolutions per second
was used to measure the velocity at 0.6 depth. Using the mid – section method,
calculate the discharge in the stream.

Distance from right bank (m) 0 2 4 6 9 12 15 18 20 22 23 24

Depth (m) 0 0.50 1.10 1.95 2.25 1.85 1.75 1.65 1.50 1.25 0.75 0

Number of revolutions 0 80 83 131 139 121 114 109 92 85 70 0

Time (sec) 0 180 120 120 120 120 120 120 120 120 150 0

Ans: 11.86m3/sec

3. A 200g/lit solution of common salt were discharged into a stream at a constant rate of
25lit/sec. The background concentration of the salt in the stream water was found to be
10ppm. At a downstream section where the solution was believed to have been
completely mixed, the salt concentration was found to reach an equilibrium value of
45ppm. Estimate the discharge in the stream.

Ans: 142.825m3/sec

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School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, AAiT, AAU

4. During high flow water – surface elevations of a small stream ware noted at a two
sections A and B, 10km apart. These elevations and other salient hydraulic properties are
given below:

Water – surface Area of cross – Hydraulic Remarks

Section
elevations (m) section (m2) radius (m)

A 104.771 73.293 2.733 A is up stream of B

B 104.500 93.375 3.089 n = 0.020

The eddy loss coefficient of 0.30 for gradual expansion and 0.10 fro gradual contractions
are appropriate. Estimate the discharge in the stream.

Ans: 44.25m3/sec

5. The stage – discharge data of a river are given below. Establish the stage – discharge
relationship to predict the discharge for a given stage. Assume the value of stage for
zero discharge as 35.00m. Estimate the discharge corresponding to stage values of
42.50m and 48.50m respectively.

Stage Discharge Stage Discharge

(m) (m3/sec) (m) (m3/sec)
35.91 89 39.07 469
36.90 230 41.00 1208
37.92 360 43.53 2853
44.40 3800 48.02 5900
45.40 4560 49.05 6800
46.43 53305 49.55 6900
49.68 6950

Ans: Q = 68 .30 (G − a ) ; 2711m3/sec and 7933m3/sec

1.827

6. The stage discharge data of a river are given below. Establish a stage – discharge
relationship to predict the stage for a known discharge. Assume the stage value for zero
discharge as 20.25m. Determine the stage of the river corresponding to a discharge of
2600m3/sec.

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School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, AAiT, AAU

Stage (m) Discharge Stage (m) Discharge (m3/sec)

(m3/sec)

21.95 100 24.05 780

22.45 220 24.55 1010
22.80 295 24.85 1220
23.00 400 25.40 1300
23.40 490 25.15 1420
23.75 500 25.55 1550
23.65 640 25.90 1760

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School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, AAiT, AAU

Assignment on Chapter four

1. The following table gives value of measured discharges at a stream – gauging site in a year.
Upstream of the gauging site a weir built across the stream diverts 3.0 and 0.50Mm3
(million m3) of water per month for irrigation and for use in an industry respectively. The
return flow from irrigation is estimated at 0.80Mm3 and from the industry at 0.30Mm3
reaching the stream upstream of the gauging site. Estimate the virgin flow. If the catchment
area is 120km2 and the average annual rainfall is 185cm, determine the runoff – rainfall
ratio. (Virgin flow is a stream flow unaffected by human intervention such as structure for
storage and diversion on streams)

Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Gauged flow
2.0 1.5 0.8 0.6 2.1 8.0 18.0 22.0 14.0 9.0 7.0 3.0
(Mm3)
Ans: Total annual virgin flow = 116.8 Mm3
Runoff – rainfall ratio = 0.526

2. A catchment of area 120ha has a time of concentration of 30min and runoff coefficient of
0.30. If a storm of duration 45min results in 3.0cm of rain over the catchment estimate the
resulting peak flow area.

Ans: Qp= 4m3/sec

3. Information on the 50 years storm is given below:

Duration (min) 15 30 45 60 180

Rainfall (mm) 40 60 75 100 120

A culvert has to drain 200ha of land with a maximum length of travel of 1.25km. The general
slope of the catchement is 0.001 and its runoff coefficient is 0.20. Estimate the peak flow by the
rational method for designing the culvert for a 50 year flood.

Ans: Qp= 10m3/sec

4. A catchment area has a time of concentration of 20min and an area of 20ha. Estimate the
peak discharge corresponding to return period of 25yrs. Assume a runoff coefficient of 0.25.
The intensity – duration – frequency for the storm in the area can be expressed by
i = KT x / (D + a ) where i = intensity in cm/hr, T = return period in years and D = duration of
n

storm in hours, with coefficients K = 6.93, x = 0.189, a = 0.50, and n = 0.878.

Ans: Qp= 2.08m3/sec

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5. A rectangular paved area 150m x 150m has a longitudinal drain along on of its longer
edges. The time of concentration for the area is estimated to be 30min and consists of
25min for over land flow across the pavement to the drain and 5min for the maximum time
from the upstream end of the drain to the outlet at the other end. Construct the isochromes
at 5min interval for this area
6. A storm over a catchment of area 5.0km2 had duration of 14 hours. The mass curve of
rainfall of the storm is as follows:

Time from start of storm (hr) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Accumulated rainfall (cm) 0 0.6 2.8 5.2 6.7 7.5 9.2 9.6

If the  index for the catchement is 0.4cm/hr, determine the effective rainfall hyetograph and
the volume of direct runoff from the catchement due to the storm.

7. Given below are the ordinates of a 6hr unit hydrograph for a catchement. Calculate the
ordinates of the DRH due to a rainfall excess of 3.5cm occurring in 6hr
Time (hr) 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 69

UH ordinate (m3/s) 0 2 5 8 12 16 18 16 11 60 36 25 16 8 0

5 0 5 5 0 5 0 0

8. Two storms each of 6hr duration and having rainfall excess values of 3.0and 2.0cm
respectively occur successively. The 2cm ER rain follows the 3cm rain. The 6hr UH for the
catchment is the same as given in the above problem. Calculate the resulting DRH.
9. Given below are observed flows from a storm of 6hr duration on a stream with a catchment
area of 500km2
Assuming the base flow to be zero, derive the ordinates of a 6hr UH.
Time (hr) 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72

Observed flow (m3/s) 0 100 250 200 150 100 70 50 35 25 15 5 0

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