Unit Hydrograph

 First proposed by Sherman (1932), the unit hydrograph (originally named unit-graph) of
a watershed is defined as a direct run-off hydrograph (DRH) resulting from 1 in (cm in SI
unit) of excess rainfall generated uniformly over the drainage area at a constant rate for an
effective duration.

Classification of runoff according to Sherman

 Surface Runoff
 Groundwater Runoff

Parts of the Unit Hydrograph

 Duration of effective rainfall: the time from start to finish of effective rainfall
 Lag time (L or tp): the time from the center of mass of rainfall excess to the peak of the
hydrograph
 Time of rise (TR): the time from the start of rainfall excess to the peak of the hydrograph
 Time base (Tb): the total duration of the DRO hydrograph

Rules to be observed in developing uh from gaged watersheds:

1. Storms should be selected with a simple structure with relatively uniform spatial and temporal
distributions.
2. Watershed sizes should generally fall between 1.0 and 100 mi2 in modern watershed analysis.
3. Direct runoff should range 0.5 to 2 in.
4. Duration of rainfall excess D should be approximately 25% to 30% of lag time tp
5. A number of storms of similar duration should be analyzed to obtain an average UH for that
duration.
6. Step 5 should be repeated for several rainfall of different durations.

EXAMPLE

Obtain a unit hydrograph for a basin of 315 km2 of area using the rainfall and streamflow data
tabulated below.

Time Observed Time (hr) Gross PPT (GRH)

(hr) Hydrograph (m3/s) (cm/h)
0 100 0-1 0.5
1 100 1-2 2.5
2 300 2-3 2.5
3 700 3-4 0.5
4 1000
5 800
6 600
7 400
8 300
9 200
10 100
11 100

Step 1. To get the direct runoff hydrograph (DRH), subtract the first value of the observed
hydrograph to all the values of the OH.

Time Observed Direct Runoff

(hr) Hydrograph (m3/s) Hydrograph (DRH)
(m3/s)
0 100 0
1 100 0
2 300 200
3 700 600
4 1000 900
5 800 700
6 600 500
 7 400 300
8 300 200
9 200 100
10 100 0
11 100 0

Step 2. Compute the Volume of Direct Runoff

VDRH = (∑DRH)(3600s)
VDRH = (200+600+900+700+500+300+200+100 m3/s)(3600s)
VDRH = 12'600,000 m3

Step 3. Express VDRH in equivalent units of depth.

VDRH in equivalent units of depth = VDRH/Abasin

= 12'600,000 m3 / (315000000 m2)
VDRH in equivalent units of depth = 0.04 m = 4 cm

Step 4. Obtain a Unit Hydrograph by normalizing the DRH. Normalizing implies dividing the
ordinates of the DRH by the VDRH in equivalent units of depth.

Time (hr) Observed Direct Runoff Unit

Hydrograph Hydrograph (DRH) Hydrograph
(m3/s) (m3/s) (m3/s/cm)
0 100 0 0
1 100 0 0
2 300 200 50
3 700 600 150
4 1000 900 225
5 800 700 175
6 600 500 125
7 400 300 75
8 300 200 50
9 200 100 25
10 100 0 0
11 100 0 0
Step 5. Plot the Observed Hydrograph. Direct Runoff Hydrograph, and Unit Hydrograph.

Step 6. Determine the duration D of the ERH associated with the UH obtained in 4. In order to do
this:
a) Determine the volume of losses, VLosses which is equal to the difference between the volume
of gross rainfall, VGRH, and the volume of the direct runoff hydrograph, VDRH.

VLosses = VGRH - VDRH

VLosses = (0.5 + 2.5 + 2.5 +0.5) cm/h 1 h - 4 cm
VLosses = 2 cm

b) Compute the i-index equal to the ratio of the volume of losses to the rainfall duration, tr.

I-index = VLosses/tr
I-index = 2 cm / 4 h
I-index = 0.5 cm/h

c) Determine the ERH by subtracting the infiltration from the GRH:

Time (hr) Effective Precipitation (ERH)

(cm/h)
0-1 0.0
1-2 2.0
2-3 2.0
3-4 0.5

As observed in the table, the duration of the effective rainfall hyetograph is 2 hours. Thus, D = 2
hours, and the Unit Hydrograph obtained above is a 2-hour Unit Hydrograph.