FLOODS

SUBTITLE
At the end of the lecture, you will learn:
• Rationale Method
• Empirical Formula
• Unit Hydrograph Method
• Flood Frequency Studies
• Gumbel’s Method
• Log-Pearson Type III Distribution
• Flood is an unusually high stage in a river, normally the
level at which the river overflows its banks and inundates
the adjoining area.
• Flood-peak values are required in the design of bridges,
culvert waterways and spillways for dams and estimation
of scour at a hydraulic structure.
• To estimate the magnitude of the flood peak, the following
methods are used:
1. Rationale Method
2. Empirical Formula
3. Unit Hydrograph Method
4. Flood Frequency Studies
Rational Method
• 𝑄𝑝 = 𝐶𝐴𝑖; 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 ≥ 𝑡𝑐

• Where C=coefficient of runoff

(runoff/rainfall), A=area of the
catchment, i=intensity of rainfall

• Suitable for small catchments

up to 50 km^2.
Time of Concentration
• US PRACTICE
• For small drainage basins, the time of concentration is assumed
to be equal to the lag time of the peak flow.

• Kirpich Equation
Rainfall Intensity
Runoff Coefficient
• The coefficient C represents the integrated effect of the
catchment of the catchment losses and hence depends
upon the nature of the surface, surface slope and rainfall
intensity.
Example:
Example:
Example:
Empirical Formula
• Flood Peak-Area Relationships
• 𝑄𝑝 = 𝑓(𝐴)
• Dickens Formula
3
• 𝑄𝑝 = 𝐶𝐷 𝐴 4

• Where: Q=max flood discharge (m^3/s), A=catchment area

(km^2), C=Dickens constant with value between 6 to 30

*Used in Central and

Northern parts
• Ryves Formula
2
• 𝑄𝑝 = 𝐶𝑅 𝐴 3

• Where: Q=max flood discharge (m^3/s), A=catchment area

(km^2), C=Ryves coefficient
*Tamil Nadu region,
Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh
• Inglis Formula
124𝐴
• 𝑄𝑝 = *Western
𝐴+10.4
Ghats,Maharashtra
• Other Formula

• Envelope Curves
Example:
Unit Hydrograph
• Previously discussed
Flood Frequency Studies
• The values of the annual maximum flood from a given
catchment area for large number of successive years
constitute a hydrologic data series called the annual series.
• The data are then arranged in decreasing order of
magnitude and the probability P of each event being
equaled to or exceeded is calculated by:
Gumbel’s Method
Example: