Mean Areal Precipitation

The representative precipitation over a defined area is required in engineering application, whereas the gaged observation pertains to the point precipitation. The areal precipitation is computed from the record of a group of rain gages within the area by the following methods:

(i)

Arithmatic - mean Method

The arithmetic average method uses only those gaging stations within the topographic basin and is calculated using: P = P1 + P + P! + ....... + Pn n P = Pi n where, P = average precipitation depth "mm# Pi = precipitation depth at gage "i# within the topographic basin "mm# n = total number of gaging stations within the topographic basin

(ii)

Thiessen Polygon Method

$nother method for calculating average precipitation is the Thiessen method. This technique has the advantage of being quic% to apply for multiple storms because it uses fi&ed sub'areas. (t is based on the hypothesis that, for every point in the area, the best estimate of rainfall is the measurement physically closest to that point. This concept is implemented by drawing perpendicular bisectors to straight lines connecting each two raingages. This procedure is not suitable for mountainous areas because of orographic influences. The procedure involves: i# )onnecting each precipitation station with straight lines* ii# )onstructing perpendicular bisectors of the connecting lines and forming polygons with these bisectors* iii# The area of the polygon is determined. $verage precipitation = Polygon area for each station & precipitation Total polygon area

P=

A1 p1 + A2 p2 + A3 p3 + ...... + An pn n Ai pi = A1 + A2 + A3 + ...... + An i =1 A

"1+#

(f $i,$ = wi, then wi is the percentage of area at station 1 in which the sum of total area is 1--..

P = wi pi
i=1
0here: $ = total area P = average precipitation depth Pi = p1, p , 1pn = depth of precipitation at rainfall station $i = $1, $ , 1$n = sub area at station 1, ,!, 1.n

"1/#

Catchment boundary St2 St3

St1 St4

St5

St6

Catchment boundary St2 St3

A2

St1 A1 A4 A5 A6 St4

A3

St5

St6

!ample 2"6
2sing data given below, estimate the average precipitation using Thiessen method. 3tation $ 7 ) 9 : ; < = ( > Total $rea "%m # + !6 +5 6+5 4 65 6/5 5 56# Precipitation "mm# 4111-8 1815161!1!8 48 +11#5 $rea & precipitation "%m .mm# 56/!+6+4/5--1 151 //84/86-/1+6 6$21%

$verage precipitation = $rea & precipitation $rea

$verage precipitation = 54 185/ $verage precipitation = 1 1./ mm

(iii) &sohyetal Method

The isohyetal method is based on interpolation between gauges. (t closely resembles the calculation of contours in surveying and mapping. The first step in developing an isohyetal map is to plot the rain gauge locations on a suitable map and to record the rainfall amounts. ?e&t, an interpolation between gauges is performed and rainfall amounts at selected increments are plotted. (dentical depths from each interpolation are then connected to form isohyets "lines of equal rainall depth#. The areal average is the weighted average of depths between isohyets, that is, the mean value between the isohyets. The isohyetal method is the most accurate approach for determining average precipitation over an area.

+ pi n p + pi n p p0 + p1 p1 + p2 pn1 + pn i 1 i 1 A A1 + A2 + ........ + An i 2 i = 1 2 2 2 P= = = i=1 2 n A1 + A2 + ........ + An A Ai

where:
i =1

P = mean areal precipitation $ = $rea p1, p , 1pn = precipitation depth for each station $1, $ , 1$n = area for each site

!ample 2"'
2se the isohyetal method to determine the average precipitation depth within the basin for the storm.

'%mm 5'mm

1%mm 2%mm

A3 A1 A2

45mm

A4

A5

A6

42mm 36mm 51mm

p4(5%mm p3(4%mm p%(1%mm p1(2%mm p2(3%mm p5(6%mm P6('%mm

(sohyetal interval "mm# @1-.1- ' - A !!- ' 66- ' 88- ' 55- ' +Total

$verage precipitation "mm# 118 8 !8 68 88 58

$rea "%m #

/6 +8 5/ 588 /5 42#

$rea & $verage precipitation "%m .mm# 1 51/+8 !/+-!- 8 88416#3%

$verage precipitation = $rea & $verage precipitation $rea $verage precipitation = 15/!6 / $verage precipitation = !4.! cm