DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

ASSIGNMENT OF HYDROLOGY (1)

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1: Define hydrology. With a neat sketch, explain the Horton’s qualitative representation
of hydrologic cycle.

ANSWER

 Hydrology is “hydro’ and “logy’. “Hydro’ means water and “logy’ means science,
and is the science that deals with the origin, distribution and properties of water
on the earth including that in the atmosphere in the form of water, on the surface
as ground water.
 The hydrologic cycle is a continuous process by which water is transported from
the ocean to atmosphere to the land and back to the sea.

2: Discuss briefly the importance of hydrology and its practical applications in civil
engineering.

ANSWER

 Hydrology plays a vital role in finding solutions to water problems and

interesting and challenging careers are available in civil engineering to design
structural and consultant architecture.

3: Draw a neat sketch showing the catchment hydrological cycle. Write down the water
budget equation for any one of the zones.

ANSWER

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

 Water budget in land surface [ I-O=DELT( S) ] or (P+R1+RG)-

(R2+ES+TS+I)=DELT(SS)
 Water budget in groundwater[ I-O=DELT (S) ] or (I+G1)-
(G2+RG+EG+TG)=DELT(SG)

4: hydrology is a highly inter-disciplinary science. Justify.

ANSWER

 Hydrology is a physical environmental science which seeks to describe, explain

and predict the occurrence, circulation distribution and properties of fresh water
evaporation, and its relationship with the terrestrial and atmosphere environment.

5: what are the seasons of India? Discuss the movement pattern of wind during monsoon
and retreating monsoon seasons in the country.

ANSWER

 India has three main seasons which are:-

 Winter: occurring from OCTOMBER to FEBNARY
 Summer or pre-monsoon: lasting from APRIL to JUNE (APRIL to JULY
in north western India.)
 Monsoon or rainy season: lasting from JULY to SEPTEMBER
 That rainy extension of the generally dry retreating monsoon is called the north
east or winter monsoon. Another type of winter precipitation occurs in northern
India. Which receives weak cyclonic storms originating on the METERNEAN
basin

6: Describe the features – type, amount and distribution of rainfall, of the four seasons
(GU’, JILAL, XAGAA, DEYR.) of rainfall in Somaliland.

ANSWER

 Somaliland has four different seasons which are:-

 Spring (GU) rains of APRIL to JUNE
 Summer (XAGAA) from JULY to SEPTEMBER
 Autumn (DEYR) rains of OCTONBER and NOVEMBER
 Winter (JILAL) from DECEMBER to MARCH

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

7: List out the various practical applications of hydrology?

ANSWER

 Hydrology is used to find out maximum proposed sites E.G, dams.

 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.

8: Define precipitation. Explain different forms of precipitation.

ANSWER

 Precipitation is the part of atmospheric moisture, which reaches the earth’s

surface in different forms.

Forms:-

I. Rain when precipitation reaches the surface of the earth in the form of droplets
of water we call it rain.
II. Snow it is precipitation in the form of ice-crystals normally hexagonal in shape.
III. Drizzle is defined as water droplets of size less than 0.5mm.
IV. Glaze it is the drizzle which freezes immediately in contact with cold object of
the earth’s surface.
V. Sleet where rainfalls through air of subfreezing temperature, the drops freeze to
form grains of ice.
VI. Hail it is the precipitating rain in the form of any irregular form of ice with size
ranging from 5mm to 50mm or above.
VII. Dew during night when surface of the object on earth cools by radiating the
moisture presents in atmosphere condenses on the surface of these objects
forming water droplets called (dew).

9: what are the forms of precipitation? Explain any one of them?

ANSWER

Any product of atmospheric water must reach the surface of earth after condensation.

10: Describe various types and forms of precipitation.

ANSWER

 Forms of precipitation at any product of atmospheric water must reach the surface
of earth after condensation.

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

 Types of Precipitation moisture is always present in the atmosphere and there is

no shortage of condensation nuclei in the present days due to rapid
industrialization.

11: Describe the methods of recording of rainfall.

ANSWER

 Tipping bucket type: a Stevens tipping bucket type of rain gauges consist
of a 200mm collector that rain water though a funnel in to a two
compartmental bucket.
 Weighing bucket: this type of gages can be used for recording rainfall as
well as now.
 Syphon (float) type: this type the rain entering the gauge is led to a float
chamber though a funnel.

12: what are the advantages and disadvantages of recording type of rain gauge?

ANSWER

Disadvantages:-

 When tipping of buckets take place, rainfall at that instant is not recorded
 Calibration of tips may change due to rusting and dirt accumulation
 Such instrument are costly
 Mechanical defect sometimes give erroneous result

Advantages:-




13: Describe the principle of working of a float type recording rain gauge with a neat
sketch. Discuss its advantages and disadvantages.

ANSWER

 A class of rain gauge in which the level of the collected rain water is measured by
the position of a float resting on the surface of the water. This instrument is
frequently used as a recording rain by connecting the float through a linkage to
open that record on clock-driven chart.

14: Differentiate between recording and non-recording type of rain gauge.

ANSWER

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

 Non-recording type: various types of non-recording rain gauges are available, for
instance, ASYMONS type or a standard gauge.
 Recording type: these rain gauges give a continuous record of rainfall at a place
over time. Such gauge gives all the required information of a storm like the onset
and cessation of rain.

15: critically compare recording rain gages (self) with non-recording type rain gauges.
ANSWER

 Non-recording type: it gives only total rainfall occurred during particular time
period. Recording type rain gauge gives hourly rainfall. Under non-recording type
rain gauges, one most commonly used in SYMON’S rain gauges. This type of
recording rain gauges consist of a funnel 127mm in diameter fixed on one side of
a rectangular box. It is called receiver. Also in the rectangular box afloat is
connected by means of a float rod to a pin point or (recording pen). The pin point
touches a graph paper mounted on a rotating dam.

16: Describe the three methods of determining the average depth of rainfall over an area.
Bring out the merits and demerits of each method.

ANSWER

I. Arithmetic average: this method is suitably applied for a basin where the
gauges are uniformly distributed and the individual gauges catches donot
vary much from the mean.
II. THIESSEN polygon: in this method weightage is given to all the
measuring gauges on the basis of their aerial coverage on the map.
III. ISOLYETAL method: this method gives more accurate result of the
average rainfall if a basin.

17: An area is composed of square of side 10km and an equilateral triangles placed on
the left side. The annual precipitation recorded at four corner and the center of the square
consider clock wise from the top left corner is 460mm, 650mm, 760mm, 800mm, and
700mm respectively. The apex of the triangle has recorded 600mm of annual
precipitation. Find the mean precipitation over the area by THIESSEN polygon method
and find percentage difference with that of the arithmetic mean method.

ANSWER

PAVG= EPI*Ai/At=3970mm*10km/10km= 3.97m or 39.7cm

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

18: THIESSEN polygon s constructed for a network of the rain-GAUGES in a river

Basin yielded. THIESSEN weights of 0.10, 0.16, 0.12, 0.11, 0.09, 0.08, 0.07, 0.11, 0.06
and 0.10. If the rainfall recorded at these gauges during a cyclonic storm are 132, 114,
162, 138, 207, 156, 135, 158, 108, and 150mm respectively. Determine the average depth
of rainfall by THIESSEN mean and arithmetic mean method.

ANSWER

Area(Ai) Pi Pi I
132 0.10 13.2
114 0.16 18.24
162 0.12 19.44
138 0.11 15.18
207 0.09 18.63
156 0.08 12.48
135 0.07 9.45
158 0.11 17.38
108 0.06 6.48
150 0.10 15
E=1460 _ 145.48

A: P (AVG) = EIAI/AT=145.5/1 B: P (AVG) = (P1+P2+Pn)/n=

=145.5mm

19: A catchment is in the shape of an equilateral triangle placed over a square. Rain
gauges of the apex of the triangle and the next two successive corners of the square
record 23, 18, and 16cm during a storm, determine the THIESSEN mean rainfall for the
catchment.

ANSWER

P (AVG) = E/N= (23+18+16)/3

=19CM

20: A storm produced rainfall of 65, 74, and 100mm at three stations P, Q, AND R
respectively. The normal annual rainfall at the stations X, P, Q, R, are: 660, 792, 786, and
1040 respectively. Estimate the missing storm rainfall at station X.

ANSWER

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

Station X P Q R
Month ? 65 74 100
Annual 660 792 786 1040

PX= NE/M = [P1/N1+P2/N2+P3/NM]

=660/3[65/792+74/786+100/1040]

=220[0.082+0.094+0.096]

PX= 59.92mm OR 60mm

21: The normal annual precipitation of five rain gauges stations P, Q, R, S, T are 1200,
1020, 780, 1135, and 1350mm respectively. During a particular, storm the precipitation
recorded by station P, Q, R, S are 135, 95, 70 and 100mm respectively. The instrument at
‘T’ is inoperative during that storm. Estimate the missing precipitation at station T.

ANSWER

Station P Q R S T
Month 135 95 70 100 ?
Annual 1200 1020 780 1135 1350

PX= NE/M*[P1/N1+P2/N2+P3/N3+P4/NM]
=1350/4[135/1200+95/1020+70/780+100/1135]

=337.5[0.1125+0.093+0.0897+0.0881]

=129.42mm

22: During a month, rain gauges went out of order while the other four gauges in the
basin reported rainfalls of 110, 90, 120 and 115mm. If the normal annual rainfall for
these four gauges are 115, 95,125, 120mm respectively, and the normal rainfall for the
broken gauges is 98cm, estimate the monthly rainfall at the broken gauge.

ANSWER

Month 110 90 120 115 ?

Annual 115 95 125 120 98

PX= NE/M*[P1/N1+P2/N2+P3/N3+P4/M]

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

=98CM/4*[110/115+90/95+120/125+115/120]

=24.5*10MM*[0.956+0.947+0.96+0.958]

=93.644cm OR 936.44mm

23: Explain how the double mass curve method is used to test consistency of rainfall
record.

ANSWER

 The double mass curve is used to check the consistency of many kinds of
JIYDROLOGY data by comparing data for a single station with that of a pattern
composed of the data from several other stations in the area. The double-mass
curve can be used to adjust in consistent precipitation data.

24: Explain the method of checking rainfall data for consistency and show how record
can be adjusted for the current regime.

ANSWER

 Factors such as location and exposure affect the consistency with which a rain
gauges sample the rainfall in a particular area. The double mass curve techniques
should seldom be used for testing consistency of precipitation data in
mountainous. Area and check to the consistency furnishes the current year’s
runoff.

25: Estimate from depth-area curve, the average depth of precipitation that may be
expected over an area of 2400Sq.km due to the storm of 27th September 1978 which
lasted for 24 hours. Assume the storm center to be located at the center of the area. The
ISOHYETAL as map for the storm gave the areas enclosed between different
ISOHYETS as follows.

ANSWER

P (AVG) =
A1*(P1+P2)/2+A2*(P2+P3)/2+A3*(P3+P4)/2+A4*(P4+P5)/2+A5*(P5+P6)/2+A6*(P6
+P7)/2+A7*(P7+P8)/2+A8*(P8+P9)/2+A9*(P9+P10)/2+A10*(P10+An)/2.

P (AVG) =
3*(21+20)/2+5*(20+19)/2+0*(19+18)/2+5*(18+17)/2+5*(17+16)/2+0*(16+15)/2+5*(15
+14)/2+0*(14+13)/2+0*(13+12)/2+5*(12+0)/2

= 61.5+97.5+0+87.5+82.5+0+72.5+0+0+30 =431.5km^2

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

26: The annual rainfall data being report from a station A for 22 years are available,
since 1969. In order to check the consistency of the data, six neighboring stations have
been chosen and the annual rainfall values of these stations have been averaged for all the
years on record since 1969. These values are given below.

ANSWER
STATION 1 13 14 14 16 15 15 11 12 19 15 16 15 14 15 13 16 13 14 13 14 16
4 2 6 7 1 5 2 7 8 3 6 4 5 3 5 5 3 5 3 0 6 1
3
Year 1 19 79 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19
9 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
6
9
Annual 1 14 17 16 19 16 19 14 16 19 14 15 14 13 95 14 14 14 13 13 13 16
7 4 8 2 4 8 6 4 0 6 1 8 5 2 8 2 0 0 7 0 3
7

27: what are the recommendations of India standard institution on rain gauges network
establishment? Briefly explain optimum number of rain gauges stations in catchment.

ANSWER

 Scope, reference, guiding principle for determining the adequacy of the network
of rain gauges station, saturated network design, optimum network design,
minimum network design, period of data and uniformity of observation.

28: Explain the method of finding optimum number of rain gauges in a catchment.
ANSWER

 If there are already some rain gauges stations in a catchment, the optimal number
of stations that should exist to have an assigned percentage of error in the
estimation of mean rainfall is obtain by statistical analysis or aerial rainfall.

29: A catchment has five rain gauges stations, which recorded 66, 74, 81, 69, and 90cm
of rainfall in a year. Determine the percentage error in the arithmetic mean for the area. If
the error is to be 2% less than this, determine the additional number of stations required.
If you use a formula, derive it.

ANSWER

P (AVG) = (P1+P2+P3+P4+Pn)/n = (66+74+81+69+90)/5 = 76%

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

= 76cm

Pi Pi-P(AVG)
66 66-76 = 10
74 74-76 = 2
81 81-76 = 5
69 69-76 = 10
90 76-90 = 14

CV = En/N = 38/5 = 7.6

N = (CV/%) ^2 = (7.6/2%) ^2 = 3.8

N = 14.44 -5 = 9-STATIONS

 MINIMUM NO OF ADDITION RAIN GAUGES ARE: 9-STATIONS

30: During a storm, one of the rain gauges stations ‘X’ failed to record the rainfall. Data
in four surrounding stations during the same storm are recorded as 7.5, 10, 12, and 9mm.
coordinates of these four stations in km with station ‘X’ as the origin are (18, 4), (-8, 16),
(-13, -21), and (-16, 21) respectively. Determine the missing rainfall record at station ‘X’.

ANSWER

Station 1 2 3 4 5
Annual 7.5 10 12 9 ?

P (AVG) = (7.5+10+12+9)/4 =38.5/4 = 9.625

31: A catchment has 8 gauges of which one is a self-recording type and 7are the standard
type. For a 5% error in the estimation (E) of the mean rainfall, what should the required
number. Of additional rain gauges, if annual precipitation at the 8 stations are?

Station A B C D E F G H
Rainfall 74 87 94 88 104 118 60 95
(cm)

ANSWER

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

P (AVG) = (P1+P2+P3+P4+P5+P6+P7+Pn)/N

= (74+87+94+88+104+118+60+95)/8

P (AVG) = 720/8 = 90cm

Pi Pi-P(AVG)
74 90-74=16
87 90-87=3
94 94-90=4
88 90-88=2
104 104-90=14
118 118-90=28
60 90-60=30
95 95-90=5
E = 102

CV = En/N = 102/8 = 12.75

N = (CV/%) ^2 = (12.75/5%) ^2 = 6.5025

N = 6.5025~7

 Minimum no of additional rain gauges = 7-7 = 0

32: The average annual rainfalls in cm at, four existing rain gauge stations in a basin are
105, 79, 70 and 66. If the average depth of rainfall over the basin is to be estimated
within 10% error, Determined the addition number of gauges need.

ANSWER

P (AVG) = (P1+P2+P3+Pn)/N = (105+79+70+66)/4 = 80cm

Pi Pi-P(AVG)
105 105-80=25
79 79-80=1
70 70-80=10
60 60-80=14
E = 50

CV = En/N = 50/4 N = (CV/%) ^2 = (12.75/10) ^2

=12.75cm =1.56~2

 Maximum no of addition rain gauges 4-2 = 2

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

33: The annual rainfall at 7 rain gauge stations in a basin is 580, 940, 600, 450, 200, 880
and 680mm respectively. What is the percentage accuracy of the existing network in the
estimation of the average depth of rainfall over the basin? How many additional gauges
are required if it is desired to limit the error to only 10%.

ANSWER

P (AVG) = (P1+P2+P3+P4+P5+P6+Pn)/N

= (580+940+600+450+200+880+680)/7

= 4330/7= 618.5mm

Pi Pi-P(AVG)
580 618.57-580 = 38.57
940 940-618.57 = 321.43
600 618.57-600 = 18.57
450 618.57-450 = 168.57
200 618.57-200 = 418.57
880 880-618.57 = 261.43
680 680-618.5 = 61.43
E = 1288.57

CV = En/N = 1288.57/7 = 184mm N = (CV/%) ^2 = (184/10%) ^2 = 18.4

 Maximum no of additional rain gauges18-17 = 11

34: A catchment has six rain gauges stations. In year, the annual rainfall recorded by the
rain gauges. Are as follow

Station A B C D E F
R.F (cm) 82.6 102.9 180.3 110.3 98.8 136.7

ANSWER

P (AVG) = (P1+P2+P3+P4+P5+Pn)/N

= (82.6+102.9+180.3+110.3+98.8+136.7)/6

=118.6cm

Pi Pi-P(AVG)

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

82.6 118.6-82.6 = 36
102.9 118.6-102.9 = 15.7
180.3 180.3-118.6 = 61.7
110.3 118.6-102.3 = 8.3
98.8 118.6-98.8 = 19.8
136.7 136.7-118.6 = 18.1
E = 159.6

CV = En/N = 159.6/6 = 26.6cm

N = (CV/%) ^2 = (26.6/%) ^2 = 7.0

 Maximum no of additional rain gauges 7-6 = 1

35: Define rainfall hyetography. How to construct the double mass curve?
ANSWER

 Hyetography is a physical representation of the distribution of rainfall intensity

overtime. The maximum intensity may not be reached as uniformly as shown in
SCC hyetograph.
 The double mass curve is used to check the consistency of many kinds of
hydrologic data by comparing data from several others stations in the area.

36: explain mass curve analysis, with a neat sketch. Define intensity, duration and
frequency of rainfall.

ANSWER

 A mass curve is the plot of accumulated inflow or outflow versus time.

 An intensity, duration frequency is a gravity representation of the probability that
a given average rainfall intensity will occur.

37: following are the rain gauges observations during a storm.

Time since start of storm, min’s 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Accumulated rainfall, cm 0.1 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.8 2.0 2.5 2.7 2.9 3.1
Construct (a): mass curve of precipitation (b): hyetograph

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

ANSWER

A: Hyetography

3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

B: Mass curve of precipitation

3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

38: The annual rainfall value at a P for a period of 20 years area as follows.
Year 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Annual 120 84 68 92 102 92 95 88 76 84 101
R.F
(cm)

DETERMINE:

I. The value of annual rainfall at P with a recurrence interval of 15 years.

II. The probability of occurrence of an annual rainfall of magnitude 100cm at a
station (P).
III. 75% Dependable annual rainfall at the station.

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217

 DEADLINE: 31 MARCH 2019

ANSWER

39: Estimate the constant rate of withdrawal from a 3000-hectre reservoir in a month of
30 days during which the reservoir level dropped by 1.00m in spite of an average inflow
into the reservoir of 0.75Mm /day. During the month, the average seepage loss from the
reservoir was 4.5cm, total p.

ANSWER

40: Discuss briefly the various abstractions from precipitation.

ANSWER

 Is the process by which water is converted from its liquid form to its vapor form
and thus transferred from land and water masses to atmosphere

PREPARED BY: ENG-ABDIRAHIIM YOUSUF BARRE. ID: 14217