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Engineering hydrology

Exercise questions

Example 1: In a storm, the rainfall excess of 0.5 cm, 0.7 cm, 0.0 cm and 0.8 cm occurred
in four successive hours. The storm hydrograph due to this storm has the hourly
ordinates (m3/s)as given below: 0.5, 44.5, 110.5, 85.5, 102.8, 94.0, 38.4, 18.6, 10.9, 5.3,
2.9, 0.5. If there is a constant base flow of 0.5 m 3/s, find the hourly ordinates of the unit
hydrograph.

Solution: The direct runoff ordinates Q n (m3/s) are 0.0, 44.0, 110.0, 85.0, 102.3, 93.5,
37.9, 18.1, 10.4, 4.8, 2.4, 0.0. The depth of effective rainfall are R 1 = 0.5 cm, R2 = 0.7 cm,
R3 = 0.0, and R4 = 0.8 cm.

Using equation

n≤M

Qn =
∑ m=1
¿ Rm U n-m+1 ¿

The number of unit hydrographs ordinates to be found are = N-M+1 = 12-4+1= 9

Calculation from

Q1 = R1U1 = 0.5 x U1= 0 m3/s, U1 = 0.0 m3/s/cm

For the second time interval,

Q2 = R2U1 + R1U2 = 0.7 x 0.0 + 0.5 x U2 = 44.0 m3/s, U2 = 88.0 m3/s/cm

For the third time interval

Q3 = R3U1 + R2U2+ R1U3 =0.0 *0.05 + 0.70 *88.0 + 0.5 *U3 = 111.0 m3/s.

U3 = 96.8 m3/s/cm

Similarly the remaining ordinates are found U 4 =34.5 m3/s/cm d as U5 =15.5 m3/s/cm,
U6 =10.4 m3/s/cm U7 =-33.0 m3/s/cm U8 =0.0 m3/s/cm U9 =0.0 m3/s/cm.

Example 2. Calculate the stream flow hydrograph for a storm with rainfall excess of
nearly 0 cm in the first half hour, 4 cm in the second half-hour and 1 cm the third half-
hour. Use the half hour unit hydrograph ordinate given in column [3]. Assume the base
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flow is constant at 20 m3/s throughout the flood. Calculate also the watershed area from
which this Unit hydrograph is derived.

Solution The calculation of the direct runoff hydrograph by convolution is shown in the
Table below. The time interval is in t = 0.5 h intervals. For the first time interval, n =1 in
the equation

n≤M

Qn =
∑m=1
¿ Rm U n-m+1 ¿

Q1 = R1U1 = 0.0 x 12.5 = 0 m3/s.

For the second time interval,

Q2 = R2U1 + R1U2 = 4.00 x 12.5 +0.0 x 16.25 = 50 m3/s.

For the third time interval

Q3 = R3U1 + R2U2+ R1U3 =1.00 *12.5 +4.00 *16.25 + 0.0 *48.12 = 77.5 m3/s.

and so on. In tabular form it is easily calculated by simply shifting one time step of the
resulting hydrograph from individual excess rainfall. see columns [4] , [5] and [6].

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Time Excess UH m3/s/cm hydrographs Base flow stream

flow
Rainfall (cm)

(o.5 hr) 0 cm ER 4cm ER 1cm ER (m3/s) (m3/s)

0*[3] 4*[3] 1*[3] [6]+[7]

1 0 12.50 0.00 20.00 20.00

2 4 16.25 0.00 50.00 20.00 70.00

3 1 48.12 0.00 65.00 12.50 20.00 97.50

4 58.07 0.00 192.48 16.25 20.00 228.73

5 14.02 0.00 232.28 48.12 20.00 300.40

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6 19.16 0.00 56.08 58.07 20.00 134.15

7 0.00 76.64 14.02 20.00 110.66

8 0.00 0.00 19.16 20.00 39.16

20.00 20.00

The peak flow resulting from the storm was 300 m 3/s and occurred at 2 hours. The
watershed area is calculated from the principle that the volume of the direct runoff under
the unit hydrograph is 1 cm in our case 1 cm, and it is 30 km2.
Example 3. Derive a 3-hr UH from 2-hr UH. The 2-hr UH is given in Columns [1]
and [2]

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Time (hr) 2-h 2-h lagged 3-hr UH

UH SH 3h [3]-[4] [5]*2/3
3
(m /s.cm)
(m3/s.cm) (m3/s.cm) (m3/s.cm) (m3/s.cm)

0 0 0 0 0

1 50 50 50 33

2 150 150 150 100

3 300 350 0 350 233

4 600 750 50 700 467

5 750 1100 150 950 633

6 650 1400 350 1050 700

7 550 1650 750 900 600

8 450 1850 1100 750 500

9 350 2000 1400 600 400

10 250 2100 1650 450 300

11 150 2150 1850 300 200

12 50 2150 2000 150 100

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13 0 2150 2100 50 33

14 0 2150 2150 0 0

sum = 4300 sum = 4300

One-hour period ordinates of the 2 hr UH is read from the graph of the 2 hr UH Column
[2]. In calculating 2-h SH direct cumulative are not used, only sequential 2 hr cumulative
is considered.

Exmple 4. Given the inflow and outflow hydrograph in Table E9.1 from Cols.1 to 3.
Estimate the routing parameters K and X. Solution: Channel storage is calculated by :

S j+1 = S j +0.5 Δt [( I j+1 + I j ) - (Q j+1 + Q j )]

Several values of X are tried, within the range 0.0 to 0.5, for example, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3.
For each trial value of X, the weighted flow (XIj + (1-X)Q j) are calculated, as shown in
Table E9.1. Calculating the slope of the storage vs. weighted outflow curve then solves
the value of K. In this case the value of K is 2 days for X =0.1. It is to be noted that there
is greater storage during the falling stage than during a rising stage of a flood for a given
discharge.
Table E9.1. Derivation of X in the Muskingum method, example 9.1
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Where estimate of inflow and outflow hydrograph is not readily available standard
practice is to assume a value of 0.2 for X, with a smaller value for channel systems with
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large floodplains and larger values, near 0.4, for natural channels. The following
relationships for estimating K and X:

0.6 L
K=
Vo (9.10)

X =0 .5−0 . 3 1− ( )
4 F 2 y0
9 S0 L (9.6)

Where:

L = the reach length (m)

Vo = the average velocity (m/s)

yo = the full flow depth (m)

So = the slope of the channel bottom (m/m)

F = the Froud number V0 / [gyo] 2

Example 5. The design of an emergency spillway calls for a broad-crested weir of width
L = 10.0 m; rating coefficient Cd = 1.7; and exponent n = 1.5. The spillway crest is at
elevation 1070. Above this level, the reservoir walls can be considered to be vertical,
with a surface area pf 100 ha. The dam crest is at elevation 1076 m. Base flow is 17
m3/s, and initially the reservoir level is at elevation 1071 m. Route the design
hydrograph given in Table E10.2 through the reservoir. What is the maximum pool
elevation reached?

Solution. The calculation of the storage indication function above the spillway crest
elevation are shown in Table E10.1a. Outflow is calculated based on the Q = C d L H n =
1.7 *10* H 1.5.

The routing is summarized in Table E10.1b. The inflow hydrograph is given in Column 2
and 3. Columns 5 and 6 give calculated vale of 2Sj / t - Q j and 2Sj+1 / t + Q j+1. The initial
outflow is 17 m3/s; the initial storage indication value (when the reservoir water level is
1 m above the spillway crest)
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2 S j+1 2Sj
+ Q j+1 = ( I j + I j+1 ) + ( - Qj)
Δt Δt

2 S1 2 S0
+ Q1 = ( I 0 + I 1 ) + ( - Q0 )
for j = 0 Δt Δt

is = ( 17 +17 ) + 2*100000/3600 - 17 = 572.56 m 3/s, with corresponding outflow of Q 1 =

2 S1 2S
( - Q1 ) = ( 1 + Q1 ) - 2Q1
17 m3/s. For the next iteration for j = 1, we calculate Δt Δt
value based on the last estimated value, that is 2S 1 / t - Q1 = 572.56 - 2*17 = 538.56
m3/s. Then

2 S j+1 2Sj
+ Q j+1 = ( I j + I j+1 ) + ( - Qj)
Δt Δt

2 S2 2 S1
+ Q2 = ( I 1 + I 2 ) + ( - Q1 )
for j = 1 is Δt Δt

= (17+20) + (538.56) = 575.56 m3/s.

The corresponding Q2 is then obtained from Table E10.1a as 17.4 m 3/s. The recursive
procedure continues until The maximum pool elevation (MPE) occurs at maximum spill
of 72.5 m3/s. It can be calculated from the ogee spillway equation and H = 2.63 m depth,
and the MPE is 1070.0 + 2.63 = 1072.63 m.
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Table E10.1a Storage discharge relationship.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Head above Q 2Sj+1/dt

spillway (outflow) S Storage +Qj+1
3 3/
Elevation crest m3/s (m ) (m s)
(m) (1070 m)
1070.0 0.0 0.0 0 0
1071.0 1.0 17.0 1000000 573
1072.0 2.0 48.1 2000000 1159
1073.0 3.0 88.3 3000000 1755
1074.0 4.0 136.0 4000000 2358
1075.0 5.0 190.1 5000000 2968
1076.0 6.0 249.8 6000000 3583
1077.0 7.0 314.8 7000000 4204
1078.0 8.0 384.7 8000000 4829

160
Inflow design Hydrograph
140
Outflow hydrograph over the spillway
120

100
Q (m3/s)

80

60

40

20

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Tim e (hr)
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Table E10.1b: Design hydrograph and reservoir routing calculation

Design Inflow
Time Index Time hydrograph Ij +I j+1 2Sj/dt - Qj 2Sj+1/dt +Qj+1 Qj+1
j (hr) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s)

1 0 17 34 538.6 572.6 17.0

2 1 20 37 538.6 575.6 17.4
3 2 50 70 540.7 610.7 19.0
4 3 100 150 572.7 722.7 24.3
5 4 130 230 674.1 904.1 33.7
6 5 150 280 836.7 1116.7 45.9
7 6 140 290 1024.8 1314.8 58.3
8 7 110 250 1198.2 1448.2 67.2
9 8 90 200 1313.9 1513.9 71.7
10 9 70 160 1370.5 1530.5 72.8
11 10 50 120 1384.9 1504.9 71.0
12 11 30 80 1362.8 1442.8 66.8
13 12 20 50 1309.2 1359.2 61.2
14 13 17 37 1236.8 1273.8 55.7
15 14 17 34 1162.4 1196.4 50.8
16 15 17 34 1094.8 1128.8 46.7
17 16 17 34 1035.5 1069.5 43.1
18 17 17 34 983.3 1017.3 40.1
19 18 17 34 937.2 971.2 37.4
20 19 17 34 896.3 930.3 35.2
21 20 17 34 860.0 894.0 33.2
22 21 17 34 827.6 861.6 31.4
23 22 17 34 798.8 832.8 29.9
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Assignment

1. A 15-minute unit hydrograph ordinates of a watershed are given in Table 1A. The 
index of the watershed is 40 mm/hr.

(a) Determine the peak-flow that would result from a storm lasting 1.5 hours given in
Table 1B.
(b) Calculate the watershed area.
Table 1A: The unit hydrograph ordinates.

Time 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175

(min)

U(t) 0 85 145 234 126 78 48 0

m3/s/m
m

Table 1B: rainfall data

Time (hr) 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5

Accumulated 0.0 25 56 95
rainfall (mm)

2. In July 10, 2000 the following rainfall and the resulting stream flow were recorded at
a gauging site of the watershed having drainage area of 195 km2 .

Time (hr) 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5

Accumulated 20 45 78
rainfall (mm)

Streamflow 70 90 180 360 600 560 340 140 100

(m3/s)

The base flow is 20 m3/sec.

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In August 20, 2002 the following heavy rainfall were recorded over the watershed:

Time (hr) 1 2 3

Rainfall (mm) 19 36 40

(A) Estimate the peak flood caused by August 20, 2002 storm.

(B) If flooding at the gaging site occurs when the river stage is greater than 4 m, did the
August 20, 2002 rainfall cause flooding?

The gauging site has a rating equation defined by

Q = 80.0 (H + 0.2 )1.6

where: Q in m3/sec, and H in m.

3. A storm event occurred on a given catchment that produced a rainfall pattern of 5

cm/hr for the first 10 min, 10 cm/hr in the second 10 min, and 5 cm/hr in the next 10
min. The catchment is divided into three sub-catchments.

A 1 C

B 2
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The unit hydrograph of the three sub-catchments are given in the following table. Sub
basins A and B had a loss rate of 2.5 cm/hr for the first 10 min and 1.0 cm/hr thereafter.
Sub-basin C had a loss rate of 1.0 cm/hr for the first 10 min and 0 cm/hr thereafter.
Determine the resulting flood at point 2 given the Muskingum coefficients K = 20 min
and X = 0.2.

10 - minutes unit hydrographs

Sub-catchment A Sub-catchment B Sub-catchment C

Time (min) Q Time (min) Q Time (min) Q (m3/s/cm)

3
3
(m /s/cm (m /s/cm)
)

0 0 0 0 0 0

10 5 10 5 10 16

20 10 20 12 20 33

30 15 30 16 30 50

40 20 40 21 40 33

50 25 50 26 50 16

60 20 60 19 60 0

70 15 70 18

80 10 80 10

90 5 90 5

100 0 100 0
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