HYDROGRAPH

BY: PANSIT, REGINA MAE ANN C.

PREGONER III, SALVADOR
What is Hydrograph?
■ A hydrograph is a graph showing the rate of flow (discharge) versus
time past a specific point.
Components of a Hydrograph
Ø Rising Limb
Ø Recession or Falling Limb
Ø Peak Flow
Ø Basin Lag Time
Ø Base Flow and Direct Flow
 3

Discharge (m3/s)
2

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Rainfall shown in mm,
as a bar graph
3

Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Discharge in m3/s,
as a line graph
3

Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Rising limb

The rising flood water

in the river
3

limb
Rising
Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Peak flow

Peak flow Maximum discharge in

the river
3

limb
Rising
Discharge (m3/s)
2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Recession limb

Peak flow Falling flood water in

the river
3

limb

Re
ce
Rising
Discharge (m3/s)

ss
2

ion
lim
mm

b
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Basin lag time
Basin lag time
Peak flow Time difference
between the peak of the
3 rain storm and the peak
flow of the river

limb

Re
ce
Rising
Discharge (m3/s)

ss
2

ion
lim
mm

b
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Base flow
Basin lag time
Peak flow Normal discharge of
the river
3

limb

Re
ce
Rising
Discharge (m3/s)

ss
2

ion
Direct flow

lim
mm

b
4

1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
Factors affecting shape of hydrograph
■ Climatic factors
– Form of precipitation
■ Rainfall and snow fall
– Rainfall Intensity
■ Affect volume of runoff, occurrence of peak flow, duration of surface
flow
– Duration of rainfall
■ Longer the duration more the volume
– Distribution of rainfall
■ When heavy rain occur near outlet
■ When heavy rain occur in upper areas
Other Factors Affecting Hydrograph
■ Intensity and Duration of Storm
■ Antecedent Rainfall
■ Size of Drainage Basin
■ Deforestation
■ Urbanization
Unit Hydrograph
– Hydrograph usually consists of a fairly regular lower portion that
changes slowly throughout the year and a rapidly fluctuating
component that represents the immediate response to rainfall
– The lower, slowly changing portion is termed base flow. The
rapidly fluctuating component is called direct runoff.
Unit Hydrograph Basic Assumptions
– Excess rainfall has constant intensity during duration
– Excess rainfall is uniformly distributed on watershed
– Base time of runoff is constant
– Ordinates of unit hydrograph are proportional to total runoff
(linearity)
– Unit hydrograph represents all characteristics of watershed and is
time invariant (stationarity)
Procedure for Derivation of UH from Hydrograph
Type-I:
Derivation of Unit Hydrograph from Given DRH or
Flood Hydrograph
Example:
In a typical 6-hr storm, 4 cm excess rainfall is occurring. The
flow recorded in the catchment as shown below. Derive an unit hydrograph
for 6-hr storm. Assume Base flow is 100 cu.meter/sec.
Time (hr) 0 6 12 18 24

Observed
hydrograph 100 100 300 700 1000
(m³/s)
Solution:
q Step 1: Compute DRH
DRH = H – Base Flow
q Step 2: Compute 6-hr UH 0 DRH: 600 DRH:
UH = DRH / Excess UH = 0 / 4 UH = 600 / 4
Rainfall UH = 0 UH = 150
0-hr Time: 18-hr Time:
DRH = 100 – 100 DRH = 700 – 0 DRH: 900 DRH:
100 UH = 0 / 4 UH = 900 / 4
DRH = 0 DRH = 600 UH = 0 UH = 225

6-hr Time: 24-hr Time: 200 DRH:

DRH = 100 – 100 DRH = 1000 - UH = 200 / 4
100 UH = 50
DRH = 0 DRH = 900

12-hr Time:
DRH = 300 – 100
DRH = 200
Table:
Time Observed Hydrograph Direct Runoff Ordinates of UH
(hr) (m³/s) Hydrograph (m³/s) (m³/s)
0 100 0 0

6 100 0 0

12 300 200 50

18 700 600 150

24 1000 900 225

Type-II:
Derivation of DRH or Flood Hydrograph from
Given Unit Hydrograph
Example:
The ordinates of 3-hr UH is given below. Assume Base flow is 15
m³/s . Derive the DRH for 2 cm, 6 cm, and 4cm excess rainfall.

Time 0 3 6 9 12 15
(hr)
Ordinates
of 3-hr UH 0 12 75 132 180 210
(m³/s)
Solution for DRH in 2 cm excess rainfall:
Use this formula in solving
DRH:
DRH = Excess rainfall
Ordinates
x UH of 3-hr UH:

0 UH: 132 UH:

Time (hr) Ordinates of DRH due to 2
DRH = 2 (0) DRH = 2 (132)
3-hr UH cm ER
DRH = 0 DRH = 264
0 0 0
12 UH: 180 UH: 3 12 24
DRH = 2 (12) DRH = 2 (180)
6 75 150
DRH = 24 DRH = 360 9 132 264
12 180 360
75 UH: 210 UH:
15 210 420
DRH = 2 (75) DRH = 2 (210)
DRH = 150 DRH = 420
Solution for DRH in 6 cm excess rainfall:
Use this formula in solving
DRH:
DRH = Excess rainfall
Ordinates
x UH of 3-hr UH:

0 UH: 132 UH:

Time (hr) Ordinates of DRH due to 6
DRH = 6 (0) DRH = 6 (132)
3-hr UH cm ER
DRH = 0 DRH = 792
0 0 0
12 UH: 180 UH: 3 12 72
DRH = 6 (12) DRH = 6 (180)
6 75 450
DRH = 72 DRH = 1080 9 132 792
12 180 1080
75 UH: 210 UH:
15 210 1260
DRH = 6 (75) DRH = 6 (210)
DRH = 450 DRH = 1260
Solution for DRH in 4 cm excess rainfall:
Use this formula in solving
DRH:
DRH = Excess rainfall
Ordinates
x UH of 3-hr UH:

0 UH: 132 UH:

Time (hr) Ordinates of DRH due to 4
DRH = 4 (0) DRH = 4 (132)
3-hr UH cm ER
DRH = 0 DRH = 528
0 0 0
12 UH: 180 UH: 3 12 48
DRH = 4 (12) DRH = 4 (180)
6 75 300
DRH = 48 DRH = 720 9 132 528
12 180 720
75 UH: 210 UH:
15 210 840
DRH = 4 (75) DRH = 4 (210)
DRH = 300 DRH = 840
Table:
Time Ordinates of 3- DRH due to 2 cm DRH due to 6 cm DRH due to 4 cm
(hr) hr UH ER ER ER
0 0 0 0 0

3 12 24 72 48

6 75 150 450 300

9 132 264 792 528

12 180 360 1080 720

15 210 420 1260 840

Type-III:
Derivation of T-hr Unit Hydrograph from Given D-hr
unit Hydrograph
q If UH of specified UH is available, then we can derive of any other
duration UH by using superposition techniques.
q But, the use of this technique is limited i.e. if required duration UH,
then this technique is easy to use and compute req. UH.
Type-III (A):
Derivation of req. T-hr UH from Given D-hr UH (where
T is the multiple integral of D)
Example:
The ordinates of 3-hr UH is given below. Assume Base flow is 15
cu.meter/sec. Derive the 9-hr UH.

Time (hr) 0 3 6 9 12 15

Ordinates 0 12 75 132 180 210

of 3-hr UH
(m³/s)
Solution:
q Step 1: See the given duration and req. duration.
Given Duration of UH = 3-hr
Req. Duration = 9-hr
i.e. 9 is the integral multiple of 3. Thus, superposition technique is
applicable.
q Step 2: if we add 3-hr UH by 3 times then we got 9-hr UH
i.e. 3-hr + 3-hr + 3-hr = 9-hr
But, at the same time when we adding the 3 UH of 1 cm each, resulted
hydrograph will be DRH of 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 cm excess rainfall.
Thus, in 2nd step, lag ordinates of given UH by 3-hr and then again lag by
3-hr
q Step 3: Add these lagged UH i.e. Col.6, this will give us DRH of 3 cm
ER.
q Step 4: Divide col.6/3 cm because we want to plot UH
Table:
Time (hr) Ordinates of 3-hr Lagged by 3-hr Lagged by 6-hr
UH (m³/s)
0 0 - -
3 12 0 -
6 75 12 0
9 132 75 12
12 180 132 75
15 210 180 132
18 183 210 180
21 156 183 210
24 135 156 183
Solution for DRH due to sum of 3 UH i.e.
3 cm ER:
q To get the value of DRH, you need to add the three
lagged UH
DRH = UH + Lagged (by 3) + Lagged (by 6)
Therefore:
DRH for 0-hr Time: DRH for 9-hr Time: DRH for 18-hr Time:
DRH = 0 + 0 + 0 DRH = 132 + 75 + 12 DRH = 183 + 210 + 180
DRH = 0 DRH = 219 DRH = 573

DRH for 3-hr Time: DRH for 12-hr Time: DRH for 21-hr Time:
DRH = 12 + 0 + 0 DRH = 180 + 132 + 75 + 12 DRH = 156 + 183 + 210

DRH = 12 DRH = 387 DRH = 549

DRH for 6-hr Time: DRH for 15-hr Time: DRH for 24-hr Time:
DRH = 75 + 12 + 0 DRH = 210 + 180 + 132 DRH = 135 + 156 + 183
DRH = 87 DRH = 522 DRH = 474
Table:
Time (hr) Ordinates of 3- Lagged by 3-hr Lagged by 6-hr DRH due to sum
hr UH (m³/s) of 3 UH
0 0 - - 0
3 12 0 - 12
6 75 12 0 87
9 132 75 12 219
12 180 132 75 387
15 210 180 132 522
18 183 210 180 573
21 156 183 210 549
24 135 156 183 474
Solution for Ordinates of 9 UH:
q To get the value for Ordinates of 9-hr UH, divide the
value of DRH by the Excess Rainfall.
Formula:
UH = DRH / Excess Rainfall
Therefore:
UH for 0-hr Time: UH for 9-hr Time: UH for 18-hr Time:
UH = 0 / 3 UH = 219 / 3 UH = 573 / 3
UH = 0 UH = 73 UH = 191

UH for 3-hr Time: UH for 12-hr Time: UH for 21-hr Time

UH = 12 / 3 UH = 387 / 3 UH = 549 / 3
UH = 4 UH = 129 UH = 183

UH for 6-hr Time: UH for 15-hr Time: UH for 24-hr Time:

UH = 87 / 3 UH = 522 / 3 UH = 474 / 3
UH = 29 UH = 174 UH = 158
Table:
Time (hr) Ordinates of Lagged by 3- Lagged by 6- DRH due to Ordinates of
3-hr UH hr hr sum of 3 UH 9-hr UH
(m³/s)
0 0 - - 0 0
3 12 0 - 12 4
6 75 12 0 87 29
9 132 75 12 219 73
12 180 132 75 387 129
15 210 180 132 522 174
18 183 210 180 573 191
21 156 183 210 549 183
24 135 156 183 474 158
Synthetic Hydrograph
■ An S-hydrograph (summation) is the hydrograph that results from
continuous rainfall excess at a constant rate for an indefinite (long)
time.
Synthetic Hydrograph are derived by:
■ Relating hydrograph characteristics such as peak flow, base time etc.
with watershed characteristics such as area and time of concentration.
■ Using dimensionless unit hydrograph
■ Based on watershed storage
Need for Synthetic UH:
■ UH is applicable only for gauged watershed and for the point on the
stream where data are measured.
■ For other locations on the stream in the same watershed or for nearby
(ungauged) watersheds, synthetic procedures are used.
Snyder’s Method
(a) Lag time (tL)
(b) UH duration (tr)
(c) UH peak discharge (qp)
(d) Hydrograph time width at 50% and 75% (W50, W75) of peak flow
Snyder’s Method:
■ Lag time (tL)
tL = C1 Ct (LLC)0.3
where:
tL = time (hrs)
C1 = 0.75 for SI unit and 1.0 for English unit
Ct = coefficient which is a function of watershed slope and shape.
1.8~2.2 (for steeper slope, Ct is smaller)
L = length of the main channel (mi, km)
LC = length along the main channel to the point nearest to the
watershed centroid
Snyder’s Method:
■ UH Duration (tr)
tr = tL / 5.5
where:
tr and tL are in hrs. If the duration of UH is other than tr, then
the lag time needs to be adjusted as
tpL = tL + 0.25 (tR – tr)
where:
tLR = adjusted lag time tR = desired UH duration
Snyder’s Method:
■ UH Peak Discharge (qp)
qp = C2 Cp / tp or qp = C2 Cp / tpR
where:
C2 = 2.75 for SI unit and 640 for English unit
Cp = coefficient accounting for flood wave and storage condition,
0.4 ~ 0.8
qp = specific discharge, (m3/s/km2) or (ft3/s/mi2)

NOTE:
To compute actual discharge:
Qp = A x qp
Snyder’s Method:
■ Time Base (tb)
Assuming triangular UH,
tb = C3 / qp
where:
tb – (hrs)
C3 = 5.56 for SI unit and 1290 for English unit
Example:
Use Snyder’s method to develop a UH for the area of 100mi2
described below. What duration rainfall does this correspond to?
Ct = 1.8, L = 18mi, Cp = 0.6, Lc = 10mi

Solution:
Since this is a small watershed,
Calculate tp
tp = tl = Ct (LLC)0.3 Tb ≈ 4tp = 4(8.6)
For a small
=1.8 (18 x 10)0.3 = 34.4 hr
watersheds,
= 8.6
Duration of rainfall
Tb = tp (a vlue from
Calculate qp D = tp / 5.5 hr
3-5)
Qp = 640(cp)(A) / tp = 8.6 / 5.5 hr
= 640(0.6)(100) / 8.6 = 1.6 hr
= 4465 cfs
FIN.