Hydrograph

Now, you will learn about:

1. Definition
2. Factors Affecting Flood Hydrograph
3. Components of a Hydrograph
4. Base Flow Separation
5. Effective Rainfall (ER)
6. Unit Hydrograph
7. Derivation of Unit Hydrographs
• A hydrograph may be defined as a graphical representation of
time versus discharge

The unit for time on the x-axis may

be:
Hours
Days
Months
Area of Hydrograph
• The area under the hydrograph is the runoff, i.e. the volume of
water
• The scales for the hydrograph are
• 1 cm = 1 h on x-axis
• 1 cm = 10 m3/s on y-axis
• If the area under the hydrograph is 45 cm2, find the runoff.

Volume of water = 45 × (1 × 3600) × (1 × 10) m3

= 1620 × 103 m3
Isolated Storm
• When subsequent storm does not occur before the runoff of the
previous storm ceases, that storm is called isolated storm
Complex Storm
• When subsequent storm occurs before the runoff of the
previous storm ceases, such combined storms are called
complex storm.
Elements of Flood Hydrograph
Factors Affecting Flood Hydrograph
Shape of the Basin
• A (hydrograph skewed to the left) – the peak occurs relatively
quick.
• B (hydrograph skewed to the right) – the peak occurring with a
relatively longer lag.
• C (complex hydrograph) – produced by a composite shape
Size of the Basin
Slope
Drainage Density
Land Use
Climatic Factor
Components of a Hydrograph
Base Flow Separation
• Method I – Straight Line Method
Straight Line Method
• In this method the separation of the base
flow is achieved by joining with a straight
line beginning of the surface runoff to a
point on the recession limb representing
the end of the direct runoff. Point A
represents the beginning of the direct
runoff. Point B, marking the end of the
direct runoff is difficult to locate exactly.
Thus,
• 𝑁=0.83𝐴^0.2
• A –drainage area (km2), N – (days)
Method 2
• In this method the base flow curve existing
prior to the commencement of the surface
runoff is extended till intersects the ordinate
drawn at the peak. This point is joined to
point B by a straight line.
• Segment AC and CB demarcate the base
flow and surface runoff.
• This is probably the most widely used
procedure.
Method 3
• In this method the base flow recession
curve after the depletion of the flood water
is extended backwards till it intersects the
ordinate at the point of the inflection. Points
A and F are joined by an arbitrary smooth
curve.
• This method is realistic in situations where
the groundwater contributions are
significant and reach the stream quickly.
• The surface runoff hydrograph obtained after the base-flow
separation is known as direct runoff hydrograph (DRH)
Effective Rainfall
• Also known as Excess Rainfall (ER)
• Is that part of the rainfall that becomes direct
runoff at the outlet of the watershed.
• Defined as rainfall that is neither retained on the
land surface nor infiltrated into the soil.
• For the purpose of correlating DRH with the
rainfall which produced the flow, the hyetograph
is also pruned by deducting the losses, then,
called Effective (or excess) rainfall hyetograph
(ERH).
Example
Example
Unit Hydrograph
• Unit-hydrograph method was first suggested by Sherman in
1932.
• Unit hydrograph is defined as the hydrograph of direct runoff
resulting from one unit depth (1 cm) of rainfall excess occurring
uniformly over the basin and at a uniform rate for a specified
duration (D hours).
• Thus one has a 6-h unit hydrograph, 12-h unit hydrograph, etc.
and in general a D-h hydrograph applicable to a given
catchment.
Here, the duration of the rainfall
excess is 6h.

Area under the unit hydrograph

=1292 km2
Two basic assumptions constitute the
foundations for the unit-hydrograph
theory
Example