U.

Shamsi

LECTURE 9. UNIT HYDROGRAPH PART 2

CEEGR 6977: Hydrology Sam Shamsi, Ph.D., P.E. Adjunct Professor Department of Civil / Environmental & Chemical Engineering

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OUTLINE
Chapter 7: Unit Hydrograph
Synthetic unit hydrographs
Snyder SCS Dimensionless

S-Hydrograph

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SYNTHETIC UNIT HYDROGRAPH

The unit hydrograph (UHG) developed from rainfall and streamflow data from a watershed is applicable to:
Only that watershed The point on stream where streamflow data were measured.

Synthetic UHG are applicable to:

Other locations on the stream in the same watershed. Nearby similar watersheds

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TYPES OF SYNTHETIC UNIT HYDROGRAPHS

Three types: 1.Relating hydrograph characteristics (peak flow rate, base time, etc.) to watershed characteristics
Example: Snyders synthetic UHG

2.Based on a dimensionless UHG

Example: SCS (NRCS) Dimensionless UHG

3.Based on models of watershed storage

Example: Clarks UHG These types are available from HEC-HMSs TRANSFORM menu

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SNYDERS UNIT HYDROGRAPH

Standard UHG
For watersheds 10 to 10,000 mi2 (30 to 30,000 km2) Definition: tp = 5.5 tr (Eq. 7.7.1) tp = Time difference between the centroid of excess rainfall hyetograph and the UHG peak tr = Duration of excess rainfall

Required (or derived) UHG

Definition: tp 5.5 tr

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FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SNYDERS STANDARD UHG For standard UHG; used to calculate characteristics of the required UHG 1. Basin lag tp = C1 Ct (L.Lc)0.3 (hours) (Eq. 7.7.2)
L = Length (km or mi) of the main stream from the outlet to upstream divide (sub-watershed boundary) Lc = Length (km or mi) of the main stream from the outlet to a point on the stream nearest the centroid of the watershed C1 = 0.75 SI in units (1.0 for English system) Ct = a coefficient derived from gauged watersheds in the same region (0.4 to 2.2; usually 1.8-2.2)

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FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SNYDERS UHG

2. Peak discharge per unit of watershed area

qp= (C2 Cp)/ tp (cfs/mi2 or m3/s.km2) (Eq. 7.7.3) C2 = 2.75 (640 for English system) Cp = Storage coefficient derived from gauged watersheds in the same region (0.4 to 0.8; larger the Cp smaller the Ct)

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FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SNYDERS UHG 3. Base time

tb = C3 / qp (hours) (Eq. 7.7.6) C3 = 5.56 (1290 for English system)

4. Width of UHG at 75% peak discharge (hours)

W75 = Cw(qp)-1.08 (hours) (Eq. 7.7.7) Cw = 1.22 (440 for English system)

5. Width of UHG at 50% peak discharge (hours)

W50 = Cw(qp)-1.08 (hours) (Eq. 7.7.7) Cw = 2.14 (770 for English system) Generally 1/3rd of UHG width is distributed before the UHG peak 2/3rd of UHG width is distributed after the UHG peak
1/3

4 5 3
2/3

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SCS DIMENSIONLESS HYDROGRAPH

Figure 7.7.4
x-axis: t/Tp = ratio of time to time to rise of the UHG
Tp=Time of rise = time from start of rainfall excess to peak

y-axis: q/qp = ratio of discharge to peak discharge of the UHG

Need qp and Tp to compute the UHG from Fig. 7.7.4(a) qp and Tp may be estimated using a simplified model of a triangular UHG shown in Fig. 7.7.4(b)
y-axis: q (m3/s.cm) x-axis: t (hours)
RISE TIME

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SCS DIMENSIONLESS HYDROGRAPH

Time of recession = time corresponding to falling limb = 1.67Tp (empirical) Since depth of direct runoff = volume of direct runoff / watershed area = 1 cm (in)
But volume of direct runoff = area under the unit hydrograph, therefore Area under the unit hydrograph / watershed area = 1 Area under the unit hydrograph = watershed area

m3 Tp qp 1.67Tp qp + Area = Hr 2 2 s.cm m3 2.67Tp qp 3600 s 1 2 s. m 100 2.67Tp qp 3600 100 m 2 2 2 = A (1000) m 2 (where A = watershed area in km2) qp = A 6 2 A 1 = 2.08 10 ... Eq. 7.7.14 5 Tp Tp 2.67 3.6 10 A in English system Tp
RECESSION TIME

qp = 483.4

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SCS DIMENSIONLESS HYDROGRAPH

Basin lag time = tp = 0.6 Tc (empirical)
Called SCS lag in HEC-HMS Transform menu time of equilibrium of watershed time for a wave to travel from furthest point to outlet

Tc = Time of concentration of watershed

From Fig. 7.7.4(b) tr tr T p = + tp = + 0.6 Tc ... Eq. 7.7.15 2 2 tr = duration of effective rainfall (known) Tc = known Solve for Tp Substitute Tp in Eq. 7.7.14 to solve qp

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TIME OF CONCENTRATION
(FROM LECTURE 6: SURFACE WATER 1)

Different areas of a watershed contribute to runoff at different times after precipitation begins Time of concentration
Time at which all parts of the watershed begin contributing to the runoff from the watershed Time of flow from the farthest point in the watershed

FARTHEST POINT

OUTLET

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EXAMPLE 7.7.3 (PAGE 230)

Construct a 10-min SCS UHG Given data:
A = 3.0 km2 Tc = 1.25 h UHG duration = tr = 10 min = 0.166 h

Solution
tr = 10 min = 0.166 h Lag time = tp = 0.6 Tc = 0.6 x 1.25 = 0.75 h From Eq. 7.7.15: Rise time = Tp = (tr/2) + tp = (0.166/2) + 0.75 = 0.833 h From Eq. 7.7.14: Peak discharge = qp = 2.08 (A/Tp) = 2.08 (3.0/0.833) = 7.49 m3/s.cm

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EXAMPLE 7.7.3
Two methods to construct the UHG
Use the dimensionless UHG in Fig. 7.7.4(a)
Multiply x-axis by Tp (0.833) to get t values [ ti=(t/Tp) t=tixTp ] Multiply y-axis by qp (7.49) to get q values [ qi=(q/qp) q=qixqp ]

Easier: Draw a triangular UHG similar to Fig. 7.7.4(b) with

Base: tb = 2.67 Tp = 2.67x0.833 = 2.22 h Time to rise: Tp = 0.833 h Height: qp = 7.49 m3/s.cm

Final check: Depth of direct runoff = area under the curve = 1 cm

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WHAT IS S-HYDROGRAPH?
Also known as S-curve Method for constructing UHGs of any duration from unit hydrographs of longer or shorter duration
Even when desired UHG duration is not a multiple of given UHG duration.

Equilibrium

Results from a continuous excess rainfall at a constant rate of 1 in/hr (or 1 cm/hr) for an indefinite period. Has a deformed S shape and its ordinates ultimately approach the rate of excess rainfall at a time of equilibrium.

Deformed S shape

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BASIC IDEA
We can get a unit hydrograph of duration t =2t by adding two unit hydrographs together (principle of superposition and proportionality) Problem: What about if t is not a multiple of t? Solution: Need a general method.

t +

2t

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HOW TO CREATE AN S-HYDROGRAPH Continue adding series of unit hydrographs of duration t, each lagged by t . Summation of ordinates gives S-hydrograph of duration t .

S-Hydrograph

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S-HYDROGRAPH EQUATION
g(t) = t [ h(t) + h(t- t) + h(t-2 t) + .] Eq. 7.8.4 Where g(t) = S-hydrograph ordinate at time t h(t) = Unit hydrograph ordinate at time t t = Unit hydrograph duration
N M +1 g (t ) = t h(t jt ) j =0 = t [h(t ) + h(t t ) + ... + h(t ( N M + 1)t )]

Area = (1/t) x t = 1

EQ. 7.8.4

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OFFSET S-HYDROGRAPH
Advance, or offset, the position of S-hydrograph by t (delta t prime) Where t = Desired duration (duration for which unit hydrograph is to be constructed)

t
S-Hydrograph g(t) Offset S-Hydrograph g(t-t) (shifted by t )

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OFFSET S-HYDROGRAPH EQUATION

g(t) = g(t- t) Eq. 7.8.5 where g(t) = Offset S-hydrograph ordinate at time t t = Desired unit hydrograph duration
EQ. 7.8.5 EQ. 7.8.4 EQ. 7.8.4

EQ. 7.8.6

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DESIRED UNIT HYDROGRAPH

Subtract this offset SHydrograph g(t-t) from the original SHydrograph g(t) to get the new Unit Hydrograph with duration t
Subtract ordinates between the two S Curves and divide by t This approach yields unit hydrograph of duration t

t
S-Hydrograph

Offset S-Hydrograph (shifted by t) Unit hydrograph of duration t

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DESIRED UNIT HYDROGRAPH EQUATION

h(t ) = 1 [g (t ) g (t t )] ... Eq. 7.8.6 t

Where h(t) = Desired unit hydrograph ordinate of duration t at time t t = Desired unit hydrograph duration Or Desired unit hydrograph of duration t = difference between the original and the offset S-hydrograph divided by t

EQ. 7.8.6

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EXAMPLE 7.8.1 / PAGE 232

Given: 0.5 hour unit hydrograph (From Ex. 7.4.1) Find: (1) S-hydrograph and (2) 1.5 hour unit hydrograph Solution: Table 7.8.1
(COL 3- COL 4)/1.5

EQ. 7.8.4

MOVE DOWN 3 ROWS

LEVELED OFF

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SOLUTION FOR EXAMPLE 7.8.1

t = 0.5 h t = 1.5 h Column 2: Given UHG Column 3: g(t) = S-hydrograph From Eq. 7.8.4
t=0.5, g(0.5)=t h(0.5)=0.5x404=202 t=1.0, g(1.0)=t [h(1.0)+h(1.0-0.5)]=t.[h(1.0)+h(0.5)]=0.5x(1079+404)=742 t=1.5, g(1.5)=t [h(1.5)+h(1.0)+h(0.5)]=0.5x(2343+1079+404)=1913

Column 4: g(t- t) = Offset the S-hydrograph by t = 1.5 h

Slide it down by three rows

Column 5: (column 3 column 4) / 1.5

t=0.5, h(0.5)=(202-0)/1.5=135 cfs/in t=1.0, h(1.0)=(742-0)/1.5=495 cfs/in t=1.5, h(1.5)=(1913-0)/1.5=1275 cfs/in t=2.0, h(2.0)=(3166-202)/1.5=1976 cfs/in

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SOLUTION FOR EXAMPLE 7.8.1

Time 1/2-hr UH S-hyd hr cfs/in cfs 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 404 202 1.0 1079 742 1.5 2343 1913 2.0 2506 3166 2.5 1460 3896 3.0 453 4123 3.5 381 4313 4.0 274 4450 4.5 173 4537 5.0 0 4537 5.5 0 4537 6.0 0 4537

g (0.5) = t [h(t )] = 0.5 404 = 202

g (1) = 0.5[h(1) + h(0.5)]

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SOLUTION FOR EXAMPLE 7.8.1

S - Hydrograph (cfs)

g (t t )
Time hr 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 1/2-hr UH cfs/in 0.0 404 1079 2343 2506 1460 453 381 274 173 0 0 0

1 h(t ) = [g (t ) g (t t )] t

5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 Time (hr) 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0

S-hyd cfs 0.0 202 742 1913 3166 3896 4123 4313 4450 4537 4537 4537 4537

Lagged S-hyd cfs 0.0 0 0 0 202 742 1913 3166 3896 4123 4313 4450 4537

1.5-hr UH cfs/in 0.0 135 494 1275 1976 2103 1473 765 369 276 149 58 0

S-hyd Lag S-hyd

3000

2500 Unit Hydrograph (cfs/in)

1/2-hr UH 1.5-hr UH

2000

1500

1000

500

0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 Time (hr) 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0

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HOMEWORK
1.Problem 7.7.10:
SCS unit hydrograph Similar to solved Example 7.7.3

2.Problem 7.8.3:
S-Hydrograph Similar to solved Example 7.8.1