Amie Lou G.

Cisneros, CE
Instructor
Eng’g & Technology Department
Cor Jesu College
 WATERSHED BOUNDARY
 Defines a contiguous area, such that the net
rainfall or runoff over that area will
contribute water to the outlet.

 CHANNEL SLOPE, S
 Reflects the rate of change of elevation with
distance along the main channel or within
an overland flow area.
 SOIL TYPES
 Determine the infiltration rates that can
occur for the area
 Soil properties can vary significantly across a
watershed area.

 LAND USE AND LAND COVER

 In the form of parking lots and urban
development, can have profound effects
on watershed response.
 When rainfall exceeds the infiltration rate at
the surface, excess water begins to
accumulate as surface storage in small
depressions governed by surface topography.
 As depression storage begins to fill, overland
flow or sheet flow may begin to occur in
portions of a watershed, and the flow quickly
concentrates into small rivulets or channels,
which can then flow into larger streams.
 One of the simplest rainfall – runoff formulas,
which is often used for drainage design
purposes in small basins and allows the for the
prediction of peak flow Qp from the formula:

𝑄𝑝 = 𝐶𝑖𝐴
Where
𝐶 = runoff coefficient, variable with land use
𝑖 = intensity of rainfall of chosen frequency for a
duration equal to time of concentration 𝑡𝑐
𝑡𝑐 = equilibrium time of rainfall occurring at the most
remote portion of the basin to contribute flow at the
outlet (min/hr)
𝐴 = area of the watershed (acres)
 One of the simplest rainfall – runoff formulas,
which is often used for drainage design
purposes in small basins and allows the for the
prediction of peak flow Qp from the formula:

𝑄𝑝 = 𝐶𝑖𝐴
Where
𝐶 = runoff coefficient, variable with land use
𝑖 = intensity of rainfall of chosen frequency for a
duration equal to time of concentration 𝑡𝑐
𝑡𝑐 = equilibrium time of rainfall occurring at the most
remote portion of the basin to contribute flow at the
outlet (min/hr)
𝐴 = area of the watershed (acres)
 HYDROGRAPH
 Results from a combination of physiographic
and meteorological conditions in a watershed
and represents the integrated effects of
climate, hydrologic losses, surface runoff and
base flow.

 Meteorological Factors that influence the

hydrograph shape and volume of runoff
include:
 Rainfall intensity and pattern
 Areal distribution of rainfall over the basin
 Size and duration of the storm event
The distribution of a uniform rainfall,
where it can be seen that after
some time, direct runoff begins to
increase as a rising limb and levels
off at the peak outflow. Eventually
runoff from storage contributes to
the overall response of the
watershed.Finally, the hydrograph
recedes to a low value of base
flow or returns to zero.

NOTE:
The time duration of rainfall is
usually much shorter than the time
base of the hydrograph.
A typical hydrograph is
characterized by:
a. rising limb;
b. crest segment;
c. recession curve

The inflection point on the falling

limb is often assumed to be the
point where the direct runoff ends.
Rainfall excess is obtained by
subtracting infiltration losses from
total storm rainfall, while
evaporation can be usually be
neglected for an individual storm
event on a small basin.
• Several techniques exist to
separate DRO from base
flow based on the analysis of
ground water.
• In many cases, the recession
curve can be described by
an exponential depletion
equation of the general
form:
𝒒𝒕 = 𝒒𝟎 𝒆−𝒌𝒕
where
 𝑞0 = specified initial discharge
 𝑞𝑡 = discharge at later time t
 𝑘 = recession constant
• The separation methods all suffer the disadvantage of being
quite arbitrary and somewhat inaccurate. At present, base
flow separation is more an art than a science.
• In many cases of practical interest such as urban drainage,
base flow is often neglected because it represents such a
small component.
• Baseflow is usually more important in natural streams and
large rivers because of its contribution along the banks from
a water table.
• We can write the continuity equation:

GROSS RAINFALL = DEPRESSION STORAGE + EVAPORATION

+ INFILTRATION + SURFACE RUNOFF

• In cases where depression storage is small and evaporation can be

neglected, one can compute the rainfall excess, which equals
direct runoff, DRO by

RAINFALL EXCESS = DRO

DRO = GROSS RAINFALL

– (INFILTRATION + DEPRESSION STORAGE)
• Sherman originally advanced the theory of the unit
hydrograph defined as “basin outflow resulting from
1.0 inch (1.0 mm) of direct runoff generated
uniformly over the drainage area at a uniform
rainfall rate during a specified period of rainfall
duration.”

NOTE
UH is composed of 1.0 inch direct runoff, which is equivalent to
1.0 inch of net rainfall for a given duration D, and therefore all
losses to infiltration must be subtracted before computations.
• ASSUMPTIONS
▫ Rainfall excesses of equal duration are assumed to
produce hydrographs with equivalent time bases
regardless of the intensity of the rain.
▫ Direct runoff ordinates for a storm of given duration
are assumed directly proportional to rainfall excess
volumes. Thus, twice the rainfall produces a doubling
of hydrograph ordinates.
▫ The time distribution of direct runoff is assumed
independent of an antecedent precipitation.
▫ Rainfall distribution is assumed to be the same for all
storms of equal duration, both spatially and
temporally.
• MAIN TIMING ASPECTS OF THE HYDROGRAPH
▫ Duration of rainfall excess
 the time from start to finish of rainfall excess
▫ Lag Time
 the time from the center of mass of rainfall excess to the
peak of the hydrograph
▫ Time of Rise
 the time from the start of rainfall excess to the peak of the
hydrograph
▫ Time of Concentration
 the time of the wave of water to propagate from the most
distant point in the watershed to the outlet. One estimate is
the time from the end of net rainfall to the inflection point of
the hydrograph.
▫ Time Base
 the total duration of the DRO hydrograph
The following are the essential steps for developing a unit
hydrograph from a single storm hydrograph:
1. Analyze the hydrograph and separate base flow;
2. Measure the total volume of the DRO under the hydrograph
and convert this is to inches (mm) over the watershed.
3. Convert the total rainfall to rainfall excess through infiltration
methods, such that the rainfall excess = DRO, and evaluate
duration D of the rainfall excess that produced the DRO
hydrograph.
4. Divide the ordinates of the DRO hydrograph by the volume in
inches (mm) and plot these results as the unit hydrograph for
the basin. The time base Tb is assumed constant for storms of
equal duration and thus it will not change.
5. Check the volume of the unit hydrograph to make sure it is
1.0 in. (1.0 mm) and graphically adjust ordinates as required.
The following are the essential steps for developing a unit
hydrograph from a single storm hydrograph:
1. Analyze the hydrograph and separate base flow;
2. Measure the total volume of the DRO under the hydrograph
and convert this is to inches (mm) over the watershed.
3. Convert the total rainfall to rainfall excess through infiltration
methods, such that the rainfall excess = DRO, and evaluate
duration D of the rainfall excess that produced the DRO
hydrograph.
4. Divide the ordinates of the DRO hydrograph by the volume in
inches (mm) and plot these results as the unit hydrograph for
the basin. The time base Tb is assumed constant for storms of
equal duration and thus it will not change.
5. Check the volume of the unit hydrograph to make sure it is
1.0 in. (1.0 mm) and graphically adjust ordinates as required.
• A UH for a particular watershed is defined
for a specific duration D of rainfall excess
(Rfnet). The linear property of the UH can be
used to generate a UH of larger or smaller
duration.
• The S – curve method allows the construction of a
UH of any duration.

• Note: The lagging procedure is restricted to integer multiples

of the original duration.
• Assume that a UH of duration
D is known and that we wish
to generate a UH for the
same watershed with
duration D’.
• Generate the S – curve by
adding a series of UHs of
duration D, each lagged by a
time period D. This
corresponds to the runoff
hydrograph resulting from a
continuous rainfall excess
intensity of 1/D in/hr., where D
is measured in hours.
• HYDROGRAPH CONVOLUTION
• The procedure of deriving a storm hydrograph from a
multiperiod rainfall excess.

• ]The governing equation for the storm hydrograph in

discrete form is called the convolution equation:
𝒏

𝑸𝒏 = 𝑷𝒊 𝑼𝒏−𝒊+𝟏
𝒊=𝟏
𝑸𝒏 = 𝑷𝒏 𝑼𝟏 + 𝑷𝒏−𝟏 𝑼𝟐 + 𝑷𝒏−𝟐 𝑼𝟑 + ⋯ + 𝑷𝟏 𝑼𝒋

where
• 𝑄𝑛 = storm hydrograph ordinate
• 𝑃𝑖 = 𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠
• 𝑈𝑗 (𝑗 = 𝑛 − 𝑖 + 1) = 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑕𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑕 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒
• Snyder was the first to develop a synthetic UH based
on a study of watersheds in the Appalachian
Highlands. In the basins ranging 10 to 10,000 sq.mi.,
Snyder’s relation are

𝑡𝑝 = 𝐶𝑡 𝐿𝐿𝑐 0.3

• Where
• 𝑡𝑝 = basin lag
• 𝐿 = length of main stream from the outlet to the divide (mi)
• 𝐿𝑐 = length along the main stream to a point nearest the
watershed centroid (mi)
• 𝐶𝑡 = coefficient usually ranging from 1.8 to 2.2
• 𝐶𝑡 has been found to vary from 0.4 in mountainous area to
8.0 along the Gulf of Mexico
 𝑄𝑝 = 640𝐶𝑝 𝐴/𝑡𝑝

• Where
• 𝑄𝑝 = peak discharge of the unit hydrograph, cfs
• 𝐴 = drainage area, sq. mi
• 𝐶𝑝 = storage coefficient ranging from 0.40 to 0.80
• 𝐶𝑡 = coefficient usually ranging from 1.8 to 2.2
• 𝐶𝑡 has been found to vary from 0.4 in mountainous
area to 8.0 along the Gulf of Mexico
 𝑡𝑝
𝑇𝑏 = 3 +
8
𝑡𝑝
𝐷=
5.5

For small watersheds,

𝑇𝑏 = 4𝑡𝑝

• 𝑇𝑏 = time base of the hydrograph, days

• The methods developed by the
Soil Conservation Service are
based on a dimensionless
hydrograph, developed from a
large number of UHs from gaged
watersheds ranging in size and
geographic location.
• The volume of direct runoff is
𝑄𝑝 𝑇𝑅 𝑄𝑝 𝐵
𝑉𝑜𝑙 = +
2 2

2𝑉𝑜𝑙
𝑄𝑝 =
𝑇𝑅 + 𝐵

𝐵 = 1.67𝑇𝑅
 0.75𝑉𝑜𝑙 484𝐴
𝑄𝑝 = =
𝑇𝑅 𝑇𝑅
𝐷
𝑇𝑅 = + 𝑡𝑝
2
𝑙0.8 𝑆 + 1 0.7
𝑡𝑝 =
1900𝑦 0.5
Where
𝑡𝑝 = lag time (hr)
D = rainfall duration, hr
𝐴 = area of the basin, sq.mi.
𝑇𝑅 = time of rise, hr
𝑙 = length of divide,ft
𝑦 = average watershed slope, in percent
1000
𝑆 = CN − 10, inches
CN = curve number for various soil/land use
 𝑃 − 0.2𝑆 2
𝑄=
𝑃 + 0.8𝑆
• Runoff curve numbers are presented in the ff.
figure:
Runoff curve numbers for
Selected Agricultural,
Suburban, and Urban
Land Use