Hydrographs:

Construction and
analysis
13/10/2017
 Construction
And
Analysis of Hydrographs
What is a hydrograph?
Look at the hydrograph:
What do you think that it shows?
What is a hydrograph?
Hydrographs can look very complex but when you learn to
read them they are relatively straight forward to analyse.
What is a hydrograph?
A hydrograph is a graph showing the
rate of flow (discharge) versus time past
a specific point in a river. It really shows
two graphs one showing precipitation
and one showing discharge.
Hydrograph
Record of River Discharge over a period of time

River Discharge
rivers mean
= cross sectional area X (average) velocity
(at a particular point in its course)

Storm Hydrographs
Show the change in discharge caused by a
period of rainfall
 Why
Construct & Analyse
Hydrographs ?
To find out discharge patterns of
a particular drainage basin
Help predict flooding events,
therefore influence implementation
of flood prevention measures
Construction

Of
Storm (flood)
Hydrographs
Discharge (m3/s) 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Rainfall shown
3 in mm, as a
bar graph
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

1 3

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

2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 3 The rising
flood water in
the river
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
3 Maximum
discharge in
the river
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

1 3

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

3 Falling flood
water in the
Discharge (m3/s)

2
river
mm
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
3 between the
peak of the rain
Discharge (m3/s)

storm and the

2 peak flow of the
mm river
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Basin lag time
Peak flow Base flow
3
Normal
discharge of
Discharge (m3/s)

2 the river
mm
4

1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
 Basin lag time
Peak flow Overland flow
3 +
Through flow
Discharge (m3/s)

Overland
2 flow =
mm
Storm Flow
4 Through flow
1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 30 72
Hours from start of rain storm
Complete storm hydrograph in small stream channel. - YouTube
Overland flow Through flow

Volume of Volume of water

water reaching reaching the river
the river from through the soil and
surface run off underlying rock
layers
 Basin lag time
Peak flow

Discharge (m3/s) 3

Overland
2 flow
mm
4 Through flow
1 3

2
Base flow

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

Discharge (m3/s) 3

Overland
2 flow
mm
4 Through flow
1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 60 72
Hours from start of rain storm
Describing Hydrographs:
.
Description of a Hydrograph:
Just say what you can see.
Precipitation starts just before 14.00hrs on day one, with the
peak rainfall occurring at 16.00hrs at around 50mm.

There is a very steep rising limb leading to a peak discharge of 50

cumecs. The lag time is around 10 hours.
The falling limb is also steep, returning to the
normal base flow at around 14.00hrs on day 2.
The discharge returns to around 5 cumecs at the
end of day 2.
 Hydrographs can look very
different depending on
how a number of factors
affect the drainage basin.

Some hydrographs have a

very steep sharp rising and
falling limbs while others
have a more gentle profile.
Analysis
 Factors influencing
Storm Hydrographs
Area Land Use
Shape Drainage Density
Slope Precipitation / Temp
Rock Type Tidal Conditions
Soil

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 Interpretation of Storm
Hydrographs Basin lag time

You need to refer to: 3

Peak flow

Rising Limb Overland

Discharge (m3/s)
2
flow
mm

Recession Limb 1
4
3
Through flow

Lag time 2
Base flow

Rainfall Intensity
0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

Peak flow compared to Base flow

Recovery rate, back to Base flow
Here are some theoretical
interpretations of
influencing factors

BUT

When interpreting
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hydrographs all factors

must be considered
together !
Area
Large basins receive more precipitation than
small therefore have larger runoff

Larger size means longer lag time as water has

a longer distance to travel to reach the trunk
river

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Shape

Elongated basin will produce a lower peak flow

and longer lag time than a circular one of the
same size

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Slope

Channel flow can be faster down a steep slope

therefore steeper rising limb and shorter lag
time

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Rock Type

Permeable rocks mean rapid infiltration and

little overland flow therefore shallow rising limb

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Soil

Infiltration is generally greater on thick soil,

though less porous soils eg. clay act as
impermeable layers

The more infiltration occurs the longer the lag

time and shallower the rising limb

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Land Use

Urbanisation - concrete and tarmac form

impermeable surfaces, creating a steep rising
limb and shortening the lag time

Afforestation - intercepts the precipitation,

creating a shallow rising limb and lengthening the
lag time
Area Rock Type Drainage Density
Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Drainage Density

A higher density will allow rapid overland flow

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Precipitation & Temperature
Short intense rainstorms can produce rapid overland
flow and steep rising limb

If there have been extreme temperatures, the ground

can be hard (either baked or frozen) causing rapid
surface run off

Snow on the ground can act as a store producing a

long lag time and shallow rising limb. Once a thaw sets
in the rising limb will become steep

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
Tidal Conditions

High spring tides can block the normal exit for

the water, therefore extending the length of
time the river basin takes to return to base
flow

Area Rock Type Drainage Density

Shape Soil Precipitation / Temp
Slope Land Use Tidal Conditions
These influencing factors will:

Influence each other

Change throughout the rivers

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