EAH325 Engineering Hydrology

Unit Hydrograph
Dr. Syafalni
Research Professor in Hydrology

Stream Flow
Stream flow refers to hydrologic process that
transfers water falling as precipitation onto a
watershed from the land surface to the
oceans.
Quantitatively, streamflow refers to the flow
rate, or discharge of water in m3/s across a
stream channel cross-section.

Stream flow is formed by a combination of :

1. Surface runoff (or overland flow)
2. Base flow (return flow from groundwater);
3. Interflow (rapid subsurface flow through
seepage zones in the soil)
Based on the characteristics of stream flow, a
stream may be designed as
1. Perennial (continuous stream flow)
2. Ephemeral (intermittent stream flow)
In Malaysia, all rivers are perennial rivers

Continuous and intermittent stream flow

Perennial

Q
(m3/s)

Time (months)

Ephemeral
Q
(m3/s)

Time (months)

Stream flow component

Stream flow is formed by a combination of surface runoff,
interflow and base flow as illustrated below

Main
channel
Surface Runoff or
Overland Flow

Surface Runoff with

Infiltration

Surface runoff = larian permukaan

Quick interflow = aliran antara cepat
Base flow = aliran dasar

Main
channel
Quick Interflow

Base flow

Definitions
The watershed or catchment or drainage basin is the area of
the land draining into a stream at a given location.
Excess rainfall (ER), or effective rainfall, is that rainfall which is
neither retained on the land surface nor infiltrated into the
soil.
After flowing across the watershed surface, excess rainfall
becomes direct runoff (DR) at the watershed out let.
The graph of excess rainfall vs. time is called excess rainfall
hyetograph (ERH).
The graph of direct runoff vs. time is called direct runoff
hydrograph (DRH)

 The base flow is the slowly varying flow in the stream during
rainless period. The sources is the water stored in the banks or the
groundwater storage in the basin.
The abstractions or losses refer to the difference between total
rainfall hyetograph and the excess rainfall hyetograph.
ERH and DRH are key component of the rainfall runoff
relationships.
Time parameters of DRH
tc

Effective
Rainfall
Intensity

tp

ERH
DRH

Discharge

Tb

Time

 Time base of hydrograph : It is the time from the

beginning to the end of the direct runoff or unit
hydrograph, Tb.
Lag time a basin lag (tp) : It is the time between the
centre of mass of the net rainfall and centre of mass of
the runoff (or peak rate of flow).
Time of concentration (tc): It is the time from the end
of net rainfall to the point of inflection on the recession
limb of the DRH. It is also defined as travel time of a
water particle from the hydraulically most remote point
of the basin to the outflow location.

Components of Hydrograph
1. Rising Limb
2. Crest segment
3. Recession Limb

Effect of Catchment Shape on the Hydrograph

Base Flow Separation

Horizontal line method
Draw a horizontal line from the point of rise to meet the
recession limb. The line divides the stream flow hydrograph into
base flow and DRH

Point
of
rise

Direct

Discharge

Runoff

Base flow

Time

Fixed base method:

Base flow is assumed to end at a fixed time N after the
hydrograph peak. Point of rise may be joined to the fixed time
point either by straight line (a); or by extending the previous
recession up to the peak and thereafter joining the fixed time
point by a straight line (b).
N=0.83 A0.2

Peak

N is in days
Point
of
rise

A is in sq. km.
Direct

Discharge

Runoff

Fixed time
point

a
Base flow

Time

Example

Stream flow hydrograph ordinates recorded at the outlet of 120 hectare

drainage area are tabulated below. Determine the base flow using :
A. straight horizontal line method;
B. Fixed base method. Assume N=5 hours;
C. Choosing DRH endpoint from the semi-log plot of the hydrograph recession.

Time
h

10

11

12

Q
m3/s

2.89

2.8

2.7

6.23

14.51

17.85

13.04

9.35

5.95

4.25

2.98

2.12

1.70

Solution: Surface runoff starts at time 2 hours

Base flow (m3/s) using method

Time
(hour)
a

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.73

2.78

2.7

2.77

2.86

2.7

2.80

2.94

2.7

2.84

3.02

2.7

2.87

3.10

2.7

2.91

3.18

2.7

2.94

3.26

10

2.7
2.7 (10.3)

2.98(10)

3.34(9.7)

Values between ( ) gives time at which DRH ends

N=5

18

16
End Point

14

Discharge (m3/s)

12

Streamflow Hydrograph

10

Direct

Runoff
6
End point from semi-log plot

Fixed Base
ST. Horizontal Line

9.7 hour
0

Time (hrs)

10

12

Unit Hydrograph

Sherman had first proposed the concept of UH in 1932.

The UH of a watershed is defined as direct runoff hydrograph (DRH)
resulting from one unit of effective rainfall (ER) occur over the basin at a
constant rate for a unit period of time.
The unit period refers to any finite duration up to the time of the
concentration. The unit period is used for designating the UH. For every
duration of effective rainfall, there is a UH.
The basic concept of the UH theory is that river basin responds linearly to
the effective rainfall. Linearity implies that if,
I = a I 1 + b I2
Then Q = a Q1 + b Q2
Where Ii and Qi are corresponding inputs (effective rainfall amounts) and
outputs (direct runoff amounts).
Therefore, the UH is also known as the response function of a linier
hydrologic system.

Assumptions

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The basic assumptions are:

The excess rainfall has constant intensity within the
effective duration.
The excess rainfall (ER) has uniform areal distribution over
the drainage basin.
The base time of DRH is essentially constant for all uniform
intensity excess rainfall amounts of constant duration.
The ordinates of all DRHs of a common base time are
directly proportional to the total amount of the direct
runoff represented by each hydrograph.
The UH is considered unique for a given watershed and
invariable with respect to time.

I (t) = I 0 t < D
=

tD

Q (t) = [U (D ,t) ][ I(t) D]

= [U (D ,t) ][I D]

I D = volume of ER, If ER=1, DRH = UH

D
ERH

Qp
UH
Discharge

U(D,t)

Tp

Time

Two assumptions are crucial to the development of the unit

hydrograph techniques.

There are the principles of linearity and superposition.

Given a unit hydrograph for a runoff depth other than unity can
be obtained by simply multiplying the unit hydrograph ordinates
by the indicated runoff depth (linearity)
Ie
Unit rainfall

Unit hydrograph
Qu

1 cm

Time base

Time

Principle of Superposition.
Ie

Qu

1 cm

Time

Effective
rainfall

Time base

Effective rainfall hyetograph

Runoff

Composite hydrograph

Time base

Time

Principle of Superposition
D

cm/hr

Time
1

ERH

0.6
0.2

UH = U (D, t)

0.2

1.2
0.4

0.4

DRH due to ERH (1)

Q1(t) = U(D,t)(I1D)

DRH due to ERH (2)

Q2(t)=U(D, t-D)(I2D)

1.8
0.6

0.6

cm/hr

U(D,t-D)=0; tD
0.6
0.2

DRH due to ERH (3)

0.2

2.4
1.8

Q(t)= U(D, t-j-1D)(IjD)

0.2

Time

U(D,t-2D)=0; t2D
3

1.2

0.4

Q3(t)=U(D, t-2D)(I3D)

j=1

INTPUT (cm)

Discrete Convolution
Convolution= Multiplication +Translation + Addition

m3/s/cm

M=3
n-m+1 = 6
U1

U2

U3

U4

U5

U6

OUTPUT (m3/s)

Qn
I3U1

I3U2
I3U3

I2U2
I2U1

I1U1

I1U2

I2U3
I1U3

I1U4

Qn = Im Un-m+1
I3U4

m=1

I2U4

I2U5

I3U5

I1U5

IU

I2U6 I3U6

n=8

UH Application

Direct application of UH is to determine the DRH and

therefore the stream flow hydrograph from a series of rainfall
events. Procedure used would generally be as follow:
A rainfall event is selected, abstractions assumed or estimated
to determine ERH.
Time interval used in defining ERH must be the same as
designated time duration for the given UH.
DRH is then computed by discrete convolution of the ERH and
UH
Stream flow hydrograph is then determined by adding
assumed base flow to the DRH ordinates
*If the time ordinates of the ERH hyetograph are not the same as
the designated duration of UH; then first the UH is changed
ordinate, before the discrete convolution the ERH and the UH.

Example

Stream flows measured from a 557.3 sqr. km. basin because of 6-hour rainstorm
of uniform intensity are given below. Assume a constant base flow of 15 m 3/s.
derive 6-hours UH for the basin. All stream flows are in m3/s

Hour

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Midnight

15

145

55

15

6 A.M.

20

115

40

Noon

255

85

30

6 P.M.

190

70

20

Solution
DRH=Streamflow Base flow

Ord.

Streamflow
(m3/s)

Base flow
(m3/s)

DRH
(m3/s)

UH
(m3/s/cm)

15

15

20

15

1.5

255

15

240

72

190

15

175

52.5

145

15

130

39

115

15

100

30

85

15

70

21

70

15

55

16.5

55

15

40

12

10

40

15

25

7.5

11

30

15

15

4.5

12

20

15

1.5

13

15

15

DRH =

860 m3/s

ER = DRH /Area
ER= (860x6x3600x100)
(557.3 x 106)

= 3.33 cm
UH = DRH/3.33

Problem:
Derive by deconvolution a 6-hour UH from the following data for a watershed having
a drainage a drainage area of 216 km2, assuming a constant rainfall abstraction rate
and a constant base of 20 m3/s.
6-hour
period

Rainfall
cm

Stream flow
(m3/s)

Base flow
(m3/s)

D. R. H.
(m3/s)

1.5

26

20

3.5

71

20

51

2.5

174

20

154

1.5

226

20

206

173

20

153

99

20

79

49

20

29

33

20

13

26

20

10

22

20

11

21

20

Volume under DRH = 700x6x3600 = 15120000 m3

Depth of Effective Rainfall = [15120000/216 x 106]x100 cm

= 7 cm

ABSTRACTIONS = 9-7 = 2 cm
-INDEX = 0.5 cm/6-hr
UH = DRH/7.0 = 0.86, 7.28, 29,43, 21.86, 11.28, 4.14, 1.86, 0.86, 0.28, 0.14

Discrete Convolution

Qn = Im Un-m+1
m=1

For M=3; the first discharge term Q1 (i.e. n=1)

Q1 = I1 U1
For n=2, Q2 = I1U2-1+1 + I2 U2-2+1 = I1U2 + I2U1
For n=3, Q3 = I1U3-1+1+ I2U3-2+1 + I3 U3-3+1
= I1U3 + I2U2 + I3 U1
For n=4, Q4 = I1U4+ I2U3 + I3 U2
Similarly, Q5 = I1U5+ I2U4 + I3 U3
Q6 = I1U6 + I2U5 + I3 U4
Q7 = I2U6 + I3U5
Q8 = I3 U6
Number of ERH ordinates = 3
Number of DRH ordinates = 8
Number of UH ordinates = 6 For the above example
Dimensions of Q are L3/T or L/T
Dimensions of UH are L2/T or 1/T

Discrete Convolution (contd.)

Qn = Im Un-m+1
m=1

For m=3; the first discharge term Q1 (i.e. n=1)

Q1 = I1 U1
For n=2, Q2 = I1U2-1+1 + I2 U2-2+1 = I1U2 + I2U1
For n=3, Q3 = I1U3-1+1+ I2U3-2+1 + I3 U3-3+1
= I1U3 + I2U2 + I3 U1
For n=4, Q4 = I1U4+ I2U3 + I3 U2
Similarly, Q5 = I1U5+ I2U4 + I3 U3
Q6 = I1U6 + I2U5 + I3 U4
Q7 = I2U6 + I3U5
Q8 = I3 U6
Number of ERH ordinates = 3
Number of DRH ordinates = 8
Number of UH ordinates = 6 For the above example
Dimensions of Q are L3/T or L/T
Dimensions of UH are L2/T or 1/T

Tabulation and matrix method for convolution

Time

ERH

Unit Hydrograph
U1

I1

I1U1

I2

I2 U1

3
4

U2

U3

U4

U5

U6

DRH
U7

U8

Q1
I1U2

I2 U2

Q2

I1 U3
I2 U3

5
6

7
8
9
Notes: I = Effective rainfall intensity

Q3
I1U4
I2U4

Q4
I1U5
I2U5

Q5
I1 U6

I2 U6

Q6

I1 U7
I2 U7

Q7
I1 U8

Q8

I2 U8

Q9

UH Derivation (Deconvolution)

m= 1, 2, .. M, n= 1, 2,
Q1 = I1 U1
Q2 = I2U1 + I1U2
Q3 = I3 U1 + I2U2 + I1U3

QN-1 =

QN =

QM = IMU1 + IM-1U2 + . I1UM

+ IM UN-M+ IM-1 UN-M+1

U1 = Q1/I1
U2 = (Q2 I2U1)/I1
U3 = (Q3 I2 U2 I3U1)/I1
And so on

+ IMUN-M+1

Example

Find the half-hour UH using the ERH and DRH ordinates as given in the Table. Also
determine the area of the basin which will produce this UH
No.

Time

Excess Rainfall
cm

Direct runoff
(m3/s)

2.70

12.12

30

4.90

54.45

100

4.60

150.00

130

258.56

200

300.86

230

221.83

300

111.03

330

52.27

400

39.70

10

430

23.50

11

500

8.86

U1 = Q1/I1 = 12.12/2.7 = 4.49 m3/s/cm

U2 = (Q2 I2U1)/I1 = (54.45 4.9x4.49)/2.7 = 12.02 m3/s/cm
U3 = (Q3 I2 U2 I3U1)/I1 = (150-4.6x4.49-4.9x12.02)/2.7= 26.09 m3/s/cm
U4 = (258.56 -4.6x12.02-4.9x26.09)/2.7 = 27.93 m3/s/cm
U5 = (300.86-4.6x26.09-4.9x27.93)/2.7= 16.29 m3/s/cm
U6 = (221.83-4.6x27.93-4.9x16.29)/2.7= 5.01 m3/s/cm
U7 = (111.03-4.6x16.29-4.9x5.01)/2.7= 4.28 m3/s/cm
U8 = (52.27-4.6x5.01-4.9x4.28)/2.7= 3.06 m3/s/cm
U9 = (39.7-4.6x4.28-4.9x3.06)/2.7= 1.86 m3/s/cm
Ordinates of the derived U.H are:
n

U(0.5,t)
(m3/s/cm)

4.49

12.02

26.09

27.93

16.29

5.01

4.28

3.06

1.86

UH ordinates = 101.03 m3/s/cm

It may be checked that DR under UH is found equal to 1 cm.

Area of the basin which will produce the above UH = (101.03 x 30 x 60 x 100)/10 6 =
18.18 sq. km.

Example

Ordinates of a 3-hour UH and base flow for a stream are given in the table. Ordinates of
ERH are also given, determine the stream flow hydrograph using discrete convolution.

Time
(hr)

UH
(m3/s/cm)

Base flow
(m3/s)

12 00

10

15 00

47

10

18 00

75

11

21 00

57

11

24 00

43

11

03 00

31

12

06 00

24

12

09 00

14

12

12 00

13

15 00

13

18 00

13 (become constant
afterwards)

3.3

Excess rainfall hyetograph

2.3

Rain
Excess
(cm)

1.1

12

Time (hours)

Calculation of DRH and Stream flow Hydrograph as follow:

3-hr UH Ordinates m3/s/cm

Time

ERH

hour

cm

12 00

1.1

15 00

2.3

51.7

18 00

108.1

82.5

21 00

3.5

172.5

62.7

164.5

131.1

47.3

262.5

98.9

34.1

199.5

71.3

26.4

150.5

55.2

15.4

108.5

32.2

8.8

84

18.4

2.2

49

4.6

28

24 00

03 00
06 00
09 00
12 00

15 00
18 00
21 00
24 00

03 00

47

75

57

43

31

24

14

DRH

Stream
flow =
DRH +
Base
flow

m3/s

m2/s

10

51.7

61.7

190.6

200.6

235.2

246.2

342.9

353.9

395.5

407.5

297.2

309.2

221.1

233.1

149.5

162.5

104.6

117.6

53.6

66.6

28

41

20

13

PEAK
FLOW

Example

Calculate the stream flow hydrograph for a storm of 15 cm excess rainfall, with 5 cm in
the first half-hour, 7.5 cm in second half-hour and 2.5 cm in the third half-hour. Assume a
constant base flow of 14 m3/s thorough out the flood. The half-hour below. The drainage
basin area is 18.18 sq. km. Check that the total volume of direct runoff is equal to the
total excess rainfall.

Time ords
hour

UH ords
(m3/s.cm)

4.49

12.02

26.09

27.93

16.29

5.01

4.28

3.06

1.86

 -hr UH Ordinates m3/s/cm

Time
ords

ERH

hour

cm

4.49

22.45

7.5

33.67

60.01

2.5

11.22

40.15

130.45

30.05

145.67

139.65

65.22

209.47

81.45

69.82

122.17

25.05

40.72

37.57

21.40

12.52

32.1

15.30

10.7

22.95
7.65

4
5
6
7
8

12.02

26.09

27.93

16.29

5.01

3.06

Stream
flow
ords

m3/s

m3/s

22.45

36.45

93.77

107.77

231.82

245.82

365.39

379.39

356.14

370.14

217.04

231.04

99.69

113.69

59.92

73.95

9.30

42.95

59.95

13.95

21.6

35.6

4.65

4.65

18.65

1515.42 m3/s

1.86

PEAK
FLOW

9
10
11

4.28

DRH
ords

15

Volume under DRH = (1515.42x30x60x100)/18.18 x 106 = 15 cm

Consider the following rainfall-runoff storm:

Effective rainfall & Direct Runoff

Time

10 : 00

11 : 00

Effective rainfall
Intensity
cm/hr

15.0

0.0

Time

10 : 00

11: 30

13 : 00

Q
cm/hr

0.0

10.0

0.0

Time

5
10

ERH

15

10

DRH

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00 Time (hour)

Change in Unit Hydrograph duration

Superposition method
This method allows the conversion of an X-hour unit
hydrograph into a nX-hour unit hydrograph, in which n
is integer.
The procedure of lagging nX-hour unit hydrographs in
time, each for an interval equal to X hours, summing
the ordinates of all n hydrographs, and dividing the
summed ordinates by n to obtained nX-hour unit
hydrographs. The volume under X-hour and nX-hour
unit hydrograph is the same.
If Tb is the time base of X-hour hydrograph, the nX-hour
hydrograph is equal to Tb + (n-1)X.

S-Hydrograph method
Procedure
1. Determine the X-hour S-hydrograph. The X-hour hydrograph is
derived by accumulating the unit hydrograph ordinates at the
intervals equal to X
2. Lag the X-hour S-hydrograph by a time interval equal to Y hours.
3. Substract ordinates of the two previous S-hydrographs.
4. Multiply the resulting hydrograph ordinates by X/Y to obtain the
Y-hour unit hydrograph
Time base of the Y-hour unit hydrograph is Tb X + Y

S curve method

S curve method works for any duration. The first step is to add a series
of UHs of duration D, each lagged by time period D, This corresponds to
the runoff hydrograph from a continuous rainfall excess intensity of 1/D
inches/hour.

UH Lagging
A UH has a particular duration, D. Unit hydrographs are linear, they can be added,
for example, to generate a hydrograph for a storm 2x, 3x, 4x, etc. longer

1hr UH

2hr UH

The linear property of a UH can be used to generate a UH of a larger

duration. Here two copies of a 1-hour UH are lagged by 1-hr and added,
then the ordinates are divided by 2, to make a 2-hour UH (1 inch over
two hours).
However this lagging method is restricted to integer multiples of the
original duration.

S curve method works for any duration, D

By shifting a copy of the S-curve by D hours, and subtracting the ordinates, the
resulting hydrograph (dashed line - - - - - - ) must be due to rainfall of intensity 1/D
inches/hour that lasts for a duration of D hours.

To convert the hydrograph (dashed line - - - - -) to a UH, multiply ordinates by D/D

,resulting in a UH of duration D. D need NOT be an integral multiple of D.

Example
Convert the following 2-hr UH to a 3-hr UH
using the S-curve Method
____________________________________________________
TIME (hr)
2-hr UH Ordinate (cfs)________
.
0
0
1
75
2
250
3
300
4
275
5
200
6
100
7
75
8
50
9
25
10
0

 Make a spreadsheet with the 2-hr UH

ordinates, then copy them in the next column
lagged by D=2 hours. Keep adding columns
until the row sums are fairly constant. The
sums are the ordinates of your S-curve.

Draw your S-curve, it looks like the upper curve.

Figure E2-4

 Copy your S-curve ordinates into a new

spreadsheet, then copy the same ordinates
D=3 time units down. Calculate the
difference, then multiply by D/D ,here = 2/3,
to get your 3 hour UH.

Why multiply by a correction factor?

Here the original UH was for a 2-hour storm, and

we need a UH for a 3-hour storm.
A 2-hour UH is for a storm with 1/2 in/hr for 2 hours
A 3-hour UH is for a storm with 1/3 in/hr for 3 hours
1/2 x 2/3 = 1/3
For each s-curves difference of lagged UHs ,
multiply the ordinates by D /D to get the correct
UH

Prediction
This method provides a hydrograph that
predicts the behavior of a flood from a storm
of any duration

Some formulas for S-hydrograph method

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

h(t) = 1/t [g(t)-g(t-t)]

h(t- t) = 1/t[g(t- t)-g(t-2t)]
h(t- 2t) = 1/t[g(t- 2t)-g(t-3t)]
g(t) = t [ h(t)+h(t-t)+h(t-2t)+..+
g(t) = g(t-t)
h(t) = 1/t *g(t)-g(t-t)+
Example below:
t=0.5 h. for t=0.5 h, g(t)= t h(t)=0.5x404 cfs =202 cfs
t=1 h. for t=1 h, g(t)= t [h(t)+ h(t-t), for t=1 h, g(t)= 0.5x(1079+404)
=742 cfs
t=1.5 h. for t=1.5 h, g(t)= t [ h(t)+h(t-t)+h(t-2t)]
=0.5x(2343+1079+404) cfs =1913 cfs and so on (column 3)
The S-hydrograph is offset by t = 1.5 h (column 4) to give g(t- t), and
the difference divided by t to give the 1.5 h unit hydrograph h(t)
(column 5). For example, for t=2.0 h, h(t)=(3166-202)/1.5=1976 cfs

Problem: Use the 0.5 hour unit hydrograph in Table below to

produce the S-Hydrograph and the 1.5 h unit hydrograph for this
watershed.
1

Time

0.5-h unit
hydrograph

S-hydrograph

Lagged Shydrograph

1.5-h unit
hydrograph

h(t)

g(t)

g(t-t)

h(t)

(h)

(cfs/in)

(cfs)

(cfs)

(cfs/in)

0.5

404

202

135

1.0

1079

742

495

1.5

2343

1913

1275

2.0

2506

3166

202

1976

2.5

1460

3896

742

2103

3.0

453

4123

1913

1473

3.5

381

4313

3166

765

4.0

274

4450

3896

369

4.5

173

4537

4123

276

5.0

4537

4313

149

Problem

Ordinates of a 4-hour UH for a

basin given. Compute the ordinates
of the DRH resulting from a total
effective rainfall of 4 cm in the
basin occur at uniform rate over 4
hour period. What is the peak flow
of the DRH, and basin area ?. Also
determine the S-hydrograph from
the given 4-hour UH.
DRH: 0, 10, 35, 85, 150, 210, 245,
245, 220, 180, 145, 110, 80, 50, 20,
0.
S-hyd: 0, 10, 25, 60, 90, 130, 150,
180, 190, 210, 215, 225, 225
Basin area = 324 km2

Time
(hour)

UH
m3/s.cm

10

25

50

65

10

70

12

60

14

50

16

40

18

30

20

25

22

15

24

10

26

Changing the Duration of UH

Once UH, U (D, t) has been obtained for storm duration D, it may be desired
to obtain UH for any duration D for the same basin.
Two possibilities arise:
(i) D is an exact integral multiple of D
(ii) D is not an integral multiple of D
(i). When D is integral multiple of D, method of superposition may be used.
(Example illustrates the procedure).
(ii). When D is not an integral multiple of D; then S-hydrograph method is
used.
S-HYDROGRAPH is a theoretical hydrograph that results from a continuous
rain excess at a constant rate of 1 cm/D-hours for indefinite period. The
resulting hydrograph assumes a deformed S-shape and its ordinates
ultimately approach the rate of excess rainfall at the time of equilibrium.
S-hydrograph method can also be used for case (i) when D is exact multiple
of D

Example

Calculate 2-hour and 3 hour unit hydrographs for a drainage basin from the given 1-hour unit
hydrograph.
Solution: Change in UH duration (Superposition method)

Time
(hour)

1-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

Lagged by
1-hour
(m3/s.cm)

Lagged by
2-hour
(m3/s.cm)

2-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

3-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)= [(2) + (3)]/2

(6) = [(2)+(3)+(4)]/3

100

50

33

200

100

150

100

400

200

100

300

233

Note:

800

400

200

600

467

700

800

400

750

633

600

700

800

650

700

500

600

700

550

600

400

500

600

450

500

Compare the
time-base and
peaks of UHs of
different
durations

300

400

500

350

400

10

200

300

400

300

300

11

100

200

300

150

200

12

100

200

50

100

13

100

33

14

Example
Change in UH duration (S-HYDROGRAPH method)
Time
(hour)

2-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

2-Hour
S-Curve
(m3/s.cm)

S-Curve
Lagged
3-Hour
(m3/s.cm)

3-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

50

50

33

150

150

100

300

350

233

600

750

50

467

750

1100

150

633

650

1400

350

700

550

1650

750

600

450

1850

1100

500

350

2000

1400

400

10

300

2100

1650

300

11

150

2150

1850

200

12

50

2150

2000

100

13

2150

2100

33

14

2150

2150

Note:
Col.(5) = 2/3 { col.(3) - col.(4)}

Problem

The ordinates of a 1-hour UH at one hour interval in m3/s.cm are: 0, 15, 20, 8, 3, 1
and 0. Calculate the basin area (ha), the S-hydrograph and the two hour UH for the
basin
Solution :
Time
(hour)

1-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

1-Hour
S-Curve
(m3/s.cm)

1-hour S-Curve
Lagged 2-Hour
(m3/s.cm)

2-Hour UH
(m3/s.cm)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

15

15

7.5

20

35

17.5

43

15

14

46

35

5.5

47

43

47

46

0.5

47

47

Col (5) = [col(3) - col(4)]

UH ordinates = 47
Volume under UH = 47 x 3600x1 m3
Let A be the basin area, than A = (47 x 3600 x 1)/10 4 =16.92 ha

Problem for test (3/3/2008)

The one-hour unit hydrograph for a watershed
is given bellow. Determine the runoff from this
watershed for storm pattern given. The
abstractions have a constant rate of 0.3 in/h.
What is the area of this watershed ?.
Time (h)

Precipitation (in)

0.5

1.0

1.5

0.5

Unit Hydrograph (cfs/in)

10

100

200

150

100

50

SOLUTION
The abstraction rate 0.3 in/h and the excess rainfall will be = 0.2,
0.7, 1.2, 0.2
1-hr UH Ordinates ft3/s/in

Time

ERH

hour

in

10

0.2

0.7

20

1.2

12

70

40

0.2

120

140

30

20

240

105

20

40

180

70

10

300

30

120

35

185

20

60

80

10

10

5
6
7
8
9

ERH

2.3

100

200

150

100

DRH
ft3/s

50

2
27
122
292
385

DRH

1404

Area of watershed
= (1404 x3600x
1)x 12/2.3 =
26352000 ft2
=
605 acre

Problem

The ordinates of a 2-hour UH at one hour interval in

m3/s.cm are: 0, 7.5, 17.5, 14,5.5, 2, 0,5 and 0. Calculate
the basin area (ha), the S-hydrograph and the four hour
UH for the basin
Solution :