Flood Routing

August 7, 2015

Flood Routing

Flood Routing is the technique of determining the flood hydrograph at a section of a river by utilizing the data of flood flow of
one or more upstream sections. The hrydrologic annalysis of problems such as flood forecasting, flood protection, reservior design
and spillway design invariably include flood routing. In these applications two broad categories of routing can be recognised. These
are

1. Reservoir Routing and

2. Channel Routing.

Contd...
Reservoir Routing: In reservoir routing the effect of a flood wave entering
a reservoir is studied. This form of reservoir routing is essential (i) in the
design of the capacity of spillways and other reservoir outlet structures. and
(ii) in the location and sizing of the capacity of reservoirs to meet the specific
requirements.

Channel Routing: In channel routing the change in shape of a hydrograph

as it travels down a channel is studied. Information of the flood-peak attenuation and the duration of high water levels obtained by channel routing
is of utmost importance in flood-forecasting operations and flood-protection
works.

A variety of routing procedures are available and they can be broadly classified as i) Hydrologic Routing and ii) Hydraulic Routing.

Basic Equations
The passege of flood hydrograph through a reservoir or a channel reach is
an unsteady-flow phenomenon.It is classified in open channel Hydraulics as
gradually varied unsteady flow. The equation of continuity used in all hydrologic routing as the primary equation i.e.
I Q =

dS
dt

(1)

where I= inflow rate, Q= outflow rate andS= storage. Alternatively,

I 4t Q4t

= 4S

(2)

=average outflow in time 4t,

where I =average inflow in time 4t,Q
and4S =change in storage.
or,




I1 + I2
Q1 + Q2
4t
4t = S2 S1
(3)
2
2
The time interval 4t must be shorter than the time of transit of the flood
wave through the reach.

Hydraulic Routing
Flood Routing by St. Venant Equation

The basic differential equation used in hydraulic routing for unsteady flow in
a reach is given by
I Continuity Equation

Q
A
+
q =0
x
t

(4)

I Momentum equation

+
t
x

Q2
A


= gA (S0 Sf ) gA

h
x

(5)

q=lateral inflow; Q=discharge in the channel; A=area of flow in the channel,

S 0 =bed slope; S f = slope of the energy line.

Hydrologic Storage Routing

Level Pool Routing
It is required to find out the variation of S, h, and Q with time, i.e. Find
S=S(t), Q=Q(t) and h=h(t)given I= I(t).
If an uncontrolled spillway is provided in a reservoir, Typically
3
2 p
Cd 2g Le H 2 = Q(h)
3
where H= head over the spillway, Le =effective length of the spillway crest
and C d = Coefficient of discharge.For the reservoir the following data should
be known.

Q=

I Storage vs Elevation characteristics of thereservoir

I Outflow vs Elevation relationship of the spillway and hence outflow vs

storage relationship
I The inflow hydrograph
I Initial values of inflow, outflow, and storage at time t=0

Modified Puls Method

Eqn. (3) is rearraged as

I1 + I2
2

Q1 4t
4t + S1
2


=

Q2 4t
S2 +
2


(6)

Contd...

1. Prepare a curve of S + Q4t

vs elevation . Here t is any chosen
2

interval.

2. On the same plot prepare a curve of outflow discharge vs elevation.

3. The storage, elevation and outflow discharge at
the starting of routing


4.
5.

2
and S1 Q124t are
are known. For the first time interval t, I1 +I
2


Q2 4t
is determined.
known and hence by Eq (6) the term S2 + 2


The water-surface elevation corresponding to S2 + Q224t is found by
using the plot of step(1). The outflow discharge Q 2 at the end of the
time step t is found from plot of step (2).




Deducting Q 2 t from S2 + Q224t Gives S Q4t
1 for the
2
beginning of the next time step.

6. The procedure is repeated till the entire inflow hydrograph is routed.

Example 1
A reservoir has the following elevation, discharge and storage relationships:
Elevation (m)

Storage (106 m3)

Outflow Discharge (m3/s)

100.00

3.35

100.50

3.472

10

101.00

3.88

26

101.50

4.383

46

102.00

4.882

72

102.50

5.37

100

102.75

5.527

116

103.00

5.856

130

When the reservoir level was at 100.50 m the following flood hydrograph
entered the reservoir.
Time(h)

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

66

72

Discharge(m3/s)

10

20

55

80

73

58

46

36

55

20

15

13

11

Route the flood and obtain (i) the outflow hydrograph and (ii) the reservoir
elevation vs time curve during the passage of the flood wave.

Solution

A time interval of 4t

= 6h is choosen. From the available data the elevationdischarge- S + Q4t
is prepared.
2
4t = 6 x 60 x 60 = 0.0216 x 106 s = 0.0216 Ms
Elevation (m)

100.00

100.50

101.00

101.50

102.00

102.50

102.75

103.00

Discharge Q (m3 /s)


 

S + Q4t
Mm3
2

10

26

46

72

100

116

130

3.35

3.58

4.16

4.88

5.66

6.45

6.78

7.26

Solution

Contd...
At the start
of the routing, elevation= 100.5 m, Q=10 m3 /s



, and
=
3.362
Mm3 . Starting from this value of S Q4t
, Eq (6)
S Q4t
2
2


is used to get S + Q4t
at
the
end
of
first
time
step
of
6h
as
2


= (I1 + I2 ) 4t
+ S Q4t
2
2
1
= (10 + 20) x 0.0216
+ (3.362) = 3.686
2


Now, the water surface elevation corresponding to S + Q4t
= 3.686 Mm3 is
2
100.62 m and and the corresponding outflow discharge Q is 13 m3 /s. For the
next step,
initial value of

S Q4t
= S + Q4t
of the previous time step -Q4t
2
2
S+

Q4t
2
2

= (3.686 13x0.0216) = 3.405

The process is repeated for the entire duration of inflow hydrograph in a
tabular form as shown in the following table.

Contd...
Time (h)

I(m3/s)

10

12

18

24

30

36

(I1 + I 2 )

(I1 + I 2 ).4t

[(S-4tQ/2)]

[(S+4tQ/2)]

15

0.324

3.362

3.636

37.5

0.81

3.405

4.215

67.5

1.458

3.632

5.09

76.5

1.6524

3.945

5.597

65.5

1.4148

4.107

5.522

52

1.1232

4.096

5.219

41

0.8856

3.988

4.874

Elevation(m
100.5

20

100.62

55

101.04

80

101.64

73

101.96

58

101.91

46

101.72

Contd...
Time (h)

I(m3/s)

42

36

48

54

60

66

72

(I1 + I 2 )

(I1 + I 2 ).4t

[(S-4tQ/2)]

[(S+4tQ/2)]

31.75

0.6858

3.902

4.588

23.75

0.513

3.789

4.302

17.5

0.378

3.676

4.054

14

0.3024

3.557

3.859

12

0.2592

3.47

3.729

Elevation(m
101.48

27.5

101.3

20

100.1

15

100.93

13

100.77

11

100.65
3.427

Goodrich Method
Another Popular method of hydrologic reservoir routing, known as Goodrich
method utilizes Eq. (3) rearranged as

2S2
2S1

4t
4t
where suffixes 1 and 2 stand for the values at the beginning and end of a
time step respectively. Collecting the known and initial values together,
I1 + I2 Q1 Q2 =


(I1 + I2 ) +

2S1
Q1
4t


=

2S2
+ Q2
4t


(7)

For a given time

step, the left-hand side of Eqn. (7) is known and the

2S
term 4t + Q 2 is determined by using Eqn. (7). For the next time step,
h 
i


2S
2S
2Q 2 of the previous time step= 4t
Q 1 for use at the initial
4t
2

Example 2
Route the following flood hydrograph through the reservoir of Example 1 by
Goodrich method.
Elevation (m)

Storage (106 m3 )

Outflow Discharge (m3 /s)

100.00

3.35

100.50

3.472

10

101.00

3.88

26

101.50

4.383

46

102.00

4.882

72

102.50

5.37

100

102.75

5.527

116

103.00

5.856

130

Time(h)
3

Inflow (m /s)

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

66

10

30

85

140

125

96

75

60

46

35

25

20

The initial conditions are : when t=0, the reservoir elevation is 100.60m.

Solution
Elevation (m)

100.0

100.5

101.0

101.5

102.0

102.5

102.75

103.0

Outflow (m3 /s)

10

26

46

72

100

116

130

310.2

331.5

385.3

451.8

524.0

597.2

627.8

672.2

2S
4t

+Q

Solution
At time t=0,
Elevation=100.6 m and Q = 12m3 /s and


2S
+ Q = 340m3 /s
 4t

2S
Q = 340 24 = 316m3 /s
4t
1

For the first time interval of 6 h,

I 1 = 10, I2 = 30, Q1 = 12and

2S
+ Q = (10 + 30) + 316= 356m3 /s
4t
2


2S
From fig the reservoir elevation for this 4t
+ Q is 100.74 m and discharge
is 17 m3 /s.

For
 the next
 time increment
2S

Q
= 356 2x17= 322m3 /s
4t
1

Contd...
Time (h)

I(m3/s)

10

12

18

24

30

(I1+I2)

[(2S/4t) -Q]

[(2S/4t)+Q]

Elevation(m)

40

316

340
356

100.6

115

322

437

225

357

582

265

392

657

221

403

624

171

400

571

30

100.74

85

101.38

140

102.5

125

102.92

96

102.7

Discharg

Contd...
Time (h)

I(m3/s)

42

60

48

46

54

35

60

25

66

20

(I1+I2)

[(2S/4t) -Q]

[(2S/4t)+Q]

135

391

526

Elevation(m)

102.02
106

380

486
101.74

81

372

453
101.51

60

361

421
101.28

45

347

392
101.02

335

Discharg

Attenuation

Owing to the storage effect, the peak of the outflow hydrograph will be
smaller than that of the inflow hydrograph. This reduction in peak value
is known as attenuation. Further the peak of the outflow occurs after the
peak of the inflow; the time difference between the two peaks is known as lag
The attenuation and lag of a flood hydrograph at a reservoir are two very
important aspects of reservoir operating under a flood control criteria. By
judicious management of the initial reservoir level at the time of arrival of
a critical flood, considerable attenuating of the floods can be achieved. The
storage capacity of the reservoir

Contd...
lag

Dischagre

Attenuation

Time

Accumutated storage S

Accumulation of storage

Time

Release from storage

Hydrologic Channel Routing

Considering a channel reach having a flood flow, the total volume in storage
can be considered under two categories as

1. Prism storage: It is the volume that would exist if uniform flow

occurred at the downstream depth,i.e. the volume formed by an
imaginery plane parallel to the challel bottom drawn at the outflow
section water surface.

2. Wedge storage: It is the wedge-like volume formed between the

actual water surface profile at the top surface of the prism storage.

Muskingum Equation

The total storage in the channel reach can be expressed as

S = K [xI + (1 x) Q]

(8)

This relationship is known as the Muskingum equation. In this the parameter

x is known as weighting factor and takes a value between 0 and 0.5.
When x=0,
S = KQ
(9)
Such a storage is known as linear storage or linear reservoir . The
coefficient K is known as storage-time constant and has the dimentions of
time. It is approximately equal to the time of travel of a flood wave through
the channel reach.

Example 3

The following inflow and outflow hydrographs was observed in a river reach.
Estimate the values of K and x applicable to this reach for use in the Muskingum equation.

Time (h)

12

18

24

30

36

Inflow (m3/s)

20

80

210

240

215

170

130

Outflow (m3/s)

20

20

50

150

200

210

185

42

48

54

60

66

90

60

40

28

16

155

120

85

55

23

SOLUTION
Time (h)

I(m3/s)

Q(m3/s)

(I-Q)

20

20

80

20

60

12

210

50

160

18

240

150

90

24

215

200

15

30

170

210

-40

Average (I-Q)

30

110

125

52.5

-12.5

4S

S =

4S

[xI+(I-x)Q] (m3/s)
x=0.35

x=0.30

20

20

x=

180

41

38

840

106

98

1590

181.5

177

17

1905

205.25

204.5

203

1830

196

198

180

660

750

315

-75

Solution
Time (h)

36

42

48

54

I(m3/s)

130

90

60

40

Q(m3/s)

185

155

120

85

(I-Q)

Average (I-Q)

4S

-47.5

-285

-60

-360

-62.5

-375

-52.5

-315

-36

-216

-55

-65

-60

-45

60

28

55

-27

66

16

23

-7

-17

S =

4S

[xI+(I-x)Q] (m3/s)
x=0.35

x=0.30

x=

1545

165.75

168.5

17

1185

132.25

135.5

13

810

99

102

495

69.25

71.5

73

279

45.55

46.9

48

177

20.55

20.9

21

-102

GRAPHS

K=

1905
204.5

= 9.315

MUSKINGUM METHOD OF ROUTING

For a given channel reach using the Muskingum equation, the change in
storage is
S2 S1 = K [x (I2 I1 ) + (1 x) (Q2 Q1 )]
The continuity equation for the reach is




Q1 + Q2
I1 + I2
4t
4t = S2 S1
2
2

(10)

(11)

From Eqn. (10) and (11), Q 2 is evaluated as

Q2 = C0 I2 + C1 I1 + C2 Q1
where

(12)

C0 =

Kx + 0.54t
K Kx + 0.54t

(13)

C1 =

Kx + 0.54t
K Kx + 0.54t

(14)

C2 =

K Kx 0.54t
K Kx + 0.54t

(15)

Contd...

Note that C0 + C1 + C2 = 1. Eqn (12) can be written in general form

Qn = C0 In + C1 In1 + C2 Qn1

(16)

Eqn. (12) is known as Muskingum Routing Equation and provides a simple

linear equation for channel routing. For best results the routing interval 4t
should be so chosen that K > 4t > 2Kx.

Example 4

Route the following hydrograph through a river reach for which K= 12.0 h
and x= 0.2. At the start of the inflow flood, the outflow discharge is 10 m3 /s.

Time(h)
3

Inflow(m /s)

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

10

20

50

60

55

45

37

27

20

15

Solution
Since K = 12 h and 2Kx = 2x12x0.2 = 4.8h, 4t should be such that 12 >
4t > 4.8h.In the present case 4t = 6h is selected to suit the given inflow
hydrograph ordinate interval.

Now, C0 =

12x0.2+0.5x6
1212x0.2+0.5x6

0.6
12.6

C1 =

12x0.2+0.5x6
1212x0.2+0.5x6

= 0.429

C2 =

1212x0.2+0.5x6
1212x0.2+0.5x6

= 0.523

= 0.048

For the first time interval 0 to 6h,

I 1 = 10
C1 I 1 = 4.29
I2 = 20
C0 I 2 = 0.96
Q 1 = 10
C2 Q 1 = 5.23
From Eqn. (12) Q2 = 10.48m3 /s
For the next time step, 6 to 12h, Q 1 = 10.48m3 /s.

Solution

Time (h)

I (m3 /s)

10

12

18

24

0.048I2

0.429I1

0.523Q1

0.96

4.29

5.32

2.4

8.58

5.48

2.88

21.45

8.61

2.64

25.74

17.23

2.16

23.595

23.85

Q(m3 /s)
10

20

10.48

50

16.46

60

32.94

55

45.61

Contd

Time (h)

I (m3/s)

30

45

36

35

42

27

48

20

54

15

0.048I2

0.429I1

0.523Q1

Q(m3/s)
49.61

1.68

19.305

25.95
46.93

1.296

15.015

24.55
40.87

0.96

11.583

21.38
33.92

0.72

8.58

17.14
27.04