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HYDROGRAPH

Hydrograph
Definition: A plot or listing that

relates flow, velocity, stage or some

other hydrologic characteristics of
water to time. Most commonly refers
to a plot of flow versus time.

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Streamflow Hydrograph

Discharge (cfs))

1000
800
600
400
200
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Time (hr)

Hydrograph
A hydrograph is a continuous graph showing the
properties of stream flow with respect to time.
Normally obtained by means of a continuous strip
recorder that indicates stage versus time, and is
then transformed to a discharge hydrograph by
application of a rating curve.

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Discharge Hydrograph

Stage Hydrograph
Stage-Discharge Curve
or Rating Curve

Why Construct & Analyse

Hydrographs ?
To
patterns off a
T find
fi d out discharge
di h
particular drainage basin
Help predict flooding events, therefore
influence implementation
of flood prevention
p
p
measures

Microsoft Word clipart

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PartsofaHydrograph
Ahydrographconsistsofthreeparts:
RisingLimb
CrestorPeak
FallingLimb
RecessionCurve

Basin lag time

Peak flow

D
Discharge (m3/s)

3
Overland
flow

2
mm
4

Through flow

3
2

Base flow

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

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Discharge
D
(m3/s)

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

Rainfall shown in mm, as

a bar graph i.e.
Hyetograph

D
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

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Discharge in m3/s, as a
line graph

Discharge
D
(m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

The rising flood water in

the river

D
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

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Peak flow

Peak flow

Maximum discharge in
the river

Discharge
D
(m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

Peak flow

Falling flood water in the

river

D
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

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Peak flow

Point on the falling limb

where curve changes
concavity

Discharge
D
(m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

Basin lag time

Basin lag time

Time difference
between the peak of the
rain storm and the peak
flow of the river

Peak flow

D
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

3
2

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

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Base flow

Basin lag time

Peak flow

Discharge
D
(m3/s)

Normal discharge of
the river

2
mm
4

3
2

Base flow

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

Overland flow

Basin lag time

Peak flow

Through flow

D
Discharge (m3/s)

Overland
flow

Storm Flow

mm
4

Through flow

3
2

Base flow

12

24

36

48

30

72

Hours from start of rain storm

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Direct Runoff Hydrograph

Rainfall Excess

tc

Discharge (cfs)

1000

tp

tr

800
600
400

tb

200
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Time (hr)

Lag time, L
Time to peak, tp
Time of concentration, tc
Recession time, tr
Time base, tb

10

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Hydrograph
Lag Time (L) Difference in time between the center of

mass of effective rainfall and the center of mass of

runoff p
produced. However up
peak is mostlyy used
p to p
Time to Peak (tp) the time interval from the start of
the rainfall excess to the peak of the resulting
hydrograph
Time of Concentration (tc) The travel time from the
hydraulically furthermost point in a watershed to the
outlet. This is also defined as the time from the end of
rainfall excess to the recession curve inflection point.
Also the time required with
ith uniform rain for 100% of a
tract of land to contribute to the direct runoff
Recession Time (tr) Time from the peak to the end of
surface runoff
Time Base (tb) Time from which the concentration
curve begins until the direct runoff component reaches
zero

Hydrograph
Streamflow hydrograph is a combination

of the surface runoff, interflow and base

flow hydrographs.

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ComponentsofHydrograph
The stream flow that is measured at a gauging station
d constitutes
tit t a hydrograph,
h d
h normally
ll consists
i t off
and
four components.
Channel Precipitation
Direct runoff
Interflow or Subsurface flow
Groundwater flow or base flow

Hydrograph
Channel precipitation. It is the amount of

precipitation
that
i it ti
th t falls
f ll directly
di tl on the
th
stream. Since this amount is usually very
small as compared to the stream flow it is
neglected.
Direct Runoff. The direct runoff is the
ff which
hi h flows
fl
b
th
componentt off runoff
above
the
ground surface after all losses. This flow
forms the major part of any ordinate of the
hydrograph.

12

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Hydrograph
Flow It is that part
Interflow or Subsurface Flow.
of infiltrated water which flows, laterally in
the upper strata below the ground surface
and it reaches the stream a couple of days
after the storm. Normally it is difficult to
distinguish
direct
di ti
i h between
b t
di t runoff
ff and
d
interflow, because the later reaches the
stream very quickly. Hence interflow is
combined with direct runoff.

Hydrograph
Groundwater

flow or Base flow.

flow The
groundwater flow or base flow is that part of
the infiltrated water which percolates
through the deeper soil strata and moves
slowly towards the stream. The movement
b
fl
i so slow
l
th t it takes
t k severall
off base
flow
is
that
months or even years to reach the stream
after the storm.

13

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SeparationofHydrographComponents
StraightLineMethod
FixedBaseLengthMethod
VariableSlopeMethod
Recession Curve Equation

MethodsofBaseFlowSeparation
g
(
)
StraightLineMethod(AE)
FixedBaseLengthMethod(ABDE)
VariableSlopeMethod(ABCE)
2

N=A0.2
(N:days,A:mile )
N=6.59A0.2 (N:hours,A:acres)

14

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FixedBaseLengthMethod
The base flow existing before the storm is
projected
down to a p
point directlyy under the
p
j
hydrograph crest. Then a straight line is used to
connect the projection to the fall limb N days later.
N is determined by inspection or by rule of thumb
equations:
2
N=A0.2
(N:days,A:mile )
0 2 (N:hours,A:acres)
N=6.59A
N 6 59A0.2
(N:hours A:acres)

VariableSlopeMethod
Based on the assumption that the shape of the
base flow curve before the storm will match the
shape
off the
flow
h
h base
b
fl curve after
f the
h storm. Base
B
flow curve after the storm is projected back under
the hydrograph to a point under the inflection
point of the falling limb. The separation line
under the rising limb is drawn arbitrarily
inflection assumed to mark the time at
Point of inflectionassumed
which the surface inflow to the channel system
ceases. After the point of inflection, the recession
curve represents withdrawal of water from the
basin.

15

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PhysiographicFactorsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Size of the catchment

H d
h off smaller
ll
i
d
Hydrograph
area rises
and
recedes to peak more rapidly than for a
larger catchment area. Larger is more
heterogeneous in nature.
Shape of the catchment area
Time of concentration depends upon the
shape.

Also need to consider the storm

duration and time of concentration.

16

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PhysiographicFactorsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Catchment Elevation. Variation in temperature
and precipitation. In IndoPak subcontinent,
snowmelt at 15,000 ft. (above m.s.l) altitude. Low
peak and broader base.
Catchment Slope. Rate of infiltration and surface
runoff affected.
Channel Slope. Steeper channel slope gives rapid
rise in hydrograph.
Miscellaneous factors. Man made changes like
dams,
barrages,
forest
developments,
urbanization, etc

17

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StormCharacteristicsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Seasonal distribution of rainfall. Summer high
g
losses of evapotranspiration may produce small
hydrograph peak for even high intensity rainfall.
Rainfall Intensity. Higher intensity storm will
produce a rapid rise in hydrograph with a higher
peak.
Duration
D ti off rainfall.
i f ll Duration
D ti as compared
d to
t time
ti
of concentration is important. For longer
durations whole of area contributes and peak rate
will be maintained.

StormCharacteristicsAffectingtheShapeof
Hydrograph
Storm distribution over area. Two storms of same
intensity may produce different hydrographs if
they are distributed differently over the area.
Direction of movement of storm. The peak
discharge will be more if the storm is moving
towards g
gauging
g g station,, and there will be lag
g if it
is moving away.

18

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TwoStormHydrograph

UNITHYDROGRAPH

19

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UnitHydrographTheory
Sherman(1932)firstproposedtheunithydrograph

concept
concept.
WhatisUnitHydrographTheory?
Giventwoevenlydistributedrainfalleventsover
anentirewatershed
Theresponsehydrographsofthewatershedwill
havesimilarcharacteristics
Theonlydifferencewillbeinthemagnitudeof
theflows

UnitHydrographTheory
Storm Hydrograph (4 inches)
400
350
300

Flow

250
200
150
100
50
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Time

20

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UnitHydrographTheory
Storm Hydrograph (4 inches vs 2 inches)
400
350
300

Flow

250
200
150
100
50
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Time

UnitHydrographTheory
Hydrograph Characteristics
400
350
300

Flow

250
200
150
100
50
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Time

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UnitHydrographTheory
The Unit Hydrograph (UH) of a watershed is
defined as the direct runoff hydrograph
resulting from a unit volume of excess rainfall of
constant intensity and uniformly distributed
over the drainage area. The duration of the unit
volume of excess or effective rainfall, sometimes
referred
duration.
The
f
d to as the
h effective
ff i
d
i
Th unit
i
volume is usually considered to be associated with
1cm (or 1inch) of effective rainfall distributed
uniformly over the basin area.

UnitHydrographTheory
Unit Hydrograph vs Storm Hydrographs
400
350
300

Flow

250
200
150
100
50
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Time

22

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SignificanceofUnitHydrograph
Watersheds response to a given amount

of excess precipitation is just a

multiplier of the unit hydrograph
Use unit hydrograph as a basis to
determine the storm hydrograph from
any given rainfall distribution

UnitHydrograph
If a given rainfall produces a 1in depth of

runoff over the given drainage area,

area the
hydrograph showing the rates at which the
runoff occurred can be considered a unit
graph for that watershed.
An X hour unit hydrograph is defined as a
1 in
direct runoff hydrograph having a 1in
volume and resulting from an Xhour storm
having a steady intensity of 1/X in/hr.

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UHGSalients
Hydrograph that results from 1inch (or 1cm)
of excess precipitation (or runoff) spread
uniformly in space and time over a watershed
for a given duration.
The key points :
1inch (or 1cm) of excess precipitation
Excess precipitation spread uniformly over
space evenly over the entire watershed
Excess precipitation spread uniformly in time
excess rate is constant over the time interval
There is a given duration

AssumptionsinUnitHydrograph
Excess precipitation has constant intensity within the

duration
Excess precipitation uniformly distributed over the
entire catchment area
Constant base length (i.e. base time) of direct runoff
for a given duration storm (assumption of uniqueness
or variance)
Ordinates of unit hydrograph are proportional to total

runoff (principle of linearity, superposition or

proportionality)
Unit hydrograph reflects all combined physical
characteristics of the catchment area

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MethodsofDevelopingUHG
StreamFlowData Aunithydrographis

deri edfromhistoricalrainfall&runoffdata
derivedfromhistoricalrainfall&runoffdata
Synthetically
SnyderMethod(1938)
ClarksTimeAreaMethod(1945)
SCSMethod(1957)
FittedDistributions
Geomorphologic

RulesofThumb
y uniform in nature &
The storm should be fairly
excess precipitation should be equally as uniform
throughout the basin. This may require the initial
conditions throughout the basin to be spatially
similar.
The storm should be relatively constant in time,
periods
meaning
g that there should be no breaks or p
of no precipitation.
The storm should produce at least 1inch ( or 1
cm) of excess precipitation (area under the
hydrograph after correcting for base flow).

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DerivationofUnitHydrograph
Construct stream flow hydrograph from the

il bl data
d
available
Separate the base flow and direct runoff to
obtain direct runoff hydrograph
Obtain excess/effective/net precipitation in
g the direct runoff
inches ((or cm)) byy dividing
volume by watershed area
Ordinates of the unit hydrograph are obtained
by dividing the direct runoff hydrograph
ordinates by the excess precipitation depth

UHGDerivation

25000

Hydrograph

Direct Runoff Hydrograph

20000

Flow (cfs)

15000
Unit Hydrograph

10000

Base Flow
5000

133

126

119

112

98

105

91

84

77

70

63

56

49

42

35

28

21

14

0
Time (hrs.)

In this example, units of the unit hydrograph would be cfs/inch of excess precipitation

26

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EXAMPLE
Example6.1(TextbookPage158160)
From the data given in Table 6.1, derive
a 6hour unit hydrograph if this data is
obtained from a sixhour duration
storm and the catchment area is 3,200
square kilometers.

DerivationofHydrographfromaUHG
Once the UHG of certain duration is
determined, it can be used to compute
a hydrograph of the same duration. In
order to derive the hydrograph of same
duration as that of the UHG, we have to
d in reverse to the
h process used
d
proceed
to derive UHG.

27

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DerivationofHydrographfromaUHG
The procedure will be as follows:
Th UHG off a certain
t i duration
d ti is
i given.
i
1. The
2. Derive the ordinates of direct runoff
hydrograph by multiplying the UHG
ordinates by effective rainfall.
3. Add base flow to the ordinates of direct
runoff hydrograph to get total runoff
hydrograph. The peak of this hydrograph
gives the maximum flow due to the storm.

EXAMPLE
Example6.2(TextbookPage160)
GiventheUHGof4hourduration(Table
h
f h
d
( bl
6.3),calculatetheordinatesoftotalrunoff
hydrographofsamedurationfromanexcess
precipitationof10cm.Assumeconstant
BaseFlowof14m
4 3//sec.

28

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ApplicationsofUnitHydrograph
OnceaUHisderived,itcanbeused/appliedto
fi ddi t
ff d t
fl h d
h
finddirectrunoffandstreamflowhydrograph
fromotherstormevents.
Flood estimation and prediction
Flood routing through reservoirs or lower reaches
Design of hydraulic structures. Alternative
approach to probable maximum precipitation
(PMP)
Index of catchment characteristics

LimitationsofUnitHydrograph
Satisfaction of all assumptions is difficult
Consistency of results for area exceeding 500

sq miles
Not applicable if snow precipitation
Not applicable if freezing occurs

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SCurve

The derivation of the SCurve is very simple. We

keep on adding given unit hydrograph ordinates
each lagged by time equal to the duration of given
hydrograph from the previous one till we obtain a
constant value after addition or it starts fluctuating
between some values.

SCurve
60000.00

50000.00

40000.00

30000.00

20000 00
20000.00

10000.00

120

114

108

96

102

90

84

78

72

66

60

54

48

42

36

30

24

18

0.00
12

The SCurve is hydrograph obtained by summation

of infinite number of unit hydrographs of given
duration each lagged by time interval equal to the
duration of the given hydrograph.
The SCurve can be used to derive unit hydrograph
of any desired duration.

Flow (cfs)

Time (hrs.)

30

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EXAMPLE
Example6.3(TextbookPage162)
Gi
i a unit
i hydrograph
h d
h off 2 hour
h
Given
is
duration (Table 6.5). Derive the 2 hours
duration S Curve.

DerivationofAnyDurationUHG
The procedure for derivation of any required duration
UHG from a given duration UHG is described below:
1. Derive the SCurve (as per procedure explained earlier).
2. Offset the position of the SCurve for a period equal to

the desired duration of the UHG to be derived. This is

called the lagged SCurve.
3. Subtract the ordinates of lagged SCurve from the

S Curve at the respective time intervals.

intervals
original SCurve
4. The ordinates of UHG of required duration are obtained

by multiplying the difference obtained in step3 with the

ratio given duration over required duration (i.e.
multiply by ratio = given duration/desired duration).

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EXAMPLE
Example6.4(TextbookPage165)
Given is unit hydrograph of 2hours
duration (Table 6.5). Find 6hours unit
hydrograph for the same catchment.

32