Runoff
HYDROGRAPHS, SCS CURVE NUMBER
METHOD AND THE RATIONAL METHOD
Runoff vs. Streamflow
Streamflow is baseflow +
Runoff is the result of a runoff that makes it to the
precipitation event stream channel.
baseflow represents the discharge of
aquifers
Contribution of Baseflow to Stream Discharge
Influent stream (loosing Effluent stream (gaining
stream) stream)
baseflow is negative; stream feeds streams get their water from the
groundwater instead of receiving from it groundwater. Base flow is positive
E.g. Irrigation channels
What is a watershed?
A watershed is entire drainage area of a stream or
river, from which the surface and groundwater leave
at a single point.
Usually defined by elevation.
Large rivers with several tributaries are typically called river
basins
Watershed is used for tributaries / small streams
Watershed
Watershed Factors that Affect Surface Runoff
Topography
Surface runoff occurs in the direction of land slope
Perpendicular to the contour lines
Land slope has a significant effect on water velocity
Overland flow
Channel flow
Elevation Contours with Surface Runoff
280’ 270’
300’ 290’
Surface
Runoff
(perpendicular
to contour lines)
Watershed Factors that Affect Surface Runoff
Watershed shape
Circular watershed higher rates of runoff
Runoff from different points reach outlet at same time
Elongated watershed lower rates than circular
Downstream tributaries reach outlet first
Soil
Controls the infiltration process
Watershed Shapes
Watershed Factors that Affect Surface Runoff
Land use
Vegetative cover reduces runoff
Improves soil structure
Depletes soil moisture dry antecedent moisture
Bare soil increased runoff
Poor structure
Less permeable surface sealing
Fine soil particles washed into larger soil pores
Watershed Factors that Affect Surface Runoff
Climatic Factors
Form of precipitation: E.g. rain or snow. For rainfall, runoff
occurs quickly and reaches a stream. For snow, runoff is delayed.
Intensity of precipitation: The runoff increases with the intensity
of precipitation. Intense rainfall occurs in a short duration and
the evaporation and infiltration losses are relatively small.
Duration of precipitation: Higher the duration, the more the
rainfall and the more the runoff.
Rainfall distribution over the catchment
Antecedent moisture content: measure of the soil moisture
condition before the storm wet or dry
Streamflow Components
Baseflow: Continuous
flow supported by
seepage and
groundwater flow. Q
runoff = direct runoff +
base flow
Runoff-AKA Storm water
runoff. Excess rainfall
from storm events.
Runoff hydrograph
t
Continuous record of
streamflow over time.
Runoff Hydrographs
Complete Runoff Hydrograph Contains:
Runoff Volume-Area under the hydrograph
Peak Flow Rates-maximum flow or peak of the runoff
hydrograph.
A complete time history of the flow.
For small watersheds we ignore baseflow so that:
Runoff=effective rainfall=precipitation - abstractions
Development of RO Hydrographs
We are usually interested in the hydrographs at the
watershed outlet (and possibly some selected points
in the watershed).
We modify the rainfall hyetograph to reflect
watershed characteristics.
The volume under the effective rainfall hyetograph is
equal to the volume of surface runoff.
Hydrograph components
qp is the maximum
flow rate on the
hydrograph
tp (time to peak) is the
time from the start of
they hydrograph to qp.
tb (base time) is the
total time duration of
the hydrograph.
Hydrograph Components
tL (lag time) is the time from the center of mass of the
effective rainfall, to the peak of the runoff hydrograph.
If each block of effective rainfall has a duration of D
D
t p tL
2
tc (time of concentration) time it takes water to flow
from the hydraulically most remote point in a
watershed to the watershed outlet
Stream Hydrograph
Discharge (Q) Peak discharge
Time (T)
Storm Hydrograph
(Surface runoff only / base flow removed)
Discharge (Q)
Peak discharge
Qp
Tbase Time (T)
Comparison of Urban and
Forested Hydrographs
Flow measurement
How is flow measured?
Stage reading and recording
Current meter
Rating curve (relates
(discharge)
stage & discharge of a
river)
Measurement of runoff
Hydraulic structures: flumes and weirs
Stream flow is directly determined from
crest
water level measurements using known
relationships between the water level and
the discharge of a given structure.
Estimating Runoff
Typically determined in one of two ways:
Mass balance approach
Effective rainfall
Using runoff models
Peak flow models e.g. rational equation
Continuous runoff models e.g. unit hydrograph, time area
methods, kinematic wave models etc
Mass Balance Approach
Continuity Equation
Inputs – Outputs = Change in Storage
I O S
Effective Rainfall
THE SCS CURVE NUMBER APPROACH
Effective Rainfall
Portion of Rainfall that becomes runoff.
Effective Rainfall = Precipitation – Initial
Abstractions
Also called Rainfall Excess.
Effective Rainfall=Rainfall Excess=Runoff
SCS Curve Number Approach
By far the most popular method.
Combines initial abstractions and infiltration
losses and estimates rainfall excess as:
Q
P 0 .2 S 2
when P 0 .2 S
P 0. 8 S
1000
S 10 for Q, P, S in inches
CN
25400
S 254 for Q, P, S in mm.
CN
S = Potential Maximum water retention, CN = Curve number
Curve Number (CN)
A parameter that combines soil type and land use
to estimate runoff potential.
Based on the Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG), land
use and condition.
Rangez between 0 and 100. The greater the curve
number, the greater the potential for runoff.
Impervious areas and water surfaces are assigned
curve numbers of 98-100.
Hydrologic Soil Groups and Land Use
SCS classified more than 4000 soils into four
general HSG (A, B, C, and D)
Based on soils minimum infiltration rate when the
soil is bare and after prolonged wetting.
A soils have the highest infiltration capacity and lowest
runoff potential (sandy soils)
D have lowest infiltration rates and highest runoff
potential (clay soils)
Curve numbers for various land uses ranging from
cultivated land to industrial and residential
districts.
Curve Numbers
Mixed Land Uses and HSG’s
An area weighted CN
is used when the area
considered is for
mixed land uses and
HSG’s.
CN
Ai CNi
Ai
Example Problem
Given:
Precipitation (P) = 4.04 in.
A watershed that has:
35% cultivated with a D soil group
30% meadow with a B soil group
35% thin forest with a C soil group
Required:
Calculate the surface runoff (excess rainfall)
Plot the excess rainfall hyetograph
Watershed with Land Use % and HSGs
Listed
30% Meadow
35% Cultivated HSG = B
HSG = D
35% Thin Forest
HSG = C
Example Problem
1. Find the curve numbers
Use HSG % CN*
Cultivated D 35 91
Meadow B 30 58
Thin Forest C 35 77
*Table 5.1 text (reference is important)
2. Calculate a weighted CN
Weights based on % area
CNavg = 0.35(91) + 0.30(58) + 0.35(77)
CN avg = 76.2 = 76
Example Problem
3. Calculate the S term
S = 1000 / CN – 10 = (1000 / 76) – 10
S = 3.16 in.
4. Check to see if P > 0.2S
0.2S = 0.2(3.16) = 0.63 in. P > 0.2S
5. Calculate surface runoff (Q)
Q = [(P - 0.2S)^2] / (P + 0.8S)
Q = [(4.04 – 0.2(3.16)]2 / [4.04 + ((0.8)3.16)]
Q = 1.77 in.
For a rainfall event = 4.04 in. on the given watershed
with average soil moisture conditions
Repeat for all Rainfall Blocks.
Rainfall Hyetograph
Rainfall Hyetograph for 8-hr 50-yr Storm for BCS
3.00
2.50
2.00
Precipitation
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
0 0.5 1.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5 7.5
Time (hrs)
Effective Rainfall Hyetograph
Effective Rainfall Hyetograph for BCS for
8-hr 50-yr Storm Using SCS Curve Number Method
2.50
2.00
1.50
Flow (in)
1.00
0.50
0.00
0 0.5 1.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5 7.5
Time (Hrs)
Runoff coefficient approach
Runoff coefficient is the ratio of runoff to rainfall
excess over a given catchment
C = R/I
Where: C = runoff coefficient
R = Runoff volume of a storm = rainfall excess
I = total rainfall volume
Runoff = C x I
Basin characteristics influencing the runoff
coefficient are:-
land use
Soil and vegetation
Slope
The runoff coefficients for various surfaces are available in
literature.