Surface Runoff and Hydrographs
Module 5
CE 3B4: Hydrology
By: Engr. Yuriy B. Sesican, MCE
Learning Objectives
1. Define the components of runoff and understand the process of
streamflow generation.
2. Distinguish between direct runoff and baseflow.
3. Identify the physical parts of a storm hydrograph.
4. Learn the methods for baseflow separation and peak discharge
estimation.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 2
What is Surface Runoff?
• Surface runoff is the portion of precipitation that makes its way
toward stream channels, lakes, or oceans as surface flow.
• It occurs only after the "Initial Abstractions" (interception and
depression storage) and the "Infiltration Capacity" of the soil have
been satisfied.
• In engineering, this is the water we must manage to prevent flooding
and to fill our reservoirs.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 3
Components of Streamflow
Total streamflow in a river is generally composed of two main parts:
1. Direct Runoff: Water that reaches the stream immediately during or shortly
after a storm. This includes overland flow and direct precipitation on the
channel.
2. Baseflow: The delayed flow that comes from groundwater seeping into the
river. This is what keeps rivers flowing even during long dry periods.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 4
Factors Affecting Runoff Volume
• Rainfall Characteristics: Intensity, duration, and spatial distribution of
the storm.
• Watershed Soil Moisture: Wet soil (high antecedent moisture)
produces much more runoff than dry soil.
• Vegetation: Thick forests slow down water and encourage infiltration,
reducing total runoff volume.
• Drainage Area: Larger areas collect more volume but take longer to
reach the outlet.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 5
The Concept of a Hydrograph
• A Hydrograph is a graph showing the discharge (flow rate, Q) of a
river over time (t) at a specific location.
• Y-axis: Discharge, typically measured in cubic meters per second
(m³/s).
• X-axis: Time, which could be in hours, days, or months depending on
the study.
• It represents the "Fingerprint" of how a specific watershed responds
to a storm.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 6
Parts of a Storm Hydrograph
• Rising Limb: The upward portion of the curve where discharge
increases as runoff reaches the gauge.
• Peak Discharge (Qp): The highest point on the hydrograph,
representing the maximum flow rate.
• Recession (Falling) Limb: The downward portion where flow
decreases after the rain has stopped.
• Crest Segment: The curved top portion containing the peak.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 7
Time Parameters of a Hydrograph
• Time to Peak (Tp): The time from the start of the rise to the peak discharge.
• Lag Time (TL): The time interval between the center of mass of the rainfall
and the center of mass of the runoff.
• Time of Concentration (Tc): The time required for water to travel from the
most hydraulically remote point in the watershed to the outlet.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 8
Factors Affecting Hydrograph Shape
• Basin Shape: Circular basins produce sharp, high peaks; elongated
basins produce lower, longer-lasting peaks.
• Slope: Steeper slopes create faster rising limbs and higher peaks.
• Drainage Density: High density (many streams) leads to a rapid
response and higher Qp.
• Land Use: Urbanization makes the rising limb much steeper and the
peak much higher.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 9
Baseflow Separation Techniques
• To analyze the effect of a specific storm, engineers must separate the
"Direct Runoff" from the "Baseflow."
• Straight-Line Method: Draw a horizontal line from the point where
the rising limb starts to the recession limb.
• Fixed Base Method: Connect the start of the rise to a point on the
recession limb at a fixed time after the peak.
• Variable Slope Method: More complex, following the trend of the
baseflow before and after the storm.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 10
Effective Rainfall (Direct Runoff Excess)
• Effective rainfall is the portion of precipitation that actually
contributes to the direct runoff.
• It is calculated by subtracting all abstractions (losses) from the total
rainfall hyetograph.
• The volume of the Effective Rainfall Hyetograph (ERH) must equal the
volume of the Direct Runoff Hydrograph (DRH).
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 11
Unit Hydrograph (UH)
• A Unit Hydrograph is defined as the hydrograph of direct runoff
resulting from 1.0 unit (e.g., 1 cm or 1 mm) of effective rainfall falling
uniformly over the watershed for a specific duration.
• It is a fundamental tool for predicting how a watershed will react to
any future storm.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 12
Assumptions of the Unit Hydrograph
• Constant Duration: The effective rainfall must have a specific,
constant duration (D).
• Linear Response: If 1 cm of rain produces a certain flow, 2 cm will
produce double that flow.
• Time Invariance: The watershed's response to a storm is assumed to
be the same regardless of when the storm occurs.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 13
Deriving a Unit Hydrograph
Step 1: Select a single-peak storm hydrograph.
Step 2: Separate the baseflow to get the Direct Runoff Hydrograph
(DRH).
Step 3: Calculate the volume of the DRH and convert it to depth (d)
over the watershed area.
Step 4: Divide every ordinate of the DRH by the depth (d) to get the
"Unit" ordinates.
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 14
Peak Discharge Estimation: The Rational Method
For small, urban watersheds (usually less than 50 hectares), the
Rational Method is used.
Formula: Q = C × i × A / 360
Q = Peak discharge (m³/s)
C = Runoff coefficient (dimensionless, based on land use)
I = Rainfall intensity (mm/hr)
A = Drainage area (hectares)
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 15
The Runoff Coefficient (C)
• The 'C' value represents the fraction of rainfall that becomes runoff.
• Concrete/Asphalt: C = 0.70 to 0.95 (High runoff)
• Parks/Lawns: C = 0.05 to 0.25 (Low runoff)
• Residential areas: C = 0.30 to 0.50 (Medium runoff)
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 16
Hydrograph Recession Analysis
• The recession limb represents the withdrawal of water from storage
within the watershed.
• It is often modeled mathematically as:
Qt = Q0 × e^(-at)
Qt = Discharge at time t
Q0 =Initial discharge
a = Recession constant
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 17
Sample Problem: The Rational Method (Peak Runoff)
A proposed residential subdivision in Cebu has a drainage area of 12 hectares. The area is composed of the following:
• 6 hectares of asphalt/concrete (Runoff Coefficient, C = 0.90)
• 4 hectares of suburban residential housing (Runoff Coefficient, C = 0.50)
• 2 hectares of park/open green space (Runoff Coefficient, C = 0.20)
• During a design storm, the rainfall intensity (I) is determined to be 75 mm/hr.
1. Calculate the Weighted Runoff Coefficient (C-avg) for the entire area.
2. Determine the Peak Runoff (Qp) in cubic meters per second (m3/s).
Solution:
1. Calculate Weighted C:
(Area 1 * C1) = 6 * 0.90 = 5.4
(Area 2 * C2) = 4 * 0.50 = 2.0
(Area 3 * C3) = 2 * 0.20 = 0.4
Total (C * A) = 5.4 + 2.0 + 0.4 = 7.8
C-avg = Total (C*A) / Total Area = 7.8 / 12 = 0.65
2. Calculate Peak Runoff (Qp):
Using the metric version of the Rational Formula: Q = (C * I * A) / 360
Where Q is in m3/s, I is in mm/hr, and A is in hectares.
Q = (0.65 * 75 * 12) / 360
Q = 585 / 360
Q = 1.63 m3/s
CE 3B4: Hydrology By. Engr. Yuriy Sesican, MCE 18
Sample Problem - Unit Hydrograph Application
The ordinates of a 1-hour Unit Hydrograph (UH) for a small watershed are given below. A storm
occurs that produces 3.5 cm of excess rainfall (effective rainfall) over a 1-hour period. Assume the
baseflow is constant at 2.0 m3/s.
1. Calculate the Direct Runoff Hydrograph (DRH) ordinates.
2. Calculate the Total Streamflow Hydrograph ordinates.
Solution: To find the DRH, multiply the UH ordinates by the excess rainfall (3.5 cm). To find Total
Flow, add the Baseflow (2.0 m3/s) to the DRH.
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