UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

TUTORIAL – HYDROGRAPH ANALYSIS

1. Question 1

(a) Briefly describe how you would derive the Regional Empirical formula to study flood
characteristics for an ungauged catchment.
(9 marks)
(b) Using the 3-hour unit hydrograph, predict the flow hydrograph likely to result from 2 consecutive
rainfall events, A and B. Rainfall event B occurs 2 hours after A, and the characteristics of the
rainfall events are as follows:

1. Rainfall event A: Intensity 12mm/hr duration 3hours

Time
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
(hr)
Q
0 0.8 1.7 3.1 3.9 4.8 5.9 4.2 3.1 1.9 1.1 0.9 0.2 0
(m3/hr)

(12 marks)
(c) Give 2 applications where you will make use of hydrograph analysis for decision-making.
(4 marks)

Question 2

(a) The response of Catchment A to a 3 hour unit rainfall at a river gauging station is given in table 1:

Table 1: Hydrograph following 3 hr unit rain

Time
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
(hr)
Q
0.2 0.4 0.8 1.3 1.7 2.3 2.9 1.8 0.9 0.4 0.3 0.2
(m3/s)

1. What is the base flow component in this river? Illustrate with the help of an outline diagram the
interaction between groundwater and surface water in Catchment A.
(5 marks)
2. Predict the peak flow likely to be expected from two rainfall events A and B, separated by 3 hours
of calm period. Characteristics of rainfall event A is duration 6 hours and intensity 2mm/hr and
that of rainfall B is duration 2 hours and intensity 5mm/hr.
(12 arks)
(b) The data in table 1 was used to carry out hydrograph analysis for Catchment B, which was ungauged
and which was located adjacent to Catchment A. The predictions obtained from the resulting analysis
were found to fairly accurate. Suggest 3 possible reasons.
(8 marks)

Question 3

(a) The flow rate of a river is estimated by the current meter gauging method. Explain the process behind
this method which enables a relatively accurate method of flow measurement. State 2 more measures
that should be taken to ensure accurate flow rate results.
[10 marks]
(b) Discuss 5 factors you would consider when selecting an appropriate site to set up a river gauging
station.
[5 marks]
(c) A rating curve has been derived for a particular river gauging station. Heavy rainfall damaged the
river channel at the station, justify the validity of this rating curve.
[5 marks]

Question 4
(a) Describe a method for measuring relative humidity and state 2 assumptions made in this method.
(b) A rainfall event generates a total of 45mm of surface runoff over a catchment 25km2 in area,
calculate the Phi Index, given the following information:

Time(hrs) 0 1 2 3 4 5

Rainfall 15 30 20 10 10 5
(mm)

(c) Calculate the runoff coefficient for the catchment.

Question 5
(a) Differentiate between a perennial and an intermittent river and explain how a hydrograph of the
river can illustrate the difference.
(b) Given the following 3hr unit hydrograph, estimate the likely peak flow which would result in a 5hr
rainfall event intensity 12mm/hr.

Time 11
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(hr)
Q 0.2
0.2 0.5 0.7 1.5 2.1 3.2 1.9 1.6 1.3 0.8 0.6
(m3/s)
 (c) A catchment is known to be subject to flood conditions. If you are not able to consider increasing
drainage capacity, give 2 measures that could be used to control flood problems within this
catchment.

Question 6

(a) Differentiate between stormwater management systems and floodwater management systems.
[7 marks]
(b) With the help of outline diagrams, discuss 2 flood control measures which can be implemented at
individual household levels and 2 flood control measures which can be implemented at catchment
levels.
[12 marks]
(c) Flood control measures can either be artificial or natural, discuss 2 advantages of each system.
[6 marks]

Question 7
(a) Illustrate with the help of outline diagrams how the characteristics of a catchment are reflected in
the shape of a hydrograph.
[5 marks]

(b) Explain the term Regional Hydrograph Analysis and justify the conditions under which the
hydrological data (rainfall event and corresponding hydrograph) from a gauged catchment can be
used to predict the peak flow that is likely to be generated from a particular rainfall event, for an
ungauged catchment.
[8 marks]

(c) Given the 2hour unit hydrograph, estimate the peak flow likely to result from two rainfall events A
and B, where A is of 5hour duration and intensity 4mm/hr and B is of 2 hour duration, total rainfall
25mm.

Time
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
(hr0=)
Flow
rate Q 0 0.15 0.19 0.23 0.36 0.49 0.45 0.36 0.21 0.12 0.07 0.02 0.01 0
m3/s)

[12 marks]