Department of Civil Engineering

UNIT HYDROGRAPH
ANALYSIS AND
APPLICATION
The Unit Hydrograph
Unit Hydrograph Derivation
Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
Unit Hydrograph Application
 Unit Hydrograph
Definitions

The unit hydrograph is the unit pulse response function of

a linear hydrologic system.
First proposed by Sherman (1932), the unit hydrograph
(originally named unit-graph) of a watershed is
defined as a direct runoff hydrograph (DRH)
resulting from 1 in (usually taken as 1 cm in SI
units) of excess rainfall generated uniformly over
the drainage area at a constant rate for an
effective duration.
Sherman originally used the word “unit” to denote a unit
of time. But since that time it has often been interpreted
as a unit depth of excess rainfall.
Sherman classified runoff into surface runoff and
groundwater runoff and defined the unit hydrograph for
use only with surface runoff.
 Unit Hydrograph
Assumptions

The unit hydrograph is a simple linear model that can be used

to derive the hydrograph resulting from any amount of excess
rainfall. The following basic assumptions are inherent in this
model;
The excess rainfall has a constant intensity within the effective
duration.
The excess rainfall is uniformly distributed throughout the whole
drainage area.
The base time of the DRH (the duration of direct runoff) resulting
from an excess rainfall of given duration is constant.
The ordinates of all DRH’s of a common base time are directly
proportional to the total amount of direct runoff represented by
each hydrograph.
For a given watershed, the hydrograph resulting from a given
excess rainfall reflects the unchanging characteristics of the
watershed.
 Unit Hydrograph

Different Rainfall Durations

When a UH of a given express rainfall duration is

available, the UH of other durations can be derived.
If other durations are integral multiples of the given
duration, the new UH can be easily computed by
application of the principles of superposition and
proportionality if the new duration is multiple integer
of the given duration, e.g, D2 = nD1.
However, a general method of derivation applicable to
UH of any required duration may be used on the basis
of the principle of superposition. This is the S-
Hydrograph Method.
Area of watershed in km2 = 0.36*time step in hours*
sum of UH ordinates (m3/s per cm). Watch for units
 Unit Hydrograph
Different Rainfall Durations

The theoretical S-Hydrograph is that resulting from continuous

excess rainfall at a constant rate of 1 cm/hr for an indefinite
period.
This is a step response function of a watershed system
The curve assume a deformed S shape and its ordinates
ultimately approach the rated of excess rainfall at a time of
equilibrium.
This step response function, g(t) can be derived from the unit
pulse response function, h(t) of the unit hydrograph.
 Unit Hydrograph
Different Rainfall Durations: Superposition D2=multiple
integer of D1

Given: D1-UH for a watershed

Required: D2-UH for the watershed, D2 = n D1, n=1,2,3,…
integer
Steps:
Find n= D2/D1
Lag the D1-UH n-1 additional times each with D1 hours
Sum the D1-UH and the lagged D1-UH and find Sum at
each time step
D2-UH at each time step Ui = Sumi/n
Example: Unit Hydrograph Analysis
Given 2h-UH (column 2), Derive the 6h-UH for the same watershed using superposition

2h-UH
Time (hr) (m3/s/cm) lag1 lag2 Sum 6h-UH =Sum/3  

0 0     0.00 0.00  

1 12     12.00 4.00  

2 30 0   30.00 10.00  

3 45 12   57.00 19.00  

4 24 30 0 54.00 18.00  
 === Peak
5 12 45 12 69.00 23.00
6 9 24 30 63.00 21.00  

7 0 12 45 57.00 19.00  

8   9 24 33.00 11.00  

9   0 12 12.00 4.00  

10     9 9.00 3.00  

11     0 0.00 0.00  
 Unit Hydrograph
Different Rainfall Durations: S-method

Given: D-UH for a watershed

Required: T-UH for the watershed, for any T by S-
method
Develop the S-Hydrograph by lagging the D-UH
infinite times by D hrs each time and sum the
ordinates horizontally, call the sum SA
Shift the SA hydrograph by T hours, call it SB
Find Delta S= SA - SB at each time step, replace any
negative value by zero,
A in km2 and D in hours
T-UH at each time step Ui = Delta S *D/T
 Develop S-Curve
60000.00

50000.00

40000.00

Continuous
Flow (cfs)

30000.00
6-hour
20000.00
bursts
10000.00

0.00

Time (hrs.)
S-Method
Example: Unit Hydrograph Analysis
Given 2h-UH (column 2), Derive the 6h-UH using S-Hydrograph
Shifted S (by 6h-UH=
Time 2h-UH lag1 lag2 lag3 lag4 S-Curve 6 h) DS D S*D1/T
0 0         0   0 0
1 12         12   12 4
2 30 0       30   30 10
3 45 12       57   57 19
4 24 30 0     54   54 18
5 12 45 12     69   69 23
6 9 24 30 0   63 0 63 21
7 0 12 45 12   69 12 57 19
8   9 24 30 0 69 30 39 13
9   0 12 45 12 69 57 12 4
10     9 24 30 63 54 9 3
11     0 12 45 69 69 0 0
 Solved Example

Example:
A watershed is subjected to a storm of intensity 18 mm/hr lasts 2 hours
followed, after a 3h break of no rainfall, by a 15.5 mm/hr storm which
lasts another 4 hours. The infiltration Phi-index is estimated to be 8
mm/hr. The 2h-unit hydrograph is given in column 2 of the table below.
The base flow can be assumed constant and equals to 10 m3/s.

Required:
i- The 4h-UH showing all steps,
ii- The area of this catchment
iii- The total flood hydrograph for this storm for the first 10 hours
 Solved Example

Solution

1. Area of watershed = .36*time step* Sum of U ordinates

=0.36*1*226= 81 km2
2. This is a combined storm, the excess rainfall is rd= (P-Phi*Duration).
Storm 1 duration is 2h, Pe= (18-8)*2= 20 mm= 2cm starting at t=0.
3. The second storm duration is 4 h, Pe= (15.5-8)*4= 30 mm= 3 cm
starting at t= 5 hrs.
4. We need to derive the 4h-UH for the second storm
5. Using the give time scale, multiply the ordinate of the 2h-UH by 2 cm
and the 4h-UH by 3 cm. Add DRH for each storm
6. Add Baseflow of 10 m3/s to all DRH ordinates, the resulting flow is the
TRH
Calculations are shown in Table below
 Solved Example
DRH 1 DRH2 TRH=S1+S2+
Time 2h-UH (Given) lagged 2h Sum/2 Storm1=2.0cm Storm2=3 cm BF
3*(4h-UH)
(lagged
hrs (m3/s.cm) (2h-UH) 4h-UH 2*(2h-UH) 5h) m3/s
0 0   0 0 0 10
1 10   5 20 0 30
2 32 0 16 64 0 74
3 48 10 29 96 0 106
4 40 32 36 80 0 90
5 36 48 42 72 0 82
6 24 40 32 48 15 73
7 16 36 26 32 48 90
8 12 24 18 24 87 121
9 8 16 12 16 108 134
10 0 12 6 0 126 136
11   8 4 0 96 106
12   0 0 0 78 88
13         54 64
          36 46
          18 28
 sum of
 Solved Example

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph

Real Unit Hydrograph:

Developed from rainfall and streamflow data on a watershed
applies only for that watershed and for the point on the
stream where the streamflow data were measured.

Synthetic Unit Hydrograph (ungaged watersheds):

Synthetic unit hydrograph procedures are used to
develop unit hydrographs for other locations on the
stream in the same watershed or for nearby
watersheds of a similar character.
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph

There are three types of synthetic unit hydrograph:

Those relating hydrograph characteristics (peak flow
rate, base time, etc.) to watershed characteristics.
(Snyder, 1938)
Those based on a dimensionless unit hydrograph.
(Soil Conservation Service, 1972)
Those based on models of watershed storage. (Clark,
1943)
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
Snyder’s UH
Snyder defined a standard unit hydrograph as one
whose rainfall duration tr is related to the basin lag tp
by tp = the basin lag (hr)
tp  5.5tr L = Length of the main stream
from the outlet to the
upstream (km)
For a standard unit
Lc = The distance from the
hydrograph Snyder found that outlet to a point on the
stream nearest the
centroid of watershed area.
0.3
The basin lag is tp  C1C t  LLc  C1 = 0.75
Ct = Coefficient derived from
gaged watersheds in the
same region (ranges from
0.3 to 6.0).
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
Snyder’s UH

The peak discharge per unit drainage area in m3/s.km2 of the

standard unit hydrograph is
C2 = 2.75 and Cp =
C 2C p Coefficient derived from
qp  gaged watersheds in the
tp same region ranges from 0.3
to 0.93
If tpR=5.5tR tR=tr, tpR=tp, qpR=qp
0.3
ct, cp are computed from tp  C1C t  LLc 

t t
If tpR5.5tR tp  tpR  r R
4
tpR=tp, qpR=qp
0.3
ct, cp are computed from tp  C1C t  LLc 
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
Snyder’s UH

The relationship between qp and the peak discharge per unit

drainage area qpR of the required unit hydrograph is
C 2C p
qp 
tp

The base time tb in hours of the unit hydrograph can be

determined using the fact that the area under the unit
hydrograph is equivalent to a direct runoff of 1 cm.
Assuming a triangular shape for the unit hydrograph, the
base time may be estimated by
C3
tb  C3 =
qpR
5.56
Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
Snyder’s UH

tp=5.5t tp5.5t
r r

Standard UH Required UH
 Example 4

Compute the six-hour synthetic unit hydrograph of a

watershed having a drainage area of 2,500 km2 with L = 100
km and Lc = 50 km. This watershed is a sub-drainage area of
the watershed in example 3.
Solution:
Ct= 2.65 and Cp=0.56
Find tp  C1C t  LLc  0.3
This gives tp =
 SCS- Synthetic Unit
Hydrograph SCS Dimensionless UH

The SCS-UH is a synthetic unit hydrograph in which the discharge

is expressed by
the ratio of discharge  discharge (q) to peak discharge (qp)
the time  the ratio of the time (t) to the time of rise of the
unithydrograph (Tp)

Given the peak discharge and lag time for the

duration of excess rainfall, the UH can be estimated
from the synthetic dimensionless hydrograph for the
given basin
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
SCS Dimensionless UH

A study of unit hydrographs of many large and small

rural watersheds indicates that the basin lag

Lag time tp = 0.6TcTc = time of

concentration of
watersheds (Kirpich
etc.) in terms of lag time, tp
Time to rise, Tp can be expressed
and the duration of effective rainfall, tr
tr
Tp   tp
2
 The Kirpich formula Tc calculator (online)

• http://onlinetc.sdsu.edu/kirpich.php

• Version 050217
• Your request was processed at 04:14 pm, 22nd July 2017.
• Tc =   0.01947 L0.77/ S 0.385
• Watershed Data   
• L =     5000 m (flow length)
• S =     0.01 m/m (average slope)
• Then
• Tc =     80.95 min = 1.35 hr   ANSWER.
SCS -- Synthetic Unit
Hydrograph SCS Dimensionless UH
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph
SCS Dimensionless UH

The figure shows a

dimensionless hydrograph,
prepared from the unit
hydrographs of variety of
watersheds. The values of
qp and Tp may be
estimated using a
simplified model of
triangular unit hydrograph.
SCS suggests the time of recession may be approximated as
1.67Tp.
As the area under the unit hydrograph should
Tp = peak be equal to a
time, hr
direct runoff of 1 cm q  C A
p qp = peak discharge, cms.m
Tp
c = 2.08
A = the drainage area, sq.km.
 Example

Construct a 10-minute SCS-UH for a basin of area 3.0 km2

and time of concentration 1.25 hr.
Solution The duration tr = 10 min = 0.166 hr
Lag time tp = 0.6Tc = 0.6x1.25 = 0.75 hr
Rise time Tp = tr/2 + tp = 0.166/2 + 0.75 = 0.833 hr
CA
qp = 2.08x3.0/0.833 = 7.49 m /s.cm
3 qp 
Tp

The dimensionless hydrograph in the figure may be

converted to the required dimensions by multiplying the
values on the horizontal axis by Tp and those on the vertical
axis by qp. Alternatively, the triangular unit hydrograph can
be drawn with tb = 2.67Tp = 2.22 hr. The depth of direct
runoff is checked to equal 1 cm.
 Applications: Find Surface Runoff
from UH

Given: D-UH for a watershed, Base Flow and Rainfall

Hyetograph
Required: TRH (Dischage Q used for Design): Steps
Using the abstraction method (the Phi-Index, SCS or
others), estimate the excess rainfall for the storm
for each duration
Find the duration of each excess rainfall for each
storm
From the given D-UH derive the new D2-UH if
needed (use superposition or S-method)
Multiply the ordinates of the UH for each storm by
the excess rainfall depth taking into account the
duration and staring time of each excess rainfall
storm resulting in DRH
Sum the ordinates of the DRH for each time step
A Survey of Major Watershed (Rainfall-Runoff)
Models

• Knowing what is out there in the

Workplace
• Capabilities of each model
• Requirements of each model
• What is the best model?
• Examples
– Ungaged area needing WRE
management (expansion)
– Balancing $$, needs and
requirements (Consulting)
– Flood-frequency analyses,
forecasting, extrapolating for
future scenarios
 Consider this Scenario:
1. A major expansion of What kind of Water Resources
urbanization is planned in Management Strategy/Measures would be
forested land – malls, apts, needed to ensure long-term water needs?
parks, industry

2. How will the planned

urbanization change the Watershed Models are used to answer
response of the land to such questions
rainfall? Increase chances of
floods? Flashier? Bring
down GWT?
 GOALS
• Be aware of the Major Models out there and their
basic workings
• Understand Data needs and requirements
• Merits/Demerits of Models (situational)
• Ponder over: What is the Best Model? (open
question)
– Be able to make an informed decision on the choice of a
Model (for Consulting, Industry, Public Works)
 Model The Hydrologic Cycle

All watershed Models (or Rainfall-Runoff) attempt to model

the Hydrologic Cycle at the watershed scale.

Watershed? – Natural System with all major components of cycle

Hydrologic Cycle? (Water Cycle) – Water Distribution
Model? – Abstraction of reality using Mathematics
 The Major Processes of a Model
Infiltration
Unsaturated Zone flow
Groundwater (saturated
zone flow)
Overland Flow
River Flow
Evapotranspiration

Rainfall is usually the major input in Hydrologic

Models – it is not modeled!
 Classification of Models
Based on mathematical representation of processes
– Conceptual Models
– Physically-based Models

Based spatial nature of input/output of models

 Lumped Rainfall, Runoff, ET, GW flow
 Distributed Rainfall, Runoff, ET, GW flow
Conceptual Vs Physically Based
Conceptual Models – Idealization
of processes as stores, buckets,
parameterizations – simplified
equations representing mass,
momentum, energy.

Physically-based Models –
“rigorous numerical solution of
partial differential equations
governing flow through porous
media, overland and channel
flows. “
 Lumped Vs Distributed Models

Lumped - The spatial and temporal variation of

meteorological, hydrological, geological and
hydrogeological data across the model area is
described as one aggregated value for input and
output

!All models are lumped at the finest scale!

Distributed - The spatial and temporal variation of

meteorological, hydrological, geological and
hydrogeological data across the model area is described
in gridded form for the input as well as the output from
the model
 Data Requirements for Models

• Rainfall Data (Major Input) More Physically-based means

• Soils Data (Infiltration, Runoff) more data requirement
• DEM – channel network (River More Conceptual requires less
routing) data!

• Vegetation Data (For ET)

• GWT Data (Saturated zone
flow) Data acquisition is an investment
• Historical Rainfall-Streamflow that needs to be commensurate with
the model
Data (Calibration)
• Evaporation Data (ET)
 Sources of Data

• Rainfall – Gage, Radar • Reliability

(NWS), Satellite • Ready availability
• Soils – STATSGO, USDA • Cost $$$
• DEM – USGS, Topo • Resolution (space, time)
maps, Satellites
• Vegetation – Satellites,
USDA
• Streamflow – USGS
 Is all data needed?

• Physically-based – Insatiable needs – but potential

high returns
• Conceptual – modest needs with modest returns
• Calibration –needs historical data. What is
Calibration?
• What to do in ungaged regions where there is ‘No
Data’? Transfer experience. PUB
What affects operational costs of a Model?

• Level of data needs – Data is expensive

• Level of physical complexity (Physically-based
means qualified personnel; Rational Method –
no-brainer
• Scale of the problem being addressed –
larger/heterogenous – more $$$

The multiple needs of the TVA

river reservoir system
 Some Models Out there
• HEC-1 or HEC-HMS
• PRMS
• HSPF (Fortran)
• MIKE 11
• Make your own survey if you wish (Consider,
DSS – Riverware, BASINS)

For a comprehensive guide refer to: VP Singh – Computer Models for Watersheds
 HEC-1
• Developed by Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) of US Army Corps of
Engineers

• Flood Hydrograph Package – single storm even simulation. Lumped model

• Loss Function approach – SCS, Green Ampt, Holtan

• Data Needs – sub-basin delineation, rainfall, runoff, routing parameters
• Based on Unit Hydrograph or kinematic for runoff routing
• Other capabilities – Snowfall/melt, dam safety, pumping, diversions
• Customer Support? – Try HEC, San Diego, CA.
 PRMS – Precipitation-Runoff Modeling
System
• Developed by USGS – more of an educational tool to
build your own models
• Lumped/sub-basin –continuous simulation – see
Handout
• Data needs – (depends) precip, streamflow, DEM,
minmax air temp, radiation, vegetation..(see
handout)
• Code in F77
• Capabilities - many
• Customer Support? – Try USGS
 HSPF Hydrological Simulation Program -
Fortran
• USGS – multi-use model
• Can do water quality.
• Mainly for land-use change, reservoir operations,
flow diversions etc.
• Data needs – A lot – (see Hand-out)
• Software – In Fortran 77
• Capabilities – A lot (see hand-out)
• Customer Support? – Try USGS
• Real Example – 62,000 sq mi tributary area in
Chesapeake Bay.
 MIKE 11
• Danish Hydraulic Institute DHI
• Very sophisticated – physically-based, high-end
model
• Data needs – a lot (dependent of in-situ
measurements
• Softwares – commercial (and expensive)
• Capabilities – Many (see hand-out)
• Customer Support? – Try DHI or Vendors
• Real Example – River Jamuna, Bangladesh
 MIKE SHE

• USGS – educational, conceptual/physical

• Data needs?
• Softwares
• Capabilities
• Merits/Demerits (can/can not do)
• Customer Support?
• Real Example -
 What is the best Model?
This is situational – It All Depends!
Primary objectives
$$ budget
Level of Tolerable Accuracy/precision
Complexity and uniqueness of the problem
Time frame for delivery
Data availability

It’s a highly complex question whose answer is sensitive to a multiplicity of factors

What is “calibration”?

Reducing model error is a process

Has the model been built correctly?
Verification Is the conceptual model right and correct in
terms of input-output

Is the model statistically significant? Can we

Calibration even determine significance? Can we reproduce
real values (historical events)

Do we know what the model is, such that it can

Validation be verified? Are we using the right model and
the model is feasible and accurate enough.
 Verification and Validation
of Simulation Models
• Verification: concerned with building the model
right. It is utilized in the comparison of the
conceptual model to the computer representation
that implements that conception. It asks
the questions: Is the model implemented
correctly in the computer? Are the input
parameters and logical structure of the model
correctly represented?

Verification and Validation 55

 Verification and Validation
of Simulation Models (cont.)
• Validation: concerned with building the right
model. It is utilized to determine that a model is
an accurate representation of the real system.
Validation is usually achieved through the
calibration of the model, an iterative process of
comparing the model to actual system behavior
and using the discrepancies between the two, and
the insights gained, to improve the model. This
process is repeated until model accuracy is judged
to be acceptable.

Verification and Validation 56

Verification of Simulation Models
Many commonsense suggestions can be given for
use in the verification process.
1. Have the code checked by someone other than
the programmer.
2. Make a flow diagram which includes each logically
possible action a system can take when an event
occurs, and follow the model logic for each action
for each event type.

Verification and Validation 57

Verification of Simulation Models
3. Closely examine the model output for
reasonableness under a variety of settings of the
input parameters. Have the code print out a wide
variety of output statistics.
4. Have the computerized model print the input
parameters at the end of the simulation, to be
sure that these parameter values have not been
changed inadvertently.

Verification and Validation 58

Verification of Simulation Models
5. Make the computer code as self-documenting as
possible. Give a precise definition of every
variable used, and a general description of the
purpose of each major section of code.

These suggestions are basically the same ones any

programmer would follow when debugging a
computer program.

Verification and Validation 59

 Calibration and Validation
of Models
Compare model
Initial
to reality Model

Revise
Compare
revised model
First revision
Real of model
to reality
System Revise

Compare 2nd
revised model Second
revision
to reality of model

Revise
<Iterative process of calibrating a model>

Verification and Validation 60

Validation of Simulation Models
As an aid in the validation process, Naylor and
Finger formulated a three-step approach which
has been widely followed:
1. Build a model that has high face validity.
2. Validate model assumptions.
3. Compare the model input-output transformations
to corresponding input-output transformations
for the real system.

Verification and Validation 61