CEX3232 HYDRAULICS AND HYDROLOGY 2013/14

INSTRUCTION SHEETS HOME ACTIVITIES 2 TO 4

Home Act!t" 2 # Me$%&'eme(t o) R$()$**
The quantity of rain that falls in a given time period is measured as the volume of rainfall per unit area.
For this activity you have to measure the rainfall during a rainy season. Make daily measurements for
one month starting from December 11
th
or as soon as you read this. This is particularly important for
students from the north, northeast and east as it may not rain again during our course!
"pparatus
#ou should measure the rainfall using a simple rain gauge like the one sho$n in Figure 1. This rain
gauge has a collection section and a measuring section. The collection section is a plastic funnel you
should use a fairly large funnel of at least 1% cm diameter+ The measuring section is &ust a container
like a plastic bottle. This container should be large enough to collect all the rain falling in one day+
The t$o sections can be connected by a tube if you $ant to separate the collector and the container.
To record the rainfall accurately you have to place your rain gauge 'collector( in an area open to the
sky. Make sure that the gauge is as far a$ay as possible from trees and buildings. )se a stand or
support as sho$n to make sure that your gauge is not turned over by the $ind.
The volume of rain that collects in the container during a certain period can be measured by emptying
the container into a measuring cup. *r you can use the measuring cup to mark your bottle $ith lines
that sho$ the volume collected at a certain level.
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a( Dra$ a sketch of your rain gauge. 5ho$ the dimensions of your funnel, tube, container and stand.
b( 5ho$, on a sketch map, the location of your rain gauge. Mark the appro7imate distance to the
nearest trees and buildings.
c( )se 8oogle ,arth to obtain the coordinates '9atitude and 9ongitude( and the elevation of your
measurement point. 4 $ill post instructions on ho$ to use 8oogle ,arth on the $ebsite.
Measurements
4 e7pect you to measure the rain during the rainy season as follo$s.
c( Measure the volume collected daily for one month for e7ample from the 11
th
of December to the
11
th
of :anuary. #ou should measure and record the volume of $ater collected in the container at the
same time of the day every day early morning is usually a convenient time. ,mpty the container
after you make the measurement. 4f there is no $ater collected on a certain day record ;ero. 4f there
are no heavy rains in your area during this period keep measuring until you record at least % days of
heavy rain. <resent your results in a neat table.
d( =ithin this period of one month you should record the detailed rainfall during one short period
$hen it rains very heavily. 6ecord the volume collected every 11 minutes for at least / hours. 4f you
e7pect a heavy rainfall to happen begin measuring before the rain if possible. #ou can combine this
activity $ith 0ome "ctivity .. <resent your results in a neat table.
e( =ithin this month period you should record the detailed rainfall during one short period $hen it
rains lightly. 6ecord the volume collected every 11 minutes for at least / hours. <resent your results
in a neat table.
f( +onvert the volumes of $ater collected into volume per unit area and tabulate the results for
sections c(, d( and e(. ,7plain ho$ you did this $ith a specimen calculation.
g( Dra$ a bar chart of the daily rainfall for the 1 month period. The unit of rainfall should be a unit of
depth 'volume per unit area(.
h( Dra$ a bar chart of the rainfall at 11 minute intervals during the period of heavy rain 'section d((.
i( Dra$ a bar chart of the rainfall at 11 minute intervals during the period of light rain 'section e((.
&( =hat is the average and ma7imum rainfall intensity that you have measured in section d( 'heavy
storm(> ,7press your results in mm2hour.
?ote @ 6ainfall intensity is e7pressed as depth per unit time.
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k( =hat is the average and minimum rainfall intensity that you have measured in section e( 'light
rain(> ,7press your results in mm2hour.
l( =hat is the average annual rainfall in your area> ,7plain the source of your information.
m( Describe any problems you had in making your measurements.
Home Act!t" 3 # Me$%&'eme(t o) R$()$** $(0 R&(o))
4n this activity you have to measure the discharge 'volume per unit time( out of a certain catchment
area at the start of, during and after a period of rain. #ou can measure the discharge easily in a
uniform drain. #ou also have to measure the rainfall using the rain gauge described in 0ome "ctivity
/.
Try to begin the measurement of rain fall and runoff from the beginning of the storm. "t this time the
flo$ in the drain should be nearly ;ero. Aeep measuring after the storm until the discharge reduces
close to ;ero again. 4 $ill post a note on 0ydrology on the course $ebsite to e7plain some of the
terms used here.
?ote @ <lease be careful about lightning $hen making these measurements. 4f you think it is unsafe try
again during another storm.
5election of +atchment
" convenient catchment is the roof of a building from $hich $ater flo$s to a drain $hen it rains. The
important point is that there should be a $ell defined drain that is fairly uniform over at least % meters.
This is the point $here you $ill measure the discharge.
a( Dra$ a sketch appro7imately to scale of the catchment of your measurement point. The
catchment is the entire area from $hich $ater flo$s to your measurement point. 5ho$ roofs, gutters,
paved areas like roads, areas $ith grass, trees and bushes etc. 5ho$ any natural or artificial drainage
paths and indicate the point $here you plan to make your measurements.
Mark the boundary of your catchment. 4t is easy to identify the boundary if you look at $hat happens
$hen it rains hard. #ou $ill be able to see from $hat areas $ater flo$s to the measurement point you
have chosen.
Mark the location of your rain gauge on the sketch. 4t is best if the rain gauge is placed inside the
catchment. 0o$ever if you cannot find an open space suitable for the rain gauge inside the catchment
you can place the gauge at the nearest suitable location.
b( ,stimate the area of the catchment. ,7plain ho$ you did this.
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Measurements
For the activity you have to measure both the rainfall and the discharge in the drain before, during and
after a heavy rainfall. The rainfall should be heavy enough for the drain to be nearly full.
Measure the discharge using the equation Discharge B +ross 5ectional "rea 7 "verage Celocity
#ou can obtain the crosssectional area by measuring the $idth of the drain and depth of flo$ as
sho$n in Figure /a.
To measure the average velocity you can measure the time taken for a floating marker to move a
certain distance see Figure /b. This distance should be at least % m.
c( Measure the rainfall 'volume collected( every % minutes. +ontinue your measurements until the
rain ends.
d( Measure the depth of flo$ in the drain and the time taken for the float to move a certain distance
every % minutes. +ontinue your measurements until the flo$ in the drain reduces back to the value
that you measured at the beginning of the rainfall.
Tabulate your observations neatly.
e( 8ive a specimen calculation for the calculation of the rainfall. +alculate both the depth of rainfall
for each time period and the average rainfall intensity over each time period. De careful about units.
f( 8ive a specimen calculation for the calculation of the discharge in the drain. De careful about units.
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g( 5ho$, on the same graph, the variation of rainfall $ith time and the variation of discharge $ith
time. #ou should use the same 7 a7is for time and different y a7es for the rainfall and discharge.
#ou can present the rainfall as depth over constant time intervals or as the average intensity over each
time period. Make sure that you label the a7es correctly $ith the relevant units.
h( )sing your estimate of the catchment area calculate the total volume of $ater that fell on the
catchment due to the rainfall.
i( +alculate the total volume of $ater that flo$ed out of the catchment during the period of your
measurements. ,7plain your method.
&( Discuss the differences bet$een the values calculated in sections h( and i(. =hat difference $ould
you e7pect from the theory>
k( Describe any problems you had in making your measurements.
Home Act!t" 4 # Me$%&'eme(t o) G'o&(05$te' Le!e*%
4n this activity you have to measure the change in the level of $ater in the ground. To do this you
have to find a $ell. There are many $ells even in +olombo so 4 e7pect all of you to do this. 4f you
cannot find a $ell please let me kno$. 4 $ill sho$ you one close to the *pen )niversity.
a( Dra$ a rough map of the area around the $ell. 4ndicate features such as hill slopes, paddy fields,
marshes, streams and rivers, roads and buildings in your map. 5ho$ the direction of slope of the hill
slopes using arro$s.
b( )se 8oogle ,arth to obtain the coordinates '9atitude and 9ongitude( and the elevation of your
measurement point. #ou can also use 8oogle ,arth to dra$ the map in section a(.
c( Measure the $ater level in the $ell every month from December /11. to :une /11..
?ote @ 6eport the $ater level as a value measured up$ards from a datum.
d( Dra$ a graph of your measurements from section a(.
e( Measure the $ater level every three days during the month you measure the daily rainfall 'in 0ome
"ctivity /(.
?ote @ #ou should measure the $ater level every three days for only one month.
f( <resent, on the same graph, the daily rainfall and the variation of the $ater level in the $ell during
the month over $hich you measured the rainfall every day and the $ater level every three days..
g( Discuss the relationship bet$een the recorded daily rainfall and the observed variation of the $ater
level in the $ell. #ou should consider the area surrounding the $ell 'as sho$n in the map in section a(
in your discussion.
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