Excess Rainfall
Reading for today’s material:
Sections 5.3-5.7
Slides prepared by V.M. Merwade
Excess rainfall
• Rainfall that is neither retained on the land
surface nor infiltrated into the soil
• Graph of excess rainfall versus time is called
excess rainfall hyetograph
• Direct runoff = observed streamflow - baseflow
• Excess rainfall = observed rainfall -
abstractions
• Abstractions/losses – difference between total
rainfall hyetograph and excess rainfall
hyetograph
-index
-index: Constant rate of abstraction
yielding excess rainfall hyetograph with
depth equal to depth of direct runoff
• Used to compute excess rainfall
hyetograph when observed rainfall and
streamflow data are available
-index method
• Goal: pick t, and
adjust value of M to M
satisfy the equation rd Rm t
• Steps
m 1
1. Estimate baseflow rd depth of direct runoff
2. DRH = streamflow Rm observed rainfall
hydrograph – baseflow Phi index
3. Compute rd, rd = M # intervalsof rainfall
Vd/watershed area contributing to driect runoff
4. Adjust M until you get a t time interval
satisfactory value of
5. ERH = Rm - t
Example
Time Observed Have precipitation and streamflow data, need to estimate loss
Rain Flow
in cfs 12000 0
8:30 203 0.5
9:00 0.15 246 10000
1
9:30 0.26 283 1.5
2
10:00 1.33 828 8000
Streamflow (cfs)
2.5
10:30 2.2 2323
11:00 0.2 5697 6000
11:30 0.09 9531
12:00 11025 4000
12:30 8234
1:00 4321 2000
1:30 2246
2:00 1802 0
7:30 PM 9:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:00 AM 1:30 AM 3:00 AM 4:30 AM 6:00 AM
2:30 1230
Time
3:00 713
3:30 394
4:00 354
No direct runoff until after 9:30
And little precip after 11:00
4:30 303
Basin area A = 7.03 mi2
Example (Cont.)
• Estimate baseflow (straight line method)
– Constant = 400 cfs
12000
10000
8000
Streamflow (cfs)
6000
4000
2000
0
7:30 PM 9:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:00 AM 1:30 AM 3:00 AM 4:30 AM 6:00 AM
Time baseflow
Example (Cont.)
• Calculate Direct
Runoff Hydrograph
– Subtract 400 cfs
Total = 43,550 cfs
Example (Cont.)
• Compute volume of direct runoff
11 11
Vd Qn t t Qn
n 1 n 1
3600 s/hr * 0.5 hr * 43,550 ft 3 /s
7.839 *10 7 ft 3
• Compute depth of direct runoff
V
rd d
A
7.839 *10 7 ft 3
7.03 mi * 5280 2 ft 2
0.4 ft
4.80 in
Example (Cont.)
• Neglect all precipitation intervals that occur
before the onset of direct runoff (before 9:30)
• Select Rm as the precipitation values in the 1.5
hour period from 10:00 – 11:30
M
rd Rm t rd 4.80 in
m 1
4.80 (1.33 2.20 2.08 * 3 * 0.5)
0.54 in
t 0.27 in
Example (Cont.)
12000 0
0.5 t=0.
10000
1
27
1.5
2
8000
2.5
Streamflow (cfs)
6000
4000
2000
0
7:30 PM 9:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:00 AM 1:30 AM 3:00 AM 4:30 AM 6:00 AM
Time
SCS method
• Soil conservation service (SCS) method is an
experimentally derived method to determine
rainfall excess using information about soils,
vegetative cover, hydrologic condition and
antecedent moisture conditions
• The method is based on the simple relationship
that Pe = P - Fa – Ia
P Pe I a Fa
Precipitation
Pe is runoff volume, P is
precipitation volume, Fa Pe
is continuing
abstraction, and Ia is the
Ia Fa
sum of initial losses
(depression storage, Time
tp
interception, ET)
Abstractions – SCS Method
• In general
Pe P
• After runoff begins
P Pe I a Fa
Precipitation
Fa S
• Potential runoff Pe
P Ia
• SCS Assumption Ia Fa
Fa P
e Time
S P Ia tp
• Combining SCS P Total Rainfall
assumption with Pe Rainfall Excess
I a Initial Abstraction
P=Pe+Ia+F2a
P I a Fa Continuing Abstraction
Pe
P Ia S S Potential Maximum Storage
SCS Method (Cont.)
• Surface
• Experiments showed – Impervious: CN =
I a 0.2 S 100
– Natural: CN < 100
• So 12
100
P 0.2S 2
11 90
Pe 10 80
Cumulative Direct Runoff, Pe, in
P 0 .8 S 9 70
8 60
40
1000 7
S 10 6 20
CN 5
10
(American Units; 0 CN 100) 4
3
25400 2
S 254CN
CN 1
0
(SI Units; 30 CN 100) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Cumulative Rainfall, P, in
SCS Method (Cont.)
• S and CN depend on antecedent rainfall
conditions
• Normal conditions, AMC(II)
4.2CN ( II )
• Dry conditions, AMC(I) CN ( I )
10 0.058CN ( II )
23CN ( II )
• Wet conditions, AMC(III) CN ( III )
10 0.13CN ( II )
SCS Method (Cont.)
• SCS Curve Numbers depend on soil conditions
Group Minimum Infiltration Soil type
Rate (in/hr)
A 0.3 – 0.45 High infiltration rates. Deep, well
drained sands and gravels
B 0.15 – 0.30 Moderate infiltration rates. Moderately
deep, moderately well drained soils
with moderately coarse textures (silt,
silt loam)
C 0.05 – 0.15 Slow infiltration rates. Soils with layers,
or soils with moderately fine textures
(clay loams)
D 0.00 – 0.05 Very slow infiltration rates. Clayey
soils, high water table, or shallow
impervious layer
Example - SCS Method - 1
• Rainfall: 5 in.
• Area: 1000-ac
• Soils:
– Class B: 50%
– Class C: 50%
• Antecedent moisture: AMC(II)
• Land use
– Residential
• 40% with 30% impervious cover
• 12% with 65% impervious cover
– Paved roads: 18% with curbs and storm sewers
– Open land: 16%
• 50% fair grass cover
• 50% good grass cover
– Parking lots, etc.: 14%
Example (SCS Method – 1,
Cont.)
Hydrologic Soil Group
B C
Land use % CN Product % CN Product
Residential (30% imp 20 72 14.40 20 81 16.20
cover)
Residential (65% imp 6 85 5.10 6 90 5.40
cover)
Roads 9 98 8.82 9 98 8.82
Open land: good cover 4 61 2.44 4 74 2.96
Open land: Fair cover 4 69 2.76 4 79 3.16
Parking lots, etc 7 98 6.86 7 98 6.86
Total 50 40.38 50 43.40
CN 40.38 43.40 83.8
CN values come from
Table 5.5.2
Example (SCS Method – 1
Cont.)
1000
• Average AMC CN 83.8 S
CN
10
1000
S 10 1.93 in
83.8
P 0.2S 2 5 0.2 *1.932
Pe 3.25 in
P 0.8S 5 0.8 *1.93
• Wet AMC
23CN ( II ) 23 * 83.8
CN ( III ) 92.3
10 0.13CN ( II ) 10 0.13 * 83.8
1000
S 10 0.83 in
92.3
P 0.2S 2 5 0.2 * 0.832
Pe 4.13 in
P 0.8S 5 0.8 * 0.83
Example (SCS Method – 2)
• Given P, CN = 80, AMC(II)
• Find: Cumulative abstractions and excess rainfall hyetograph
Time Cumulativ Cumulative Cumulative Excess Rainfall
(hr) e Abstractions (in) Excess Rainfall Hyetograph (in)
Rainfall (in)
(in)
P Ia Fa Pe
0 0
1 0.2
2 0.9
3 1.27
4 2.31
5 4.65
6 5.29
7 5.36
Example (SCS Method – 2)
• Calculate storage 1000 1000
S 10 10 2.50 in
• Calculate initial abstraction CN 80
• Initial abstraction removes I a 0.2 S 0.2 * 2.5 0.5 in
– 0.2 in. in 1st period (all the precip)
Time Cumulative
– 0.3 in. in the 2nd period (only part (hr) Rainfall (in)
of the precip) P
• Calculate continuing abstraction 0 0
1 0.2
2 0.9
Pe
Fa S S (P I a ) 2.5( P 0.5) 3 1.27
P Ia Fa 4 2.31
(P I a S ) ( P 2.0) 5 4.65
P Pe I a Fa
2.5(0.9 0.5) 6 5.29
Fa (2 hr) 0.34 in 7 5.36
(0.9 2.0)
Example (SCS method – 2)
• Cumulative abstractions can now be calculated
Time Cumulativ Cumulative
(hr) e 2.5( P 0.5)
Abstractions (in) Fa
Rainfall ( P 2.0)
(in)
P Ia Fa
0 0 0 -
1 0.2 0.2 -
2 0.9 0.5 0.34
3 1.27 0.5 0.59
4 2.31 0.5 1.05
5 4.65 0.5 1.56
6 5.29 0.5 1.64
7 5.36 0.5 1.65
Example (SCS method – 2)
• Cumulative excess rainfall can now be calculated Pe P I a Fa
• Excess Rainfall Hyetograph can be calculated
Time Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative Excess Rainfall
(hr) Rainfall Abstractions (in) Excess Rainfall (in) Hyetograph (in)
(in)
P Ia Fa Pe
0 0 0 - 0 0
1 0.2 0.2 - 0 0
2 0.9 0.5 0.34 0.06 0.06
3 1.27 0.5 0.59 0.18 0.12
4 2.31 0.5 1.05 0.76 0.58
5 4.65 0.5 1.56 2.59 1.83
6 5.29 0.5 1.64 3.15 0.56
7 5.36 0.5 1.65 3.21 0.06
Example (SCS method – 2)
• Cumulative excess rainfall can now be calculated Pe P I a Fa
• Excess Rainfall Hyetograph can be calculated
Time Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative Excess Rainfall
(hr) Rainfall Abstractions (in) Excess Rainfall (in) Hyetograph (in)
(in)
P Ia Fa Pe
0 0 0 - 0 0
1 0.2 0.2 - 0 0
2 0.9 0.5 0.34 0.06 0.06
3 1.27 0.5 0.59 0.18 0.12
4 2.31 0.5 1.05 0.76 0.58
5 4.65 0.5 1.56 2.59 1.83
6 5.29 0.5 1.64 3.15 0.56
7 5.36 0.5 1.65 3.21 0.06
Time of Concentration
• Different areas of a
watershed contribute to
runoff at different times after
precipitation begins
• Time of concentration
– Time at which all parts of
the watershed begin
contributing to the runoff
from the basin
– Time of flow from the
farthest point in the Isochrones: boundaries of
watershed contributing areas with
equal time of flow to the
watershed outlet
Stream ordering
• Quantitative way of studying
streams. Developed by Horton
and then modified by Strahler.
• Each headwater stream is
designated as first order stream
• When two first order stream
combine, they produce second
order stream
• Only when two streams of the
same order combine, the
stream order increases by one
• When a lower order stream
combines with a higher order
stream, the higher order is
retained in the combined stream