Lecture - Hydrograph
Lecture - Hydrograph
• Annual hydrographs
• Monthly hydrographs
• Seasonal hydrographs
• Flood hydrographs
Precipitation
Interception
Depression Storages
Surface Storage Reservoirs
Detention/ Retention ponds
Surface Divide
Evapotranspiration
Gauging
point
Infiltration
Discharge (m3/hr)
Peak
Percolation
Chanel
Precipitatio
n
flow
Centre of mass
50% of 50% of
river flow river flow
Direct Runoff
D
A B E
Base Flow
Time (hr)
Basic assumptions
1. Time Invariance
• The direct-runoff response to a given effective rainfall in a catchment is time-
invariant.
• This implies that the DRH for a given ER in a catchment is always the same
irrespective of when it occurs.
2. Linear Response
• The direct-runoff response to the rainfall excess is assumed to be linear.
• If the rainfall excess in a duration D is r times the unit depth, the resulting DRH
will have ordinates bearing ratio r to those of the corresponding D-h unit
hydrograph.
• The assumption of linear response in a unit hydrograph enables the method of
superposition to be used to derive DRHs. Accordingly, if two rainfall excess of D-
h duration each occur consecutively, their combined effect is obtained by
superposing the respective DRHs with due care being taken to account for the
proper sequence of events.
Example 3
• Given below are the ordinates of a 6-h unit hydrograph for a
catchment. Calculate the ordinates of the DRH due to a rainfall
excess of 3.5 cm occurring in 6 h.
Example 4
• Two storms, each of 6-h duration and having rainfall excess values
of 3.0 and 2.0 cm respectively, occur successively. The 2 cm ER
rain follows the 3 cm rain. The 6 h unit hydrograph for the
catchment is given. Calculate the resulting DRH.