HYDROLOGY

GROUP OF: KAVEN JOY A. EQUINAN

EDUARDO R. VALENCIA JR.
KARL JUDE P. PASCUA
INSTRUCTOR: ENGR. RENANTE C. ORANG
INTERCEPTION
REPORTER:KARL JUDE P. PASCUA
 Interception

• Interception is the process by which water is captured on

vegetation (leaves, bark, grasses, crops, etc.) during a
precipitation event. Intercepted precipitation is not
available for runoff or infiltration, but instead is returned
to the atmosphere through evaporation.

• Interception can be as high as 2 mm during a single rainfall event, but typically removes
about 0.5 mm during a single rainfall/storm event.

• The quantity of water removed through interception is usually not significant for an isolated
storm, but, when added over a period of time, it can be significant.
Three Main Components of
Interception:

1. Interception loss: The water that is retained by vegetation surfaces that is later evaporated into the
atmosphere, or absorbed by the plant. Interception loss prevents water from reaching the ground surface
and is regarded as a primary water loss.

2. Throughfall : The water which falls through spaces in the vegetation canopy, or which drips from the
leaves, twigs and stems and falls to the ground.

3. Stemflow: The water which trickles along the stems and branches and down the main stem or trunk to
the ground surface.
Factors Affecting Interception
1. Interception Storage: The ability of vegetation surfaces to collect and retain precipitation.

2. Evaporation: Even when the interception storage capacity is exceeded water may be lost by evaporation off
leaf surfaces.

3. Duration of Rainfall: Influences interception by determining the balance between reduced storage of water on
vegetation surfaces and increased evaporative loss over time.

4. Rainfall Frequency: The highest levels of interception loss occur when the leaves are dry and interception
storage is large, so the frequency of re-wetting is more significant than the duration and amount of rainfall.

5. Precipitation Type: The contrast between rain and snow. Snow clings to leaves and branches more, but
interception loss is limited due to low temperatures and evaporation rates.

6. Type and Morphology of the Vegetation Cover: Interception losses are generally greater from trees than other
types of vegetation
Interception losses generally occur during the first part of a precipitation
event and the interception loss rate trends toward zero rather quickly

If the total rainfall volume is less than S, then all rainfall will be intercepted.
Potential interception losses during storm can be estimated:

Li = S + K E t

Where:
Li = the volume of water intercepted (mm)
K = the ratio of surface area of intercepting leaves to the horizontal
projection of the total area (>1)
E = the evaporation rate (mm/hr) during the storm period; and
t = duration of storm (hr).