UNIT HYDROGRAPH

During this session I will be explaining how to calculate the hydraulic runoff and how to
draw a unit hydrograph for rainfall (examples shown below)

4 methods are given that will allow calculating the rainfall excess:

1. The SCS/ NRSC method hydrograph

2. Matrices or matrix method
3. The rational method
4. BR/discrete/conventional method

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1. NRCS/CN Method
Many factors influence that infiltration and rainfall excess:

S’: Saturation Volume

S: Storage Volume
R: Rainfall Excess
P: Rainfall volume in mm or inch
CN: Curve Number

𝑅 =𝑃−𝑆
(𝑃 − 0.2 ∗ 𝑆 ′ )2
𝐼𝑓 𝑃 > 0.25′ , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑅 =
𝑃 + 0.8 ∗ 𝑆 ′
𝐼𝑓 𝑃 ≤ 0.25′ , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑅 = 0
1000 25400
𝑆′ = − 10 (𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠) or 𝑆 ′ = − 254 (𝑚𝑚)
𝐶𝑁 𝐶𝑁

The CN values are always given.

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Example: NRCS/CN Method

Given:

Estimate infiltration volumes in inches and rainfall excess (inches and CFS) from 10
acres on an hourly basis using NRCS/CN method with the following data:

• CN = 90
• P = 2.5 in
• D = 4 hrs

T(hr) P (in)
0 0
1 0.7
2 1.6
3 2.1
4 2.5

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Solution:

1000
1. 𝑆 ′ = − 10 = 1.11
90

We want to develop the unit hydrograph R vs. time:

1st column 2nd column 3rd column 4th column 5th column 6th column
t(hr) P (in) R (in) r (in/hr) Q (cfs) ƩF
0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0.7 0.14 0.14 1.5 0.56
2 1.6 0.76 0.62 6.2 0.84
3 2.1 1.18 0.42 4.5 0.92
4 2.5 1.53 0.35 3.5 0.97

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(𝑃−0.2∗𝑆 ′ )
2. Fill the 3rd column using 𝑅 =
𝑃+0.8∗𝑆 ′

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3. Fill the 4th column by converting R to r in inches/hr:
For t = 0, r = 0
0.14 − 0
For t = 1, r = =1
1−0
0.76 − 0.14
For t = 2, r = = 0.62
2−1
1.18 − 0.76
For t = 3, r = = 0.42
3−2
1.53 − 1.18
For t = 4, r = = 0.35
4−3
4. Fill the 5th column by calculating r in cfs:
(𝑖𝑛/ℎ𝑟) ∗ (𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑠) ∗ (43560 𝑓𝑡)
Q (in cfs) =
12 (𝑖𝑛/𝑓𝑡) ∗ 3600(𝑠𝑒𝑐/ℎ𝑟)

5. Fill the 6th column by using ƩF=P (2nd col) – R (3rd col)
In this way, you have learned to obtain R or Q=1.008 *i *Area where i is the initial
abstraction.

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2nd method: Matrix Method:

A matrix is a set of numbers arranged in a rectangular array.

The calculations using BR method showed that a composite hydrograph is the result
of multiplying rainfall excess by the unit hydrograph, Q=R.U, where the unit
hydrograph is a vector of flow, column vector U, that has j unit hydrograph value.

R is the rainfall excess of i period of time where:

𝑅1 0 0 … 0 𝑈1
𝑅2 𝑅1 0 … 0 𝑈2
𝑅= [ ] 𝑈=[ ]
𝑅3 𝑅2 𝑅1 … 0 𝑈3
𝑅𝑖 𝑅𝑖 − 1 … … 𝑅1 𝑈4

Computations are expanded as:

𝑄1 = 𝑅1. . 𝑈1

𝑄2 = 𝑅2. . 𝑈1 + 𝑅1 . 𝑈2

𝑄3 = 𝑅3. . 𝑈1 + 𝑅2 . 𝑈2 + 𝑅1 . 𝑈3 and etc…

The hydrograph has k values of k=i+j-1, where:

• i=number of rainfall excess values

• j= number of unit hydrograph values

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Example: Matrix Method:

Given:

Develop a unit hydrograph from streamflow data resulting from a storm of variable
rainfall excess. Assume the base of flow record is available and the runoff is not
available.

Time (hr) Excess (in) Streamflow (cfs) Baseflow (cfs) Runoff Q (cfs)

0 0 10 10 0
1 0.5 70 10 60
2 1 220 20 200
3 0 230 20 210
4 1 290 30 260
5 0 300 30 270
6 215 30 185
7 180 30 150
8 145 30 115
9 120 30 90
10 95 30 65
11 70 30 40
12 40 30 10
13 30 30 0

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 Solution:

1. Calculate runoff as runoff = streamflow – baseflow

2. Arrange the values in a matric similar to what was explained:
Q=R.U
i=4
k=13
j=k-i+1=10

• Q1 =R1.U1
60
60 = 0.5 ∗ 𝑈1 → 𝑈1 = = 120 𝑐𝑓𝑠
0.5
• Q2 =R1.U2 + R2.U1
200 = 0.5 ∗ 𝑈2 + 1 ∗ 120 → 𝑈2 = 160 𝑐𝑓𝑠
• Q3 =R1.U3 + R2.U2 + R3.U1
210 = 0.5 ∗ 𝑈3 + 1 ∗ 160 + 0 ∗ 120 → 𝑈3 = 100 𝑐𝑓𝑠
• Q4 =R1.U4 + R2.U3 + R3.U2 + R4.U1
260 = 0.5 ∗ 𝑈4 + 1 ∗ 100 + 0 ∗ 160 + 1 ∗ 120 → 𝑈4 = 80 𝑐𝑓𝑠
• Q5 =R1.U5 + R2.U4 + R3.U3 + R4.U2+ R5.U1
270 = 0.5 ∗ 𝑈5 + 1 ∗ 80 + 0 ∗ 100 + 1 ∗ 160 + 0 ∗ 120 → 𝑈4 = 60 𝑐𝑓𝑠
• Q6 =R1.U6 + R2.U5 + R3.U4 + R4.U3 U6= 50 cfs
• Q7 =R1.U7 + R2.U6 + R3.U5 + R4.U4 U7= 40 cfs
• Q8 =R1.U9 + R2.U8 + R3.U7 + R4.U6 U7= 20 cfs
• Q9 =R1.U9 + R2.U8 + R4.U6 U9= 20 cfs
• Q10 =R1.U10 + R2.U9 + R4.U7 U10= 10 cfs
• Q11 =R1.U11 + R2.U10 + R4.U8 U10= 0 cfs

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3rd method: Rational Method:

It is one of the oldest methods.

𝑄 = 𝑘 ′ . 𝑖. 𝐶𝐴 where:

• Q=runoff (cfs)
• i=rainfall intensity (in/hr)
• CA= net effective area (acres)
• k’=conversion factor = 1.008 (cfs-hr/ac-in)

= 0.00278 (m3/s/hr – mm/hr)

This equation was simplified by the following formula:

𝑄𝑝 = 𝐶. 𝑖. 𝐴 where:

• Qp = peak discharge (cfs)

• C = runoff coefficient (dimensionless)
• i = rainfall intensity (in/hr)
• A = watershed area (acres)
Table scanned gives an idea on runoff coefficient c-recurrent interval.

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4th method: BR/discrete/conventional method

This method has a lesser peak and a larger recession time relative to the rational
hydrograph

𝑄𝑝 = 0.75 ∗ 𝐶. 𝑖. 𝐴

Where:

• Qp = peak discharge (ft3/sec)

• i = rainfall intensity (in/hr)
• A = watershed area (acres)

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