7.2.1.

Unit Hydrograph
Hydrograph of direct runoff resulting from one unit depth (1 cm)
of rainfall excess occurring uniformly over the basin and at a
uniform rate for a specified duration (D h)

Assumptions:

1.Time invariance
Direct runoff response to a given effective rainfall in a
particular catchment is time independent
2. Linear response
Direct runoff response to a rainfall excess is linear
 e.g. HG_5
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.
Time, h 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 69
UH ordinates, m3/s 0 25 50 85 125 160 185 160 110 60 36 25 16 8 0

Solution:
Time, h 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 69
Linear Response: UH ordinates, m3/s 0 25 50 85 125 160 185 160 110 60 36 25 16 8 0
3.5 cm, 6h, DRH, 0 25× 50× 85× 125 … … 0
m3/s 3.5 3.5 3.5 ×3.5

700

600
6 h UHG
500 3.5 cm, 6 h DRH
Discharge, m3/s

400

300

200

100

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Time, h
e.g. HG_6
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 rainfall follows the 3-cm rain. The 6 h
unit hydrograph for the catchment is the same as given above (e.g. HG_5).
Calculate the resulting DRH.
 UH DRH of 3 DRH of 2
Time, h ordinates, cm cm DRH due
m3/s Rainfall, Rainfall, to rainfall,
m /s
3
m /s
3
m3/s
0 0 0 0
3 25 75 75
6 50 150 0 150
9 85 255 50 305
12 125 375 100 475 900
15 160 480 170 650
18 185 555 250 805 800

21 172.5 517.5 320 837.5

33 85 255 270 525 500

Q, m3/s
39 48 144 170 314 400
42 36 108 120 228
45 30.5 91.5 96 187.5 300
48 25 75 72 147
51 20.5 61.5 61 122.5 200
54 16 48 50 98
100
57 12 36 41 77
60 8 24 32 56 0
63 5.3 15.9 24 39.9 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
66 2.7 8.1 16 24.1 Time, h
69 0 0 10.6 10.6
72 5.4 5.4
75 0 0
 e.g. HG_7
The ordinates of a 6- h unit hydrograph of a catchment is given below.

Time, h 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 69
UH ordinates, m3/s 0 25 50 85 125 160 185 160 110 60 36 25 16 8 0

Derive flood hydrograph in the catchment due to the storm given below

Time from 0 6 12 18
start of storm,
h
Accumulated 0 3.5 11.0 16.5
rainfall, cm

The storm loss rate (Ø index) for the catchment is estimated as 0.25 cm/h. The base flow can
be assumed to be 10 m3/s throughout the period.
 (C)
(A) (B) DRH due
DRH of 4
UH DRH of 2 DRH of 6 to rainfall,
cm FHG=DRH
Time, h ordinates, cm cm m3/s
Time from start 0-6 6-12 12-18 Rainfall, +BF
m3/s Rainfall, Rainfall, (A)+(B)+
of storm, h m3/s
m /s
3
m /s
3
(C)
0 0 = (0×2) A+B+C+10
Rainfall, cm 3.5 =(11-3.5)= 7.5 =(16.5-11)= 5.5 3 25 = (25×2)
Loss, cm =(0.25×6) =(0.25×6) =(0.25×6) 6 50 =(0×6)
9 85 =(25×6)
Effective rainfall, 2 6 4
cm 12 125 =(0×4)
15 160 =(25×4)
18 185
21 172.5
24 160
27 135
30 110
33 85
36 60
39 48
42 36
45 30.5
48 25
51 20.5
54 16
57 12
60 8
63 5.3
66 2.7
69 0
72
….. (fill)