Example 1:

Given below are the observed flows from a storm of 6 hours duration on a stream with a
catchment area of 316 sq. km. Assuming constant base flow of 17.0 cumecs, derive and
plot a 6 hour unit hydrograph.
Solution:
Area =
Time =

316
6

A=
t=

sq. km
hours
ODR

Time
(hr)

Total Q Base flow

(cumecs) (cumecs)

0
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72

17.0
113.2
254.5
198.0
150.0
113.2
87.7
67.9
53.8
42.5
31.1
22.6
17.0

Ordinates of
direct runoff
(cumecs)

17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17

0.0
96.2
237.5
181.0
133.0
96.2
70.7
50.9
36.8
25.5
14.1
5.6
0.0

Total =

947.54

Direct Runoff Depth = 0.36 * ODR * t/A = 0.36X947.54X6/316 =

250

200

Ordinates of unit hydrograph = Ordinate

of direct runoff / Depth of direct runoff
40

Runoff (cumecs)

Check:
150

Direct UH runoff =

0.36 * OUH *

100

50

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

Time (hr)
Figure: Direct Runoff Hydrograph

60

70

80

35
Runoff
30 (cumec)
t/A =25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10

20

30

40

50

60

Time (hr)
Figure: 6-hour Unit Hydrograph

70

80

6 hours duration on a stream with a

se flow of 17.0 cumecs, derive and

OUH
Ordinates of
unit hydrograph
(cumecs)
0.00
14.85
36.67
27.95
20.53
14.85
10.92
7.86
5.68
3.94
2.18
0.87
0.00
146.30
6.48

ect runoff / Depth of direct runoff

cm

20

30

40

50

60

Time (hr)
re: 6-hour Unit Hydrograph

70

80

Example: Given below (Col 1 & Col 2) is the 4-hour unit hydrograph for a basin of 84 square miles.
Construct the S-curve and find the 2 and 6-hour unit hydrographs.
Calculation for 2-hr UH

4-hr Unit Hydrograph

Given Data
Time
hour

4-hr UH
cusec

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

0
400
2500
4400
6000
7000
6100
5200
4500
3800
3200
2700
2200
1800
1400
1100
800
600
400
200
100
0

Total

54400

Col 1
Col 2
Col 3
Col 4
Col 5

Factor = X/Y = 4/2 =

S-curve
S-curve
additions Col 2 + Col 3
3
0
0
0
0
0
400
2500
4400
6000
7400
8600
9600
10500
11200
11800
12300
12700
13000
13200
13400
13500
13600

Lagged
S-curve
5

0
400
2500
4400
6000
7400
8600
9600
10500
11200
11800
12300
12700
13000
13200
13400
13500
13600
13600
13600
13600
13600

Direct UH runoff =

Factor = X/Y = 4/6 =

Difference 2-hr UH
Col 4 - Col 5 2*Col 6
6

0
0
0
400
2500
4400
6000
7400
8600
9600
10500
11200
11800
12300
12700
13000
13200
13400
13500
13600
13600
13600

Lagged
S-curve

7
0
400
2500
4000
3500
3000
2600
2200
1900
1600
1300
1100
900
700
500
400
300
200
100
0
0
0

0
800
5000
8000
7000
6000
5200
4400
3800
3200
2600
2200
1800
1400
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
400
2500
4400
6000
7400
8600
9600
10500
11200
11800
12300
12700
13000
13200
13400

54400

Shows the time in hours

Shows the 4-h unit hydrograph (UH) ordinates (X = 4 h)
First lag Col 2 four times and then add Col 2 and Col 3.
Add Col 2 and Col 3.
is the S-hydrograph of Col 4 lagged Y = 2 hours.

Check:

Calculation for 6-hr UH

t = 1 hour
OUH * t/A = (54400)*(1*60*60)*12/(84*52802) =

Col 6
Col 7
Col 8
Col 9
Col 10

1.00

0.67

Difference
6-hr UH
Col 4 - Col 8 0.67*Col 9
9

10
0
400
2500
4400
6000
7400
8600
9200
8000
6800
5800
4900
4100
3400
2700
2200
1700
1300
900
600
400
200

0
267
1667
2933
4000
4933
5733
6133
5333
4533
3867
3267
2733
2267
1800
1467
1133
867
600
400
267
133
54333

is equal to Col 4 minus Col 5

is the product of Col 6 times X/Y = 4/2 =2
is the S-hydrograph of Col 4 lagged Y = 6 hours.
is equal to Col 4 minus Col 8
is the product of Col 9 times X/Y = 4/6 = 0.67 hrs

inch

9000
2-hr Unit Hydrograph
4-hr Unit Hydrograph

8000

6-hr Unit Hydrograph

7000

6000

Discharge in cusec
5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Time in hours

Figure. Unit Hydrographs (2, 4 and 6-hour) using S-hydrograph Method.

19

20

21

22

Example 3
Use the Superposition method to calculate the 2-h and 3-h
unit hydrographs of a catchment, based on the following 1h unit hydrograph (Columns 1 and 2):
1
2
3
4
5
6
Time
1-h
Lagged Lagged
2-h
3-h
(h)
UH
1h
2h
UH
UH
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

0
100
200
400
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0
0

Total =

4300

900
800
700
600
Discharge
500
400
300
200
100
0
0

0
0
100
200
400
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0

0
0
0
100
200
400
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0

0
50
150
300
600
750
650
550
450
350
250
150
50
0
0

0.00
33.33
100.00
233.33
466.67
633.33
700.00
600.00
500.00
400.00
300.00
200.00
100.00
33.33
0.00

4300

4300

1-hr UH
2-hr UH
3-hr UH

12

Time (hr)
Figure. Unit Hydrograph using Superposition Method.

15