TEJANO Rommel Dave O.

CE 69 Engineering Hydrology

1.

October 13, 2015

Prof. RG Juan

In designing a storm sewer system or highway culvert, the hydrologist must

determine and anticipate the amount and frequency of storm runoff. Determine
the natural points of concentration, discharge and other hydraulic controls.
Provide the most efficient facility consistent with cost, the importance of the
system, maintenance, and legal obligations. Ensure the effective flow of water
through culverts for the engineering and control of water provision. The
hydrologist must use detailed data sources, computer modelling to collect,
analyze and interpret data.

4.
There are different kinds of precipitation. Orographic precipitation results
when warm moist air moving across the ocean is forced to rise by large mountains.
As the air rises, it cools because higher elevation results in cooler temperatures.
Cold air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air. As air cools, the water vapor in
the air condenses and water droplets form. Clouds forms and precipitation (rain or
snow) occurs on the windward side of the mountain. The air is now dry and rises
over top the mountain. As the air moves back down the mountain, it collects
moisture from the ground via evaporation. This side of the mountain is called the
leeward side. It receives very little precipitation. Convectional precipitation results
from the heating of the earth's surface. The warm ground heats the air over it. As
the air warms, the air molecules begin to move further apart. With increased
distance between molecules, the molecules are less densely packed. Thus, the air
becomes lighter and rises rapidly into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it cools.
Water vapor in the air condenses into clouds and precipitation. Cyclonic or Frontal
precipitation results when the leading edge of a warm, moist air mass (warm front)
meets a cool and dry air mass (cold front). The molecules in the cold air are more
tightly packed together (i.e., more dense), and thus, the cold air is heavier than the
warm air. The warmer air mass is forced up over the cool air. As it rises, the warm
air cools, the water vapor in the air condenses, and clouds and precipitation result.
This type of system is called Frontal Precipitation because the moisture tends to
occur along the front of the air mass.

5.
Rainfall intensity is defined as the ratio of the total amount of rain (rainfall
depth) falling during a specified time interval. It is expressed in depths units per
unit time, usually as mm per hour (mm/h). The duration of rainfall is the time of
precipitation occurs up to the time the rain stops. Rain falls in a specific area
measured in sq. meters. Spatial-Temporal distribution of rainfall is the distribution of
rain based on a geographical occurrence or range. This can vary because not all
places have events like storms. Areas near the tropical zone has more rainfall
events than the other places. Seasons also has effects on the distribution of rainfall.
Wet seasons has high rainfall events compared to dry season.

6.
Rainfall interception is precipitation that does not reach the soil, but instead
intercepted by plants. It occurs in the canopy and in forest floors. Interception
depends on the leaf area index and what kind of leaves they are. Interception may
increase erosion or reduce it depending on the throughfall effects. Infiltration is the
process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. If the Precipitation
rate exceeds the Infiltration rate, runoff will usually occurs. It is govern by gravity
and capillary action. The rate is determined by the soil characteristics. Depression
storage is the ability of a particular area of land to retain water in its pits and
depression, thus preventing it from flowing. It is one of the main factors involve in
the flow whereby water volume surpasses both infiltration and depression storage
and begins to flow horizontally across the land, possibly leading to flooding and soil
erosion. Evapotranspiration is the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from
the Earths land and ocean surface to the atmosphere. It accounts for the
movement of water to the air such as the soil, canopy interception and water
bodies.

BONUS QUESTIONS

1.

Climate Change is a change in statistical distribution of weather patterns

when that change lasts for an extended period of time. This can also mean in
change of average weather conditions. This can be caused by factors such as
biotic processes, variation in solar radiation, plate tectonics and volcanic
eruptions. Certain human activities have also been identified as cause of climate
change. Often referred to as global warming. It can impact hydrologic prediction
models. The general models used in hydrology can no longer be used because of
the changes in the weather due to the increase of greenhouse gases. Climate

modeling and statistical methods need to be downscaled in order to be used.

Models need to be simulated due to the effects of climate change

2.

El Nio is a weather phenomenon characterized by an unusual increase in

surface temperatures or warning in the center and eastern equatorial Pacific
Ocean. Occurs every 2 to 7 years, it can bring either heavy rain or drought that
may last for a year and may heavily impact the agricultural sector, supply of
water and the power in the country. When El Nio starts in the Pacific, it takes a
few months before it affects rainfall in the Philippines. Another few weeks before
we feel the drought. Theres a delay, according to Dr Wendy Clavano, an earth
systems scientist from the Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC).
Clavano talked about the impact of El Nio during a learning session on October
28. The learning session, organized by the Philippine Working Group (PWG) on
Disaster Resilience, aimed to shed more light on the phenomenon. It was
attended by members of the academe, civil society organizations, government
agencies, and the media. This El Nio is expected to be weaker compared to the
El Nio in 1997, known as the worst occurrence in the 20th century. However, it
might still have significant effects because of the increased size of the
population, according to some experts. Reduced rainfall is one of the most
common impacts of El Nio in the Philippines. This caused massive drought in
different parts of the country in the past, according to Rusy Abastillas, weather
specialist from the Climate Monitoring and Prediction section of PAGASA.
Drought occurs if the rainfall amount falls below normal in 3 consecutive
months," she said. With less rainfall, shortage of water supply becomes
prevalent, leading to water-rationing in some cases, Abastillas said. This may
then affect the power supply in the country, especially in places where electricity
is sourced from hydropower plants. Drought may also lead to shortage in food
supply, especially because the Philippines is an agricultural country. Because the
ocean temperature in the Pacific is warmer during an El Nio, the country can
also expect typhoons with stronger intensities, Abastillas said. In the March 11
press conference where the bureau officially announced the onset of El Nio,
Pagasa Administrator Vicente Malano said the track of tropical cyclones could be
erratic and could shift northwards. Clavano warned, however, that the
Philippines may experience drought, with or without El Nio. She said that if the
country does not get average Amihan rains from December, January to February,
drought may occur. Climate models indicate that in April 2015, the country may
experience its lowest rainfall storage, she added. In Mindanao, for example,
there is a 50% chance that the amount of rainfall will be below normal in
January, according to Clavano. "In the Philippines, where monsoon rainfall
contributes to a large amount of the hydrological cycle, if the monsoon systems
are perturbed by factors other than El Nio, diminishing rainfall could cause
drought," she said.