Material 1

CEHY0322: Hydrology

Introduction to Hydrology

Hydrology is that branch of physical geography which is concerned with the origin,
distribution, and properties of the waters of the earth.

The science that treats the waters of the Earth, their occurrence, circulation and
distribution, their chemical and physical properties and their reaction with the
environment, including their relation to living things.

Hydrology VS Hydraulics
• How much water is coming?
• What areas are prone to flooding?
• How fast is the water?
• How high is the water going to get?
• Will that cause erosion?
• How often does that much flooding occur?
• How would it change if we build a reservoir?
• How much time before the flooding starts?
• How would the flow change if a levee is built?

HYDROLOGY HYDRAULICS

Hydrology in Engineering

Hydrology is used in engineering mainly in connection with the design and

operation of hydraulic structures. Practical applications of hydrology are found in such
tasks as the design and operation of hydraulic structures, water supply, wastewater
treatment and disposal, irrigation, drainage, hydropower generation, flood control,
navigation, erosion and sediment control, salinity control, pollution abatement,
recreational use of water, and fish and wildlife protection.

CEHY0322 Hydrology Material 1

 Hydrology and other Geosciences

Hydrology as Science behind Water

Resource Problems

Importance of Hydrology

1. The variation of water production from catchments can be calculated and

described by hydrology.
2. Engineering hydrology enables us to find out the relationship between a
catchments' surface water and groundwater resources
3. The expected flood flows over a spillway, at a highway at a culvert, or in an
urban storm drainage system can be known by this very subject.
4. It helps us to know the required reservoir capacity to assure adequate water
for irrigation or municipal water supply in droughts condition.
5. It tells us what hydrologic hardware (e.g. rain gauges, stream gauges etc) and
software (computer models) are needed for real-time flood forecasting.
6. Used in connection with design and operations of hydraulic structure
7. Hydrology is an indispensable tool in planning and building hydraulic structures.
8. Hydrology is used for city water supply design which is based on catchments
area, amount of rainfall, dry period, storage capacity, runoff evaporation and
transpiration.

Division of Hydrology

Engineering Hydrology
Engineering hydrology deals with the planning, design and operation of
engineering projects for the control and use of water
Applied Hydrology
Applied hydrology is the study of hydrological cycle, precipitation, runoff,
relationship between precipitation and runoff, hydrographs, Flood Routing
Chemical Hydrology
Study of chemical characteristics of water.
Eco-hydrology
Interaction between organisms and the hydrological cycle.
Hydrogeology
Also referred to as geo-hydrology, is the study of the presence and movement
of ground water.

CEHY0322 Hydrology Material 1

Hydro-informatics
he adaptation of information technology to hydrology and water resource
applications
Hydrometeorology
It is the study of the transfer of water and energy between land and water body
surfaces and the lower atmosphere.
Isotope Hydrology
It is the study of isotropic signatures of water (origin and age of water).
Surface Water Hydrology
It is the study of hydrologic processes that operate at or near earth’s surface.
Ground Water Hydrology
It is the study of underground water

Hydrologic Cycle
The hydrologic cycle represents
the process and pathways involved in
the circulation of water from land and
water bodies to the atmosphere and
back again.

Hydrologic Processes

Evaporation
Evaporation is the net loss of
water from a surface resulting from a
change in the state of water from liquid
to vapor and the net transfer of this
vapor to the atmosphere. The majority
of evaporation that occurs within the
hydrologic cycle originates from large
surface water bodies, such as the
world’s oceans. Water vapor gathers in
the atmosphere and forms clouds
through condensation. When the clouds
become moisture rich precipitation may
occur.

Condensation
Condensation is the transformation of evaporated water vapours into liquid
water droplets suspended in the air as clouds or fog. It is important process to convert
the evaporated water into liquid state enabling formation of clouds with the aid of
condensation nuclei.

Precipitation

CEHY0322 Hydrology Material 1

 Precipitation is the discharge of water,
in a liquid or solid state, out of the atmosphere,
generally onto a land or water surface.
Hydrologists view precipitation as the major
input to a watershed.

Transpiration
Transpiration is the net loss of water from
plant leaves by evaporation through leave
stomata.

Evapotranspiration (ET)
Evapotranspiration is evaporation from soils,
plant surfaces, water bodies, and water losses
through plant leaves.

Surface Runoff or Overland Flow

Surface runoff or overland flow is water that flows over the soil surface and
occurs from areas that are impervious or locally saturated or from areas where rainfall
rate exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil. Surface runoff or overland flow can
cause erosion, create landforms, and fill waterway, such as rivers, streams, and lakes.

Infiltration
Infiltration is the process by which water enters the soil surface; water
movement downward through the soil is called percolation. Water that infiltrations,
creates soil moisture for crops and percolation into the groundwater system or aquifer.

CEHY0322 Hydrology Material 1