HydroCAD-10 Owners Manual

HydroCAD
Stormwater Modeling System

Version 10
Owner's Manual
Copyright 2011 HydroCAD Software Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.
HydroCAD is a registered trademark of HydroCAD Software Solutions LLC.

Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
HydroCAD Software Solutions LLC
P.O. Box 477
Chocorua, NH 03817
1-800-927-7246
Tel: (603) 323-8666
Fax: (603) 323-7467
www.hydrocad.net
ISBN 978-0-913633-15-1
6182 rev. 7/27/11
Copyright
This publication and the associated software are copyrighted, with
all rights reserved to HydroCAD Software Solutions LLC. (HSS).
Your rights are subject to the limitations and restrictions imposed
by international and U.S. copyright laws. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written
permission from HSS.
Trademarks
This publication incorporates trademarks which are the property of
HSS. You may use these trademarks only for the purpose of
identifying the products of HSS, in accordance with accepted
trademark practice. Such use of any trademark does not give you
any rights of ownership in that trademark.
Other Trademarks
AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. Windows,
Windows 7, and Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
License Agreement
The accompanying computer software is licensed, not sold, to you by
HSS, under the terms of the license agreement shown in the
softwares installation program. By installing or using the software
you agree that you have read the license, and that you accept its
terms.
Disclaimer of Warranty
Although HSS has used its best efforts in the compilation and
preparation of this publication, it is provided as-is, with no
warranties, express or implied, that the publication or associated
software are error-free.
HSS MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
REGARDING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS PUBLICATION OR
THE ASSOCIATED SOFTWARE, OR ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. HSS SHALL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ALLEGED TO ARISE FROM THE
USE OF THIS PUBLICATION OR THE ASSOCIATED
SOFTWARE, INCLUDING LOSS OF REVENUES OR DAMAGE TO
PROPERTY, PERSONS, OR INTERESTS, INCLUDING BUSINESS
INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, EVEN IF
HSS IS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Table of Contents
Introduction to HydroCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
Section 1 - What is HydroCAD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Section 2 - HydroCAD Features and Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Current Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Features added in HydroCAD-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Features added in HydroCAD-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
HydroCAD User's Guide
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 3 - About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Finding the Information You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Conventions Used in This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 4 - Installing HydroCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
License Pooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Section 5 - Using HydroCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Operating Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
What is a Project? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Starting HydroCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
The HydroCAD Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Routing Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Working With Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Automatic Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Calculation Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
The Message Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Printing Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Units of Measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 6 - HydroCAD Project Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Project Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Predefined Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Default Project Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Read-Only Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Editing a Project File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Creating Project Files with Other Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Section 7 - Data Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Tabular Data Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Automated Tabular Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Importing a TR-20 Data File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Importing Data from AutoCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
HydroCAD Technical Reference
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 8 - Understanding Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

What is Stormwater and why does it need to be modeled? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Understanding HydroCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Section 9 - Units of Measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Section 10 - Rainfall Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Intensity-Duration-Frequency Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
IDF Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Synthetic Rainfall Distributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Rainfall Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Custom Synthetic Rainfall Distributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Importing TR-20 Rainfall Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Rainfall Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Unit Hydrographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Unit Hydrograph Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Section 11 - SCS Curve Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Curve Number Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Curve Number Lookup Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Composite Curve Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Unconnected Impervious Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Separate Pervious/Impervious Runoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Adjustments for Antecedent Moisture Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 12 - Time of Concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Lag/Curve Number Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Sheet Flow Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Shallow Concentrated Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Channel Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Travel Time Through Lakes and Reservoirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Other Tc Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Tc Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Section 13 - SCS Unit Hydrograph Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Data Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Runoff Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Special Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
TR-55 and the Tabular Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Section 14 - Santa Barbara Urban Hydrograph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Runoff Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Section 15 - Rational Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Runoff Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Frequency Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Section 16 - Reach Routing Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Reach Routing Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Reach Routing Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Reach Routing Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Reach Routing Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Storage-Indication Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Muskingum-Cunge Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Simultaneous Reach Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Effects of Reach Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Section 17 - Pond Storage Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Prismatoid Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Vertical Conic Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Round Pipe Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Box Pipe Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Elliptical and Arch Pipe Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Parabolic Arch Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Prefab Chamber Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Custom Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Section 18 - Pond Hydraulics Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Sharp-Crested Rectangular Weir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Broad-Crested Rectangular Weir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
V-Notch Weir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Trapezoidal Weir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Weir Rise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Custom Weir/Orifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Asymmetrical Weir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Submerged Weirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Dam Breach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Rectangular Orifice in a Vertical Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Rectangular Orifice in a Horizontal Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Orifice Discharge Coefficient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Circular Orifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Orifices Under Low-Head Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Modeling a Grate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Culvert Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Tube & Siphon Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Constant-Flow Outlet Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Special Outlet Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Pump Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Exfiltration Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Tips for Using Exfiltration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Discharge Multiplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Discharge Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Section 19 - Pond Routing Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Stage-Storage Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Stage-Discharge Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Compound Outlet Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Pond Routing Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Storage-Indication Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Additional Routing Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Dynamic Storage-Indication Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Simultaneous Pond Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Tailwater Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Reverse Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Section 20 - Detention Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Section 21 - Hydrograph Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Section 22 - Link Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Basic Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Advanced Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Elevation Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Link Routing Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Using a Link to Model a Large Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
External Hydrograph Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Hydrograph Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Section 23 - Land-Use Analysis & Pollutant Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Section 24 - Calculation Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Section 25 - Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Section 26 - References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Appendices
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Appendix A1: Hydrologic Soil Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Appendix A2: Runoff Curve Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Appendix A3: Curve Number Adjustment for AMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Appendix B1: HydroCAD Rainfall Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Appendix B2: SCS Synthetic Rainfall Distributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Appendix B4: Rainfall Depth Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Appendix C: Manning's Number Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Appendix D1: Broad-Crested Weir Coefficients for Sharp-Edged Crests . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Appendix D2: Broad-Crested Weir Coefficients for Assorted Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Appendix E: Culvert Entrance Loss Coefficients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Appendix F: Sheet Flow Roughness Coefficients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Appendix G: Velocity Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Appendix H: Cross-Sectional Area & Perimeter Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Index
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
10
Introduction to HydroCAD
This section contains general information
about HydroCAD and the capabilities it
provides.
11
12
Section 1 - What is HydroCAD?

HydroCAD is a Computer Aided Design program for modeling the hydrology and hydraulics of
stormwater runoff, commonly referred to as H&H. HydroCAD uses procedures developed by the
Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service), plus a wide range of
other standard H&H calculations, to produce a fully-integrated, interactive stormwater modeling
system. Although HydroCAD was initially developed for use in the United States, it has global
application due to its ability to incorporate local rainfall and soil data.
HydroCAD is commonly used to generate runoff hydrographs for a given watershed and study their
flow through a drainage system consisting of natural and/or artificial components. This allows the
designer to verify the adequacy of the drainage system, or to predict where flooding or erosion
problems are likely to occur. These studies are often performed under a number of different rainfall
conditions, to verify the behavior of the system under various environmental conditions.
HydroCAD takes this capability one step further by maintaining a complete database for the
watershed and drainage system. This allows HydroCAD to provide an interactive working model
for the entire system where changes can easily be made and their effects viewed. With HydroCAD
this takes just seconds, not hours, so the engineer can interact with the watershed model in a way
not previously possible. This lets the engineer evaluate multiple design alternatives and choose
the most suitable, based on a range of safety, environmental, and financial considerations.
The advent of interactive design tools, like HydroCAD, frees the engineer to concentrate on creative
design, a goal which is often sacrificed when analysis of each alternative requires hours or days of
tedious calculations. No program can substitute for human creativity, but it can greatly aid that
creativity by assisting with the critical analysis of each idea or design. This is the goal of
HydroCAD.
The following pages provide a detailed list of HydroCAD features,

plus a summary of the latest changes.
13
14
Section 2 - HydroCAD Features and Capabilities

Current Features
A basic summary of HydroCAD features appears below. For a complete, up-to-date
list please visit www.hydrocad.net.
Runoff hydrograph generation
SCS unit hydrograph procedure
Santa Barbara Urban Hydrograph (SBUH)
Separate pervious/impervious runoff
Curve number lookup & weighting
Unconnected impervious areas
AMC/ARC adjustment
Rational method
Modified Rational method
Unlimited hydrograph span/points
Time-of-concentration calculations
Unrestricted Tc values
Sheet flow method
Shallow concentrated flow
Channel flow
Upland method
Curve Number method
Reservoir travel time
Direct entry
Rainfall Management
Over 100 predefined distributions
SCS Type I, IA, II, III storms
Custom synthetic rainfall distributions
User-defined rainfalls
Rainfall editor, reports, & graphics
Unlimited rainfall events
Automatic back-to-back storms
Automatic IDF curves
IDF curve editor, reports, & graphics
Download local IDF data
Use local PFD data from NOAA, et al.
Unit Hydrographs
Includes common tables (SCS, Delmarva, etc)
Predefined gamma UH tables
Custom UH tables
UH curve editor, reports & graphics
Reach Routing
Storage-Indication method
Long-reach translation
Muskingum-Cunge routing
Base flow
Common geometries
Custom cross-sections
Direct storage entry
Mannings lookup tables
Pond Routing
Storage-Indication routing
Dynamic Storage-Indication routing
Simultaneous pond routing
Multiple outlets
Automatic diversions
Compound outlet devices
Exfiltration
Tidal tailwater conditions
Draw-down simulations
Pond Outlet Hydraulics
Rectangular, vee & trapezoidal weirs
Broad-crested weirs
Custom weirs
Submerged weirs
Orifices & grates
Low-head weir flow
Culvert flow
Tubes & siphons
Float-operated valves
Dam breach
Skimmers
Compound devices
Stand-pipes
Custom devices
Pumps
Exfiltration calculations
15
Pond Storage
Custom stage-storage data
Prefabricated chamber definitions
Common storage shapes
Embedded storage volumes
Adjustable voids (for stone fill)
Complex storage arrangements
Underground Storage
Extensive library of prefab chambers
Chamber reports
Chamber layout wizard
Automatic end-cap handling
Water Quality Calculations
Center-of-Mass detention time
Plug-Flow detention time
Land-Use reporting
Pollutant loading
Special Operations
Linked projects
Flow thresholds & limits
Automatic flow diversions
Data Exchange
Tabular watershed import and export
Hydrograph import and export
Linkage to Carlson Hydrology
Import sub-area data from AutoCAD
16
Reporting
Instant on-screen reports & graphs
Multiple report formats
Multi-node & pre/post comparisons
Metric, English, & custom units
Independent units for input & reports
Export reports in multiple formats
Automatic data import/export
General
Fully automatic calculations
Unlimited hydrograph points
Automatic hydrograph summation
On-screen routing diagram
Full drag-and-drop operation
Diagram snap-to-grid
Diagram background images
Automatic hints and warnings
Complete on-line help
Automatic timed backup
Default project settings
Multi-project operation
International Use
Metric units (SI) or English (US Customary)
Hard-Metric or English calculations
Accepts local rainfall data
Customizable ground-cover tables
Features added in HydroCAD-10

HydroCAD-10 adds a wide range of new engineering, reporting, and operational capabilities.
New Engineering Features
Direct support for Precipitation Frequency Data from NOAA and compatible sites.
PFD files from NOAA, NRCC, and other sites can be used directly as IDF data.
Creates custom synthetic rainfall distributions from any IDF or PFD data file.
Rainfall distributions and events can be imported from TR-20 and WinTR-20 files.
Additional rainfall distributions.
New unit hydrograph definitions, including gamma unit hydrographs.
Pipes and culverts with internal fill.*
Expanded library of prefabricated storage chambers.
Automatic handling of chamber end-caps and row length adjustments.
Multi-span stormwater chambers.*
Constant-flow outlet (for floating skimmers & similar devices).
Tube/Siphon outlet (also used to model float valves).
Dam breach outlet (for simulation of a progressive dam breach).
Asymmetrical weir.
Key Operating Features
Import and export of watershed data in tabular format.
Configure active ground covers and/or data import on new Settings|Watershed screen.
Direct import of sub-area data from AutoCAD.
Automatic watershed import from Carlson Hydrology.*
Automatic definition of rainfall events.*
Event-specific links.*
Built-in lookup table for standard arch and elliptical pipe sizes.
New projects automatically set to users default units (English or Metric/SI).
Improved compatibility with Windows 7 and Vista
HydroCAD-10 can open projects from any previous version of HydroCAD.
New Reporting Capabilities
Project reports screen can remain open while editing with automatic updates.
Ground Cover report added to project reports screen.
New Text/Image node allows placement of images and annotations on the diagram.
Support for additional graphics formats for background images.
* New features added in HydroCAD 9.1.
17

Pump modeling, including friction losses, headwater/tailwater sensitivity, and separate on/off
points (hysteresis).
Automatic Curve Number adjustment for unconnected impervious areas.
Chamber wizard provides automatic layout and modeling of underground storage systems, plus
cost estimating.
Updated chamber definitions include overall dimensions, plus recommended bedding, cover,
and spacing.
Over 100 new chamber definitions added to library.
Automatic storage adjustment for wall thickness of embedded chambers. *
Enhanced exfiltration options, including hydraulic conductivity and Darcys Law.
Expanded library of rainfall distributions and unit hydrographs.
Elliptical and pipe-arch culverts are now supported.
Horizontal cylinder storage upgraded to pipe storage, with support for box, elliptical, arch,
and round geometries (flat or sloped).
Rational method frequency factor may be set manually or defined for each event in IDF file.*
Automatic import and conversion of TR-20 data files. *
Expanded hydrograph import capabilities, including uneven time steps. *
Expanded message functionality, including direct node selection, reporting, & editing. *
Tree view for selection of chambers, rainfall tables, IDF curves, and other items.
Updated installation program for Windows Vista. *
Land-use reporting and pollutant loading.
Enhanced chamber report, with tree view for chamber selection.
Project-wide reports, including Curve Number usage and soil groups. *
Multi-node comparisons. *
Pre/post comparison reports. *
Multi-event reports. *
Outflow volume vs. time now available on tabular hydrographs. *
Percentage impervious area can be reported for each inflow hydrograph. *
18

Option for independent evaluation of runoff from pervious and impervious surfaces.
A reach can be defined with custom cross-section data.
Reach cross-sections can have variable Mannings values.
Muskingum-Cunge reach routing procedure added.
Weir rise parameter allows modeling of compound weirs, such as a notch in a spillway. *
Custom orifice/weir device allows modeling of arbitrary openings. *
A link can be used to introduce a specified time lag or a constant flow.
A link can be used to define an arbitrary tailwater elevation vs. time. *
Expanded library of rainfall distributions.
Minimum allowed Tc may be specified within each project. *
Default Ia/S ratio may be changed for specialized runoff situations. *
Pipe storage can now be sloped as well as level. *
A single orifice can be used to model an array of vertical openings. *
Library of rating tables added for Hydro International vortex valves. *
Individual units (including decimal places) can be customized within each project.
New curve editor simplifies creation of custom rainfall, UH, IDF, and chamber definitions.
Built-in Mannings value lookup table. *
Implemented polynomial-based IDF curves. *
Automatic timed backup. *
New reports added for IDF curves, rainfall tables, unit hydrographs, and storage chambers.
New Area Listing report summarizes Curve Number usage for an entire project.
Separate reporting of pervious and impervious runoff areas.
Report time span can be adjusted independently of calculation span. *
Context-sensitive help available on summary report. *
Project notes can be entered to create a report cover page or narrative. *
Expanded support for JPEG import and export. *
19

User-defined rainfall events allow each project to automatically calculate, print, export, and
link data for multiple events (10-year, 25-year, etc).
Dynamic Storage-Indication method provides enhanced tailwater-sensitive routing.
Pond storage may be defined with any combination of common shapes, such as a pipe, arched
chamber, vault, cylinder, cone, prism, or custom stage-storage data.
Automatic storage calculations are provided for chambers embedded in a stone bed.
Predefined storage definitions are supplied for CULTEC storage chambers.
Catch basins may be modeled as zero-storage ponds, with no storage information required.
A link may be used to model a fixed or tidal tailwater elevation.
Rational method can use multi-event IDF curves, with automatic intensity lookup.
With Rational method, the critical duration can be automatically calculated for each node.
The Center-of Mass and Plug-Flow detention times are now calculated for all ponds.
Pipes & culverts can be automatically sized for pipe-full conditions or user-defined headwater.
Routing diagram can display individual node names, as well as a user-defined grid.
Routing diagram supports snap-to-grid, plus pan and zoom with the mouse wheel.
A background image (or logo) can be displayed and/or printed with the routing diagram.
Most data entry tables can be loaded from a CSV (spreadsheet) file.
Automatic multi-event reports - Just pick the storms to include.
Fast hydrograph plots with detailed annotations. (For more concise reports.)
Individual inflow hydrographs may be tabulated. (To show hydrograph summation.)
Many new values are calculated and reported, such as the inflow area and depth for each node.
Flow and discharge velocity are calculated and reported for individual pond outlets.
Each node may have user-defined notes, for more complete, self documenting reports.
Reports can be exported in multiple text, graphics, and spreadsheet formats.
Automatic data export allows creation of custom spreadsheets and reports.
HydroCAD-6 was the first native Windows release. It provided all the capabilities of earlier
versions, plus many new features including:
Complete support for English, metric, mixed, or custom units.
New tailwater-sensitive routing procedures.
Ability to work on multiple projects at the same time.
Enhanced data entry, reporting, and data export.
Calculations speed increased by approximately fifty times.
20

This section contains information on the
installation and operation of HydroCAD.
Its a hands-on guide for users of the
program which supplements the
information contained in the HydroCAD
help system.
21
22
Section 3 - About this Manual

Finding the Information You Need
This manual is intended to supplement the information contained in the HydroCAD help system,
which should be consulted for complete information on most topics, including step-by-step
operating instructions. Together they provide the basic information needed by qualified engineers
to install and use HydroCAD.
For assistance while using the program, click the Help button on
any screen, or select one of the Help items on the HydroCAD menu.
The help system includes hints, definitions, equations, and
background information for each field on all HydroCAD screens, as
well as detailed information on all program operations. In many
areas, the help system includes considerably more detail than the
printed documentation.
A comprehensive Tutorial is included in the HydroCAD help
system. The Tutorial is the fastest and most complete way to
become familiar with HydroCAD, and should be reviewed by all
users. To run the Tutorial, select Tutorial on the HydroCAD Help
menu. The tutorial offers several lessons covering most aspects of
HydroCAD operation, and will significantly boost your HydroCAD
productivity.
For new, updated, and expanded material visit the HydroCAD web
site at www.hydrocad.net and click on Support. The web site
is updated regularly in response to new questions and issues that
may not be covered in this Manual, and includes contact information
in case you need personal assistance.
Conventions Used in This Manual

! Small bold type indicates a menu selection (such as Project|Open) or a keystroke (such as
Enter).
! Underlined text indicates a user entry, such as the numeric value 12.40.
! The Tab key is often the most convenient way to step from one data field to another. ShiftTab can be used to step backwards through fields.
! Clicking the left (or primary) mouse button is indicated by Click. The right (or secondary)
mouse button is indicated by Right-Click, and is used to activate the context menu for many
items.
23
24
Section 4 - Installing HydroCAD

Installation
Follow these steps to install HydroCAD:
1a) To install from a CD, insert the disk in your CD drive and wait for the SETUP program
to appear. If setup doesnt appear in a few seconds, open the CD (in My Computer) and
select the SETUP program.
1b) To install from the web, download and run the SETUP program.
2) Follow the instructions given by the SETUP program.
3) The setup program will create a group of shortcuts under Start|Programs|HydroCAD. A
HydroCAD icon will also be created on the desktop.
Installation Notes
For detailed installation instructions, click the Read Me button in the setup program.
Always install HydroCAD on a local hard drive, even if you are using HydroCAD on a LAN or
sharing your data over a network The default location of \ProgramFiles\HydroCAD is recommended
unless you have a specific need to install elsewhere.
For a network installation, install each HydroCAD license on one workstation as described above.
You may also elect to share your HydroCAD license(s) within your office by using License Pooling,
as described below. In either case, you must run the installation program on each computer where
HydroCAD will be run.
After installation, each HydroCAD program can access projects on any local or network folder,
subject to the access rights assigned by the network administrator.
Installing an Update
A HydroCAD update is installed in the same manner as an initial installation. In order to preserve
all existing data and settings, the update should be installed in the same folder as your previous
version of HydroCAD. The installation program should detect the previous installation and suggest
the same directory.
If you decide to install an update in a different directory, it is strongly advised that you first
uninstall the previous program. (This is the only situation where it is necessary to uninstall the
program.)
Each version of HydroCAD can directly read projects created with any earlier version. However,
once a project has been modified, it may contain new features that make it incompatible with
earlier versions. If in doubt, make a backup copy of your project files before using them with a new
version.
A detailed list of recent software changes is available on the Start menu under Programs|HydroCAD.
25
Uninstalling HydroCAD
If you ever need to remove HydroCAD from your computer, use the Windows Add/Remove program
feature, or the Uninstall option under Start|Programs|HydroCAD. In either case, your existing data
and program settings will be preserved and remain available should you reinstall the program at
a later time.
Note: You do not normally need to uninstall HydroCAD before installing an update.
License Pooling
The HydroCAD License Agreement allows License Pooling. This technique allows you to
purchase a given number of HydroCAD licenses, and share them among multiple computers at the
same site. (See your software License Agreement for details.)
For example, if you buy 3 licenses, you would have the ability to run HydroCAD on any three
computers in your office at the same time. When properly configured, HydroCAD keeps track of
the number of licenses and users, allowing only the licensed number of copies to run at one time.
To implement License Pooling:
1) Do a standard HydroCAD installation on any one of the computers that will be using
HydroCAD. Start HydroCAD and enter all your assigned serial numbers under
Settings|Serial Number. Press the Network button on the Serial Number form, and browse to a shared
network location to store the serial numbers. Click OK and shut down HydroCAD.
2) Install and run HydroCAD on each additional computer. On the Settings|Serial Number form,
press Network to browse to the same shared folder and click OK. The shared serial number(s) will
take effect as soon as you select the correct folder, and the main HydroCAD screen will appear.
(You do not have to reenter the serial numbers.) When the main screen appears, shut down
HydroCAD and repeat this step for any additional computers.
If you have multiple licenses that are already installed separately, you can enable license pooling
at any time. On each station select Settings|Serial Number and press Network to browse to the same
shared folder. As each station is configured, its serial number(s) will be automatically merged with
the shared list.
To disable License Pooling:
If you ever need to disable license pooling, start each copy of HydroCAD, select
Settings|Serial Number, and use the Network button to browse to a private local folder. (The
HydroCAD installation directory is recommended.) This will remove all serial numbers from
shared use. Delete all but one serial number from the list. Repeat the process with each additional
copy of HydroCAD, entering a single unique serial number on each computer, and selecting a
private local folder.
26
Section 5 - Using HydroCAD

Operating Sequence
Although HydroCAD's capabilities can be used in any sequence, its power is most easily understood
by viewing it in five basic phases.
Phase I - Construction of Routing Diagram
A diagram is constructed showing the functional components, or nodes, that make up the
watershed. The diagram shows the relative location1 of each node and how water is routed from
one node to another.
Phase II - Description of each Node
Each node is described in detail so that HydroCAD can calculate the outflow from each node once
the inflow is known.
Phase III - Setting Rainfall Data & Calculation Options
Enter basic information necessary for runoff and routing calculations, such as the rainfall
parameters.
Phase IV- Calculation of flow through each Node
Calculations occur automatically whenever a report is selected. Starting at the upstream end of
the diagram and working downstream, HydroCAD calculates the outflow and other results for each
node. Multiple inflows are summed automatically. A minimal recalculation feature automatically
reuses the results of previous calculations where no changes have occurred.
Phase V - Display and Examination of Results
Opening one or more report windows lets the user verify the behavior of the watershed. If any
changes are required, the user may modify the watershed, causing the calculations and reports to
be automatically updated.
In practice, it is generally recommended that these phases be
completed for each node as it is added to the routing diagram. This
allows the model to be fine-tuned at an early stage, while the
calculations are relatively easy to understand. As the model
becomes more complex, a single modeling error can have widespread
consequences, making it more difficult to locate.
Although the node position does not affect any of HydroCADs calculations, the nodes can be positioned at actual
structure locations if desired.
27
What is a Project?
Each HydroCAD project file includes a routing diagram, associated node data, and all the related
project settings, such as the rainfall, runoff, and routing parameters necessary to model the
hydrology and hydraulics of a given area. It is common to model the existing conditions first, and
then use a separate project file to model the proposed conditions. For further information read
about HydroCAD project files on page 35.
Starting HydroCAD
To start HydroCAD without opening a project:
# Click (or double-click) the HydroCAD icon on the desktop -or# Click the HydroCAD icon located under Start|Programs|HydroCAD.
To open an existing project from Windows:
# Click (or double-click) a HydroCAD project on the desktop or in any folder -or# Click a recently used HydroCAD project listed under Start|Documents.
You can open a project regardless of whether or not HydroCAD is already running. If HydroCAD
is already running, the project is opened in the current HydroCAD session in addition to any
projects that are already open.
To open a project from within HydroCAD:
# Select Project|Open from the HydroCAD menu.
To import and open a project created with HydroCAD-5 (or earlier):
# Select Project|Import|HydroCAD 5 from the HydroCAD menu.
To create and open a new project:
# Select Project|Open from the HydroCAD menu.
# Type a name for the new project and click Open.
Other items on the Project menu can be used to close, rename, save, delete, combine, and import
projects.
For details on any menu item, move the mouse over the item
(without clicking on it) and press F1.
See page 35 for further details on default projects and project
storage, or select Help|Index and type Project.
28
The HydroCAD Screens

Most HydroCAD activities utilize the main screen, containing the routing diagram, plus one or
more report windows, used to view the runoff and routing results. To get more information on any
item, hold the mouse pointer over the item until a pop-up tool tip appears.
Main window
Main menu provides
most program operations
Title bar shows
name of current
project
Main tool bar gives

quick access to
common operations
Window buttons let you

minimize, maximize, or
close the window
Event Selector gives

instant access to any
rainfall
Routing diagram shows

interconnected nodes for
current project
To change the
routing, drag any
outflow arrow
Settings tool bar

gives quick
access to
common settings
Multiple Report windows

show details for each
node and update
automatically as you work
Status line gives

information about
anything you point
to
Create new nodes

by dragging them
from the palette
onto the routing
diagram
Right-click any
node to edit or
view a report
Use the Project

selector to switch
between active
projects, or to drag
nodes between
projects
Drag across any

graph to zoom or
right-click to select
curves
Click a button to
select a report,
change the layout,
or edit the node
29
The Routing Diagram

The routing diagram shows the individual nodes that make up each project. The nodes are usually
connected by arrows that indicate how their outflows are routed. Multiple inflows are summed
automatically as required.2
Based on the routing diagram, HydroCAD is able to determine the correct sequence of calculations,
and then calculate the flows throughout the project. Routing calculations are automatically
updated as required. You can manipulate the diagram display with the main scroll bars, the tool
bar, the main menu, the palette, and the mouse.
Watershed components
Each drainage system is represented by a network of the following types of nodes:
! Subcatchment: A relatively homogenous area of land that typically drains into a reach
or pond. Each subcatchment generates a runoff hydrograph. A subcatchment may also be
used to account for the rain falling directly on the surface of a pond. A subcatchment cannot
be used to route an inflow hydrograph. Instead, use a subcatchment to calculate the runoff
and a separate reach to perform the routing.
! Pond: A pond, swamp, dam, catch basin, manhole, drywell, or other impoundment that
fills with water from one or more sources and empties in a manner determined by a weir,
culvert, or other outlet device(s). The outflow of each pond is determined by a hydrograph
routing calculation which attenuates and delays the peak flow. A pond may empty into a
reach or into another pond. An optional secondary outflow may be used to divert the
discharge from specific outlet devices and route them separately. A discarded outflow is
also available for outflows that are not subject to further routing, such as exfiltration.
! Catch Basin: A special type of pond that provides an insignificant amount of storage, but
otherwise has all the properties and capabilities of a pond. Since a catch basin has no
storage capability, it cannot detain or attenuate its inflow. However, the routing
calculations will determine the water surface level (headwater) at each point in time.
! Reach: A uniform stream, channel, or pipe that conveys water from one point to another
and operates under open channel flow.3 A reach may also be used to route an upstream
hydrograph through a subcatchment.4 The outflow of each reach is determined by a
hydrograph routing calculation. This generally delays and attenuates the peak flow. A
reach may be routed into a pond or into another reach.
! Link: A link may be used to 1) enter a hydrograph generated outside HydroCAD,
2) interconnect several routing diagrams, 3) scale a hydrograph, 4) split a hydrograph into
two components for independent routing, or 5) define a fixed or tidal tailwater elevation.
To sum multiple flows without performing a hydrograph routing, use an undescribed reach, pond, or link.
To model a pipe under other flow conditions, including headwater and tailwater effects, use a catch basin or pond with
a culvert outlet. This applies to most culverted road crossings, manholes, and other impoundments that feed a pipe.
4
When a reach drains a subcatchment along its length, it may be best modeled as a component of the subcatchment's
Tc calculation, rather than as an independent reach.
30
! Text/Image: A text/image node may be used to place annotations or images on the

routing diagram. These nodes have no effect on the calculations, but can be used to
enhance printed reports.
Creating a Node
The easiest way to create a node is to drag the desired item from the palette at the left side of the
diagram. (See illustration on page 29.) You can also create a clone of an existing node by dragging
the node while holding down the Ctrl key.
Node Numbering
Each node on the routing diagram must have a unique number in order to distinguish it from other
nodes in the same project. The number may also contain non-numeric characters including
letters and punctuation. Although the length of numbers is unrestricted, shorter numbers are
recommended for readability.
Different types of nodes cannot share the same number. If you need to use the same number, you
can distinguish them by adding a suffix, such as 4P (for pond 4) or 4S (for subcatchment 4). This
notation is automatically applied when importing projects from HydroCAD-5, which allowed the
same numbers to be used with each type of node.
Default Node Numbers
Whenever a new node is created, a default node number is automatically assigned that is unique
within the project. A default number is also assigned whenever a node is moved to a project that
contains a conflicting number.
The default value consists of one or more digits, followed by the first letter of the node type. The
numeric portion will normally be the lowest possible value that does not conflict with any existing
node. For example, the first default number for a subcatchment will be 1S. When a second
subcatchment is created, its number will be 2S, unless that value is already in use, in which case
the next available value will be used.
HydroCAD can also be configured to assign sequential node numbers. When this mode is selected
(on the Settings|General screen) HydroCAD will use the next available number that is greater than
the last number assigned, even if a lower number is available.
Node numbers, including the default value, may be changed at any time. When doing so, note that
any unique node number may be used. The default digit-letter format is not required.
X,Y Coordinates
Each node on the routing diagram is located at a specific X and Y coordinate. Since the routing
diagram is a schematic representation of a project, the position of the nodes has no effect on the
calculations. However, specific X,Y coordinates may be used if desired.
The current X-Y position of the cursor is displayed in the status bar.
31
Node Outflows
Within the routing diagram, the outflow(s) from each node are represented by arrows. A solid
arrow indicates the routing of each primary outflow, while a dashed arrow represents the routing
of a secondary or tertiary outflow.
A secondary or tertiary outflow is available only for certain types of nodes, and is intended for
outflows that are to be routed separately. Some nodes may also have an unrouted or discarded
outflow, such as the exfiltration from a pond.
When an outflow is not routed, a circular handle appears below the node. The outflow can be
routed by dragging the handle to the desired node. To change an existing routing, drag the arrow
head to another node. To un-route an outflow, drag the arrow head back to the originating node.
Outflow routing can also be modified with Node|Reroute.
Certain nodes can also have a discarded outflow (such as the exfiltration from a pond) which is
always discarded and not available for further routing.
Working With the Routing Diagram
For details on working with the routing diagram, please review the
HydroCAD Tutorial, which is available under Help|Tutorial.
Working With Nodes

The most common node operations are available on the context menu, which is activated by a Rightclick on any node.
# Select Edit to enter or modify specific node information. A separate editing screen is
provided for each type of node, with several categories of information grouped on separate
tabs. When editing a node, press F1 or click the Help button for further details. The help
system contains extensive information, and should be your primary resource when editing
nodes.
# Select Report to open a new report window for the current node. Use the buttons on the
report window to adjust the display and view different reports. There are also several items
on the View menu to help manage report windows.
Shortcut: You can double-click a new node to edit it. Double-clicking an existing node will open a
report window.
See page 37 for further details on data entry and import capabilities.
Automatic Calculations
HydroCAD automatically performs runoff and routing calculations as required, such as when you
view or print a report. Once a report window is open, calculations are automatically updated
whenever a change occurs that affects that node or report. You dont need to close report window(s)
when making changes to the project: Just move the report to one side, make the changes, and the
report is automatically updated.
32
Calculation Settings
Each HydroCAD project maintains a number of calculation settings that control all runoff and
routing calculations. The most notable values are the rainfall settings, although there are many
other related parameters.
# To change the runoff or routing parameters, select Settings|Calculation or click the
calculator icon on the tool bar.
For ease of use, the calculation settings are grouped into several pages. Click the Help button on
any page for full details. After making any changes click OK or Apply.5 Any open report windows
will be automatically updated.
Each project may also define an unlimited number of rainfall events. (See the Rainfall tab of the
Settings|Calculation screen.) This allows you to instantly pick any event from the Event Selector on
the main screen, as well as printing reports for multiple events in a single operation.
The Message Window

Whenever calculations are performed, a message window is opened to report the progress of the
calculations. There are three basic types of messages:
Notes provide basic runoff or routing information.
Hints indicate conditions that may require your attention.
Warnings indicate conditions that you must correct.
Click on any message in the window for additional details. This will
link you to all the related technical information you need to
understand and resolve the situation. A complete list of messages
is also provided on page 131.
Important: Warning messages indicate that calculations have exceeded acceptable conditions.
Runoff and routing results cannot be relied upon while any warning messages are present! You
must understand and resolve all warning messages.
Right-click any message for other related options. This lets you
open a report or edit a node directly, without returning to the
routing diagram.
The Apply button is used to implement any new settings without closing the window. This lets you see the effects of
different values without having to re-open the window each time. Otherwise you can just use the OK button, which saves
the changes and closes the window. You do not need to click Apply and OK.
33
Printing Reports
You can print individual reports by clicking the Print button on any report window. To print several
reports at once, select Print|Report or click the corresponding button on the main tool bar. This will
activate the report screen, which allows you to design a custom report for your project.
To print the routing diagram, select Print|Diagram, or use the corresponding button on the main tool
bar.
Other items on the Print menu can be used to change the page and printer settings for your reports.
These values apply to all projects, and are retained from one HydroCAD session to the next.
Units of Measure
To change the units of measure for the current project, select Settings|Units or click the
corresponding button on the settings tool bar. HydroCAD allows independent selection of units for
each of the following purposes:
! Input units are used for all data entry and verification.
! Report units are used for all reports and graphs.
! File units determine how data is stored in the project file.
! Calculation units are used for all internal calculations.
The input and report units include many traditional secondary units, such as rainfall in inches or
millimeters. HydroCAD also supports customized units definitions, including the ability to adjust
the formatting and precision of displayed values. (For details click Help on the units screen.)
For reliable data exchange, project files are always stored in "pure" English or metric units, as
described on page 43. You can change this setting if you plan to read the project file with other
software that requires specific units.
All internal values are maintained and calculated in the specified calculation units. Since internal
values are automatically converted to other units as required, this setting normally has no visible
effect.
New projects are automatically configured for English or metric units depending on your
computers country setting. To change your default units for new projects, close any open
projects(s) and open the Settings|Units screen. Whenever a project is open, Settings|Units will
configure the settings only for the current project.
By default, HydroCAD uses Large Units for Areas and Volumes. When this option is selected,
areas are reported in acres or hectares, and volumes are reported in acre-feet or mega-liters. For
projects that work on a smaller scale, you can un-check this option to report areas in square-feet
or square-meters, and volumes in cubic-feet or cubic-meters.
To change the number of digits or decimal places for any
parameter, click the Custom button on the Settings|Units screen and
select the desired parameter.
34
Section 6 - HydroCAD Project Files

Project Storage
Each HydroCAD project consists of a master .hcp file that contains all essential project data.
Project files are small and easily transmitted as email attachments. You may freely send project
files to colleagues or reviewers, who can open them with a free HydroCAD Sampler available from
www.hydrocad.net You should also send the associated project file with any technical support
inquiries.
When HydroCAD is installed, a HydroCAD\Projects folder is created in Shared Documents
containing several sample projects. This is the initial folder in which projects are opened or
created, although projects can be stored anywhere you choose. To find all HydroCAD projects,
regardless of location, select Start|Find|Files and search for *.hcp.
Some projects may also employ external hydrograph files, as described on page 128. In order to
keep all related project files together, do not rename projects using normal Windows commands.
Instead, open the project in HydroCAD and use Project|Rename.
Predefined Projects
HydroCAD includes a number of predefined projects. These are stored in the HydroCAD\Projects
folder in Windows Shared Documents.
Some predefined projects contain sample nodes or templates that you can use in your own
projects. Simply open your project and the sample project at the same time, and copy the desired
nodes to your project.
You can use Copy and Paste to copy nodes between projects, or drag
the nodes via the Project Selector. If the originating project is readonly, dragging a node will make a clone without altering the original.
Otherwise, you can use Ctrl-Drag to move a copy of the node.
Default Project Settings

When opening a new project, all project parameters are set to default values. To customize the
default settings, open a new project called Default, configure the desired values, and save the
project.
Whenever a new project is created, HydroCAD automatically loads the contents of any
Defaultproject that exists in the same folder. If the file isn't found, HydroCAD tries to load it
from the program's installation directory. You can use this behavior to create default settings for
individual folders, or to create master defaults that will be used for all other folders.
Although default projects normally contain only general project settings, they may also contain a
routing diagram and related node data.
35
Read-Only Projects
A project can be marked Read-Only in order to protect it from accidental changes. To change this
setting use Settings|Read-Only. When a project is Read-Only, it is protected from any major changes.
The diagram can still be panned and zoomed, but nodes cannot be moved, added, deleted, or edited.
Read-Only status is also useful when copying nodes from one project to another, in that it allows
node copy/paste without danger of modifying the Read-Only project. When dragging a node from
a Read-Only project via the Project Selector, a clone will be created, as if the Ctrl key were pressed.
This makes Read-Only projects behave much like an extended palette. Some of the predefined
projects supplied with HydroCAD are set to Read-Only for this reason.
Read-Only status can be removed at any time and is not secured in any way. Also note that this
feature is independent of the read-only file status provided by the operating system.
Editing a Project File

While project files are normally used only by HydroCAD, its possible to view or even edit raw files
directly.
Warning! Modifying a project file by hand can produce unexpected results or even render
the file unreadable by HydroCAD. Do not modify a project file unless you're absolutely sure
of what you're doing! We cannot provide tech support for problems that result from
improper modifications to project files.
Before editing a file, make sure it isn't currently open in HydroCAD. Then right-click the file and
select Edit from the context menu. The file is opened in Windows Notepad for examination.
When you're done, close Notepad by clicking the X in the upper-right corner. Save your changes
only if you're absolutely sure you want to modify the project!
Creating Project Files with Other Software

HydroCAD project files are stored in an easy-to-read plain-text format, making it relatively easy
to generate a usable file with any programming language. If you currently have programmatic
access to your existing data (via a scripting language, Basic, etc.) then you can export the desired
data to a HydroCAD project file.
Although HydroCAD project files support a large set of capabilities, you only need to provide the
specific data items you want to transfer into HydroCAD. Default values will be supplied for
missing values whenever possible, or HydroCAD will prompt the user to supply the missing items.
Files created by this process can be opened directly with HydroCAD by using the Project|Open
command, or you can use Project|Merge to combine the data with another project. This causes the
project to be selectively updated, retaining most of the original data except when it is being
replaced by a new value.
36
Section 7 - Data Import

Although HydroCAD is generally used as a stand-alone program, it includes a number of
capabilities for importing data from other sources, as discussed in this section.
Tabular Data Import

HydroCAD-10 includes the ability to import subcatchment (watershed) data from a tabular (CSV)
file, which can be readily created with a spreadsheet or database program. To explore this
capability, open a project and create a set of sample tables using Project|Export|Subcatchments. This
will create two files: One containing the subarea (curve number) data, and one containing the Tc
data. Opening these files will generally launch your default spreadsheet program, allowing you to
examine their format and content.
The tabular import capability can also be used to perform tabular editing of any project. First,
export the data and open the file(s) with a spreadsheet program as described above. After making
the desired changes, save the modified spreadsheet(s) to CSV format and import into the original
HydroCAD project using Project|Import|Subcatchments.
You can also transfer sub-area and Tc data separately by using the corresponding items on the
Project|Import and Project Export menus. For details press the F1 key on those menu items.
Automated Tabular Import

If tabular data is being imported repeatedly, perhaps as part of an automated transfer, you can
configure the project for one-click import. On the Settings|Watershed screen, select the Import tab and
specify the import file(s) containing the sub-area and/or Tc data. You can now use
Project|Import|Watershed to immediately import the specified files at any time. For details click the
Help button on the Settings|Watershed screen.
Importing a TR-20 Data File

HydroCAD can read an existing TR-20 file and automatically convert the contents into an
equivalent HydroCAD project file. To start the process, click Project|Import|TR-20 and select the
desired file.6 For further details click the Help button on the import screen.
Original TR-20 files are converted in their entirety. At this writing, support for WinTR-20 files is still under
development, and is limited to the import of rainfall data.
37
Importing Data from AutoCAD

HydroCAD provides two powerful capabilities for importing data from AutoCAD, as described
below.
Direct import from AutoCAD
HydroCAD-10 can directly import subarea data from AutoCAD, without requiring any additional
software. This process is configured on the Import tab of the Settings|Watershed screen, and allows
one-click import of subarea data at any time.
The import process analyzes special drawing layers containing the soil groups, ground covers, and
subcatchment boundaries, and imports each of the intersecting subareas into the appropriate
subcatchment. Subcatchments are automatically created on the HydroCAD routing diagram, with
CN values automatically determined from the specified ground cover file. Land use data can also
be imported for reporting or pollutant loading calculations, as discussed on page 129.
The import process includes multiple options including boundary verification, automatic node
placement, and highlighting of drawing areas as the corresponding subcatchment(s) are selected
in HydroCAD. Imported data can also be intermixed with manually created subcatchments,
without the risk of manual entries being overwritten by the import process. For details click the
Help button on the Settings|Watershed screen.
Import using Carlson Hydrology
Carlson Hydrology provides an assisted import capability, which is able to extract subarea and
time-of-concentration data from AutoCAD, and export the data to HydroCAD for calculations and
reporting. Although this requires the separate purchase and operation of Carlson Hydrology, the
combination is able to process and export a wider range of data, such as watershed slope
information and pond storage contours extracted from Carlsons terrain model (TIN).
Data transfer from Carlson Hydrology utilizes the Project|Merge capability in HydroCAD, which is
controlled by various options on the Settings|Merge screen.
38

This section contains detailed information
on the calculations performed by
HydroCAD. It is intended to help program
users and reviewers fully understand the
specific techniques and formulas employed
by HydroCAD.
39
40
Section 8 - Understanding Hydrology

What is Stormwater and why does it need to be modeled?
During a rainstorm, precipitation reaching the ground is dissipated by several mechanisms: some
is lost to evaporation, some infiltrates into the ground, and the remainder appears as stormwater
runoff. This runoff can cause a variety of undesirable effects, such as erosion and flooding. In order
to prevent such damage, the runoff must be safely conveyed through suitable channels, pipes,
ponds, streams, and rivers to a suitable point of disposal, and eventually to the sea. By
determining the nature of the runoff and the way it will flow through these channels, it is possible
to predict how, where, and when damage may occur. Steps can then be taken to reduce the chances
of damage, such as enlarging a stream to prevent overflow of its banks, or detaining some of the
runoff in a pond to reduce flooding downstream.
Why is there an increased need for stormwater modeling now?
Most new construction involves changes in the usage of the surrounding land. A new shopping
center, for example, may remove a stand of trees and replace it with a paved parking lot and
several buildings. Such a change in the ground cover has a dramatic effect on the runoff, greatly
increasing its total volume and the rate of runoff. This directly increases the potential for erosion
and flooding in all areas downstream of the new construction. To prevent such damage, the runoff
must be predicted before construction so that suitable steps can be taken to handle the runoff in
a safe and effective manner.
In the past, such analysis and design was often not performed. As a result, a significant amount
of stormwater damage now occurs, ranging from minor flooding of local streams, to erosion of
farmland, to flooding of major rivers. The resultant burden on many drainage systems and the
increasing rate of construction means that all new construction and development should include
a careful analysis of the effects on stormwater runoff. This not only reduces possible liability for
stormwater damage, but is required by many local, state, and federal regulations.
How is stormwater modeled?
Stormwater modeling can be divided into two basic fields: Hydrology, which is the study of runoff
and the factors that influence it, and Hydraulics, which is the study of water flow in the channels,
pipes, streams, ponds, and rivers that convey it to the sea. In each field there are many techniques
available for performing the required analysis. A qualified engineer must choose the best methods
for each situation.
41
Understanding HydroCAD
HydroCAD provides a number of techniques for the generation and routing of hydrographs. It also
provides many other related calculations, such as time of concentration, weighted curve numbers,
pond volumes, stage-discharge curves, pollutant loading, etc. This broad range of capabilities
allows a large number of studies to be performed entirely within HydroCAD.
Steady-state vs. time-varying flow
There are many different approaches to stormwater modeling and drainage design, which can be
roughly divided into two basic groups:
1) Steady-state (constant flow) methods, such as the Rational method, commonly used for
storm sewer (pipe) networks.
2) Hydrograph generation and routing procedures designed to simulate the time-varying
nature of actual runoff, and model volume-sensitive stormwater elements, such as detention
ponds.
Although HydroCAD can be used for steady-state designs and does include the Rational method,
it is designed primarily as a hydrograph generation and routing program. Certain calculations,
such as channel backwater or pressurized pipe networks, are often analyzed under constant flow
conditions, and may require steady-state numerical tools, rather than a hydrograph routing system
such as HydroCAD. And some projects may require a combined approach: Using HydroCAD to
model the overall drainage system, combined with a steady-state analysis for specific pipe
networks.
See the Frequently Asked Questions (beginning on page 143) for a discussion of several related
topics.
42
Section 9 - Units of Measure

Most equations in this Manual are given in a universal format that may be directly evaluated in
metric (SI) or English (US Customary) units. When evaluating these equations, care must be taken
to use only primary units as listed in the following table.
Metric (SI)
English
Conversion
Factor7
Time
Seconds
Seconds
Length
Meters
Feet
3.281
Square Meters
Square Feet
10.76
Volume
Cubic Meters
Cubic Feet
35.31
Velocity
Meters / Second
Feet / Second
3.281
Cubic Meters / Second
Cubic Feet / Second
35.31
Weight
Kilograms
Pounds
2.205
Density
Kilograms / Cubic Meter
Pounds / Cubic Foot
0.06243
Area
Flow
Weir
Coefficient
Meters Second
Feet Second
1.811
Some empirical equations were developed with specific units (such as inches in the SCS runoff
equation), and cannot be readily expressed in a universal form. These equations are marked with
the original units.
HydroCAD also supports many secondary units, such as acres and hectares, which are
automatically converted to and from primary units as required. When evaluating equations by
hand, be sure to use the appropriate primary units as listed above.
You can change your default units, as well as the units for individual
projects, as described on page 34.
Conversion factors are shown to an accuracy of four decimal places. Actual conversions performed by HydroCAD
utilize a full-precision conversion of at least 10 digits.
43
44
Section 10 - Rainfall Data

Intensity-Duration-Frequency Data
An IDF curve is one of the most common means of defining the rainfall characteristics at any given
location. Each IDF curve defines the rainfall intensity (i) that will occur for a specified rainfall
duration (d) at a certain rainfall frequency or return period (T):8
For maximum flexibility, HydroCAD supports a number of different IDF data formats, including:
! Intensity vs. Duration points, using log-log interpolation between points
! Coefficient-based curves, allowing direct evaluation for any duration
! Local Precipitation Frequency Data
Local Precipitation Frequency Data is available from various web sites, such as those operated by
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the Northeast Regional
Climate Center (NRCC). These web sites use a standard data format that is automatically
recognized as an IDF file by HydroCAD-10, eliminating the need to manually create an IDF file.
For other locations (including international users) check with your weather bureau for the
availability of local data in the standard NOAA format, or create an IDF file manually using one
of the other formats supported by HydroCAD.
Instead of return period, it is more accurate to think in terms of the exceedence probability (p), where p=1/T. Thus,
a 25 year storm actually designates a rainfall event which has a 4% chance of occurring in any given year.
45
IDF Library
Select View|IDF to see the sample IDF curves that are pre-installed in the HydroCAD IDF library.
The IDF screen also includes links for downloading additional IDF data, as well as instructions for
creating IDF files by hand. Click More IDF Data to access online data sources. For further details
click Help on the IDF report screen, or visit www.hydrocad.net/rainfall
Synthetic Rainfall Distributions

Based on an analysis of nationwide IDF data, the US Soil Conservation Service9 developed a set
of four dimensionless synthetic rainfall distributions used to characterize the rainfall patterns for
the entire United States. These are known as the Type I, IA, II, and III distributions. Each
distribution is expressed as a mass curve indicating what fraction of the total 24-hour precipitation
has fallen at any time. (See page 157 for details.)
Synthetic rainfalls can be developed from standard IDF data discussed on page 45. Using 6 minute
steps, the incremental rainfall depth is calculated for durations of 6 minutes to 24 hours, placing
the highest (6 minute) incremental depth at the center of the storm, and adding the incremental
depths for successively longer durations on alternating sides of the peak until a complete 24-hour
curve is developed.10
Since these are synthetic rainfall distributions, they are not intended to represent an actual rainfall
event. However, since they contain rainfall data for all durations from 6 minutes up to 24 hours,
they can be used to simulate the behavior of a watershed under a wide range of conditions, and are
not limited to the analysis of a single duration like the Rational method. Each curve also provides
depth information for all durations up to 24 hours, making it suitable for volume-sensitive
calculations, such as detention pond simulations.
The SCS is now known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS.
10
46
In practice, synthetic rainfalls can be generated for any duration using any desired time increment.
Rainfall Library
HydroCAD provides an extensive library of predefined distributions, including the standard SCS
distributions discussed above. Select View|Storm to see the HydroCAD Storm library and view the
pre-installed rainfall distributions. A partial list also appears on page 155.
The storm report screen also includes links for downloading additional rainfall distributions,
instructions for creating rainfall files by hand, and the ability to automatically generate a custom
synthetic rainfall distribution based on local IDF data. To access these tools click the More Storms
button. For further details click Help or visit www.hydrocad.net/rainfall
Custom Synthetic Rainfall Distributions

For situations where none of the pre-installed rainfalls are appropriate, such as locations outside
the US, or where newer rainfall data is available, HydroCAD-10 can generate custom synthetic
rainfall distributions from local IDF data using the process outlined on page 46. To start the
conversion process click More Storms on the View|Storm screen.
Importing TR-20 Rainfall Data

HydroCAD-10 also has the ability to import rainfall tables from a TR-20 or WinTR-20 data file.
This process creates a native HydroCAD rainfall file, including multiple events when applicable.
For details press Help on the Project|Import|TR-20 screen.
Rainfall Events
HydroCAD allows a set of rainfall conditions to be saved as a named rainfall event. Each event
definition specifies a rainfall distribution, duration, and depth.11 Events can be defined by hand
on the Rainfall tab of the Settings|Calculation screen. You can also use the Import Events button to
automatically define rainfall events from a number of different sources:
!
!
!
!
!
Internal lookup table (organized by county)

Multi-event rainfall file
TR-20 data file (including new WinTR-20 format)
IDF file (all formats discussed on page 45)
Another HydroCAD project file
Regardless of the source, rainfall events are always stored in the individual HydroCAD project file
where they were created.
11
Event definitions are commonly used to model different return periods, such as the 25-year or 100-year storms, but
can also be used to model other rainfall conditions, such as a water quality event.
47
Unit Hydrographs
While a rainfall distribution (see above) specifies how precipitation is distributed over time, a unit
hydrograph predicts the distribution of runoff over time. More precisely, a unit hydrograph
represents the runoff resulting from a single burst of rainfall with the following characteristics:
! One unit of precipitation excess (expressed as a depth),
! Generated uniformly over the watershed,
! At a uniform rate,
! With a burst duration D.
The hydrograph is made dimensionless by expressing:
! Ordinates as a fraction of the peak discharge qp,
! Time axis as a fraction of the time-to-peak Tp.
Most projects in the United States employ the standard SCS unit hydrograph show above, which
is commonly identified by its peak factor of 484. The SCS UH can also be characterized by a shape
factor K=0.75, which is the ratio of the UH peak intensity to the total UH volume.12 For further
details read about the SCS runoff procedure on page 57.
Unit Hydrograph Library

The HydroCAD UH library also includes the Delmarva UH, gamma curves with peak factors of
200 to 600, and a number of local tables. Select View|Unit Hydrograph to open the UH report screen
and view the pre-installed tables. The UH screen also includes links for downloading additional
UH data, as well as instructions for creating UH files by hand. For further details click Help on the
UH screen or visit www.hydrocad.net/rainfall
12
For the traditional SCS UH, K is also equal to twice the fraction of the UH volume that occurs before the peak. Other
UH definitions may not preserve this relationship.
48
Section 11 - SCS Curve Number

Curve Number Effects
The SCS Curve Number (CN) is used to determine the portion of the precipitation depth that will
appear as runoff. The CN is a function of the soil type and ground cover. A high CN (such as 98
for pavement) indicates low retention and high runoff, while a low CN (such as 30 for certain
wooded areas) indicates a high retention capability and low runoff. This relationship is defined by
the SCS runoff equation as shown on page 59.
Curve Number Lookup Table

HydroCAD includes a complete curve number lookup table based on data developed by the SCS
(NRCS) and published in TR-55. This table depends on the Hydrologic Soil Group, as discussed in
Appendix A1. Also see NEH, which provides additional guidance on curve number selection.
The standard curve number lookup table is based on the relationship Ia=0.2S (see page 59 for
details.) For other conditions, including international applications, an alternate lookup table can
be specified on the Settings|Watershed screen.
For rainfall on the surface of a pond or lake, a CN value of 98 is commonly used. The HydroCAD
lookup table contains separate entries for water surfaces, so they can be reported separately from
pavement and other impervious surfaces with a comparable CN value.
The lookup table also includes a separate entry for unconnected impervious surfaces, which invokes
a special curve number weighting procedure, as described below.13
Composite Curve Number

For subcatchments with multiple CN values, HydroCAD calculates a weighted CN value by
summing the products of each CN multiplied by its fraction of the total area. This composite value
is normally used in subsequent runoff calculations, without reference to the individual CN values.
CNC '
CN1 A1 % CN2 A2 . . . CNn An

A1 % A2 . . . A n
Eq. 1
CNC=Composite CN value
CN1-CNn=Individual CN values
A1-An=Area associated with each CN value
13
This option was added in HydroCAD 9.0. Earlier versions treat all impervious areas as connected using Eq.1.
49
Unconnected Impervious Surfaces

If runoff from an impervious surface occurs as sheet flow over an adjacent pervious area, the
impervious area is considered to be unconnected, and its runoff may be reduced as it flows over the
pervious surface. This effect is considered to be significant only if less than 30% of the
subcatchment is impervious. When these conditions are met, the runoff is reduced by using a
modified curve number weighting procedure, as used in TR-55:
CNC ' CNPer %
AImp
ATotal
( CNImp& CNPer ) ( 1 &
AUnc
2 A Imp
Eq. 2
CNPer=Composite CN for all pervious surfaces (see Eq.1)

CNImp=CN for impervious surfaces (typically 98)
ATotal=Total Area
AImp=Impervious Area (including unconnected)
AUnc=Unconnected Impervious Area
Restating this in the form of equation Eq.1 shows the underlying basis of this adjustment:
CNC '
CNPer ( APer%
A Unc
2
) % CNImp ( AImp&
A Unc
2
ATotal
Eq. 3
Aper=Pervious Area
Note that the standard weighting for the pervious CN value is increased by half the fraction of
unconnected impervious area, while the weighting for the impervious CN value is decreased by the
same amount. Due to the higher value of the impervious CN, this causes a reduction in the final
composite CN value.
Separate Pervious/Impervious Runoff

Since the SCS runoff equation is non-linear, using a composite CN value may yield different results
than adding the runoff produced by the individual CN values. The difference is most pronounced
when the subcatchment includes both pervious surfaces (CN<98) and impervious surfaces (CN$98).
To account for this difference, HydroCAD provides the option to perform a separate runoff
calculation for the pervious and impervious portions of each subcatchment.14 This causes two
composite CN values to be calculated for each subcatchment: one that includes all pervious
surfaces, and one for all impervious surfaces. The runoff equation is then evaluated separately for
the two portions, and the combined volume is used to produce the final runoff hydrograph.
Separate pervious/impervious calculations are most often used in conjunction with the SBUH
runoff method (see page 63), while the SCS method is normally used with a single composite curve
number. The composite CN technique is specified for each project on the Settings|Calculation screen.
14
50
This option was added in HydroCAD 7.1. Earlier versions included all CN values in a single composite CN.
Adjustments for Antecedent Moisture Condition

The antecedent moisture condition (a.k.a. antecedent rainfall condition) specifies the moisture level
in the ground immediately prior to the storm. HydroCAD implements four AMC/ARC conditions
as follows:
AMC 1 - Dry
AMC 2 - Normal
AMC 3 - Wet
AMC 4 - Saturated or frozen
It is common policy to use AMC 2 for most design work. Other values should be used only under
special circumstances. AMC 1 will produce less runoff, while AMC 3 and 4 can produce dramatic
increases in runoff, and are not normally used for design purposes.
The AMC works by adjusting the Curve Numbers in all subcatchments according to a predefined
table as shown on page 154. In general terms, AMC 1 reduces all CN values while AMC 3 increases
the values. AMC 2 uses the original values without adjustment.
The AMC 4 condition increases all CN values up to 98. (Any values above 98 are unchanged.) This
capability is provided for saturated or frozen surfaces that are expected to have virtually no
retention or infiltration capability. This setting is unique to HydroCAD, and is provided as an
alternative to manually adjusting multiple CN values.
AMC adjustments are always applied to the composite CN value, rather than to the individual CN
values. In the case of separate pervious/impervious runoff calculations (see page 49), the AMC
adjustment is applied separately to the composite pervious and impervious values.
The AMC is specified for each project on the Rainfall tab of the Settings|Calculation screen.
51
52
Section 12 - Time of Concentration

One of the key elements required for any runoff calculation is the Time of Concentration, or Tc. The
Tc is typically defined as the time required for runoff to travel from the most hydrologically distant
point of the watershed to the point of collection.
The time of concentration is commonly determined by summing the travel time (Tt) for each
consecutive flow segment along the subcatchment's hydraulic path. This process requires
identification of the type of flow occurring in each segment, and application of the appropriate
method for calculating the Tt. Although these segments will occur in a given physical order, the
order in which they are used in the program has no effect on the total travel time.
HydroCAD provides a variety of techniques for calculating the Tt, plus other procedures (such as
the Lag method) which are designed to directly determine the overall Tc. These procedures are
discussed below. If necessary, the Tc or Tt may also be determined by other procedures and entered
into HydroCAD directly.
The determination of the time of concentration is one of the most
widely discussed areas of hydrology. The actual method(s) used on
any given project depends upon actual site conditions, regulatory
requirements, and sound engineering judgement.
Lag/Curve Number Method

The Curve Number Method (a.k.a. Watershed Lag Method, see NEH p.15-5) was developed to allow
calculation of the overall Tc under a wide range of conditions.15 The method is designed for areas
of 2000 acres or less. The calculation is quite simple, but requires a proper understanding of the
input requirements:
T c'
L
.6
where
L'
l .8 (s%1).7
1900 Y
.5
and
S'
1000
&10
CN
Eq. 4
TC=Time of concentration [hours]

L=Lag time [hours]
l=Hydraulic length of the watershed [ft]
Y=Average land slope [percent]
S=Potential maximum retention [inches]
CN=Weighted Curve Number (See page 149)
Note the use of the average land slope, as described below. (This is distinct from the slope of the
hydraulic path, as used in most Tc calculations.) Although some care is required to determine this
value, the Curve Number method has the advantage of using a small number of fairly objective
parameters. This provides more consistent results than some other approaches.
15
Since the Curve Number Method was designed to evaluate the Tc for an entire subcatchment, it is generally not used
in combination with other Tc procedures in the same subcatchment.
53
Average Land Slope

The average land slope (or average watershed slope) is a critical factor in the use of the Curve
Number method, as described on page 53. A theoretical determination would require placing a grid
over the subcatchment and averaging the slopes for all squares. Other techniques are available
that have more modest data requirements, such as the following equation from NEH p15-5:
Y ' 100
C I
A
Eq. 5
Y=Average land slope [percent]

C=Total Contour length [ft] or [m]
I=Contour Interval [ft] or [m]
A=Land Area [ft] or [m]
C is obtained by adding the length of all contour lines within the subcatchment. The accuracy of
this technique depends on having a sufficient number of contour lines within the subcatchment.
Reducing the contour interval will generally increase the accuracy of the result.
Sheet Flow Procedure

The Sheet Flow procedure is designed for flow over plane surfaces, as usually occurs at the
headwaters of a catchment area. (See NEH p.15-6) The following equation is used for sheet flow:
Tt '
0.007 (nL).8
.5
P2 s .4
Eq. 6
Tt=Travel time [hours]

n=Manning's coefficient for sheet flow (See page 167)
L=Flow length [ft]
P2=2-year, 24-hour rainfall [inches] (See map on page 159)
s=Land slope (along flow path) [ft/ft]
Determining the actual length of sheet flow is critical to this method. Although the technique was
originally intended for lengths up to 300 feet, most agencies now recommend a maximum of 100
feet. In any case, the length should not extend past the point where there is evidence of
concentrated flow on the ground. The length is also critical in that Sheet Flow is often a dominant
factor in a subcatchment's total Tc.
Note:
54
At the point where sheet flow no longer occurs, additional segments

of shallow concentrated flow and/or channel flow are typically used
to evaluate the remainder of the flow path. The total time for all
flow segments is used in the final runoff calculations.
Shallow Concentrated Flow

Shallow concentrated flow (aka Upland Method) is designed for conditions that occur in the
headwaters of a watershed, including overland flow, grassed waterways, paved areas, and through
small upland gullies. Shallow concentrated flow does not have a well-defined channel, and
generally has flow depths of 0.1 to 0.5 feet. Although commonly published as a chart of velocity vs.
slope for various surfaces (see NEH Ch.15), shallow concentrated flow is based on the following
equations:
Tt '
L
3600 V
where
V ' Kv s
Eq. 7

L=Flow length [ft] or [m]
V=Average velocity [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
KV=Velocity factor [ft/sec] or [m/sec] (See page 168)
s=Land slope (along flow path) [ft/ft] or [m/m]
See page 168 for a list of common KV values provided with HydroCAD.
Channel Flow
The Channel Flow procedure (see TR-55 p.3-3) is commonly employed where surveyed crosssections are available, or anywhere the velocity can be reasonably determined by Manning's
equation.
Tt '
L
1.486 r 2/3 s 1/2
a
where V '
and r '
3600 V
Pw
n
Eq. 8

V=Average velocity [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
n=Manning's coefficient (See table on page 162)
s=Channel slope [ft/ft] or [m/m]
r=Hydraulic radius [ft] or [m]
a=Cross-sectional flow area [ft] or [m]
Pw=Wetted perimeter [ft] or [m]
1.486=English factor (use 1 for metric evaluation)
In addition to allowing direct entry of cross-sectional area and wetted perimeter, HydroCAD
provides automatic flow analysis of many standard channel and pipe shapes as described on
page 169.
55
Travel Time Through Lakes and Reservoirs

Travel time for a lake or reservoir can be calculated by the following equation: (See NEH p.15-9)
Tt '
L
where V ' g D
3600 V
Eq. 9

V=Wave velocity [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
g=Gravitational constant = 32.2 ft/sec2 or 9.81 m/sec2
D=Mean Depth [ft] or [m]
This technique may also be used for swamps with a significant amount of open water. If the
amount of open water is less than about 25%, a segment of channel flow (see p.55) will give a better
estimate of travel time.
Note: This procedure is used only if the water body lies within a subcatchment, and is being
modeled as part of the time of concentration. It does not account for storage effects, which require
a separate pond routing calculation as described on page 113.
Other Tc Procedures
Other Tc procedures can be employed by entering the calculated value directly into HydroCAD.
This can be used as the total Tc for a subcatchment, or combined with additional flow segments
calculated by other means. One situation that calls for direct Tc entry is modeling the runoff on
the surface of a pond. This requires the direct entry of a Tc value of zero.16
Tc Restrictions
Although HydroCAD has no inherent limitation on Tc values, some regulations may specify a
minimum allowable Tc value. If applicable, this value may be defined on the Settings|Calculation
screen17 and will be automatically applied to each subcatchment except those with an explicit Tc
value of zero.
56
16
When used in combination with a Curve Number of 100, this will produce complete, instantaneous runoff.
17
The ability to specify a minimum Tc value was added in HydroCAD 7.1.
Section 13 - SCS Unit Hydrograph Procedure

The US Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service18 has developed a number of
techniques for analyzing stormwater runoff. One of the most widely used is the SCS Unit
Hydrograph procedure (SCS-UH). The SCS-UH procedure is a principal component of SCS/NRCS
Technical Release 20, commonly known as TR-20.
The SCS-UH procedure is the primary runoff technique provided by HydroCAD. Although
HydroCAD does not employ any of the actual code from TR-20, it is based on the same SCS-UH
procedure and will produce essentially the same runoff results.
Data Requirements
The following data is required for the SCS unit hydrograph procedure as employed in TR-20 and
HydroCAD. Some of these items are provided for each individual subcatchment, while others apply
to the entire watershed.
Rainfall Distribution
The SCS unit hydrograph procedure is
commonly used with a synthetic
rainfall distribution. This can be one
of the common SCS Type I, IA, II, and
III distributions (show at right), or one
of the other standard distributions
included in the HydroCAD rainfall
library. (See page 155.)
In addition, HydroCAD can generate a
custom synthetic rainfall distribution
based on local rainfall data, as
discussed on page 46. This makes it
possible to model locations for which
standard rainfall distributions are not
available, or where new (updated)
rainfall data needs to be employed.
The rainfall distribution is commonly expressed as a dimensionless mass curve, as shown above.
Multiplying the vertical axis by the total rainfall depth (see below) gives the actual rainfall depth
at any time during the storm.
HydroCAD can also be used with an actual (observed) rainfall distribution, as long as sufficiently
detailed rainfall recordings are available. This is sometimes done to model specific historic storms
that have produced record flooding.
18
Now the Natural Resources Conservation Service or NRCS.
57
Rainfall Duration
Most storms employ a preset rainfall duration, such as 24 hours, which is used for most studies.
The duration may be changed for special applications, such as the Illinois Huff Distributions.
Although HydroCAD has the ability to rescale any storm to a different duration, this feature should
only be used for distributions (such as the Illinois Huff) that are specifically intended for the
purpose. Otherwise, each distribution should be used only at the duration for which is was
originally developed.
Rainfall Depth
The total storm rainfall (in inches or millimeters) must be specified for the project location. For
projects in the continental United States, see the event lookup table in HydroCAD, or the rainfall
maps starting on page 159. For other locations, consult your local stormwater agency or weather
bureau. Calculations will often be performed for a number of different return periods ( such as 2,
5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years), using the corresponding depth for each return period. Each return
period can be defined as a separate rainfall event in HydroCAD, making it easy to change events
and do a multi-event analysis. See page 47 for details.
Curve Number
The CN value characterizes the type of soil and ground cover. See page 49 for details.
Time of Concentration
The Tc indicates the time required for all parts of the subcatchment to contribute to the runoff. See
page 53 for details.
Unit Hydrograph
The UH is a dimensionless
curve that shows the runoff
distribution resulting from
one unit of precipitation
excess occurring uniformly
over the watershed during
a specified duration. The
unit hydrograph is
commonly identified by its
peak factor, such as 484 for
the standard SCS UH. The
peak
factor
is
a
characteristic of the unit
hydrograph
curve,
representing the peak-tovolume ratio of the curve.
For situations that require
a different peak factor, a
different UH must be selected, as discussed on page 48.
58
Runoff Generation
The SCS runoff hydrograph is generated by performing a convolution of the unit hydrograph with
the rainfall excess. (For details see NEH Ch.16.) A brief description of the HydroCAD
implementation follows:
1) At any time during the storm, the cumulative precipitation (rainfall depth) can be determined
from the selected rainfall distribution and the total rainfall depth. The cumulative precipitation
excess (runoff) can then be determined by the SCS runoff equation. (See TR-55 p.2-1 and NEH
Ch.10.)
Q'
( P&Ia )2
( P&Ia ) % S
if
and
Ia ' 0.2 S
S ' 1000 &10

CN
then
(Q'0 if P#Ia)
( P&.2S )2
Q'
P % .8S
Eq. 10
Q=Precipitation excess (runoff) [inches or mm]

P=Cumulative precipitation [inches or mm]
Ia=Initial abstraction [inches or mm]
S=Potential maximum retention [inches]
CN=Curve number
2) The storm is divided into a series of rainfall bursts of equal duration, with the burst duration
based on the unit hydrograph relationships:19
T
2
Tp' 5D and Tp' Tc D ' c
3
7.5
Eq. 11
Tp=Time to peak
Tc=Time of concentration
D=Burst duration
3) The precipitation excess resulting from each burst is calculated by the SCS runoff equation:
dQ ' Qt%D & Qt
Eq. 12
4) The unit hydrograph defines how the precipitation excess from each burst will be distributed
over time. The volume of the unit hydrograph is given by Eq. 12 and its time-to-peak is given by
Eq. 11, allowing us to produce a fully dimensioned hydrograph for each burst.20
19
The time base of the UH will vary depending on the exact UH used in this process.
20
Although the UH peak factor does not appear directly in this calculation, the resulting peak is dependent on the UH
peak-to-volume relationship.
59
5) The runoff from the entire storm is determined by summing the hydrographs resulting from
each rainfall burst. The overall process is illustrated here:
5) The result is a final runoff hydrograph, similar to this:
60
Special Considerations
1) The runoff hydrograph consists of a series of ordinates (ft/sec or m/sec flows) at evenly spaced
intervals dt. Each ordinate specifies the average flow during the interval. As a result, if a narrow
peak occurred within one interval, the hydrograph would indicate an average flow that might be
significantly less than the instantaneous peak. This is likely to occur when Tc is less than 2dt, so
HydroCAD displays an informative warning in these cases.
When you encounter this situation, keep in mind that the instantaneous peak can exceed the
average for a time no longer than dt, which is commonly 6 minutes or less. In practice, such a short
instantaneous peak is usually attenuated to the average value by the storage characteristics of the
first reach or pond. However, if a true instantaneous peak is required, the runoff interval (dt) may
be reduced to approximately one-half the Tc.
2) The SCS unit hydrograph procedure has no inherent limitations on the time of concentration.
As Tc approaches 0, the runoff curve approaches the precipitation excess curve, which is the
expected limiting case.21 Similarly, for a very large Tc, the entire storm becomes a single rainfall
burst and the runoff approaches the shape of the unit hydrograph.
3) When making comparisons to TR-55, note that the TR-55 tables were produced for a curve
number of 75 and require a precipitation excess of at least 1.5 inches. As conditions deviate from
these, an increasing difference of up to 25% can be expected.
4) Runoff hydrographs are generated for a specified time span, such as 10 to 20 hours. You must
ensure that this span is suitable for the purposes of your analysis and the rainfall type being used.
If you are primarily concerned with peak flows, you can reduce calculation time by using a shorter
time span. However, for ponds and other volume-sensitive studies, make sure the time span begins
at or before the earliest runoff, or this early volume won't be included in your calculations.
HydroCAD will generate an automatic warning message if the span is not adequate to include the
earliest inflow into a pond. Also keep in mind that the volumes displayed by HydroCAD include
only the specified time span. By increasing the ending time to 25 hours or so, you'll get a complete
picture of the storm.
5) As a safeguard, HydroCAD performs an automatic check of runoff peaks in relation to the time
span. A warning message is displayed if the calculated time of the peak doesn't fall within the
middle 90% of the time span. If this warning appears, you should examine the hydrograph and
adjust the time span accordingly.22
6) The SCS runoff equation (Eq. 10) normally uses the standard Ia/S ratio of 0.2. which is applicable
to most projects. If required, this value may be changed on the Settings|Calculation screen.
Although HydroCAD applies a number of tests to check the accuracy
of your model, a visual examination of all hydrographs is highly
recommended. This will help to detect erroneous input data and
ensure meaningful results.
21
If desired, the HydroCAD runoff procedure is specially designed to permit a Tc of zero. This can be used to model the
instantaneous runoff from rain falling on the surface of a pond.
22
This test is for the peak only. If the entire volume is required, you must still determine if the span is sufficient.
61
TR-55 and the Tabular Method

Because of the enormous computational requirements of the unit hydrograph procedure, the SCS
derived a simplified tabular method which it published in Technical Release 55 (TR-55).
The tabular method consists of a number of composite hydrographs produced with TR-20, which
are then scaled and interpolated in order to approximate the results that would have been produced
with TR-20 itself.
In order to keep the number of tables to a minimum, average values were used for several variables.
The equations of TR-55 were then designed to reintroduce the dependencies on these parameters.
The two primary assumptions of TR-55 are a Curve Number of 75 and a runoff of 3 inches. TR-20
and TR-55 can be expected to deviate as these assumptions become invalid.
A number of other conditions also indicate the use of TR-20:
! Tc<.1 hours or Tc>2 hours
! Drainage subareas differ by a factor of 5 or more
! The entire hydrograph is required for routing
! Accurate volumes are required for routing
The approximations of TR-55 are sufficient to cause the SCS to place the following warnings in the
documentation:
This method (TR-55) approximates TR-20, a more detailed hydrograph procedure.... Use
TR-20 if the watershed is very complex or a higher degree of accuracy is required.
This applies particularly to the design of detention basins, since they are very sensitive to changes
in the inflow hydrograph. Again quoting from TR-55:
The procedure (TR-55) should not be used to perform final design if an error in storage of
25 percent cannot be tolerated.... More detailed hydrograph development and routing will
often pay for itself through reduced construction costs.
When evaluating TR-55, keep in mind that it was developed primarily for manual use. When
computers are available, the complete TR-20 unit hydrograph methodology is preferred.
Note:
62
The latest Windows TR-55 release now uses the full unit hydrograph
procedure, as HydroCAD has done since 1986. However, there are
still limitations in Win-TR-55 that preclude its use in many
situations, and require the use of a more flexible model, such as
Win-TR-20 or HydroCAD.
Section 14 - Santa Barbara Urban Hydrograph

The Santa Barbara Urban Hydrograph method (SBUH) was developed by the Santa Barbara
County (California) Flood Control and Water Conservation District. The SBUH method has many
similarities to the SCS Unit Hydrograph procedure discussed in the previous chapter. Both
techniques employ the same SCS curve numbers, runoff equation, and rainfall distributions.
However, the SBUH method does not utilize a unit hydrograph or the convolution process. Instead,
an instantaneous hydrograph is generated and then routed through an imaginary reservoir with
a time delay equal to the subcatchment's time of concentration.
This calculation is relatively simple in comparison to the SCS-UH procedure, and takes less time
to perform. While the availability of the SCS-UH procedure might appear to eliminate the need
for the SBUH method, some localities prefer the SBUH method for specific situations.
Runoff Procedure
There are two distinct steps involved in generating a runoff hydrograph by the SBUH method:
1) Compute the instantaneous hydrograph: The storm is divided into equal time
increments (dt). At each increment, the SCS Runoff Equation (see page 59) is used to determine
the precipitation excess. The difference between the successive values represents the
instantaneous runoff at that point in time. A typical instantaneous hydrograph is represented by
the dashed line in the above graph.
2) Compute the runoff hydrograph: The runoff hydrograph is obtained by routing the
instantaneous hydrograph through an imaginary reservoir with a time delay equal to the time of
concentration. The following equation is used to estimate the routed flow at each point in time:
63
Qt ' Qt&dt % w [ It&dt % It & 2 Qt&dt ]

where w '
dt
2 Tc % dt
Eq. 13
Qt=Runoff at time t [ft/sec] or [m/sec]

It=Instantaneous runoff at time t [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
dt=Calculation time increment [sec]
Tc=Time of concentration [sec]
w=Routing Coefficient
A typical runoff hydrograph is shown by a solid line in the graph above. Note the delay and
reduction in the peak caused by the routing procedure.
Some implementations of the SBUH method require that the runoff be calculated separately for
the pervious and impervious portions of each subcatchment, rather than using a single composite
curve number. This may be accomplished by modeling the pervious and impervious components
as separate subcatchments, or by changing the curve number weighting option as described on
page 50.
64
Section 15 - Rational Method

The Rational method may be used to generate runoff hydrographs. However, since Rational
method was developed primarily for predicting peak flow, its use is not advised for volume-sensitive
routing calculations.
Runoff Procedure
The Rational method predicts the peak runoff according to the formula:
Q ' CiA
Eq. 14
Q=Peak Runoff
C=Runoff Coefficient
i=Rainfall intensity
A=Area
The equation can be evaluated using English or metric units, as long as proper dimensions are
observed. For English use, it is traditional to employ inches-per-hour and acres for the intensity
and area, respectively. Converting the units yields the following relationship, in which the factor
of 1.01 is often omitted:
q [cfs] ' 1.01 C i [inches/hr] A [acres]
Eq. 15
For metric use we can substitute mm/hr and hectares for the intensity and area, respectively.
Converting the units yields the following relationship:
q [m 3/s] '
1
C i [mm/hr] A [ha]
360
Eq. 16
When using the Rational method, the rainfall intensity can be entered manually, or an IDF curve
can be provided so the intensity can be automatically determined for any specified duration. IDF
is available from a number of sources as discussed on page 45.
In order to generate a complete hydrograph (as required by HydroCAD), it is assumed that the
runoff begins at the start of the storm and increases linearly to the peak value, which is sustained
until the storm duration (D) has elapsed, and then decreases linearly to zero.
The rate at which the hydrograph rises and falls is based on the Tc and a rise/fall factor. For
standard Rational method, the rise and fall factors are both one. That is, the rise and fall occur
over the exact interval Tc. Variations of the Rational method (often called the Modified Rational
method), may use different rise and fall factors, which can be set directly using Settings|Calculation.
65
Rational method runoff traditionally begins at zero hours, although it can start at whatever time
is specified in the calculation settings. A typical rational method hydrograph is shown below.
Typical Rational Method Hydrograph
Since hydrographs produced by the Rational method do not reflect the total storm runoff volume
(or the intensity variation over time), this runoff method is generally not recommended for the
design and analysis of detention ponds. Whenever possible, the SCS-UH or SBUH runoff method
is preferable in order to produce a complete inflow hydrograph as required for accurate pond
routing.
Proper use of the Rational method also requires that the correct critical duration (and the
corresponding intensity) be used at each point of study. This is typically defined as the duration
that produces the highest peak flow. Depending on the specific watershed, this may occur at any
duration between the shortest and longest Tc. As the study progresses downstream, the critical
duration generally increases, and the determination of the critical duration tends to become more
complex. Note that as the duration is changed, all upstream subcatchments must be recalculated
for the new value. (HydroCAD does this automatically.) This is the correct procedure for applying
the Rational method, despite frequent misuse of the method in which upstream values are held
constant.
To avoid trial-and-error solutions, HydroCAD provides a duration analysis report that can
automatically determine the critical value.23 When you click the Update button on the duration
report, HydroCAD evaluates the peak flow for a range of durations and automatically determines
the critical duration. When analyzing a pond, this procedure will determine the duration that
produces the highest peak water surface elevation.
Frequency Factor
In some applications, the standard intensity value is adjusted by a specific frequency factor. This
value can entered directly on the Settings|Calculation screen, or specified within the applicable IDF
file. The latter method is generally preferred, since it allows a different frequency factor to be
automatically applied for each return period.
23
To enable the duration analysis report, you must select an appropriate IDF curve on the Rainfall tab of the
Settings|Calculation screen.
66
Section 16 - Reach Routing Calculations

A reach is used to perform an independent hydrograph routing through an open channel, or through
a pipe flowing under open-channel conditions. A channel or pipe can alternatively be modeled as
a flow segment within a subcatchment, where its travel time will contribute to the Tc. The later
approach is usually simpler, and may even be necessary in the case of a subcatchment that is
draining along the entire length of the reach. However, for a long reach with a significant inflow
at one end, a separate reach routing may be called for. This section details the procedures used to
perform an independent reach routing.
Reach Routing Curves

Reach routing requires that the reach first be characterized by two curves: the end-area vs. depth
(stage-storage), and the discharge vs. depth (stage-discharge). This information may be determined
by any of the following options:
Option 1 The user may directly specify the end-area and discharge at any number of depths.
Values for intermediate depths are interpolated as described on page 70.
Option 2 The user may enter the end-area and wetted perimeter at each depth. Values for
intermediate depths are interpolated as described on page 70. Manning's equation is then used to
calculate the discharge at each depth (see Basic Hydraulics p.77):
V'
1.486 R 3 So2
Eq. 17
V=Average velocity of flow [ft/sec] or [m/sec]

1.486=English factor (use 1.0 for metric)
R=Hydraulic radius [ft] or [m]
S0=Slope of hydraulic grade line [rise/run]
=Slope of channel bottom, assuming normal flow
n=Manning's number (See table on page 162)
also
R '
A
P
and
Q ' VA
Eq. 18
A=Area of flow [ft] or [m]

P=Wetted perimeter [ft] or [m]
Q=Flow [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
thus
Q'
1.486
A
P
S2 A
' 1.486
A3 S2
2
n P
Eq. 19
Option 3 For a rectangular, vee, trapezoidal, parabolic, or circular (pipe) channel, the user may
provide the appropriate dimensions, and HydroCAD will determine the end-area and discharge
curves using the cross section equations on page 169, and Manning's equation as shown above.
67
Option 4a Other shapes, such as natural channels, can be described with a custom cross-section.
The section is defined by a table of coordinates that indicate the offset and elevation of points along
the cross-section. Mannings equation is then used to calculate the flow at any required depth.
Option 4b A custom cross-section may also be defined in which each segment has a different
Mannings value. The total flow is determined with a composite Mannings value or segmented
flow, using one of the following methods. (See Open Channel Hydraulics p.136.)
Horton (deep flow) method
(n Pi )
nc ' j i
j Pi
3/2
2/3
Eq. 20
nc=Composite Mannings number

ni=Mannings value for segment i
Pi=Wetted perimeter for segment i
This technique is commonly used for deep channels, where the velocity is relatively constant
throughout the cross-section. If applied to a section with a constant Mannings value, the result
is identical to the original Mannings value.
Pavlovskii (shallow flow) method
(n P )
nc ' j i i
j Pi
2
1/2
Eq. 21

This technique is commonly used for shallow channels, where the velocity may vary considerably
between segments. It is based on the assumption that the total resistant force for the cross-section
is the sum of the resistant force for each of the segments.
Lotter (subdivided flow) method
nc '
P R 5/3
j
5/3
Pi Ri
ni

Ri=Hydraulics radius for segment i = Areai/Pi
P=Total wetted perimeter = sum(Pi)
R=Hydraulic radius for entire channel = Area/P
68
Eq. 22
This technique is based on the assumption that the total flow is equal to the sum of the flows for
the individual segments. If applied to a section with a constant Mannings value, the result is not
the same as the original Mannings value.
Subdivision by Segment
Q ' j Qi
Eq. 23
Q=Total flow for cross-section [ft/sec] or [m/sec]

Qi=Flow for segment i (see Eq.19) [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
This technique produces exactly the same flow as the Lotter method, described above. It differs
only in the calculation procedure, in which the total flow is the sum of the flows calculated
separately for each segment, without the use of a composite Mannings value.
Subdivision by Manning's Value
Q ' j Qn
Eq. 24
Q=Total flow for cross-section [ft/sec] or [m/sec]

Qn=Flow for consecutive segments with same Mannings value
This technique subdivides the channel only when there is a change (break) in the Manning's value.
This produces more consistent results than subdivision by segment, in that the resulting flow is
independent of the number of points along the cross section. When all segments have the same
Manning's value, the flow is identical to the traditional solution for a constant Manning's value.
This technique is similar (although not identical) to the current procedure used in HEC-RAS.
Other Procedures
If another technique is used to calculate flow through a complex cross-section, the rating curve can
be calculated separately and entered into HydroCAD using option 1, above. However, using a
defined geometry or cross-section allows direct evaluation of the channel at any depth, without
having to interpolate between a (smaller) number of user-defined stages.
Reach Routing Limitations

The preceding stage-discharge calculations are based solely on Manning's equation, and do not
consider possible inlet, outlet, or tailwater effects. If a complete analysis is desired for a pipe,
including entrance losses and possible tailwater effects, it should be modeled as a pond with a
culvert outlet. If a detailed water surface profile is required for a channel, you should use a
program specifically designed for that purpose.24
24
Water surface profiles are usually calculated under constant-flow conditions, rather than with a hydrograph (timevarying flow). Peak flows (from HydroCAD or another hydrograph model) are often used as input for these calculations.
69
Reach Routing Table

When performing a reach routing, HydroCAD uses an internal routing table to provide storage and
discharge information at any required depth. The construction of this table depends on the selected
reach option, as listed on page 67. When entering discharge or wetted-perimeter directly (options
1 or 2), several interpolation options are available:
Linear: This option creates a routing table containing the same number of depth values (stages)
specified by the user. When the routing is performed, intermediate storage and discharge values
are obtained by linear interpolation between these stages. (This option is provided primarily for
compatibility with HydroCAD 7.1 and earlier.)
Multi-point: This option creates a routing table with a larger number of evenly-spaced depth
intervals (normally 100). Each user-specified depth is also included in the table, to ensure
accuracy at these exact depths. Storage is calculated at each tabulated depth using a linear
interpolation between user-defined stages. When entering wetted-perimeter, linear interpolation
is used to determine the perimeter at each tabulated depth, and the corresponding discharge is
calculated with Manning's equation. When entering discharge, linear interpolation is used to
determine the discharge at each tabulated depth. Multi-point is the default option, and is
recommended for most situations.
Parabolic: This option creates a routing table with a larger number of evenly-spaced depths, just
like Multi-point, except that intermediate values are determined by parabolic interpolation using
the three adjacent user-defined stages. This option may provide greater accuracy when the
user-supplied rating table contains a limited number of stages.
Logarithmic: This option creates a routing table with a larger number of evenly-spaced depths,
just like Parabolic, except that intermediate storage and discharge values are determined by
logarithmic interpolation. (Since the log of zero is undefined, logarithmic interpolation cannot be
used between the first two user stages, so linear interpolation is employed in this range. This effect
can be minimized by including a near-zero stage slightly above the bottom of the channel.)
Note:
The Parabolic and Logarithmic options may provide greater accuracy

when the user-supplied rating table contains a limited number of
stages. However, the resulting storage and discharge plots should
be examined to be sure the interpolation method is appropriate for
the data.
When using a standard channel geometry (option 3) or custom cross-section (options 4a and 4b) the
routing table normally contains 100 evenly-spaced depth values, ranging from zero depth up to the
overall depth of the reach. At each tabulated depth, HydroCAD calculates the perimeter, storage,
and discharge based on the channel geometry and Mannings equation.
For all reach options, the finished routing table is used to perform the actual routing calculations,
using a linear interpolation to determine the storage and discharge at intermediate depths. If
greater accuracy is required, the number of depth increments can be increased on the Advanced
tab of the applicable reach.
70
Reach Routing Methods

HydroCAD currently provides the following techniques for reach routing, as described in the
remainder of this section:
! Storage-Indication Method (Stor-Ind)
! Storage-Indication plus Translation (Stor-Ind+Trans)
! Dynamic Storage-Indication Method (Dyn-Stor-Ind)
! Muskingum-Cunge Method
! Dynamic Muskingum-Cunge Method
! Simultaneous Routing (Sim-Route)
Storage-Indication Method
The Storage-Indication method (Stor-Ind) is the most basic reach routing technique provided by
HydroCAD, and is based on the routing equations developed on page 115. The actual routing
procedure is as follows.
1) The reach's stage-discharge relationship is calculated as described above.
2) The stage-storage relationship is determined from the reach cross-section multiplied by the
length.
3) The stage-discharge and stage-storage curves are used to create a storage-indication curve.
4) Routing is performed using the specified time span and time increment. At each point in time,
a storage-indication value is calculated based on the current inflow, plus the previous inflow,
outflow, and volume in the reach.
5) The current storage-indication value and the storage-indication curve are used to determine the
new elevation.
6) Using the new elevation, the stage-storage and stage-discharge curves are consulted to
determine the new storage and discharge.
7) This process is repeated for all points in the inflow hydrograph.
In practice, the procedure may incorporate a number of other factors, such as a base flow or inflow
loss. Any unusual conditions, such as the channel overtopping, will produce a specific warning
message as listed on page 131.
Storage-Indication plus Translation
The Stor-Ind+Trans method is identical to the Storage-Indication method described above, except
that the storage-routed hydrograph is subject to a further time lag (translation) by the travel time,
as defined on page 123. This is an early technique provided by HydroCAD to allow for travel time
on some reaches. For longer reaches, or when peak timing is critical, a full kinematic routing
procedure is recommend, such as the Muskingum-Cunge method, described below.
Dynamic Storage-Indication Method
The Dyn-Stor-Ind reach routing procedure is identical to the Storage-Indication method described
above, except that the calculations are performed over the entire watershed at each time step.
Although the reach routing results are unchanged, this allows the overall watershed to be analyzed
in a dynamic manner so that ponds may respond to tailwater effects as described on page 117.
71
Muskingum-Cunge Method
This routing method is intended to duplicate results that would be obtained with the current
Win-TR-20 software. (See Muskingum-Cunge Flood Routing Procedure in NRCS Hydrologic Models
by William H. Merkel.) The basic HydroCAD procedure is as follows:
Step 1: Determine m-value vs. Depth
The m value defines the relationship between the flow velocity (V) and the wave velocity or celerity
(c). m is the slope of the discharge-area curve in a log-log plot, and is constant at all depths for
basic channel geometries, such as vee and trapezoidal. However, for complex cross sections, and
especially for flood plains, the value can vary considerably with depth. To handle these situations,
HydroCAD uses a weighted m value, according to the same procedure developed for TR-20.
When stage data is entered directly, the m value is calculated at each user-specified depth, and
then interpolated to the depths used in the internal routing table. When using a standard channel
geometry or cross-section, m is directly calculated at each depth in the routing table.
Step 2: Select Reference Flow
HydroCAD currently provides a constant-parameter implementation of the Muskingum-Cunge
procedure. This requires the selection of a constant reference flow at which the routing parameters
will be determined. When using a sequential routing procedure, the reference flow is set equal to
75% of the peak inflow. When using a dynamic routing procedure, the peak is unknown until the
routing is complete, so the reference flow is set equal to 75% of the flow at flood depth or 75% of the
channel-full capacity. In either case, the user may override the default value by entering the
preferred reference flow.
Step 3: Determine Wave Velocity
Using the reference flow, the equivalent flow depth, velocity, and m value are determined by linear
interpolation from the routing table. (The user may override the automatic m value by entering
the preferred value on the reach edit screen.) The wave velocity (celerity) is then given by:
c ' m V
Eq. 25
c=Wave velocity (celerity) [ft/sec] or [m/sec]

m=Rating curve exponent
V=Flow velocity [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
Step 4: Determine Time and Distance Steps

The time step (t) is generally selected in order to provide sufficient definition for the runoff and
inflow hydrographs. This selection will generally ensure that the inflow peak occurs after at least
ten time steps, as recommended in the TR-20 implementation. If necessary, a smaller time step
can be specified. The overall reach length may require division into a number of equal sub-reaches
of length x, such that x is approximately equal to the distance traveled by the flood wave in a
single time step:
72
where x ' L
to obtain x . c t
N ' round
L
c t
Eq. 26
x=Distance step (length of sub-reach) [ft] or [m]

t=Time step (dt) [sec]
L=Total reach length [ft] or [m]
N=Number of sub-reaches (rounded to nearest whole number)
Step 5: Determine Routing Parameters

The following equation defines the Muskingum relationship between reach inflow, outflow, and
storage:
S ' K X I % (1&X) O
Eq. 27
S=Reach storage [ft] or [m]

K=Storage constant [sec]
X=Weighting factor [dimensionless]
I=Reach inflow [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
O=Reach outflow [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
The routing parameters K and X are given by:
K '
x
c
Eq. 28
K=Wave travel time through sub-reach [sec]

x=Distance step (length of sub-reach) [ft] or [m]
X '
1
2
1&
Q
B So c x
'
1
2
1&
VD
So c x
Eq. 29
X=Routing factor (0.0 to 0.5)

Q=Reference flow [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
B=Average flow width of reference flow [ft] or [m]
V=Reference flow velocity [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
D=Reference flow depth [ft] or [m]
S0=Slope of hydraulic grade line [rise/run]
=Slope of channel bottom, assuming normal flow
Note that the selection of x will produce a wave travel time K that approximates the time step t.
The routing factor X controls the peak outflow, with smaller values producing more attenuation.
73
Step 6: Calculate Routing Coefficients

Conservation of mass is assured by use of the continuity equation:
S2 & S1 '
I1%I2 O1%O2
&
t
2
2
Eq. 30
S1,S2=Storage at time t1 and t2 [ft] or [m]

I1,I2=Inflow at time t1 and t2 [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
O1,O2=Outflow at time t1 and t2 [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
t=Time difference between t1 and t2 [sec]
Combining with Eq.27 and simplifying yields the final routing equation:
O2 ' C1 I1 % C2 I2 % C3 O1
where
C3 '
C1 '
t /K % 2 X
C0
2 (1&X) & t /K
C0
C2 '
C0 '
t /K & 2 X
C0
Eq. 31
t
% 2 (1&X)
K
Step 7: Perform Hydrograph Routing

The routing equation (Eq. 31) is applied at each time step t in the inflow hydrograph. If the reach
has been divided into sub-reaches (N>1), the calculation is repeated for each sub-reach, using the
outflow of the previous sub-reach as the inflow to its successor.
The continuity equation (Eq. 30) is also evaluated at each time step in order to determine the reach
storage, average depth, and average flow velocity over the length of the reach.
As an aid to evaluating the routing results, a detailed list of routing parameters is included in the
reach summary report. (Click any part of the report for a detailed discussion of each parameter.)
Dynamic Muskingum-Cunge Method
The Dynamic Muskingum-Cunge procedure is identical to the standard Muskingum-Cunge
procedure described above, except that the calculations are performed over the entire watershed
at each time step. Although the reach routing results are unchanged, this allows the overall
watershed to be analyzed in a dynamic manner so that ponds may respond to tailwater effects as
described on page 117.
The Dynamic Muskingum-Cunge procedure will produce the same reach routing results as the
standard (sequential) Muskingum-Cunge procedure, as long as the same reference flow is used.
74
Simultaneous Reach Routing

The Sim-Route reach routing procedure is provided for compatibility with simultaneous pond
routing. Although this method does not currently allow reaches to respond to tailwater changes,
its does allow the overall watershed to be analyzed in a simultaneous manner so that ponds may
respond to tailwater effects as described on page 119.
Simultaneous reach routing is based on the basic equation for conservation of mass. (See
Hydrologic Analysis and Design p.545.)
I & O '
S
where S ' S2 & S1
t
Eq. 32
S2 ' S1 % ( I & O ) t
I=Inflow rate [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
O=Outflow rate [ft/sec] or [m/sec]
t=Time increment (dt) [sec]
S=Change in storage [ft] or [m]
S1=Storage at start of time interval [ft] or [m]
S2=Storage at end of time interval [ft] or [m]
The following procedure is used to perform the actual hydrograph routing:

1) Routing is performed using the specified time span and time increment, and begins with no
water stored in the reach.
2) The new reach storage (S2) is calculated using the above equation with the previous rates of
inflow and outflow. (Using the previous value allows non-sequential flows, for which the current
inflow is unknown.)
3) Using the new storage volume, a new flow depth is calculated based on the assumption of normal
flow.
4) Using the new flow depth, a new discharge is calculated from Manning's equation or from the
user-defined stage-discharge relationship.
5) Steps 2 through 4 are repeated at each time interval until the entire hydrograph has been
developed.
Additional considerations apply to all simultaneous routing procedures as described on page 119.
75
Effects of Reach Routing

A reach will normally attenuate and delay the hydrograph that is routed through it. The extent of
this transformation depends on many factors, including the reach dimensions, slope, and Manning's
number. Short reaches (up to
several hundred feet) often have a
minimal effect on the routed
hydrograph. For this reason they
are frequently modeled as a flow
segment within a subcatchment.
On the other hand, for long reaches
with large cross-sections, low slopes
and/or high Manning's numbers,
the routing effect can be
significant. The graph at right
shows the effects of storageindication routing through a 5500
foot long channel.
Significant
attenuation may also occur on
shorter reaches if the inflow peak is
of short duration.
Allowing for Travel Time
The storage-indication method, as illustrated above, accounts for only the storage effects of the
reach. Other techniques must be used to account for the kinematic effects of long reaches, such as
the Stor-Ind+Trans method
described on page 71. A close
examination of the graph below
reveals that the peak discharge no
longer corresponds to a point on the
inflow curve, but is translated
according to the travel time.
A better option for modeling
kinematic effects is the
Muskingum-Cunge method
described on page 72. This is the
standard reach routing procedure
in the latest Win-TR-20 release,
and is recommended when
significant kinematic effects are
present.
76
Section 17 - Pond Storage Calculations

Most pond routing procedures require basic information about the ponds stage-storage
relationship. In addition to allowing direct entry of stage-storage data, HydroCAD can
automatically calculate storage volumes for a wide range of common shapes:
Prismatoid
A volume with a square or rectangular base, with vertical or equally-sloping
sides. Suitable for modeling rectangular vaults, excavations, or above-ground
storage with rectangular horizontal sections.
Upright Cone
A vertical cylinder or cone with any side-slope. Suitable for modeling a
vertical cylinder or above-ground storage with circular horizontal sections.
Round Pipe Storage
For modeling storage in a round pipe or cylindrical tank. May be set level or
on a slope.
Box Pipe Storage
For modeling storage in a rectangular pipe or trench. May be set level or on
a slope.
Arch & Elliptical Pipe Storage
For modeling storage in an elliptical or arch pipe. May be set level or on a
slope.
Arch Chamber
For approximate modeling of storage chambers with a parabolic arch and a
flat bottom. For more accurate results, use a prefab chamber definition, as
described below.
Prefab Chamber
For precise modeling of prefabricated stormwater chambers, using the
HydroCAD chamber library. The underground storage wizard can be used
for automated layout, modeling, and pricing of chamber installations.
Custom Storage
Allows direct entry of storage data or surface areas. Suitable for natural
ponds or other shapes that cannot be readily modeled with the other storage
options described above.
77
Appropriate Use
Pond storage options, including pipe storage, are intended to model water storage, not conveyance.
This requires the presence of outlet controls that restricts the flow sufficiently in order to create
a level-pool within the defined storage. If a level-pool does not exist, an alternate modeling
procedure (such as multiple ponds or a reach routing) may be required.
Compound Storage
Although a pond can often be described with a single storage definition, HydroCAD allows each
pond to employ multiple definitions as required to define the overall storage. For example, a single
pond might include an underground storage vault (prismatoid), a section of pipe storage, plus an
above-grade overflow area (custom storage).
When using compound storage, water
is assumed to flow freely between all
volumes in each pond, such that they
maintain essentially the same water
surface elevation throughout the pond
routing (i.e. a level pool). If this assumption is not valid, the storage volumes may need to be
modeled as separate ponds, with the appropriate outlet controls.
Embedded Storage
Storage definitions can also be embedded inside each other, such as perforated pipe or storage
chambers buried in a bed of crushed stone. This procedure uses the ability to define the fraction
of voids within each storage volume, in order to allow for the effects of stone, sand, or gravel fill.
When embedding a thick-walled storage
chamber (such as a concrete tank or pipe), a
wall thickness can be specified to allow
accurate calculation of the displaced volume.
When using a prefab chamber definition, the
wall thickness is generally preset within the
chamber definition.
You can set up imbedded storage manually, or
use the underground storage wizard for automated layout and modeling with any of the pre-defined
chambers. (See page 84 for details.)
Wetted Area
For most storage definitions, HydroCAD can also determine the wetted area and surface area at any
elevation. These parameters may be used in conjunction with certain exfiltration calculations as
described on page 108.
The remainder of this section describes the equations used to evaluate each type of storage. This
includes the volume calculations, as well as the determination of surface and wetted areas.
78
Prismatoid Storage
For a prismatoid with a rectangular base and four equally sloping (or vertical) sides, the volume
is given by:
V '
y
( A1 % 4 A2 % A3 )
6
A1 ' L1 W1
L2 '
A2 ' L2 W2
L1 %L3
2
W2 '
L3 ' L1 % 2 y Z
A3 ' L3 W3
W1 %W3
Eq. 33
W3 ' W1 % 2 y Z
V=Volume
y=Water depth
A1=Bottom area (depth=0)
A2=Mid area (depth=y/2)
A3=Top area (depth=y)
L1,L2,L3=Bottom/Mid/Top length
W1,W2,W3=Bottom/Mid/Top width
Z=Side Run/Rise (0=vertical)
The side area is given by the following equation:

As ' Hs L1 % L3 % W1 %W3
Eq. 34
Hs ' y Z 2 % 1
AS=Side area
HS=Side height along slope
To obtain the total wetted area, add the bottom area to this value. (The top area is never included,
even when the volume is full.)
If a wall thickness is specified, the outer volume (inclusive of the wall) is calculated by increasing
the length and width of the prismatoid by twice the horizontal extent of the wall:
Do ' D % 2 T Z 2 % 1
Eq. 35
DO=Outside Length or Width

D=Inside Length or Width
T=Wall Thickness
Z=Side Run/Rise
By convention, the wall thickness is not added to the top or bottom of the prismatoid.
79
Vertical Conic Storage

The volume of a horizontal section (frustum) of a vertical cone (or cylinder) is given by:
h
A1 % A2 % A1 A2
3
2
A1 ' R1
V '
A2 ' R2
Eq. 36
and R2 ' R1 % h Z
V=Volume of section
h=Height of section
A1,A2=Area of bottom/top of section
R1,R2=Radius of bottom/top of section
Z=Side Run/Rise (0=vertical)
The wetted side area is given by either of the following equations:

As ' ( R1 %R2 )
( R1 &R2 )2 % h 2
Eq. 37
As '
A1 % A2
A1& A2 % h
AS=Wetted (side) area of section
To obtain the total wetted area, add the bottom area to this value.
the radius by the horizontal extent of the wall:
Ro ' R % T Z 2 % 1
Eq. 38
RO=Outside Radius
R=Inside Radius
T=Wall Thickness
Z=Side Run/Rise
By convention, the wall thickness is not added to the top or bottom of the cone.
80
Round Pipe Storage

For a level round pipe, the storage volume at any depth is given by:
V ' L Ae
Ae '
1
2
R 2 [ & sin ( ) ]
Eq. 39
&1
' 2 cos [ 1 & ]

R
V=Volume
L=Length
Ae=Submerged end area
R=Radius
=Submerged central angle [radians]
y=Water depth
The wetted area is given by:

Aw ' L R
(excluding end&areas)
Aw ' L R % 2 Ae
(including end&areas)
Eq. 40
For exfiltration calculations, the end-area is normally excluded.

The surface area is given by:
As ' 2 L R sin
' 2 L
y (2R&y)
Eq. 41
If the pipe lies on a slope25, each of these parameters requires a numerical integration over the
portion of the pipe that is partially full. This is added to the corresponding value for any portion
of the pipe that is completely full.
the radius by the wall thickness:
Ro ' R % T
Eq. 42
RO=Outside Radius
R=Inside Radius
T=Wall Thickness
By convention, the wall thickness is not added to the pipe length (ends).
25
The ability to model sloped pipe storage was added in HydroCAD 7.1.
81
Box Pipe Storage

For a level box pipe, the storage volume at any depth is given by:
V ' L W y
Eq. 43
V=Volume
L=Length
W=Width
y=Water depth
The wetted area is given by:

Aw ' L ( W % 2y ) (excluding end&areas)
Aw ' L ( W % 2y ) % 2 W y (including end&areas)
Eq. 44
For exfiltration calculations, the end-area is normally excluded.

The surface area is given by:
As ' L W
Eq. 45
the width and height by twice the wall thickness:
Do ' D % 2 T
DO=Outside Dimension
D=Inside Dimension
T=Wall Thickness
By convention, the wall thickness is not added to the pipe length (ends).
Elliptical and Arch Pipe Storage

Arch pipes are characterized by a top, bottom, and corner
radius. An elliptical pipe is a special case of an arch pipe, in
which the top and bottom radii are the same.
The storage volume for an arch pipe consists of up to three
components, depending on how much of the bottom, corner, and
top chords of the pipe are submerged. This calculation is
considerably more complex than other types of pipe storage, and
is not detailed in this document.
82
Eq. 46
Parabolic Arch Storage

The full volume of a parabolic arch chamber is given by:
V '
2
Y W L
3
Eq. 47
V=Storage volume
Y=Parabola height
W=Parabola width
L=Length of chamber
For a partially full arch, the volume is calculated by subtracting the non-submerged volume from
the volume of the entire arch.
The side area of a parabolic arch is given by:
As ' L Ps
Ps '
4Y %
W2
4
W2
ln
%
8Y
2Y %
4Y 2% W
Eq. 48
W
2
As=Side area
Ps=Side perimeter
For a partially full arch, the side area is calculated by subtracting the non-submerged portion of
the arch from the entire arch.
To obtain the entire wetted area, add the bottom area to this value. For exfiltration calculations,
the end-area is normally excluded.
the width and height accordingly:
Yo ' Y % T
Wo ' W % 2 T
Eq. 49
YO=Outside height
WO=Outside width
T=Wall Thickness
Note that the wall thickness is not added to the bottom of the arch, which is usually open.
83
Prefab Chamber Storage

For a prefabricated storage chamber, the submerged volume is
calculated using the width or incremental storage data from the
applicable chamber definition file.
The wetted area at any depth is the sum of the bottom area and
side area, which is inferred from the supplied chamber data. Note
that this value is rarely used in exfiltration calculations (see p.108),
since the exfiltration rate is usually based on the area of the outer
excavation in which the chamber is embedded, rather than the area
of the chamber itself.
Chamber Library
Click View|Chamber to open the chamber report
screen and view the chamber definitions that are
pre-installed with HydroCAD. The chamber report
allows you to select multiple chambers and compare
their storage characteristics and cross-sections, as
shown here.
Click Get Updates to download the latest chamber
updates for your HydroCAD system.
Chamber Wizard
The chamber wizard simplifies the process of modeling underground storage systems, by
automatically sizing the overall drainage field based on the amount of stone required around each
chamber. Layout parameters, such as row spacing and stone cover, can be automatically set
according to the manufacturers recommendations, making it much easier to design and compare
different storage scenarios.
When complete, the wizard
produces a stone-filled storage
volume with the chamber system
automatically embedded in the
stone. In addition to modeling
arched chambers, the wizard can
be used to model pipe storage
systems, including the pipe header
assembly.
The wizard can also be used to
estimate basic system cost, based
on user-supplied pricing for the
chamber, excavation, and stone,
plus optional user-specified items, such as filter fabric or header assemblies.
84
Custom Storage
Custom storage may be defined in three ways:
1) Direct entry of cumulative (total) storage at various elevations, which requires no further
calculations.
2) Entry of incremental storage, that is, the volume of horizontal sections across the pond.
These sections are summed by the program to produce the cumulative storage.
3) Entry of surface areas at various elevations, from which HydroCAD determines the
incremental (and cumulative) storage at each elevation.
The third option is often the most convenient, since it uses readily available data, such as the
surface area at each contour elevation. The actual storage calculation is based on the selected pond
shape, as described below.
Custom Prismatic Storage
Each stage is taken as a horizontal section of a prism. This provides accurate volumes for
four-sided ponds when zero, one or two (opposing) sides of the pond are sloping, and the other sides
are vertical. This is equivalent to the traditional average area method.
V ' h
A1%A2
2
Eq. 50
V=Volume of section
h=Height of section
A1=Area of bottom of section
A2=Area of top of section
Since the aspect ratio of prismatic shapes is undefined, the wetted area cannot be determined,
making this shape incompatible with exfiltration calculations. One of the other shapes should be
selected when wetted area is required.
Custom Pyramidal Storage
Each stage is taken as a horizontal section (frustum) of a pyramid. This assumes four sides of
equal length and slope, and includes any shape with horizontal cross-sections that are square and
concentric, including a square box with vertical sides.
V '
h
3
A1 % A2 % A1 A2
Eq. 51
V=Volume of section
h=Height of section
85
The side area is given by the following equation:
A s ' A1 % A2
Eq. 52
A1& A2 % 4 h 2
As=Wetted (side) area of section
Custom Conic Storage
Each stage is taken as a horizontal section (frustum) of a cone. This includes any shape with
horizontal cross-sections that are circular and concentric, such as a cylinder or cone. This
calculation is appropriate for many dry wells and natural ponds. The storage volume is given by:
V '
h
3
A1 % A2 % A1 A2
Eq. 53
V=Volume of section
h=Height of section
The side area is given by:
As ' A1% A2
2
A1& A2 % h 2 ' R1%R2 (R1&R2)2 % h 2 Eq. 54
As=Side area of section
Custom Irregular Storage
Although the exact shape is unknown, the volume is calculated as a conic section using equation 53,
as shown above. This provides reasonable accuracy for natural ponds with equally sloping (or
vertical) sides, or when small section heights are used.
To calculate the wetted area, the specified perimeter is taken as the circumference of an equivalent
circle. Substituting the resulting radius into equation 54 (the wetted area of a conic section) yields
a reasonable estimate of the wetted area:
R1 '
P1
2
and R2 '
P2
2
As '
P1 % P2
(P1&P2)2
42
%h 2
As=Wetted (side) area of section

h=Height of section
P1,P2=Perimeter of bottom/top of section
R1,R2=Radius of bottom/top of section
86
Eq. 55
Section 18 - Pond Hydraulics Calculations

This section details the hydraulics calculations used by HydroCAD. These equations are used to
determine the discharge of each device under specific headwater and tailwater conditions, primarily
in determining the stage-discharge relationship for a pond. All equations determine the discharge
Q, in ft/sec or m/sec.
The following outlet devices and flow characteristics can be modeled with HydroCAD, as detailed
in the following pages:
! Sharp-Crested Rectangular Weir
! Broad-Crested Rectangular Weir
! V-Notch Weir
! Trapezoidal Weir
! Custom Weir/Orifice
! Asymmetrical Weir
! Submerged Weirs
! Dam Breach
! Orifice & Grate Flow
! Culverts
! Tubes, Siphons, and Float-Operated Valves
! Constant-Flow Devices (such as floating skimmers)
! Special Outlet (User-defined stage-discharge curve)
! Pumps
! Exfiltration
Each pond can include an unlimited number of outlet devices,

discharging independently, or combined to create compound
outlets, such as a standpipe or riser discussed on page 114.
87
Sharp-Crested Rectangular Weir

The basic equation for a sharp-crested weir is derived in Open Channel Hydraulics p.362.
Q ' C Le H 3/2 where C ' 2 2g Cd
3
Eq. 56
C=Weir coefficient
Le=Effective crest length
H=Head (above crest or invert elevation)
g=Gravitational constant
Cd=Discharge Coefficient
If the headwater exceeds the weir rise (see page 92), orifice flow exists with:
Q ' C Le
H 3/2 & (H&M)3/2
Eq. 57
M=Rise (vertical dimension of weir opening)
The effective crest length Le may include an adjustment for the number of end contractions.
Le ' L &
nH
L
(but not < )
10
2
Eq. 58
L=Crest length
n=Number of end contractions (0, 1, or 2)
In practice, the weir coefficient C may vary slightly based on the crest height and the resulting
turbulence. If the crest height is specified, the English weir coefficient is given by the following
equation: (To obtain a metric weir coefficient, divide this value by 1.811 as described on page 43.)
C ' 3.27 % .4
H
P
C=Weir coefficient [ feet sec ]

H=Head (above crest)
P=Crest height (above approach channel)
88
Eq. 59
Broad-Crested Rectangular Weir

A broad-crested rectangular weir differs from a sharp-crested weir in that the weir coefficient may
vary as an arbitrary function of head. (See Practical Hydraulics p.274.) This allows more accurate
modeling of a wide range of real-world weirs.
Q ' C L H 3/2 where C ' 2 2g Cd
3
Eq. 60
C=Weir coefficient
L=Crest length
H=Head [above crest]
C varies with H by means of a lookup-table, which supplies the appropriate weir coefficient at
specific heads. For intermediate heads, HydroCAD interpolates linearly between the given values.
For heads that fall outside the given range, HydroCAD uses the first or last coefficient without
extrapolation.
! For weirs with a square-edged crest, the coefficient lookup values
can be supplied automatically by specifying the breadth of the crest.
(Crest thickness along the direction of flow.) This causes the lookup
table to be filled with coefficients as listed on page 164.
! For other weir profiles as listed on page 165, the coefficients are
supplied automatically when the desired profile ID is specified.
! Other crest profiles can be modeled by manually entering weir
coefficients at appropriate heads.
Note: Although a broad-crested weir can produce more accurate results than using a sharp-crested
weir, the effect on the overall hydrograph routing is sometimes less than expected. Unless there
are significant variations in the weir coefficient, the sharp-crested weir equation may provide
comparable accuracy while requiring less data. A quick sensitivity analysis may be useful in
determining the actual effects of coefficient variations.
89
V-Notch Weir
The basic equation for a v-notch weir is derived in Handbook of Hydraulics p.5-15:
Q ' Cv tan H 5/2 where Cv '
2
8
15
2g Cd
Eq. 61
Cv=V-notch weir coefficient

=Notch angle (between two sides)
H=Head (above apex of V)
If the headwater exceeds the weir rise (see page 92) orifice flow exists and the discharge is given
by:
Q ' Cv tan
2
H 5/2 &
5
2
H (H&M)3/2 & 3 (H&M)5/2

2
Eq. 62
This equation is equivalent to the normal v-notch weir flow (Eq.61) minus the trapezoidal weir flow
(Eq.64) that would otherwise occur above the rise.
The v-notch weir coefficient Cv may be entered manually, or automatically calculated based on the
notch angle using the following equation: (To obtain a metric weir coefficient, divide this value by
1.811 as described on page 43.)
Cv ' 2.46 %
tan(90&/2)
25
Cv=English weir coefficient [ feet sec ]
90
Eq. 63
Trapezoidal Weir
Trapezoidal weir flow is a combination of v-notch weir flow (Eq.61) with half of the vee on either
side of the horizontal spillway, plus rectangular weir flow (Eq.56) over the horizontal portion of the
spillway:
Q ' Cv
tan H 5/2 %
where Cv '
8
15
L H 3/2
Eq. 64
2g Cd

=Notch angle (between two sides)
H=Head (above weir crest)
L=Length of horizontal portion of spillway
The weir coefficient may be entered manually, or automatically determined by Eq. 63 above. Also
note the factor of 5/4, which accounts for the different terms that are included in the rectangular
and v-notch weirs coefficients.
Note: This is the same trapezoidal weir equation used in previous versions of HydroCAD,
but is presented here in fully reduced form.
If the headwater exceeds the weir rise (see page 92), orifice flow exists and the discharge is a
combination of v-notch orifice flow (Eq.62) plus rectangular orifice flow (Eq.57):
Q ' Cv tan
H 5/2 &
5
4
5
2
H (H&M)3/2 & 3 (H&M)5/2

2
Eq. 65
Cv L
H 3/2 & (H&M)3/2
91
Weir Rise
The weir rise indicates the vertical height of the weir opening. This parameter is commonly used
to avoid overlap when multiple weir definitions are used to define a complex weir opening, such
as the superimposed rectangular and trapezoidal weirs shown here.
The weir rise may be specified for any sharp-crested rectangular,
vee, or trapezoidal weir. Whenever the headwater exceeds the
weir rise, the appropriate orifice-flow equation is used instead of
the standard weir flow equation.
If the headwater exceeds the uppermost rise (M2 in this example)
a warning message is issued to indicate that the entire weir is
operating under orifice-flow conditions, and that additional weir
data may be required to correctly model the high-head condition.
The use of the weir rise parameter is optional. If the rise is not defined (left blank), the weir is
assumed to have no vertical limit, and the standard weir equation is used for all heads.
Custom Weir/Orifice
A custom weir can be used to model an arbitrary symmetrical flow area, such as a v-notch cut into
a rectangular spillway, or a non-standard orifice. It can even be used to model a device with more
than one opening, as show below.
To calculate the flow through a custom weir, the weir is divided into a number of horizontal
trapezoidal sections, starting at the weir invert and extending to the headwater elevation. The
total flow is determined by adding the flow through each section as given by Eq.64 (for the
uppermost section) and Eq.65 (for the lower sections).
If the weir is subject to tailwater, the discharge is a combination of standard trapezoidal weir flow
(for the area above the tailwater) and constant-head orifice flow (for the area below the tailwater)
as given by Eq.67.
A custom weir/orifice is defined by specifying any
number of head/width pairs as required to fully
define the opening(s). In general, a head/width pair
must be specified at each point of inflection, marked
A-H on the example at right. Note that points C and
D both specify a width of zero, in order to separate
the upper and lower openings. Curves may be
approximated by using a number of closely-spaced
points. For further details, click Help on the
Pond:Custom Weir screen.
A custom weir/orifice will generally yield the same
discharge relationship as using several separate
weir definitions with the appropriate rise settings.
92
Asymmetrical Weir
An asymmetrical weir can be used to model an arbitrary weir crest, such as water spilling over a
roadway. This option is similar to the custom weir/orifice (above), but it doesnt require that the
weir opening be symmetrical around a vertical centerline.
To calculate the flow through an asymmetrical weir,
the weir is divided into a number of rectangular and
half-vee sections. The total flow is determined by
adding the flow through each section, using the
trapezoidal weir equation Eq.64 for partially
submerged sections, and Eq.65 for fully submerged
sections. The flow through a half-vee section is
one-half the flow for a corresponding full-vee.
If the weir is subject to tailwater, the discharge is a
combination of standard trapezoidal weir flow (for
the area above the tailwater) and constant-head
orifice flow (for the area below the tailwater) as
given by Eq.67.
Note that an asymmetrical weir will give exactly the same result as using several separate
trapezoidal weirs to describe the entire weir opening.
The weir crest is described by entering the crest
height or elevation at a number of horizontal offsets.
Offsets (positive or negative) can be measured from
any reference point (weir center, left end, etc.), but
must be entered in ascending numerical order. Use
enough values to accurately describe the shape of
the crest. The crest height at intermediate offsets is
determined by linear interpolation, as shown on the
real-time sketch. The first and last heights (or
elevations) must be the same.
93
Submerged Weirs
The preceding equations specify the discharge for various weirs under conditions of free discharge.
If the tailwater of a weir exceeds the crest elevation, the crest becomes submerged, and the
discharge must be reduced accordingly. HydroCAD provides two separate techniques for evaluating
submerged weirs:
If the weir rise is not specified, the final discharge is determined by the following equation from
Handbook of Hydraulics p.5-18:
Qs ' Qf
1&
H2
0.385
Eq. 66
H1
Qf=Free discharge (from standard weir equation)

Qs=Submerged discharge
H1=Upstream head above crest
H2=Downstream head above crest
n=1.5 for rectangular weirs
n=2.5 for vee/trapezoidal weirs
Although this adjustment was derived specifically for sharp-crested weirs, it is also used to
estimate the discharge for submerged broad-crested weirs.
If the weir rise is specified, the discharge is the sum of two components:
1) Standard weir/orifice flow for the portion of the weir that lies above the tailwater, with the head
and rise measured from the tailwater elevation, rather than from the weir invert.
2) Constant-head orifice flow for the portion of the weir that lies below the tailwater:
Q ' Cd a 2gh
with Cv '
2g Cd then Q '
15
or with C '
2
3
15
2g Cd then Q '
Cv a h
3
2
Eq. 67
C a h
Cd=Discharge coefficient
a=Submerged area
h=Effective head (HW-TW)
C=Rectangular weir coefficient
This technique is based on standard weir and orifice flow calculations, and may provide more
accurate results than the empirical solution of Eq.66.
94
Dam Breach
A dam breach is modeled as a weir opening whose dimensions change over time, as the breach
progresses. The breach can start at a specific time or water surface elevation, and progresses to
its final dimensions over a specified time.
A dam breach is modeled as flow through a
trapezoidal weir in which the weir rise (height)
increases linearly over time. The top of the breach
is maintained at a constant elevation as the bottom
of the breach decreases in elevation until the final
breach height is achieved.
A breach is defined by its final dimensions. Note
that the notch angle and crest length remain
constant as the breach progresses, while the height
and top width increase linearly with time.
A dam breach may be initiated at a specific time, or
when the water surface elevation in the pond
reaches a specific elevation. After the breach begins to form, the height increases linearly over the
specified time until the final height is attained.
Because the size of the breach varies over time,
breach modeling requires the use of a dynamic pond
routing procedure. This also allows the breach
calculations to account for tailwater created by a
downstream node, such as a reach or pond. See
page 117 for details.
Note that a breach outlet provides for flow only
through the area on the breach. If flow will occur
over a spillway above the breach, you must define
that spillway using a separate weir outlet.
95
Rectangular Orifice in a Vertical Plane

For a rectangular opening in a vertical plane, the discharge under any head is derived from the
discharge through a thin horizontal strip. (See Handbook of Hydraulics p.4-3.)
dQ ' Cd L 2gY dY
Eq. 68
Cd=Discharge coefficient (Default is .60)

L=Strip length (width of orifice)
Y=Head over center of strip
dY=Height of horizontal strip
Integrating over the height of the orifice yields:
Q '
2
Cd L 2g H 3/2 & [H&M ]3/2
3
Eq. 69
H=Head above invert elevation

M=Height of orifice
When the orifice is partially submerged (H<M) the term [H-M] becomes zero
and this reduces to the rectangular weir equation:
Q '
2
3
Cd L 2g H 3/2 ' C L H 3/2 (English units)
Eq. 70
The above equations apply to free-discharge conditions. When the tailwater exceeds the orifice
invert, the discharge is the sum of two components:
1) The discharge for the portion of the orifice (if any) that lies above the tailwater elevation is given
by the previous equations, with the head and height measured from the tailwater level rather than
from the invert.
2) The portion of the orifice that lies below the tailwater is subject to a constant head differential,
with the discharge given by the basic orifice equation:
Q ' Cd L Y 2g H&TW
TW=Tailwater depth above invert
Y= Lesser of M or TW
96
Eq. 71
Rectangular Orifice in a Horizontal Plane

For an orifice opening in a horizontal plane, the discharge is given by the basic orifice equation as
derived in Handbook of Hydraulics p.4-3:
Q ' Cd a 2gh
where h ' H (for free discharge)
or h ' H & TW (for TW above invert)
Eq. 72
Cd=Discharge coefficient (default is .60)

a=Orifice area
h=Effective head
H=Headwater depth
TW=Tailwater depth
Under low-head conditions, you may also wish to consider the possibility of weir flow as described
on page 99.
Orifice Discharge Coefficient

All orifice calculations are based on the following equation:
V ' Cd 2gh
Eq. 73
V=Discharge velocity
h=Effective head
The discharge coefficient indicates the fraction of theoretical discharge that the orifice can actually
handle. The coefficient is a unit-less parameter which can vary from 0 (for no discharge) up to 1.0
(for full theoretical capability). The default value of 0.60 indicates that the orifice can discharge
60% of the theoretical value. Other coefficients can be used if required, although the value is
typically in the range of 0.59 to 0.61.
The above expression for orifice flow can also be written as a head-loss equation:
h ' k
V2
1
1
where k '
and Cd '
2
2g
k
Cd
Eq. 74
k=Head-loss coefficient
Any device that is characterized by this equation can usually be modeled with the standard orifice
calculations, with the head-loss coefficient converted to an equivalent discharge coefficient as
shown above.
97
Circular Orifice
The discharge for a circular orifice is derived in Handbook of Hydraulics p.4-3:
Q ' Cd a 2gh
Eq. 75
Cd=Discharge coefficient (default is .60)

a=Submerged area
h=Effective head
Circular Vertical Orifice

For an opening in a vertical plane, the effective head is given by:
h ' H & max( r, TW)
H
h ' H & max( , TW )

2
(if fully submerged)

(if partially submerged)
Eq. 76
H=Headwater depth above invert

TW=Tailwater depth above invert
r=Radius
When partially submerged, the head adjustment closely

approximates the weir discharge of an orifice. It also provides
continuity between the fully and partially submerged
conditions. For critical situations, the resulting discharge curve should be verified by independent
means.
Circular Horizontal Orifice
For an orifice opening in a horizontal plane, the effective head is given by:
h ' H
h ' H & TW
(for free discharge)

(for TW above invert)
Under low-head conditions, you may also wish to consider the

possibility of weir flow as described on page 99.
98
Eq. 77
Orifices Under Low-Head Conditions

The previous orifice equations for openings in a vertical plane are generally valid under all head
conditions. No adjustment is required under low-head (partially submerged) conditions, since these
equations reduce to the appropriate weir equation.
For orifice openings in a horizontal plane, the equations assume that the head is large in relation
to the orifice size. This can lead to overestimating the discharge under low-head conditions. To
ensure correct flow under all conditions, discharge can be automatically limited to that predicted
by the weir equation:
Q ' C L H 3/2 where C ' 2 2g Cd and
3
Cd ' 0.61
Eq. 78
Q=Discharge
C=Weir Coefficient
L=Crest length (orifice perimeter)
H=Head (above invert elevation)
This will cause the weir equation to control at low heads, without affecting the high-head discharge
predicted by the orifice equation. The result is useful for a range of real-world orifices, such as
the top of a standpipe.
! This adjustment is performed automatically whenever Use weir flow at low heads is
selected for a horizontal orifice.
Note: This calculation uses a preset discharge coefficient Cd=0.61, which corresponds to an English
weir coefficient C=3.27or a metric coefficient C=1.81.
Modeling a Grate
A grate typically consists of several identical openings, each
of which can be modeled as an orifice. For a grate in a
horizontal plane, the discharge multiplier can be used to
specify the total number of openings. The overall grate
dimensions can also be specified, allowing for possible weir
flow control at the outer perimeter of the grate.26
For a grate in a vertical plane, the number of rows
and columns must be specified separately, along
with the center-to-center row spacing. This allows
the software to automatically calculate the correct
invert elevation for each row of openings. This
technique may also be used for any array of same-size orifice openings, such as the perforations in
the side of a vertical riser.
26
The ability to define the outer grate dimensions was added in HydroCAD 9.0.
99
Culvert Flow
HydroCAD can model a wide range of culvert shapes, including circular, box, elliptical, and pipearch.
When evaluating a culvert, HydroCAD checks multiple flow conditions in order to determine the
prevailing control at each headwater elevation. This is based on six types of culvert flow as
identified in Culverts - Hydrology & Hydraulics page E-1. (Also see Standard Handbook for Civil
Engineers p.21-18,19.)
Type
Inlet
Outlet
Slope
Flow Type
Tailwater
Dependent?
Type of Control
1a
Submerged
Submerged
Any
Pipe
Yes
Outlet
1b
Submerged
Free
Mild
Pipe
No
Outlet (barrel)
1c
Submerged
Free
Any
Channel
No
Inlet (orifice)
2a
Free
TW>Yc
Mild
Channel
Yes
Outlet
2b
Free
TW<Yc
Mild
Channel
No
Outlet (barrel)
2c
Free
TW<Yc
Steep
Channel
No
Inlet (weir)
TW=Tailwater, Yc=Critical Depth
For type 1b, assuming that the culvert is full along its entire length, the velocity is given by the
following equation. (See Culverts - Hydrology & Hydraulics page D-11.)
V2 '
H & D % SL
K e%1
2g
n2 L
and
Q ' A V
Eq. 79
C R 4/3
V=Average velocity of flow

H=Headwater depth above inlet invert
D=Depth of flow (=culvert height)
S=Slope [rise/run]
L=Length
Ke=Entrance energy loss coefficient (See table on page 166)
n=Manning's number (See table on page 162)
C=2.22 for English, 1 for metric
R=Hydraulic radius
A=Cross-sectional flow area
100
Type 2b discharge is the same as type 1b except that the depth (D) is less than the culvert height.
Under these conditions, open channel flow exists and backwater calculations must be performed
to precisely determine the depth. To reduce calculation time, the depth is approximated by:
D '
3
H
4
Eq. 80
Rather than directly determining whether type 1b or 2b flow exists, HydroCAD uses the lesser of
this depth and the culvert height. This also ensures continuity between the two flow conditions,
with the cross over occurring when the head is 4/3 of the culvert height.
Types 1a and 2a are similar to types 1b and 2b, except for the tailwater dependency. This is
accommodated by setting D equal to the tailwater depth whenever this value exceeds the normal
flow depth.
Types 1c and 2c operate under inlet control, and the discharge is determined with the orifice
equations given previously. The orifice discharge coefficient is given by:
Cd '
Cc
1 % KE
Eq. 81
Cc=Contraction coefficient (default is .90)

Note that for Ke=.5 this yields Cd=.6, which is the default discharge
coefficient for a sharp-edged orifice.
The final determination of culvert discharge is made by calculating the type 1a/2a, 1b/2b and 1c/2c
flows as described above. The least of these values (a, b, and c) is then used as the final discharge
for a given head.
Note: The approximations used for culvert discharge have generally been found to provide
sufficient accuracy for most hydrograph routing purposes. However, it is strongly recommended
that the resulting stage-discharge curve be verified using independent culvert data. If a significant
discrepancy is found, the desired discharge data should be entered directly as a Special Outlet
instead of using the built-in culvert equations.
101
Tube & Siphon Flow

Tube flow is used to model a conduit flowing full, where the flow rate is determined by headwater,
tailwater, and tube characteristics. This capability can also be applied to model self-priming
siphons, where the flow initiates and breaks at preset elevations. The start/break capability also
makes this class of outlet suitable for modeling float-activated valves and other gravity-driven
devices that exhibit an on/off hysteresis with respect to head.
The operation of the tube/siphon outlet can be divided into three basic categories:
1) Regular Tube: A gravity-fed tube with a continuous downward slope to the outlet, or an
inverted siphon with a dip in the middle of the tube. These scenarios are defined by the tubes
parameters and its inlet and outlet elevations. Flow begins when the headwater exceeds the inlet,
and stops when the headwater drops below the inlet.
2) Siphon or float-activated valve: A device that requires a water surface elevation some
distance above the inlet in order to initiate flow. These devices are also characterized by a break
elevation at which flow will cease. Flow begins when the headwater exceeds the start elevation,
and stops when the headwater drops below the break elevation.
3) Float valve with trickle: A float-activated valve (as above) that allows a reduced flow (trickle)
in the "closed" position. The trickle flow is characterized by an equivalent orifice diameter which
controls the flow when the valve is closed.
Note that categories 2 and 3 require a dynamic routing procedure in order to allow for the multivariable stage-discharge relationship. See page 117 for details.
When the tube length is zero, the discharge is calculated directly from the orifice equation:
Q ' CO a 2gHO
Eq. 82
CO=Orifice coefficient (default is .60)

a=Tube area
HO=Head above inlet invert or tailwater
When the tube length is non-zero, we must consider the head-loss from the orifice, plus the
frictional losses within the tube. For the orifice, we can solve the above equation for head:
HO '
Q2
2
2g CO a 2
'
V2
2
2g CO
V=Flow Velocity
102
Eq. 83
Frictional losses within the tube are derived from the Hazen-Williams equation:
V ' k CF R
0.63
HF
0.54
Eq. 84
k=1.318 for English units -or- 0.85 for metric

CF=Hazen-Williams coefficient
R=Hydraulic radius
HF=Friction head loss
L=Tube length
Solving for the head loss gives:
HF ' L
V
k CF
1.85
R &1.17
Eq. 85
The total head loss for any flow rate is the sum of the orifice and tube losses:
H(V) ' HO(V) % HF(V) '
V2
2
2g CO
%L
V
k CF
1.85
R &1.17
Eq. 86
This value must equal the vertical distance from the headwater to the outlet of the tube, or the
distance to the tailwater, if the outlet is submerged. To determine the flow rate for a given head,
a numerical solution for V is obtained by using Newton's Method. Multiplying by the tube area
gives the final discharge Q. When using a dynamic routing procedure, the tube outflow will
respond to changes in tailwater elevation as they occur.
For all tubes, the flow calculated above is gradually phased-in over an elevation range equal to
the orifice diameter. This avoids a sudden flow increase at initiation due to the suction head when
the tube outlet is lower than the inlet, and approximates orifice flow at low heads. This phase-in
is not applied to siphons or float-activated valves, since they are subject to full-flow conditions at
the moment of initiation.
Remember that all calculations assume the tube is always flowing full. For a partially-full tube,
consider a culvert outlet instead.
103
Constant-Flow Outlet Device

A constant flow outlet device may be used to model a skimmer or other outlet structure that
exhibits a relatively constant flow rate regardless of the water surface elevation. The specified flow
will occur whenever the headwater exceeds the devices invert elevation.
For a skimmer, the invert elevation is the level at which water begins to overtop the inlet weir or
orifice and starts to flow through the structure. The invert will generally be above the bottom of
the pond, since a certain depth of water is usually required to reach the inlet and initiate operation.
After water begins to flow, an additional phase-in depth is generally required before the skimmer
starts to float and the full design flow is achieved. If the phase-in depth is set to zero, the full
design flow will occur as soon as the pond's water surface elevation exceeds the invert elevation.
However, a more stable and accurate routing is generally achieved by using a non-zero phase-in
depth.
When the water is above the invert but below the phase-in depth, the structure will discharge a
fraction of the total design flow calculated by:
Q '
D1
D2
QD
Eq. 87
Q=Actual discharge
D1=Depth above invert
D2=Phase-In Depth
QD=Design Flow
This relationship provides a linear transition from zero to full flow that approximates the behavior
of the weir/orifice arrangement at the inlet of a typical floating skimmer. Since the phase-in depth
is usually small in comparison to the overall operating range of most skimmer installations, the
exact shape of the transition curve will have a minimal effect on the overall pond routing
calculation. For situations where the transition curve is critical, or the skimmer discharge is not
strictly constant, a special outlet can be used for more precise modeling. However, a constant flow
outlet will provide sufficient accuracy for most applications without requiring the external
calculation of a complete rating curve.
If the pond is subject to tailwater conditions, the discharge (and phase-in) are delayed until the
pond's water surface elevation exceeds the tailwater elevation. If a phase-in depth is specified, full
flow will occur when the WSE exceeds the tailwater elevation plus the phase-in depth.
104
Special Outlet Device

The special outlet device is designed to handle unusual stage-discharge relationships (such as a
vortex valve) that can't be readily reproduced with any of the standard outlet devices.
The behavior of a special outlet device is defined by an explicit stage-discharge table. The first
discharge value must always be zero and may occur at any desired elevation. Additional discharge
values are specified at higher elevations as required to adequately represent the true shape of the
desired rating curve. When choosing the elevations, keep in mind that HydroCAD performs a
linear interpolation to determine the discharge at any required intermediate elevations.
If the last defined elevation is exceeded and the Extrapolate option is selected, HydroCAD will
extrapolate from the last two values. Otherwise, the final discharge value is used without
extrapolation.
! When the Head-Loss option is not selected, special outlets have a fixed stage-discharge
relationship and cannot respond to variable tailwater conditions. (The discharge is a function of
headwater only.)
! If the Head-Loss option is selected, the discharge is a function of the head loss (difference)
between the headwater and tailwater elevations. If the tailwater is less than the device invert, the
head-loss is given by the headwater depth above the invert, and the actual tailwater is ignored.
In this case, the discharge is the same as when the Head-Loss option is not selected.
Note: Rather than entering a rating table by hand, the Load From File button may be used to load
a pre-defined rating table, such as the vortex valve data added in HydroCAD 7.1.
105
Pump Calculations
Pumps are modeled as a pond outlet device,
which contributes to the ponds stagedischarge curve. The primary input data is
the pump rating curve, which specifies the
available pump head as a function of flow.
Allowance can also be made for the frictional
losses in the supply and discharge pipes,
which reduce the flow rate that can be
attained for a given lift.
Frictional losses are calculated with the
Hazen-Williams equation, which relates pipe
flow to the energy slope. (See Handbook of
Hydraulics p.6.28)
V ' k C R 0.63 S 0.54 where S' h
L
Q'VA Q ' k C A R
0.63
Eq. 88
h 0.54
L
V=Flow velocity
k=1.318 for English units or 0.85 for metric
C=Hazen-Williams coefficient
R=Hydraulic radius
S=Energy slope
h=Friction head loss
L=Pipe length
Q=Discharge
A=Flow area of discharge pipe
By solving for h, we can determine the head loss for any given flow rate:
h ' L
106
Q
kCA
1
0.54
&
0.63
0.54
' L
Q
kCA
1.85
R &1.17
Eq. 89
Flow Determination
Based on the friction loss equation and the
static head, a system head curve can be
calculated and plotted against the pump
head curve. The intersection of the two
curves indicates the discharge that will
occur for a given static head.
During a hydrograph routing, the static
head is subject to constant change due to
variations in the headwater and/or
tailwater.
Rather than constantly
recalculating the system curve, we can
simplify the process by creating an overall
rating curve for the entire pump/pipe
system.
This is done by subtracting the friction loss
at each flow rate from the pump rating
curve, resulting in the static head curve
shown here. Based on this single curve,
system flow can be readily determined for
any given static head.
Routing Considerations
Pumps should normally be modeled with a
tailwater-sensitive routing procedure, such
as the Dynamic Storage-Indication method.
(See p.117.)
This allows the stagedischarge relationship to be re-evaluated at
each time step, so that tailwater variations
and pump switching can be taken into
consideration (in addition to headwater
variations).
Under conditions of free discharge, the
static head is solely a function of
headwater.
But if the outlet of the
discharge pipe becomes submerged, the
static head is determined by the lift
required to reach the tailwater. This
adjustment occurs automatically whenever
a tailwater-sensitive routing procedure is
employed.
107
Exfiltration Calculations
Since exfiltration is incorporated into a pond's stage-discharge curve, it is classified as an outlet
device. Exfiltration is also distinct from an inflow loss, in that it continues to occur even when
there is no inflow.
To separate exfiltration from other true outflows, it is usually directed to the discarded outflow
to prevent further routing. Since there are many different approaches to modeling exfiltration,
HydroCAD provides several options that can be used to implement a wide range of design methods:
Option 1 A constant exfiltration rate Q may be specified in Ft/sec or m/sec. This value may
be applied whenever there is water in the pond, or only when the level exceeds the specified invert
elevation. This feature may be used to exclude exfiltration through (lower) impervious regions of
the pond.
Option 2 An exfiltration velocity V may be specified in in/hr or mm/hr. This is multiplied by
the available exfiltration area at a given elevation to determine the final exfiltration rate.
QY ' V AY
Eq. 90
QY=Exfiltration flow at elevation Y

V=Exfiltration velocity (flux velocity)
AY=Exfiltration area at elevation Y
Option 3 This is an extension of Option 2, in which the exfiltration velocity is calculated from the
saturated hydraulic conductivity. For flow through a saturated medium, Darcys Law states:
V ' KS I
Eq. 91
V=Exfiltration Velocity (flux velocity)

KS=Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity27
I=Hydraulic Gradient
The Hydraulic Gradient is the head differential across the media divided by the media thickness:
I'
Y & YGW
YBot & YGW
or
I'
M%D
D
' 1%
M
M
Eq. 92
Y=Pond water surface elevation

YGW=Groundwater elevation
YBot=Pond bottom elevation
M=Media thickness
D=Water depth
27
The term "Permeability" is sometimes used as a synonym for Conductivity. However, Permeability has several
different meanings, and therefore is not used in this presentation.
108
For a flat-bottom pond, the bottom elevation,

gradient, and flux velocity will be constant
across the pond bottom, so the total exfiltration
can be directly calculated by Eq.90. But for a
pond with a variable depth (i.e. non-flat
bottom), there will be a spatial variation in
these parameters, and the total exfiltration
must be determined by integration of Eq.90
over the entire depth range.
Note that the gradient is always greater than
one as long as the depth is greater than zero.
If the depth is much less than the distance to
groundwater, the gradient approaches one, and
the flux velocity is equal to the conductivity.
This special case is equivalent to Option 2 above.
I = (M+D)/M = 1 + D/M
Pond Water Surface
D2
D1
M2
M1
Groundwater Elevation
Exfiltration Area
The exfiltration area for options 2 and 3 may be
defined in three ways: (A) if all exfiltration is
assumed to be downward (none through the sides of
the pond), you may use the pond's surface area;
(B) for downward exfiltration with in-sloping sides,
you may prefer to use horizontal area, which
includes the largest surface area at or below the
given elevation; (C) if exfiltration occurs through all
exposed surfaces regardless of slope, you may use the
pond's wetted area.
You can also restrict exfiltration to a certain region of the pond. Setting the invert elevation will
exclude the area of the pond that lies at or below this elevation. This reduces the effective
exfiltration area by the area at the invert:
AY ' AY & Ainvert
Eq. 93
Ainvert=Exfiltration area at invert elevation
This causes exfiltration to be calculated only over the

area of the pond that lies above the invert elevation,
and is useful for excluding exfiltration through
impervious (lower) regions of the pond.
For cases where the upper regions of the pond are
impervious, a maximum exfiltration elevation can
also be specified. Although exfiltration will continue
to occur as the water level exceeds the maximum, the
exfiltration area will not increase above this
elevation.
109
Tips for Using Exfiltration

Using surface area vs. wetted area
For ponds with gentle side-slopes, the surface area and wetted area are almost identical, and the
two methods will give similar results. In such cases, the surface area method is recommended for
simplicity. By basing exfiltration on surface area, you are stating that all flow is essentially
downward. Only horizontal areas (above any invert) are available for exfiltration. All vertical
areas are excluded.
If you wish to allow exfiltration through vertical surfaces, such as the sides of a drywell, then you
must specify wetted area (See page 78 for details on wetted area calculations.) As always, it is
your responsibility to ensure that this computation is applicable to your particular situation.
Using a percolation rate
A measured percolation rate can be converted to an equivalent exfiltration velocity by the following
equation. However, other factors must be considered to determine if this is a reasonable design
value for a proposed exfiltration area. (For example, can a large pond be expected to perc for 24
hours at the same rate as a small test pit for over a much shorter period?)
60
P
V '
Eq. 94
V=Exfiltration velocity [inches/hour or mm/hour]

P=Perc Rate [minutes/inch or minutes/mm]
Embedded Storage
When using embedded storage volumes, (such as a chamber in a stone bed) water is assumed to
move freely between the chamber and outer storage volume, such that they maintain essentially
the same water surface elevation throughout the routing. (Referred to as a level pond routing.)
Any exfiltration is based on the outer storage volume only, since this is the only surface through
which water can actually leave the pond.
Advanced techniques
While most cases will require just a single exfiltration device, it is also possible to use several
exfiltration devices on a single pond. This could be used to model multistage exfiltration schemes,
such as a drywell that overflows into a perforated pipe.
As with all pond designs, you should review and understand the
stage-discharge plot to make sure the pond is exhibiting the
behavior you expect. Do not rely solely on a review of the
hydrograph, in which the pond's behavior is intertwined with the
complexities of the inflow hydrograph.
110
Discharge Multiplier
Each outlet device may employ an optional discharge multiplier. This factor can be used to increase
or decrease the devices discharge under all flow conditions. The most common application is an
integral multiplier, such as 2", to double the device flow under all conditions. This is a convenient
way to model several identical devices with only a single outlet definition. A fractional multiplier
(such as 1.25 or 0.75) can be used to increase or decrease the normal device flow by the specified
factor.
Note:
An integral multiplier will increase the flow cross-section and

discharge, while maintaining the same discharge velocity. A
fractional multiplier will adjust the velocity and discharge, while
maintaining the same cross-section.
Discharge Velocity
During each pond routing, HydroCAD attempts to calculate the discharge velocity for each
controlling outlet device. This velocity is listed on the pond outlet report, along with the maximum
discharge rate for each device.
Some devices (such as a horizontal orifice) have a uniform discharge velocity that is directly
specified by the governing discharge equation. Other devices (such as weirs) have significant
velocity variations over the flow area, and their discharge equations do not directly yield this
information. In these cases, the average velocity is estimated by dividing the flow rate by the
approximate cross-sectional area of the flow.
Notes:
1) The flow cross-section is estimated using the device geometry and the adjacent headwater
elevation. In some cases (such as certain weirs) the water surface elevation may actually decrease
as it approaches the device, resulting in a somewhat lower cross-sectional area, and a
correspondingly higher velocity.
2) The reported discharge velocity does not account for any acceleration (due to gravity) or
deceleration (due to friction) after it passes through the control point.
3) When applying a fractional discharge multiplier, the discharge velocity is adjusted in direct
proportion to the multiplier. The discharge velocity is not adjusted for integral multipliers, since
these are typically used to represent multiple devices, rather than an increased flow through a
single device.
4) The device velocity is reported only for informational purposes. This value does not play a role
in any other calculations, so any discrepancies in the reported velocity will not effect any other
calculations.
111
112
Section 19 - Pond Routing Calculations

Most pond routing calculations require detailed information about the ponds stage-storage and
stage-discharge relationships.
Stage-Storage Calculations
Pond storage may be defined by any combination of the techniques described in Section 17. When
multiple storage volumes are defined in a single pond, HydroCAD uses the total storage provided
by all volumes. This requires that the volumes be interconnected so that water can flow freely
between them, in order to obey the level pool assumption for pond routing.
Stage-Discharge Calculations
The stage-discharge curve is automatically compiled based on the outlet calculations described in
Section 18.
The individual outlet devices are
combined into one or more stagedischarge curves based on the specified
device routing.
In the default
configuration, all outlets are routed
directly to the primary outflow, as
shown in the sample stage-discharge
curve at right. They are considered to
be independent, parallel outlets whose
flows are additive. The composite
stage-discharge curve covers the same
elevation range for which pond storage
is defined, with the total discharge at
each elevation determined by adding
the discharge from each individual
device.
If any devices are routed to a secondary, tertiary or discarded outflow, additional stage-discharge
curves are compiled using the same basic procedure. Each device is included in the stage-discharge
curve to which it is routed. To perform the actual pond routing, a total discharge curve is obtained
by adding the individual curves. When routing is complete, the total outflow hydrograph is split
into separate outflows based on the ratio of the stage-discharge curves. This provides an automatic
split-flow, or diversion capability. This is most commonly used when one or more outlets require
separate routing, such as an emergency spillway (routed through a separate channel) or an
exfiltration outflow (to be removed from any further routing).
113
Compound Outlet Devices

More complex outlets can be modeled by placing standard devices in series.
An orifice, for example, could be routed through a culvert. To calculate the
discharge at each elevation, HydroCAD evaluates the standard flow through
each device, and uses the lower (controlling) flow to build the stage-discharge
curve. By making this comparison at each elevation step, different devices
may control the outflow at different pond stages.28
Even more complex outlets, such as a standpipe, can be modeled by
utilizing simultaneous series/parallel device combinations, as
shown in the schematic representation below.
Primary Discharge
.))1=Culvert
/))2=Orifice/vertical
.))3=Orifice/horizontal
(standpipe outlet)
(side opening(s) in riser)
(top opening of riser)
Reading from the bottom up: Device 3 is a horizontal orifice representing the flow into the top of
the riser. Device 2 is used to model one or more openings in the side of the riser. Devices 2 and 3
are summed together, and routed through the final outlet culvert, device 1.
When entering a compound outlet device, start with the final device (such as the
culvert shown above), and work up towards the pond, entering each device that limits flow
or contributes to the discharge. Repeat for any secondary, tertiary, or discarded discharge.
This graph shows a typical stagedischarge curve for a pond with a
compound outlet. A culvert is
positioned with the inlet invert at
50 feet; however, no discharge
occurs until the water level reaches
an orifice at 50.5 feet.
(This
example might represent an orifice
plate used to reduce the flow
through an existing culvert.)
Above 50.5 feet, both devices are
evaluated to determine which will
control at each elevation. The
resulting curve is labeled pri for
primary.
This example also includes a broadcrested weir which is directed to the secondary discharge. This might represent an emergency
spillway that is being routed separately from the culvert/orifice combination.
28
This procedure uses the standard hydraulic equations given previously, with consideration of the minimum tailwater
created when a device is lower than the next device downstream. However, it does not consider more complex interactions
that may occur between devices, except to limit the flow to the lesser of the two. Like all complex calculations, it is
important to verify these results by independent means to ensure they are sufficiently accurate for your purposes. In
situations where the inter-device water level may constitute a significant tailwater for the upstream device, this can be
modeled by treating the lower portion of the outlet structure as a separate pond, and using a tailwater-sensitive routing
procedure.
114
Pond Routing Procedures

HydroCAD currently provides these basic pond routing procedures:
! Storage-Indication method
! Dynamic Storage-Indication method
! Simultaneous pond routing
All pond routing techniques assume that the storage volume is large in comparison to the inflow,
such that the pond constitutes a zero-velocity level pool. If the velocity approaching the outlet
device(s) is significant, pond routing may underestimate the discharge and overestimate the peak
elevation and storage of the pond.
Storage-Indication Method
The Storage-Indication method (SI) is based on the conservation of mass, as expressed in the
following relationship. (See Hydrologic Analysis and Design p.545.)
I & O '
S
t
or
I t & O t ' S
Eq. 95

Using subscripts 1 and 2 to denote values at the beginning and end of the time interval t, yields
the following expression:
I1 % I2
2
t &
O1 % O2
2
t ' S2 & S1
Eq. 96
Rearranging the equation with unknown terms on the left and known terms on the right yields:
I1 % I2
2
t % S1 &
O1
2
' S2 %
O2
2
Eq. 97
The right hand portion of this equation is known as the storage-indication value, which can be
evaluated at any stage (elevation) using the stage-storage and stage-discharge relationships
previously determined.
Performing the Storage-Indication Routing
1) The pond's stage-discharge relationship is calculated based on the specified outlet devices.
2) The stage-storage relationship is determined from the specified stage-area or stage-storage data.
115
3) The stage-discharge and stage-storage curves are used to create the storage-indication curve.
4) Routing is performed using the specified time span and time increment. At each point in time,
a storage-indication value is calculated based on the current inflow, plus the previous inflow,
outflow, and volume in the pond.
5) The current storage-indication value and the storage-indication curve are used to determine the
new elevation.
6) Using the new elevation, the stage-storage and stage-discharge curves are consulted to
determine the new storage and discharge.
7) This process is repeated for all points in the inflow hydrograph, producing a complete outflow
hydrograph as shown below.29
Special SI Considerations
Since the SI method is dependent on a static SI rating curve, it is unable to respond to other
factors, such as a varying downstream tailwater. These situations may require the use of an
alternate routing procedure, as described below. (HydroCAD will generally issue a warning
message if an alternate procedure is required.)
When modeling ponds with no storage capability, the SI procedure will calculate the headwater
elevation that is required to discharge the entire inflow at each time step. This eliminates any
detention effects, while still determining a water surface elevation at each time step.
29
If the pond has multiple outlets, the routing is performed based on the total discharge, and is then split according to
the characteristics of the individual outlets.
116
Additional Routing Features

In addition to the basic routing procedure described above, HydroCAD provides the following
special routing capabilities.
1) The inflow hydrograph is automatically adjusted for any base flow (or inflow loss) by adding (or
subtracting) the specified value from each point on the hydrograph. If automatic base flow is
selected, the base flow is set to the pond's discharge at the specified starting elevation. This places
the pond in an equilibrium condition (stable water surface elevation) when routing begins.
2) If a starting elevation is specified, routing begins with the water at this level. If this is above the
lowest outlet device, the pond begins discharging immediately, possibly before any inflow has
occurred. If the starting elevation is below the lowest device, no outflow occurs until this level is
attained. (The outflow volume will also be reduced by the amount of storage below this level.)
3) Routing is normally performed using the time interval (dt) of the inflow hydrograph, although
a finer interval may be specified for each pond to provide improved tracking. The normal dt is
divided by the specified finer routing value. Finer routing (usually 2) can also be used to eliminate
any oscillations in the pond's outflow, which will usually be flagged by a specific warning message.
4) If the peak elevation exceeds the specified flood elevation, a warning message is issued and
routing will continue. The setting of the flood elevation has no effect on the routing itself.
Dynamic Storage-Indication Method

The Storage-Indication method (SI) is one of the most widely used routing methods. Although the
nature of the SI makes it exceptionally stable, it is dependent on a static rating curve. This means
that the stage-discharge relationship must be known before routing begins, and cannot change until
the routing is complete. This prevents the pond from responding to external conditions (such as
varying tailwater or pump switching) and enforces a sequential evaluation of the watershed.
In contrast, the Dynamic Storage-Indication method (DSI) reevaluates the storage-indication curve
at each time step, allowing other variables (such as the downstream tailwater or pump switching)
to be taken into consideration. And since DSI uses the same equations as SI, it can be expected to
give comparable results when these variable are not present.
Special DSI Considerations
While DSI routing tends to provide greater capabilities, it is inherently more complex and requires
more time to perform. Rather than relying on pre-established rating curves, the DSI procedure
reevaluates all storage and discharge equations at every time step. The DSI procedure can also
iterate the calculations at each time step, so that tailwater effects can propagate upstream through
the model. (This is controlled by the Finer Routing parameter, whose use is automatically
suggested by HydroCAD as required.)
DSI routing may also require that upstream nodes be recalculated in response to downstream
tailwater changes. Due to these vastly greater computational requirements, DSI routing is
recommended only when variable tailwater dependencies or pump switching are involved.
HydroCAD will generally issue a warning message when these factors are present in a specific
model.
117
Simultaneous Pond Routing

The SI and DSI methods are both sequential procedures. They require that the watershed have a
unique flow order. This precludes the modeling of situations with an ambiguous order, such as a
flow loop or flow reversal. To model these situations, HydroCAD provides the simultaneous routing
method, or Sim-Route.
Like the DSI procedure, Sim-Route allows for variable tailwater by re-evaluating all outlet devices
at each time step during the routing. But in order to allow for ambiguous flow order, Sim-Route
uses only the inflow at the previous time step, which is always available, regardless of the flow
order.
Since the current inflow is unknown, the traditional SI equations cannot be applied. Instead, SimRoute is based on a direct application of the basic equation for conservation of mass. (See
Hydrologic Analysis and Design p.545.)
I & O '
S
where S ' S2 & S1
t
Eq. 98
S2 ' S1 % ( I & O ) t
S1=Storage at start of time interval [ft] or [m]
S2=Storage at end of time interval [ft] or [m]

1) Routing is performed using the specified time span and time increment. The initial storage is
assumed to be zero, unless an initial elevation is specified.
2) The new pond storage (S2) is calculated using the above equation with the previous rates of
inflow and outflow.
3) Using the new storage, a new elevation is determined directly from the stage-storage
relationship.
4) New outflow(s) are calculated using the new pond elevation (the headwater) and the previous
elevation of each downstream node (the tailwater). Each outlet structure is directly evaluated
under these conditions, without use of an intermediate stage-discharge table.
5) Steps 2 through 4 are repeated at each time interval until the entire hydrograph has been
developed.
Note: When modeling ponds with no storage capability, the Sim-Route assumes the outflow is equal
to the inflow, and calculates the headwater elevation required to produce that discharge. This
eliminates any detention effects, while still allowing the water surface elevation (headwater) to be
determined at each time step.
118
Special Sim-Route Considerations

When performing a simultaneous routing, each outflow is calculated based on the inflow, outflow,
and elevations that existed at the previous time step. This eliminates the need to calculate the
nodes in a fixed flow order, making it possible to model systems where the nodes may not have a
fixed linear sequence. However, it also introduces an inherent time delay, which can be minimized
by using the smallest feasible time increment.
Since this technique directly evaluates all outlet devices at each time increment, it eliminates the
approximations inherent in a pre-calculated stage-discharge curve, as used by the traditional
storage-indication method. The drawback is slower calculation time, particularly with small time
increments.
Simultaneous routing also requires a small enough time increment to permit accurate tracking
during the routing procedure. As the amount of available storage decreases, so does the required
dt. An inadequate dt will cause the outflow to oscillate, which will usually generate a warning
message. Very small reaches or ponds (such as catch basins) may require so small a time
increment as to make simultaneous routing impractical.
Tailwater Capabilities
In order for tailwater effects to be automatically accommodated, two conditions must exist:
1) The upper node must use a routing procedure that is tailwater aware. That is, it must
take the variable downstream condition (tailwater) into account when performing the
routing calculation.
2) The lower node must use a routing procedure that defines a water surface elevation,
which is seen as the tailwater for inflowing nodes.
The following table summarizes these characteristics for each type of node when using the DSI or
Sim-Route procedure described above.
Tailwater Aware?
Defines Elevation?
Subcat
no
no
Reach
no
yes
Pond
yes
yes
Link
no
optional
Applying the previous rules to all node combinations indicates that automatic tailwater calculations
occur for the following combinations:
! A pond flowing into another pond
! A pond flowing into a reach
! A pond flowing into a link (when the link is used to define a fixed or tidal tailwater)
119
Reverse Flows
HydroCAD is designed to model flows that occur in the same direction as the outflow arrows on the
routing diagram. If the potential exists for flow in the reverse direction, an appropriate warning
message is issued. Since HydroCAD does not automatically model reverse flows, the user must
take appropriate action to address the situation.
1) Systems with reverse flow effects should generally be modeled with the Sim-Route procedure.
This allows each pond to respond to dynamic tailwater conditions, and allows flows in both
directions.
2) To model a reverse flow from one pond to another, create an appropriate outlet going in the
reverse direction, that is, routed from the lower pond to the upper pond. (This will appear on
the diagram as a double-ended arrow.) This outlet will mirror the normal down flow from the upper
pond, but is described from the standpoint of water flowing in the opposite direction.30
Note: The existence of tailwater alone does not necessarily indicate a reverse flow situation.
Although tailwater can reduce discharge, reverse flow can occur only when the tailwater elevation
exceeds the headwater and the flow changes direction. Reverse flow devices (and the Sim-Route
procedure in general) are recommended only when a specific reverse flow warning occurs.
Otherwise, the normal SI or DSI routing procedures are recommended.
30
A reverse outlet is permitted only for a simultaneous routing, which doesnt require a linear flow sequence. Sequential
routing methods cannot accommodate such a flow loop and will report an error condition.
120
Section 20 - Detention Time

The detention time is a measure of how long water is detained in a pond or other impoundment.
This value is commonly used to meet water quality objectives, such as allowing sufficient time for
sediment removal or neutralization of runoff contaminants. (For further details see Applied
Hydrology and Sedimentology for Disturbed Areas p.257.) HydroCAD provides two procedures for
calculating the detention time.31
The center of mass method is one of the
most basic methods of calculating detention
time. It evaluates the difference in time
between the center-of-mass of the inflow and
outflow hydrographs.
One of the chief
advantages of this technique is that it is
easily calculated, and can even be estimated
graphically. However, the technique does not
consider the actual movement of water
through the pond, and can fail to give a good
measure of detention time in certain
situations.
The plug flow method provides a more
physically meaningful measure of the average
detention time. This technique divides the
inflow hydrograph into a number of plugs of
equal volume, and then calculates the time
between each plug entering and leaving the
pond. The average time for all plugs is then
calculated and used as an overall measure of
detention time.
The plug flow method provides a theoretical
maximum detention time based on the
assumption that any water initially in the
pond is allowed to discharge before the first
plug from the inflow is allowed to discharge.
This first-in first-out assumption will yield
a maximum detention time, and means that
the amount of water initially in the pond will
affect the calculated result. (Since all water in the pond is displaced before any of the inflow starts
to discharge, the detention time is increased by the time required to flush the initial volume.)
31
Note that these calculations are not routing methods. They are a separate analysis that is performed after the
hydrograph routing has been performed.
121
Detention Time Accuracy

For all detention time calculations, any water retained in the pond, or discharging after the
specified time span, is excluded from the calculation. To obtain an accurate measure of detention
time, it is therefore important to use a time span that allows the pond to discharge fully. This can
be determined by comparing the volume of inflow and outflow, which should be roughly the same
(unless the pond was surcharged or water was retained). For the plug flow method, also compare
the volume included in the plug flow calculation (this is shown to the right of the detention time).
For accurate (maximum) results, this should be close to the total volume of the outflow hydrograph.
Detention Time Regulations
When evaluating detention time regulations, care must be taken to understand the exact standard
that must be met. Wording such as detain the ten-year storm for 24 hours is common, but is
sometimes incomplete or ambiguous. The plug flow method provides a more specific standard that
can be used to address water quality issues related to detention time.
122
Section 21 - Hydrograph Parameters

This section provides details on special hydrograph values that appear in HydroCAD reports.
The peak flow for each hydrograph is calculated using the three highest points on the
hydrograph.32 A parabola is fitted to these points and the apex of the parabola specifies the true
peak. This eliminates variations in the peak that would occur if only a single point were
considered. This improvement in accuracy is most pronounced with a narrow peak, where the two
closest points fall on either side of the peak and may be several percent below the actual peak.
The peak attenuation indicates the percentage reduction in peak inflow caused by a routing
operation. This is determined by comparing the peak of the inflow and outflow hydrographs as
calculated above.
The time of peak is determined by the same parabolic fit to the three highest points. The apex
of the parabola establishes a time of peak with far greater resolution than the time between points.
Like the peak flow, this value is not affected by the placement of the points on the true curve.
The time lag caused by a reach or pond is the difference between the time of peak obtained from
the inflow and outflow hydrographs. (This is distinct from the travel time, described below.)
The hydrograph volume is determined by integrating the flow over the time span of the
hydrograph. Since the volume can include flow only within the given time span, any flow before
or after is excluded. Also note that the lag introduced by a pond or reach can cause a discrepancy
between the calculated inflow and outflow volume. If necessary, this can be remedied by increasing
the calculation time span to include the entire duration of the inflow and outflow hydrographs.
The peak elevation, peak depth, and peak storage are determined by interpolation, in the
same manner as peak flow. (This is a change from HydroCAD-5, which reported the highest
discrete value as the peak.)
The maximum velocity is the largest value obtained by dividing each discrete flow rate by the
corresponding cross-sectional area. This result may be somewhat different than dividing the peak
flow by the corresponding area.
The average velocity is determined by averaging the flow rate divided by the corresponding area
at each time interval during the routing calculation.
The travel time is calculated by dividing the length of the reach, channel, or pipe by the velocity.
For a reach routing, the average and minimum travel time are calculated using the average and
maximum velocity, respectively. For some reach routing procedures, the travel time is used to
further translate (delay) the outflow.
32
HydroCAD also checks for flat-topped hydrographs, where curve fitting and extrapolation are not appropriate.
123
124
Section 22 - Link Calculations

Basic Applications
A link is a multipurpose mechanism that can be used to:
! Manually enter a hydrograph
! Import a hydrograph from an ASCII file
! Import a hydrograph from another project
! Apply a flow threshold or flow limit
! Change the duration of a hydrograph or apply a specific time lag
! Rescale a hydrograph to a different peak
! Sum hydrographs without performing any routing
! Define a fixed or tidal water surface elevation
These capabilities are provided by the following basic types of links:
! An internal link is used to process only the inflows that are connected on the routing
diagram.
! A manual link is used to manually enter an arbitrary hydrograph.
! A file link is used to read a hydrograph from an external data file. This capability can
be used to import a hydrograph from another program, or to link several projects as
described below.
Note that any type of link may have inflows on the routing diagram. For a manual link or file link,
the imported hydrograph is added to any inflows shown on the diagram.
Advanced Settings
A link also provides several settings that can be used to perform special hydrograph operations:
Flow Threshold If a threshold is specified, only the portion of the inflow that exceeds this value is
retained. The default (blank) value causes the entire flow to be passed.
Flow Limit If a limit is specified, only the portion of the inflow below this limit is retained.
Discharge Multiplier After applying any flow threshold and/or limit, each flow is multiplied by this
value. The default value of one produces no net change to the hydrograph.
Time Multiplier Scales any external inflow to a different duration.33 The default value of one
produces no net change to the hydrograph. Internal (onscreen) inflows are not affected by this
setting.
Time Lag Delays (translates) the outflow hydrograph by the specified time. This option can be
used to apply a known time lag to any hydrograph.
33
The Time Multiplier allows the use of dimensionless hydrographs, as used for runoff studies in Ohio. A link file
containing the Ohio rural hydrograph is included in the Ohio rural hydrograph.hce file supplied with HydroCAD.
125
Elevation Settings
A link may also be used to define an arbitrary water surface elevation. Although the elevation has
no direct effect on the link's outflow, it allows the link to define special tailwater conditions when
using a tailwater-aware routing procedure. (See page 119 for details.)
For a fixed elevation, the desired water surface elevation is specified directly. This elevation will
exist at all times during the routing calculation. This option is useful for a site that discharges to
a lake or other water body whose elevation is essentially constant throughout the calculation time
span.
An elevation table may be used to specify an arbitrary water surface variation over time. This
can be used to simulate a river or other discharge point that lies outside the boundaries of the
HydroCAD model, but which creates a known, varying tailwater effect that must be considered.
A tidal elevation may be specified by defining the high and low tide elevations, the time of high
tide, and the tide cycle time. The tide cycle is measured from one high tide to the next, and defaults
to 12.42 hours (12 hours and 25 minutes). The resulting tidal elevation is defined by a sine wave
with the specified parameters, which repeats over the entire calculation time span.
Link Routing Procedure

The basic link routing procedure is as follows:
1) If a Time Multiplier is specified, it is applied to any external inflow by multiplying each time
ordinate by this value. The time multiplier has no effect on any internal (onscreen) inflows.
2) The adjusted external inflow is converted to the current time span and time step, and added to
any internal (onscreen) inflows.34 The result is considered to be the total inflow for the link.
3) If a Flow Threshold is specified, only the portion of the inflow hydrograph above the threshold
is retained.
4) If a Flow Limit is specified, only the remainder of the inflow that falls below the threshold is
retained.
5) If a Discharge Multiplier is specified, each hydrograph ordinate (flow) is multiplied by the
specified value.
6) If the Flow Limit, Threshold, or Discharge Multiplier has caused a reduction of the inflow
hydrograph, a secondary outflow will be generated containing the remainder of the inflow
hydrograph. In some cases this may then be routed separately, providing a basic flow-diversion
mechanism.
The results of these operations are readily apparent upon viewing the link's hydrograph, which
shows the inflow and outflow curves as described above.
34
When adding hydrographs with the same starting time and time increment, the ordinates at matching times are
added directly. If the starting time or time increment are different, HydroCAD will interpolate from the external
hydrograph in order to obtain values at the same time steps as the current project. The resulting hydrograph will always
have the same time span and increment as the current project.
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Using a Link to Model a Large Watershed

If you exceed the node capacity of your program, you can break a project into two (or more) sections
and then connect them using an automatic link. (This technique does not apply to the HydroCAD
Sampler, which does not have the file export capability.)
1) First break the project into two or more sections. You can do this by
dragging nodes from one project to another, or by cut-and-paste. One project
will typically contain the upstream portion of the watershed, and will end
with an unrouted outflow, as shown at right.
2) Verify the calculation settings for the upstream portion of the project.
Since rainfall settings must be set independently for each section of the
project, its very helpful to define each of the applicable rainfall events. This
will allow you to select between events without having to modify each of the
interconnected files.
Upstream section
3) Under Settings|Export, select Export Unrouted Outflow Hydrographs and click OK.
4) Close and save the upstream project.
automatically updated and exported.
As the project is closed, the unrouted nodes are
5) Open the downstream portion of the split project and create a link. Edit the link and select File
Link. Select the File tab and press Browse to see a list of available export files. Select the desired
file from the upstream portion of the project.
6) If the file contains multiple outflows, use the File Hydrograph box to select the desired
hydrograph. Click OK to save the link's description.
7) You can now route the link's outflow on the diagram as shown at
the right. The link will automatically import the hydrograph as
calculations are performed.
8) Make sure the lower portion of the projects uses exactly the same
event definitions as the upper portion. (The easiest way to do this
is to import the events from the upper project, as described on
page 47.) This will allow you to select any event in the lower project
and the link will automatically import the corresponding
hydrograph. If you dont use events, youll have to re-open the upper
project each time you need to change the rainfall.
Downstream section
Important: If you change the upstream project while the downstream portion is open, the
downstream project will retain the earlier (outdated) inflow. To update the downstream project you
must either (1) close and reopen the downstream project, or (2) select Settings|Calculation and press
OK. In either case, you must close the upstream project in order for the exported flow(s) to become
available.
127
External Hydrograph Files

External hydrograph files are commonly used to connect separate projects with a file link, as
described above. HydroCAD automatically creates and deletes these files as required, based on the
export settings for each project. External hydrograph files may also be created manually or
generated by other software. These are ASCII text files with an .hce extension, and must follow the
format described in the sample file LinkTest.hce which is installed in the HydroCAD\Projects folder.
To edit an external hydrograph file by hand, click on the file and select Notepad when asked what
program you want to use to open it. Windows will remember this selection the next time you
attempt to open an external hydrograph.
External hydrograph files created by HydroCAD use the same file name as their project, with a
tilde and the node number added to the end. If you create your own external files, you may use any
name that does not match this format. Any files that match this specification will be overwritten
each time the project is opened by HydroCAD!
To import an external hydrograph into any project, create a file link on the diagram and use it to
import the file.
Hydrograph Export Settings

Several options are provided under Settings|Export that control which hydrographs (if any) will be
exported from the current project:
! All Inflows: All node inflows are exported.
! All Outflows: All node outflows are exported.
! Unrouted Outflows: Only unrouted outflows are exported.
These settings instruct HydroCAD to automatically export certain hydrographs for use with an
automatic link or with other software. These hydrographs are automatically exported when the
project is saved and closed. The exported data is not available while the project is open.
If you plan to route the current project into another project using a link, use the Unrouted
Outflows setting. This optimizes disk space by exporting only the outflows that are not being
routed on the diagram. This will include all outflows that are likely to be imported with a link.
The All Inflows and All Outflows settings should be used only when absolutely necessary, since
they can consume large amounts of disk space. (A single 1000-point hydrograph requires about 15K
of storage. Multiply this by the total number of inflow or outflow hydrographs to estimate the total
storage required.)
128
Section 23 - Land-Use Analysis & Pollutant Loading

Land-Use Reporting
Land-use reporting provides a detailed breakdown of how the land within a given project is being
used. This can include industrial, residential, and other uses. Although land-use reporting can
be used on its own, it is most commonly used in conjunction with pollutant loading calculations.
To enable land-use reporting and/or pollutant loading calculations,
see the Settings|Land-Use screen.
Pollutant Loading
Pollutant loading calculations are used to estimate the quantity of pollutants that are present in
site runoff. This is typically used to determine the Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Nitrogen (TN), and
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) that will be discharged from a site over a given period of time.
To simplify the calculation of pollutant loading, each sub-area is assigned to a specific land-use
category, and pollutant concentrations are defined for each category. To enable pollutant reporting
and define the pollutant concentrations, see the Settings|Land-Use screen.
Pollutant loads are calculated according to the basic equation:
L ' R C A
Eq. 99
L=Total pollutant load

R=Runoff depth
C=Average pollutant concentration
A=Runoff area
Although Eq.99 can be evaluated using the runoff depth for a single event, it is more commonly
used to calculate loading for a longer time period, such as one year. This requires an alternate
procedure for estimating the long-term runoff depth, such as the Simple Method.
The Simple Method
The Simple Method provides an alternate procedure for estimating the long-term runoff depth and
the associated pollutant loading. (See Controlling Urban Runoff: A Practical Manual for Planning
and Designing Urban BMPs) The Simple Method estimates runoff depth with the equation:
R ' P PJ RV
Eq. 100
R=Runoff depth
P=Precipitation depth
PJ=Fraction of rainfall events that produce runoff
RV=Runoff coefficient
Although this equation is most commonly used to estimate the annual runoff depth, it may be used
for any desired time period.
129
The runoff coefficient is calculated with the empirical relationship:

Rv ' 0.05 % 0.90 I
Eq. 101
I=Fraction of runoff area which is impervious
When evaluating these equations by hand, care must be taken to use consistent units throughout.
Manual calculations are commonly performed by combining equations 99, 100, and 101 and
consolidating the conversion factors:
L ' P PJ RV C A 0.2266
Eq. 102
L=Pollutant load [pounds]

P=Precipitation depth [inches]
PJ=Fraction of events that produce runoff (commonly 0.9)
RV= (as above)
C=Pollutant concentration [mg/liter]
A=Runoff area [acres]
Impervious Area Determination

When applying the Simple Method, HydroCAD performs an automatic determination of the
impervious area based on existing subcatchment data. When using the SCS runoff equation, curve
numbers of 98 or higher are generally classified as impervious.35 For the Rational method, a
C value of 0.95 or higher is classified as impervious.
When applying the Simple Method to multiple subcatchments and land-use areas, HydroCAD
provides several calculation options:
Option 1: Calculate imperviousness for the overall project, and use the resulting (same)
runoff coefficient to calculate the pollutant loads for all land-uses.
Option 2: Calculate imperviousness and pollutant loads separately for each land-use,
without regard to subcatchment delineation.
Option 3: Calculate imperviousness for each subcatchment, and use the resulting runoff
coefficient to calculate the pollutant load for all land-uses within that subcatchment.
Option 4: Calculate imperviousness for each land-use within each subcatchment, and use
the resulting runoff coefficient to calculate the loading for that land-use and subcatchment.
Option 4 is recommended for maximum accuracy. The other options are provided for compatibility
with pre-existing calculation procedures.
35
Exceptions to this rule can be made for water surfaces, which are commonly modeled with a high CN value, but not
classified as impervious. See page 49 for details.
130
Section 24 - Calculation Messages

This appendix lists samples of the various messages that may occur during runoff and routing
calculations. In actual use, the text of each message will vary to reflect the exact situation,
however the message number (shown in brackets) will remain the same.
When running HydroCAD, you can click on any item in the summary
report or message window for complete information. This will
display the entire text shown here, as well as links to related topics,
calculations and definitions.
[01] Note: {node} Duplicate node number skipped
A node was encountered with a number that was already in use. The node is skipped, and the
program continues to process any additional nodes.
This message usually occurs while adding a project that contains nodes that don't have unique
numbers. Before adding a project, you should generally renumber any nodes with conflicting
numbers. To add any nodes that were skipped, renumber the applicable nodes and add the project
again.
The message can also occur when pasting nodes from the clipboard, or opening a project that
contains duplicate node numbers. Tip: To make a clone of an existing node use Ctrl-drag (rather
than cut and paste).
[02] Note: Exceeded node capacity
The current project has exceeded the nominal node capacity of your program.
You can continue to work with the project, but you will not be able to save the project or produce
multi-page reports unless you reduce the number of nodes.
Warning: If you're using the HydroCAD Sampler, your changes will be lost when the Sampler's
time limit expires. To save your project you must reduce the number of nodes before the time limit
expires.
[03] Note: Added x nodes and updated y nodes
This message indicates the number of nodes that have been added, updated, and/or removed by the
Project|Add, Project|Merge, or Project|Import commands.
131
[04] Note: Repositioned x nodes

This message indicates that a number of nodes have been repositioned for better visibility. This
occurs automatically if the nodes don't contain the expected position information. The repositioned
nodes are selected and aligned in a row at the bottom of the routing diagram.
This situation occurs primarily with project files that are generated by another application which
doesn't provide position information. To avoid automatic repositioning of nodes, be sure they have
a valid position before the file is opened in HydroCAD.
[10] Note: Updating to {node} as needed
Routing calculations are being performed up to a specific node. To save time, downstream nodes
are not being calculated, unless a dynamic or simultaneous routing is being performed. Any other
nodes will be automatically updated when required.
[13] Note: Time span = 5-20 hrs, dt= .05 hrs, 301 Points
This message indicates the time span and time increment (dt) being used to generate and route
hydrographs. The message also indicates the number of points in the resulting hydrographs.
[16] Note: Runoff by SCS TR-20 method, UH=SCS
This message indicates the method being used to produce runoff hydrographs. When using the SCS
method, the message also indicates the Unit Hydrograph (UH) being employed.
When using the Rational method, the message indicates the hydrograph rise/fall rates. These
parameters may be changed with Settings|Calculation.
[18] Note: Rainfall Duration=20 min, Inten=4.30 in/hr , Cf=1.20
This message indicates the rainfall duration, intensity, and frequency factor being used with the
Rational method. These parameters may be changed with Settings|Calculation.
[19] Note: Type II 24-hr 10-Year Rainfall= 4.30" x2, AMC=3, Ia/S=0.25
This message indicates the rainfall distribution, rainfall event name, and rainfall depth being used
to generate runoff hydrographs. The letter x indicates that several back-to-back storms are being
generated, with the specified rainfall depth occurring in each of the storms.
The Antecedent Moisture Condition (AMC) is shown only if it differs from the default value of 2
(normal conditions). The ratio of Ia to S is shown only if it differs from the default value of 0.2.
These parameters may be changed with Settings|Calculation.
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[22] Note: Reach routing by Stor-Ind+Trans method

This message indicates the method being used to perform hydrograph routing through each reach.
The routing method may be changed using Settings|Calculation.
[25] Note: Pond routing by Stor-Ind method
This message indicates the method being used to perform hydrograph routing through each pond.
The routing method may be changed using Settings|Calculation.
[28] Note: Updating {node}
This message indicates that runoff or routing calculations are being updated for a given node.
Routing calculations are automatically updated as required to view or print reports. HydroCAD
employs a minimal recalculation feature, so that only the required nodes are updated at any given
time.
Any upstream nodes are automatically updated as required to produce a valid inflow. During a
dynamic or simultaneous routing, any downstream nodes that contribute to a tailwater effect are
updated concurrently. (See Tailwater Capabilities on page 119.) Otherwise, downstream nodes
are just marked as invalid and will be updated as their results are required.
[37] Hint: Longer time span advised for full volumes
The calculation time span may not be long enough to encompass the entire hydrograph duration,
causing a reduction in the reported hydrograph volume, runoff depth, and detention time. If you
wish to study the entire volume, the time span may be changed using Settings|Calculation: Time Span.
[40] Hint: {node} Not described
No description has been entered for the node, or the data is incomplete. For a subcatchment, no
runoff is produced. For a reach, pond, or link, any inflow is passed through unchanged.
To describe the node, select Node|Edit. An undescribed node can also be useful during initial design
work, since it allows a node to be placed on the diagram but not described until later.
[43] Hint: {node} Has no inflow (Outflow=Zero)
This node has no inflow on the routing diagram, so it will produce no outflow unless it has a base
flow and/or initial water surface elevation.
133
[45] Hint: Subcat Runoff=Zero

The subcatchment has produced no runoff. This can occur in any of the following situations:
1) The entire runoff may be occurring before or after the specified time span. To change the time
span use Settings|Calculation.
2) For the SCS or SBUH methods, the rainfall depth may be insufficient to generate any runoff as
determined by the SCS runoff equation. This is normal when low rainfall depths are used in
combination with low curve numbers.
[46] Hint: Subcat Tc=0 (Instant runoff peak depends on dt)
When the time-of-concentration is zero, the precipitation excess appears immediately as runoff.
Since the calculated peak flow is based on the average over each time interval (dt), using a longer
dt (in relation to the peak duration) will yield a lower peak flow.
If the instantaneous peak is required, reduce the dt.
The dt may be changed using
Settings|Calculation: Time Span.
Note: The calculated runoff volume is not affected by the dt setting.

[48] Hint: Subcat Peak<CiA due to short rainfall duration
Due to the short rainfall duration, the peak runoff has not had time to attain the full value
predicted by the Rational Method equation Q=CiA. In order to attain the full peak, the rainfall
duration must be greater than or equal to the time-of-concentration multiplied by the rise rate.
Shorter durations will produce a proportionately lower peak.
[49] Hint: Subcat Tc<2dt may require smaller dt
When the time-of-concentration is less than twice the time increment (dt), the instantaneous peak
may exceed the (average) hydrograph peak for a brief time (less than dt).
If the instantaneous peak is required, reduce the dt. A dt of one-half the smallest Tc will prevent
this message from occurring. The dt may be changed using Settings|Calculation: Time Span.
Note: The runoff volume is not affected by the dt setting.
[51] Hint: xx Area used default ground cover / soil group
When importing watershed data, a ground cover or soil group was not specified for all areas, so the
default value was used for those areas. The message will also indicate the default that was used,
plus the area to which it was applied.
The default ground cover and soil group are specified on the Settings|Watershed screen. When using
a default value, be sure to draw all areas that should not use the default.
134
[52] Hint: Reach Inlet/Outlet conditions not evaluated

Reach routing calculations assume normal-flow conditions in the channel or pipe. The software
does not evaluate inlet conditions or tailwater for the reach, although these may often be a
controlling factor.
If you wish to consider entrance losses, pressure flow, or other conditions for a pipe, it should be
modeled as a pond with a culvert outlet.
[55] Hint: Reach Peak inflow is 1xx% of Manning's capacity
The reach is operating above its Manning's normal-flow capacity, but has not overtopped. This may
be acceptable depending on the design criteria.
[56] Hint: Dam Breach started at x.xx hrs WSE=xxx.x
A dam breach has commenced at the indicated time and water surface elevation.
[57] Hint: Pond Peaked at xx (Flood elevation advised)
The peak water surface elevation is displayed. Since a flood elevation has not been specified,
HydroCAD is unable to determine if this is an acceptable elevation.
If the peak elevation is higher than expected, make sure you have defined all necessary outlet
devices. For example, if the level exceeds the top of your pond or catch basin, you must define a
suitable overflow device. Otherwise the elevation may attain an unrealistic level.
It is also recommended that you define a flood elevation for this node. This will allow a warning
message to be automatically generated whenever the water surface exceeds the specified elevation.
Setting a flood elevation will also improve calculation speed by allowing a better estimate of the
elevation range prior to routing.
[58] Hint: {node} Peaked x.x' above defined flood level
The peak depth in a reach or pond has exceeded the defined flood elevation. Routing continues as
usual. (A separate message occurs whenever a reach or pond exceeds the highest defined stage.)
The significance of this message depends on the flood level that has been specified for this node.
The message does not indicate that the calculations themselves have been compromised.
If the peak elevation is higher than expected, make sure you have defined all necessary outlet
devices. For example, if the level exceeds the top of your pond or catch basin, you must define a
suitable overflow device. Otherwise the elevation may attain an unrealistic level.
[59] Hint: {node} Culvert Resized to xx
The specified culvert outlet or pipe reach has been resized according to the criteria established on
the Resize tab of the Settings|Calculation form.
135
[61] Hint: {node} Exceeded Reach x outlet invert by x.x @ x.x hrs
The node's peak elevation has exceeded the outlet invert of an inflowing reach, but did not exceed
the reachs outlet depth at any time during the routing.
This degree of tailwater is common, and does not necessarily require further action. The reach
routing calculations continue to be performed as if the reach were operating under normal
Manning's flow with no tailwater influence. The user is responsible for adjusting the model in any
way that is deemed necessary to accommodate this situation. In some situations, an alternate
routing method or modeling technique may be required.
[62] Hint: {node} Exceeded Reach x OUTLET depth by x.x @ x.x hrs
At some time during the routing, the node's water surface elevation has exceeded the flow depth
at the reach outlet, but always remained below the inlet depth. The message indicates the
maximum amount of exceedance, and the time at which it occurred.
This message indicates that part of the reach has been "flooded out" by the downstream node.
Important: The reach routing calculations are not automatically changed to accommodate this
situation, even though it may reduce the actual reach discharge. The routing continues to be
performed as if the reach were operating under normal Manning's flow with no tailwater influence.
Since these basic routing assumptions may no longer be valid, an alternate routing method or
modeling technique may be required. The user is responsible for adjusting the model in any way
that is deemed necessary to accommodate this situation.
Reminder: In most situations, a pipe reach is best modeled as a pond with a culvert outlet, which
can accommodate a wider range of tailwater conditions.
[63] Warning: {node} Exceeded Reach x INLET depth by x.x @ x.x hrs
At some time during the routing, the node's water surface elevation has exceeded the flow depth
at the reach inlet, indicating a tailwater dependency, or even the potential for reverse flow. The
message shows the maximum amount of reverse head and the time at which it occurred
Important: The reach routing calculations are not automatically changed to accommodate this
situation, even though the higher tailwater may in reality cause a reduction in flow, or even a
reverse flow. The routing continues to be performed without tailwater effects or reverse flow, as
if a one-way valve were preventing any backflow. The user is responsible for adjusting the model
in any way that is deemed necessary to accommodate this situation.
Note: If the reach is being used to connect two ponds, you may want to remove the reach and
connect one pond directly to the next. This will provide additional capabilities for handling the
tailwater effects as described on page 119.
[65] Warning: Reach Inlet elevation not specified
The reach inlet elevation has not been specified. This information is required in order to detect
potential tailwater effects. Use Node|Edit: Profile to specify the reach elevation. (This warning
commonly occurs with reaches imported from HydroCAD 5, which did not define the elevation.)
136
[67] Warning: {node} Inflow not allowed - Ignored

This node cannot accept an inflow hydrograph. The inflow is ignored. If you need to route a
hydrograph through a subcatchment, use a separate reach routing.
[68] Warning: Input data skipped
Some of the imported data could not be fully processed. The data that was skipped is listed before
this message. When importing watershed data, review the source data to identify and correct the
problem.
When importing a TR-20 file, the skipped data is also listed in the project notes. In order to
properly replicate the results obtained with the original data, the skipped items must be manually
incorporated into the HydroCAD project. After incorporating the skipped items, you should open
the Project|Notes screen and update that information accordingly.
[70] Warning: Subcat Tc<8dt requires smaller dt
The rising limb of a Rational Method hydrograph contains fewer than eight ordinates. A smaller
dt is recommended in order to accurately represent the hydrograph. (A dt of .01 hours is generally
appropriate for most Rational method calculations.) Inspection of the hydrograph is also advised.
The dt may be changed using Settings|Calculation: Time Span.
[73] Warning: Subcat Peak may fall outside time span
The calculated runoff peak isn't within the middle 90% of the specified time span. Under these
conditions, the reported peak is the highest flow within the time span, and may not be the true
peak. Inspect the hydrograph and change the time span to include the peak. The time span may
be changed using Settings|Calculation: Time Span.
[74] Warning: xx Area has no ground cover / soil group
When importing watershed data, a ground cover or soil group was not specified for certain areas.
The message will indicate the amount of area that had no ground cover or soil group.
Because a ground cover or soil group was not specified, the Curve Number cannot be determined
for these areas. To resolve the problem, revise the input data or specify default values on the
Settings|Watershed screen.
[75] Warning: Subcat xx area mismatch
When importing watershed data, the total area of a subcatchment did not match the sum of the
individual subareas. The message will indicate the actual difference in areas.
This message indicates a problem with the original data or the import process itself. Examine the
original data to identify and correct the discrepancy.
137
[76] Warning: Reach Detained x.xx AF (Pond w/culvert advised)

A pipe reach has filled with water, causing the flow to be limited and the excess volume to be
detained without head.
Important: Pipe reach calculations assume normal-flow conditions in the pipe. If you wish to
consider entrance losses, pressure flow, or other conditions, the pipe should be modeled as a pond
with a culvert outlet.
[77] Warning: Pond Manual tailwater submerged device # by x.x
(SI method only)
The ponds manual tailwater elevation exceeds an outlet device which is not tailwater-aware. The
message occurs when the manual tailwater setting is above the invert of one of the ponds final
outlet devices, and that device is not able to respond to tailwater conditions.
This message can occur only for specific types of outlet devices that are unable to respond to
tailwater conditions, such as exfiltration and some special outlets. To resolve the situation, either
adjust the device to accommodate the tailwater, or switch to a tailwater-capable device.
[78] Warning: {node} Submerged Pond x device # by x.x'
The node's peak elevation has submerged the specified pond outlet device. This message occurs
when the peak elevation (tailwater) rises above the invert of one of the pond's final outlet device(s),
and that device is not able to respond to tailwater conditions.
Important: The pond routing calculations are not altered by this situation, even though the
tailwater may reduce the pond's discharge. The routing continues to be performed based on the
existing stage-discharge relationship, as if the tailwater did not exist.
This message can occur only for specific types of outlet devices that are unable to respond to
tailwater conditions, such as exfiltration and some special outlets. To resolve the situation, either
adjust the device to accommodate the tailwater, or switch to a tailwater-capable device.
[79] Warning: {node} Submerged Pond x device # by x.x'
(SI method only)
The node's peak elevation has submerged the specified pond outlet device. This message occurs
when the peak elevation (tailwater) rises above the invert of one of the pond's final outlet device(s).
Important: The pond routing calculations are not altered by this situation, even though the
tailwater may reduce the pond's discharge. The routing continues to be performed based on the
existing stage-discharge relationship, as if the tailwater did not exist.
Since a static stage-discharge curve cannot accommodate a variable tailwater, the tailwater must
be specified manually using Node|Edit:Tailwater. If one of these tailwater options isn't sufficient, an
alternate routing method may be required, such as a dynamic routing.
138
[80] Warning: {node} Exceeded Pond x by x.x' @ x.x hrs (x.x cfs x.x af) (DSI & Sim-Route only)
At some point during the routing, the node's elevation has exceeded the elevation of an inflowing
pond, indicating a possible reverse flow. The message shows the maximum amount of reverse head,
the time at which it occurred, and an estimate of the potential reverse flow.
Important: The pond routing is not altered by this situation, even though the higher tailwater may
in reality cause a reverse flow. The routing continues to be performed as if a one-way valve were
preventing the backflow. The user is responsible for adjusting the model in any way that is deemed
necessary to accommodate this situation. If the potential reverse flow volume is significant in
proportion to the total outflow volume, you may be able to model the flow with a reverse outlet
device.
[81] Warning: {node} Exceeded Pond x by x.x' @ x.x hrs
(SI method only)
At some point during the routing, the node's elevation has exceeded the elevation of an inflowing
pond, indicating a possible tailwater dependency. The message shows the maximum amount of
reverse head and the time at which it occurred.
Important: The pond routing is not altered by this situation, even though the higher tailwater may
in reality cause a reduced discharge. To remedy the situation, a different pond routing method
should be used that is able to accommodate tailwater effects.
[82] Warning: {node} Early inflow requires earlier time span
Some inflow may be occurring before the beginning of the specified time span, and is therefore not
included in the routing. An earlier time span is required in order to include the early part of the
inflow hydrograph.
The time span may be changed using Settings|Calculation: Time Span.
[85] Warning: {node} Oscillations may require Finer Routing>1
(SI method only)
The outflow of a pond or reach contains a greater number of peaks than the inflow. This suggests
that oscillations were induced by the routing and that the routing results may not be valid.
If a visual inspection reveals oscillations, they can usually be eliminated by setting the finer routing
value to 2 for that particular node. If this fails to correct the problem, the available storage may
be too small to permit an accurate routing for this node.
Note: Reducing the overall time increment (dt) may also resolve the problem, but this will
unnecessarily increase the calculation time for other nodes.
139
[86] Warning: {node} Oscillations may require smaller dt
(Sim-Route method only)
If a visual inspection reveals oscillations, reduce the time increment (dt) until the situation is
corrected. This may require a reduction to the minimum dt of 0.01 hours.
If the problem persists, the available storage may be too small to permit an accurate routing with
the simultaneous routing method. This method is intended for "coupled ponds" of reasonable size.
In general, it is not intended for reaches or ponds with very small amounts of storage, such as catch
basins or manholes. The DSI method (or using a zero-storage pond) may produce better results.
[87] Warning: {node} Oscillations may require finer routing or smaller dt
(DSI only)
If a visual inspection reveals oscillations, increase the Finer Routing value (on the
Settings|Calculation screen) and/or reduce the time increment (dt) until the situation is corrected.
If the problem persists, the available storage may be too small to permit an accurate DSI routing.
[88] Warning: {node} Qout>Qin may require Finer Routing>1
(SI method only)
The peak outflow of a pond or reach was greater than the peak inflow. This can occur if the storage
is very small in relation to the inflow volume, or if there are abrupt changes in the stage-discharge
curve or inflow hydrograph.
This can usually be corrected by setting the finer routing value to 2 for that particular node. If this
fails to correct the problem, the available storage may be too small to permit an accurate routing
for this node.
Note: Reducing the overall time increment (dt) may also resolve the problem, but this will
unnecessarily increase the calculation time for other nodes.
[89] Warning: {node} Qout>Qin may require smaller dt
(Sim-Route method only)
This can usually be corrected by using a smaller time increment (dt) for the entire project. This
may require a reduction to the minimum dt of 0.01 hours.
If the problem persists, the available storage may be too small to permit an accurate routing with
the simultaneous routing method. This method is intended for "coupled ponds" of reasonable size.
In general, it is not intended for reaches or ponds with very small amounts of storage, such as catch
basins or manholes.
140
[90] Warning: {node} Qout>Qin may require Finer Routing or smaller dt
(DSI only)
In some cases, this message may be triggered by normal routing conditions. If a visual inspection
of the hydrograph confirms the presence of routing problems, they can usually be eliminated by
increasing the Finer Routing value (on the Setting|Calculation screen) or by reducing the overall time
increment (dt). If this fails to correct the problem, the available storage may be too small to permit
an accurate routing for this node.
[91] Warning: Reach Storage range exceeded by xx'
The water surface elevation has exceeded the highest defined stage. Routing continues using a
linear extrapolation of the storage and discharge curves.
Important: For accuracy, you must extend the stage-storage data in order to prevent extrapolation.
[92] Warning: Pond Outlet Device #1 is above defined storage
(Occurs while editing)
The invert of the specified outlet device lies above the highest defined stage, and therefore does not
contribute to the pre-calculated stage-discharge curve. This can result in no flow being allowed
through the device.
Important: In order for the device to be properly evaluated, additional stage-storage data must be
provided so that the device falls within the defined storage range. There should be at least one
defined stage above the top of the highest outlet device.
[93] Warning: Pond Storage range exceeded by xx
The water surface elevation has exceeded the highest defined stage. All defined storage has been
filled. Routing continues by applying additional head to the outlet(s), but without utilizing any
additional storage. In essence, the pond has been extended upward as a pencil-thin chamber with
no additional storage.
Important: For accuracy, you must define additional storage in order to accurately represent the
physical situation being modeled. This may consist of additional stage-storage data and/or storage
chambers, as required to describe the actual storage. Overfilled storage can also cause other
problems, such as oscillations.
This warning commonly results from a failure to provide storage data above the highest outlet
device, such as an emergency spillway. Although you may not intend to utilize this storage,
complete storage information is required in order to perform an accurate routing. When using
custom stage-storage data, the situation is easily resolved by entering storage at one or more
elevations above the upper-most outlet.
It is also possible that you have failed to include an overflow device for the pond, causing the
elevation to rise beyond the expected level.
141
[95] Warning: Pond Outlet Device #1 rise exceeded

The water level has exceeded the rise of the specified outlet device (usually a weir), but no matching
device was found to handle the flow at higher elevations. Calculations will continue using orifice
flow through the specified rise, but without using any additional flow area.
Important: To obtain accurate results, you probably need to define another outlet device (generally
a weir) to handle the flow that will occur when the headwater exceeds the top of the lower weir.
The invert of the upper weir must be equal to the lower weir's invert plus its rise.
[97] Warning: Reach factor X out of range
The reach routing factor X (see page 73) has exceeded the permissible range of 0.0 to 0.5. The
value is automatically limited to the respective limit. To ensure an accurate routing, you must
adjust the reach parameters to produce a value in the required range.
[98] Warning: Max. Lift of x.xx exceeds pump rating
At some time during the routing, the required lift was greater than the pump could deliver. No
pump flow occurs under these conditions. If you intend to operate the pump at this lift, you should
insert additional points at the beginning of the rating table to adequately describe the pump flow
under high head (low flow) conditions. See page 106 for further details.
[99] Warning: Min. Lift of x.xx is below pump rating
At some time during the routing, the pump lift was below the range specified by the rating curve.
Under these conditions, the pump flow is assumed to be the highest value specified in the rating
table. If you intend to operate the pump at this lift, you should add additional points at the end of
the rating table to adequately describe the pump flow under low head (high flow) conditions. See
page 106 for further details.
142
Section 25 - Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I route an upstream node through a subcatchment?
A subcatchment contains only the information needed to perform a runoff calculation. Use a reach
if you want to route another hydrograph through this land area. For shallow overland flow, use
a wide channel with a suitable Manning's number.
Why isn't the entire outflow of my pond being routed?
Make sure there isn't an un-routed primary, secondary, or tertiary discharge, which will appear
as an outflow handle under the node. If so, you must route the outflow to another node or
reconfigure the outlet devices to eliminate the outflow.
Why dont my peak inflows add up?
When hydrographs are added, HydroCAD adds the corresponding flow at each time step. The peak
flows will add directly only if they occur at the exact same time. If the peaks occur at different
times, the peak value will be somewhat less than the sum of the individual peaks. To verify that
hydrographs are being added correctly you can compare the total inflow volume, which should
always be the exact sum of the individual hydrograph volumes. You can also review the
hydrograph summation by examining the tabular inflow hydrograph. (Right-click the table to
select the individual inflows.)
How do I compare the existing and proposed conditions for my site?
First create and save the model for the existing conditions. Then use Project|SaveAs to save a copy
of the project under a new name for modeling the proposed conditions.
To compare the existing and proposed conditions, open both files at the same time. Select the
nodes to be compared (one in each file), and select Comparison Report from the toolbar.
How do I compare different rainfall events?
HydroCAD can automatically calculate and print reports for multiple events. A multi-event report
is also available for each node. These capabilities are automatically enabled in any project where
rainfall events have been defined as discussed on page 47. Using a separate project for each event
is not recommended, since each project would have to be manually updated whenever the
watershed or drainage system is revised.
What is the best way to model a pipe?
A pipe can be modeled in three ways. 1) If the pipe always operates under normal, open channel
flow conditions, you can model it as a separate pipe reach. 2) Some open-channel pipes are most
easily modeled as a flow segment within a subcatchment. 3) The most complete solution is to model
the pipe as a culvert outlet on a pond, even if the pond is simply a roadway impoundment,
approach channel, or drop inlet.
143
How do I model a catch basin?

A catch-basin is best modeled as a pond with a culvert outlet. If the catch-basin provides negligible
storage, it can be modeled as a zero-storage pond. Or you can evaluate the detention effects by
defining the pond storage, including any above-ground storage that is used when the basin
overflows. (Always enter enough stage-storage data to prevent a data exceeded warning.) This
will allow a more accurate culvert analysis to be performed on the pipe, including the effects of
headwater and inlet losses. In some cases the Dynamic Storage-Indication routing procedure may
be used to handle varying tailwater conditions.
What about a closed storm sewer?
A storm sewer can sometimes be modeled as a series of ponds with culvert outlets as described
above, subject to the same tailwater considerations. Due to the computational problems of routing
hydrographs through a closed storm sewer, these systems may have to be modeled with two
separate tools, first performing a steady-state analysis of the closed drainage system, followed by
a hydrograph routing to consider detention effects. However, the dynamic Storage-Indication
method is able to handle many of these situations.
Can HydroCAD calculate the Hydraulic Grade Line (HGL) ?
Determining the HGL traditionally involves a steady-state analysis, with the entire drainage
system at equilibrium. Since hydrograph routing models are handling a time-varying flow, there
is no single HGL for the system. However, the peak elevation calculated at each node can be used
as the effective HGL.
When should I use the Dynamic Storage-Indication method?
The DSI procedure is intended primarily for coupled ponds, where one pond creates a tailwater
that influences an upstream pond. Common applications include a set of catch basins, or a
culverted road crossing with ponding occurring on both sides of the road.
If there are no tailwater effects, or the tailwater is constant, the traditional Storage-Indication
method is still recommended.
When should I use the Simultaneous routing method?
The Sim-Route procedure is intended specifically for ponds with reversing flows. That is, flows that
actually change direction during the course of the routing and require a reverse flow connection,
as described on page 120. For normal tailwater conditions where the flow does not reverse, use the
DSI procedure instead.
The Sim-Route procedure may also be precluded for very small ponds (such as catch basins) that
will not track properly, even with the smallest dt. Although the Sim-Route procedure may work
with some catch basins, it is intended for larger ponds that have a significant storage volume in
relation to the inflow hydrograph.
144
Section 26 - References
The following publications contain additional information on the hydrology and hydraulics
calculations employed by HydroCAD. They are listed in the approximate order in which they are
referenced in this Manual.
[1] McCuen, Richard H. A Guide to Hydrologic Analysis Using SCS Methods, Prentice Hall, 1982.
(Out of print. Also see [13], Chapter 8.)
[2] Soil Conservation Service
Information Service, 1982.
Technical Release Number 20 (TR-20),
National Technical
[3] Smith, P.D. Basic Hydraulics, Butterworth Scientific, 1982.

[4] Sharp, J.J. & Sawden, P. Basic Hydrology, Butterworth Scientific, 1984.
[5] King, H.W. & Brater, E.F. Handbook of Hydraulics, McGraw Hill, 1963.
[6] Simon, Andrew Practical Hydraulics, John Wiley & Sons, 1981.
[7] Chow, Ven Te Open Channel Hydraulics, McGraw Hill, 1959.
[8] Merrit, Frederick Standard Handbook for Civil Engineers
[9] Jerome M. Norman et al Culverts - Hydrology & Hydraulics, Lehigh University, 1980.
[10] NRCS National Engineering Handbook, Part 630: Hydrology (NEH, previously NEH-4)
[11] Soil Conservation Service Technical Release Number 55 (TR-55), 1986.
[12] American Concrete Pipe Association Concrete Pipe Handbook, 1981.
[13] McCuen, Richard H. Hydrologic Analysis and Design, Prentice Hall, 1989.
[14] Barfield and Warner Applied Hydrology and Sedimentology for Disturbed Areas, Oklahoma
Technical Press, 1983.
[15] NRCS (Formerly SCS) Agricultural Handbook Number 590, Ponds - Planning, Design,
Construction.
[16] Merkel, William H. Muskingum-Cunge Flood Routing Procedure in NRCS Hydrology Models,
Second Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference, 2002
[17] Schueler, T.R. Controlling Urban Runoff: A Practical Manual for Planning and Designing
Urban BMPs, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Publication No. 87703.
For a list of on-line reference documents, visit www.hydrocad.net/library.htm
145
146
Appendices
The following appendices contain general
reference information that is commonly
used in connection with any analysis or
design involving hydrology and hydraulics.
147
148
Appendix A1: Hydrologic Soil Groups
Hydrologic soil groups

Soils are classified into hydrologic soil groups (HSG's) to indicate the minimum rate of infiltration
obtained for bare soil after prolonged wetting. The HSG's, which are A, B, C, and D, are one
element used in determining runoff curve numbers as listed on the following pages.
The infiltration rate is the rate at which water enters the soil at the soil surface. It is controlled
by surface conditions. HSG also indicates the transmission rate the rate at which the water
moves through the soil. This rate is controlled by the soil profile. The four groups are defined by
SCS soil scientists as follows:
Group A soils have low runoff potential and high infiltration rates even when thoroughly wetted.
They consist chiefly of deep, well to excessively drained sands and gravels, and have a high rate
of water transmission (greater than 0.30 in/hr).
Group B soils have moderate infiltration rates when thoroughly wetted, and consist chiefly of
moderately deep to deep, moderately well to well drained soils with moderately fine to moderately
coarse textures. These soils have a moderate rate of water transmission (0.15-0.30 in/hr).
Group C soils have low infiltration rates when thoroughly wetted, and consist chiefly of soils with
a layer that impedes downward movement of water, and soils with moderately fine to fine texture.
These soils have a low rate of water transmission (0.05-0.15 in/hr).
Group D soils have high runoff potential. They have very low infiltration rates when thoroughly
wetted, and consist chiefly of clay soils with a high swelling potential, soils with a permanent high
water table, soils with a claypan or clay layer at or near the surface, and shallow soils over nearly
impervious material. These soils have a very low rate of water transmission (0-0.05 in/hr).
Note: A complete list of soil types for the United States is included in the HydroCAD Help
system, and on the HydroCAD support page at www.hydrocad.net.
Disturbed soil profiles
As a result of urbanization, the soil profile may be considerably altered and the listed group
classification may no longer apply. In these circumstances, use the following to determine HSG
according to the texture of the new surface soil, provided that significant compaction has not
occurred:
HSG
A
B
C
D
Soil Textures
Sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam
Silt loam or loam
Sandy clay loam
Clay loam, silty clay loam, sandy clay, silty clay, or clay
This appendix reprinted from S.C.S. TR-55, revised 1986.
149
Appendix A2: Runoff Curve Numbers
150
Appendix A2: Runoff Curve Numbers (continued)
151
152
153
Appendix A3: Curve Number Adjustment for AMC

The following table lists the automatic curve number adjustments for Antecedent Moisture
Condition I and III as specified in NEH Table 10.1 and described on page 51. The first column lists
the normal (AMC II) values. The second and third columns list the adjusted values for AMC I and
III respectively. When using fractional curve numbers, the translation is performed using an
interpolated version of this table. For details see the AMC.TXT file installed with HydroCAD.
154
II
III
II
III
13
10
22
15
30
20
37
25
12
43
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
15
16
16
17
18
18
19
20
21
21
22
23
24
25
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
70
71
72
73
74
75
75
76
77
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
50
51
52
53
54
55
57
58
59
60
62
63
64
66
67
68
70
72
73
75
76
78
80
81
83
85
87
89
91
94
97
100
78
78
79
80
81
82
82
83
84
84
85
86
86
87
88
88
89
89
90
91
91
92
92
93
93
94
94
95
95
96
96
97
97
98
98
98
99
99
99
100
100
Appendix B1: HydroCAD Rainfall Library
The HydroCAD Rainfall Library

HydroCAD includes a substantial library of rainfall distributions designed to meet the
requirements of most projects. Some of the more common distributions are listed below. Additional
rainfalls may be included in your software or available at www.hydrocad.net/rainfall
Custom rainfalls may also be defined manually as described in the Rainfall.txt file, which may be
viewed by selecting Start|Programs|HydroCAD|Rainfall Info. Custom synthetic rainfall distributions can
also be created from local rainfall data as discussed on page 47.
Rainfall Name(s)
Comments
Type I 24-hr
Type IA 24-hr
Type II 6/12/24-hr
Type III 6/12/24-hr
Standard SCS/NRCS distributions used for most projects in the

United States. (See page 157 for details.) Supplied as
polynomial curves for optimum results. Also available in
conventional tabular format.
Type II FL 24-hr
Modified Type II storm used by Southwest Florida Water

Management District and Saint Johns County, Florida.
Type IIA CS 24-hr
Modified Type IIA storm for Colorado Springs, Colorado.
SFWMD 24-hr & 72-hr
Used by Southern Florida Water Management district.
FDOT 1/2/4/8/24-hr
FDOT 3/7/10-day
Eight distributions used by the Florida Department of

Transportation. Select the table with the desired duration.
Spillway Emergency
The SCS Emergency Spillway Hydrograph (ESH). Scaled to the

duration specified on the Settings|Calculation screen. Also used
as a Type II 6-hr rainfall.
Spillway 1-day 10-day
The SCS Principal Spillway Hydrograph (PSH). A ten-day

distribution that contains the one-day storm at its center. 40%
of the ten-day rainfall occurs in the one-day period.
Constant Intensity
A constant-intensity storm for modeling special situations. May

be used for any storm duration and rainfall depth, as specified
on the Settings|Calculation screen.
Sample A (intensity curve)

Sample B (smoothed curve)
Sample C (mass curve)
Sample D (Chicago storm)
Fictional rainfall distributions that may be used as the basis for

custom storms.
Austin 3-hr n-yr
Design storms for the City of Austin, Texas, provided for return
periods (n) of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. Each event
includes a pre-set rainfall depth.
Charlotte 6-hr
2-yr & 10-yr events
Balanced Storms for Charlotte, North Carolina. Each event

includes a pre-set rainfall depth.
E-WA Short
E-WA Long Regions 1-4
Regional rainfall distributions for Eastern Washington State,

from Washington State DOT, Highway Runoff Manual.
155
Fayette 5-hr 1995

Fayette 6-hr 10-yr
Fayette 6-hr 100-yr
Fayette 18-hr 1992
Local rainfall distributions for Fayette County, Kentucky,

Lexington-Fayette, KY Stormwater manual 1/1/01
Fayette05 6-hr 10-yr

Fayette05 24-hr 100yr
Updated rainfall distributions for Fayette County, Kentucky,

Lexington-Fayette, KY Stormwater manual 1/1/05. Historic
storms same as above.
Fayette09 1-hr
1-yr, 10-yr, and 100-yr
New 1-hour rainfall distributions for Fayette County, Kentucky.

Other distributions as listed above.
Huff 0-10sm
Huff 10-50sm
Huff 50-400sm
1st/2nd/3rd/4th Quartile
Illinois Huff distributions from ISWS Circular 173. Four

distributions are provided for each watershed size, with the
peak occurring in the specified quartile. Each storm is scaled to
the duration specified on the Settings|Calculation screen.
Huff B70 0-10sm

Updated Illinois Huff distributions from ISWS Bulletin 70.
Indy Huff 24-hr
A variation of the Huff distributions from Indianapolis

(Indiana) Stormwater Manual 5/10/95.
Indy Huff
Updated Huff distributions from Indianapolis (Indiana)

Stormwater Manual, SQU Appendix I, 7/20/06
LA County DPW
24-hr and 96-hr
Los Angeles County DPW 2006 Hydrology Manual.
NJ DEP 2-hr
2-Hour stormwater quality event from New Jersey 2003

Stormwater BMP Manual.
RSA 24-hr
Type 1, 2, 3, & 4
Republic of South Africa polynomial-based rainfalls. (Also

available in tabular format)
San Diego 6-hr

San Diego 24-hr
San Diego County, California.
San Louis Obispo 24-hr

2, 10, 25, 50, & 100 year
Type U and D rainfalls
San Louis Obispo rainfall distributions for upper and lower

watersheds. Each distribution also defines the rainfall depth
the applicable event.
Seattle 24-hr
Seattle, Washington, Flow Control Technical Requirements

Manual, November 2000.
SEWRPC-90
South-east Wisconsin 90th percentile rainfall distribution.
Thurston 24-hr n-yr

Thurston 24-hr 1990
Thurston 7-day 100-yr
Design storms for Thurston County, Washington, for return

periods (n) of 0.5, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. (Each storm
includes a pre-set rainfall depth.)
156
Appendix B2: SCS Synthetic Rainfall Distributions
SCS Synthetic Rainfall Distributions
Synthetic rainfall distributions can also be generated

from local rainfall data as discussed on page 47.
157
Appendix B2: SCS Rainfall Distributions (continued)
158
Appendix B4: Rainfall Depth Maps
159
Appendix B4: Rainfall Depth Maps (continued)
160
Appendix B4: Rainfall Depth Maps (continued)
161
Appendix C: Manning's Number Table
This table reprinted from OPEN CHANNEL HYDRAULICS by Ven Te Chow, Copyright 1959 by McGraw-Hill, with the
permission of the publisher.
162
Appendix C: Manning's Number Table (continued)
This table reprinted from OPEN CHANNEL HYDRAULICS by Ven Te Chow, Copyright 1959 by McGraw-Hill, with the
163
Appendix D1: Broad-Crested Weir Coefficients for Sharp-Edged Crests
The following table lists English weir coefficients for broad crested weirs with a sharp-edged crest
of various breadths. These coefficients are automatically entered into the lookup table for a broad
crested weir whenever a crest breadth is entered as described on page 89. If breadth falls between
two listed values, interpolated coefficients are automatically used. Breadths outside the listed
range will use the first or last coefficient values without extrapolation. Values are automatically
converted to the current input units as described on page 43.
Head
---0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
------------------Weir Breadth--(ft)-----------------0.50 0.75 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 4.00 5.00 10.0 15.0
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---2.80 2.75 2.69 2.62 2.54 2.48 2.44 2.38 2.34 2.49 2.68
2.92 2.80 2.72 2.64 2.61 2.60 2.58 2.54 2.50 2.56 2.70
3.08 2.89 2.75 2.64 2.61 2.60 2.68 2.69 2.70 2.70 2.70
3.30 3.04 2.85 2.68 2.60 2.60 2.67 2.68 2.68 2.69 2.64
3.32 3.14 2.98 2.75 2.66 2.64 2.65 2.67 2.68 2.68 2.63
3.32 3.20 3.08 2.86 2.70 2.65 2.64 2.67 2.66 2.69 2.64
3.32 3.26 3.20 2.92 2.77 2.68 2.64 2.65 2.65 2.67 2.64
3.32 3.29 3.28 3.07 2.89 2.75 2.68 2.66 2.65 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.31 3.07 2.88 2.74 2.68 2.66 2.65 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.31 3.30 3.03 2.85 2.76 2.72 2.68 2.65 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.31 3.28 3.07 2.89 2.81 2.72 2.67 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.20 3.05 2.92 2.73 2.66 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.19 2.97 2.76 2.68 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.07 2.79 2.70 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 2.88 2.74 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.07 2.79 2.64 2.63
3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 3.32 2.88 2.64 2.63
This table was derived from information in HANDBOOK OF HYDRAULICS by Brater and King, 1976.
164
Appendix D2: Broad-Crested Weir Coefficients for Assorted Profiles

Coefficients for the following weirs may be entered automatically by specifying the appropriate
Profile ID number on the HydroCAD weir screen.
Note: This table contains metric weir coefficients. To obtain English coefficients multiply the
values in this table by 1.811 as described on page 43.
Reprinted from PRACTICAL HYDRAULICS by Andrew L. Simon, Copyright 1981 by John Wiley & Sons with the
165
Appendix E: Culvert Entrance Loss Coefficients

The following table lists entrance loss coefficients for concrete, corrugated metal, and box culverts.
These values are automatically provided by HydroCAD when the corresponding entrance
description is selected for a given culvert.
Although comparable data is not available for corrugated plastic pipe, it is believed to be similar
to corrugated metal, and the same entries are listed for CPP in the internal lookup table.
This table reprinted from the CONCRETE PIPE HANDBOOK, Copyright 1981 by the American Concrete Pipe
Association, with the permission of the publisher.
166
Appendix F: Sheet Flow Roughness Coefficients
HydroCAD provides the following table of roughness coefficients for use with the Sheet Flow
procedure (see page 54). This information is taken directly from NEH Table 15-1, with slight
abbreviation of the descriptions. If you decide to substitute other roughness coefficients, note that
these values are specifically for sheet flow, and are generally larger than the regular Manning's
numbers for comparable surfaces.
Surface Description
Smooth surfaces
.011
Fallow
.05
Cultivated: Residue<=20%
.06
Cultivated: Residue>20%
.17
Grass: Short
.15
Grass: Dense
.24
Grass: Bermuda
.41
Range
.13
Woods: Light underbrush
.40
Woods: Dense underbrush
.80
Note: These coefficients may also be appropriate when using a reach to model artificially created
sheet flow (as from a level spreader) as long as the depth of flow is limited to approximately 1/10
foot.
167
Appendix G: Velocity Factors
The Shallow Concentrated Flow procedure (a.k.a. Upland Method) uses a velocity factor, KV, as
listed below. The first two surfaces (paved and unpaved) are the basis for TR-55 Figure 3-1, and
the factors were originally obtained from TR-55 Appendix F. The remaining surfaces were taken
from NEH-4 Figure 15.2, with the factors derived from that chart. Subsequent revisions to NEH
Part 630 provide numerical KV values which are in good agreement with the original chart, except
for Grassed Waterways, which appears to have changed from 15.0 to 16.13, making it the same
as the TR-55 Unpaved condition. For compatibility with previous calculations, the HydroCAD
lookup table continues to supply the original KV values as listed below. If different values are
required for any reason, HydroCAD allows direct KV entry instead of using the lookup table. See
page 55 for further details on Shallow Concentrated Flow.
Surface Description
KV [ft/sec]
KV [m/sec]
Paved
20.33
6.2
Unpaved
16.13
4.92
Grassed Waterway
15.0
4.57
Nearly Bare & Untilled
10.0
3.05
Cultivated Straight Rows
9.0
2.74
Short Grass Pasture
7.0
2.13
Woodland
5.0
1.52
Forest w/Heavy Litter
2.5
0.76
Some descriptions have been abbreviated. Velocity factors have the same units as a velocity, and
may be converted between English and metric as described on page 43.
168
Appendix H: Cross-Sectional Area & Perimeter Equations
The following equations are used to calculate the cross-sectional area and wetted perimeter of
common channel geometries.
Rectangular, Vee, or Trapezoidal channel
a'Y W%
Pw ' W % Y
Y
Z1 % Z2
2
Eq. 103
1% Z1 % 1% Z2
a=Cross-sectional area
Pw=Wetted perimeter
Y=Flow depth
W=Bottom width
Z1=Left side slope Z-Value [run/rise]
Z2=Right side slope Z-Value [run/rise]
Note: Side slopes are now expressed as a Z-value, which is calculated as the run divided by the rise.
This is the reciprocal of the rise/run side slope used in HydroCAD-5 and earlier.
Parabolic Channel
a '
Pw '
4Y 2%
W2
4
2
Y W
3
W2
ln
%
8Y
2Y %
4Y 2% W
Eq. 104
W
2
Pw=Wetted perimeter
Y=Flow depth
W=Flow width at surface
169
Circular Pipe (any flow depth)
a ' R 2 % (Y&R ) Y (D&Y ) '

2
Pw ' R
where
1
2
R 2 [ & sin() ]
Eq. 105
' 2 cos&1 1& Y
Pw=Wetted perimeter
D=Diameter
R=Radius
Y=Flow depth
=Submerged central angle [radians]
(For multiple pipes, a and Pw are multiplied by the number of pipes)
Elliptical or Arch Pipe

Arch pipes are characterized by a top, bottom, and corner radius.
An elliptical pipe is a special case of an arch pipe, in which the top
and bottom radii are the same.
The area of an arch pipe consists of up to three components,
depending on how much of the bottom, corner, and top chords of
the pipe are submerged. This calculation is considerably more
complex than other types of pipe storage, and is not detailed in
this document.
170
Index
Please see the HydroCAD help system for operating details not
contained in this Manual.
Adding Hydrographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Antecedent Moisture Condition . . . 51, 132,
154
Area,
Cross Sectional . . 55, 92, 106, 111, 123,
142, 169, 170
Surface . . . . . . . 78, 81, 82, 85, 109, 110
Wetted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-86, 109, 110
ASCII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125, 128
Automatic Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127, 128
Average
Land Slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53, 54
Velocity . . . . . . . . 55, 67, 100, 111, 123
Backwater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, 101
Base Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 71, 117, 133
Breach Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Broad-Crested Weir . . 87, 89, 94, 114, 164,
165
Burst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 59-61
Calculation Time . . . . 61, 64, 101, 119, 123,
126, 133, 139, 140
Carlson Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Catch Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 135, 144
Center of Mass Detention Time . . . . . . 121
Chamber,
Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Prefabricated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Channel
Flow . . . . . . . . . . 15, 30, 54-56, 101, 143
Slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Circular Orifice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Compound
Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 114
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Conductivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 108, 109
Constant Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 42, 104
Contraction Coefficient . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Convolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59, 63
Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 68
Crest
Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 93
Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 89, 95, 99
Critical Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 66
Cross Sectional Area . 55, 92, 106, 111, 123,
142, 169, 170
Culvert Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 100
Cumulative
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Curve Number . . . 15, 18, 19, 37, 49, 50, 53,

54, 56, 58, 59, 61, 62, 64, 137,
154
Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49, 50, 64
Curve Number Method . . . . . . . . 15, 53, 54
Curve Numbers . . 42, 51, 63, 130, 134, 149154
Dam Breach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Darcys Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 108
Data Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Default
Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 35
Detention . . 16, 20, 42, 46, 62, 66, 116, 118,
121, 122, 133, 144
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 121, 122, 133
Discarded Outflow . . . . . . . 30, 32, 108, 113
Discharge
Coefficient . . . . . . 88-91, 94, 96-99, 101
Curve . . 87, 98, 101, 106, 108, 113, 114,
119, 138, 140, 141
Multiplier . . . . . . . . . . 99, 111, 125, 126
Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 97, 111
Diversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113, 126
Duration,
Critical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 66
Rainfall . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 58, 132, 134
Dynamic Storage-Indication . . . . 15, 20, 71,
107, 115, 117, 144
Earlier Time Span . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Elevation,
Peak . 115, 117, 123, 135, 136, 138, 144
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Tidal . . . . . . . . 15, 20, 30, 119, 125, 126
Embedded
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 78, 110
End Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
English . . . 16, 17, 20, 34, 43, 55, 65, 67, 88,
90, 99, 100, 103, 106, 164,
165, 168
Entrance Loss Coefficient . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Exfiltration . . 15, 18, 30, 32, 78, 81-85, 87,
108-110, 113, 138
Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108, 110
Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
External
Hydrograph . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 126, 128
Hydrograph Files . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 128
HydroCAD Owners Manual
171
Extrapolation . . . . . . 89, 105, 123, 141, 164

Finer Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117, 139-141
Float Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Flood
Elevation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117, 135
Flow
Depth . . . 72, 73, 75, 101, 136, 169, 170
Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54-56
Segment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53, 67, 76, 143
Threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125, 126
Width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 169
Flow,
Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 71, 117, 133
Channel . . . . . . . 15, 30, 54-56, 101, 143
Constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 42, 104
Normal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 73, 75, 101
Open Channel . . . . . . . . . . 30, 101, 143
Peak . . 30, 61, 65, 66, 69, 123, 134, 143
Reverse . . . . . . . . . . 120, 136, 139, 144
Shallow Concentrated . . 15, 54, 55, 168
Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 50, 54, 167
Siphon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Tube . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 18, 45, 66, 132
Frequency Factor . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 66, 132
Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69, 70, 72, 111
Grate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 99
Ground Cover . 17, 38, 41, 49, 58, 134, 137
Hazen-Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Head . . . 32, 88-94, 96-99, 101-103, 105-108
136, 138, 139, 141, 142,164
Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97, 103, 105, 106
Huff Distributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58, 156
Hydraulic
Conductivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 108
Grade Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 73, 144
Gradient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Radius . . . . . . 55, 67, 68, 100, 103, 106
Hydraulics . . . 13, 15, 28, 41, 67, 68, 87-90,
94, 96-98, 100, 106, 145, 147
HydroCAD Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 29
Hydrograph
Addition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 126, 128
Routing . . . . 30, 42, 67, 74, 75, 89, 101,
107, 116, 118, 121, 133, 144
IDF Curve . . . . . . . 15, 17-20, 45-47, 65, 66
IDF Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58, 156
Impervious,
Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 50, 130
Unconnected . . . . . . . . . . 15, 18, 49, 50
172
Import . 16-19, 28, 32, 37, 38, 47, 125, 127,

128, 131, 137
Incremental Storage . . . . . . . . . . 46, 84, 85
Infiltration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51, 149
Inflow Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 108, 117
Inlet Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Installation . . . . . . 3, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 35
Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 35
Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 26
Intensity . . . . . 20, 45, 48, 65, 66, 132, 155
Interpolation . . 45, 69, 70, 72, 93, 105, 123,
126
Lag
Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Land Slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53-55
Land-Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 18, 129, 130
Length,
Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 25, 26
Pooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 26
Link . . . . . 19, 20, 30, 33, 119, 125-128, 133
LinkTest.hce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Manning's
Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Coefficient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54, 55
Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Equation . . . . . . . . . . 55, 67, 69, 70, 75
Manual Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Messages,
Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 131
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 136
Metric . 16, 17, 20, 34, 43, 55, 65, 67, 88, 90,
99, 100, 103, 106, 165, 168
Minimal Recalculation . . . . . . . . . . 27, 133
Modified Rational Method . . . . . . . . 15, 65
Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 23, 28-30
Multiplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99, 111, 125, 126
Muskingum-Cunge . . 15, 19, 71, 72, 74, 76,
145
No Inflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108, 133
Node
Numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 128, 131
Undescribed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Normal Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 73, 75, 101
Not Described . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Notch Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90, 91, 95
Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Open Channel Flow . . . . . . . . . 30, 101, 143
Orifice . 19, 87, 88, 90-94, 96-104, 111, 114,
142
Orifice,
Circular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Low-head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97-99
Rectangular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91, 96, 97
Oscillations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117, 139-141

Outflow,
Discarded . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 32, 108, 113
Primary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 113
Secondary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 126
Tertiary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Outlet Device . . 30, 104-106, 108, 111, 114,
115, 117, 138, 139, 141, 142
Outside Time Span . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Parabolic . . . . . . . . 67, 70, 77, 83, 123, 169
Peak
Attenuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123, 135
Elevation . 115, 117, 123, 135, 136, 138,
144
Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 58, 59
Flow . . 30, 61, 65, 66, 69, 123, 134, 143
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Perc Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Permeability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Pipe Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Plug Flow Detention Time . . . . . . 121, 122
Pollutants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Pond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Routing . . . . 15, 56, 66, 75, 77, 78, 104,
111, 113, 115, 118, 133, 138,
139
Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Potential Maximum Retention . . . . . 53, 59
Precipitation Excess . . . . 48, 58, 59, 61, 63,
134
Primary Outflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 113
Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Probability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Project
Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 35
Read-Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 36
Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29, 35, 36
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28, 35
Pumps . . . . . 15, 18, 87, 106, 107, 117, 142
Rainfall
Burst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 59-61
Data . . . . 16, 27, 37, 45-47, 57, 155, 157
Distribution . . 15, 17-19, 46, 47, 57, 63,
155-158
Duration . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 58, 132, 134
Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45-47, 58, 132
Intensity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 65
Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Synthetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Rainfall.txt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Rational Method . 15, 18, 20, 42, 46, 65, 66,
130, 132, 134, 137
Reach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Routing . . . 15, 19, 67, 69-71, 74-76, 78,
123, 133, 135-137, 142
Read-Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 36
Rectangular Orifice . . . . . . . . . . . 91, 96, 97
Reinstall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Retention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49, 51, 53, 59
Return Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 58, 66
Reverse Flow . . . . . . . . . 120, 136, 139, 144
Routing
Diagram . . . 16, 20, 27-35, 38, 120, 125,
132, 133
Routing,
Dynamic Storage-Indication . 15, 20, 71,
107, 115, 117, 144
Sequential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72, 120
Simultaneous . . . . 71, 75, 118-120, 132,
133, 140, 144
Storage-Indication . . 15, 20, 71, 76, 107,
115-117, 119, 144
Runoff
Curve Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149-153
Interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 66
Santa Barbara method . . 15, 50, 63, 64, 66,
134
Scroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
SCS . . 15, 43, 46-50, 57-59, 61-63, 66, 130,
132, 134, 145, 149, 155, 157,
158
Runoff Equation . 43, 49, 50, 59, 61, 63,
130, 134
Unit Hydrograph method . . . 57, 63, 66
Secondary Outflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 126
Sequential Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72, 120
Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Shallow Concentrated Flow . . . . 15, 54, 55,
168
Sharp-Crested Weir . . . . . . . . 87-89, 92, 94
Sheet Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 50, 54, 167
Roughness Coefficients . . . . . . . . . . 167
Side Slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Simple Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129, 130
Simultaneous Routing . . . . 71, 75, 118-120,
132, 133, 140, 144
Siphon Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Skimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
173
Slope,
Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53-55
Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Soil
Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49, 134, 137
Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Special Outlet . . . . . . . . . 87, 101, 104, 105
Stage-Discharge . . . . 42, 67, 69, 71, 75, 87,
101, 102, 105-108, 110, 113119, 138, 140, 141
Stage-Storage . 16, 20, 67, 71, 77, 113, 115,
116, 118, 141, 144
Standpipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 99, 114
Starting Elevation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Storage Range Exceeded . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Storage,
Arch Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Box Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Compound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Cumulative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Custom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Elliptical Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Embedded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 78, 110
Incremental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 84, 85
Parabolic Arch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Peak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Pond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Prefab Chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Prismatoid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Round Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Vertical Cone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Storage-Indication . 15, 20, 71, 76, 107, 115117, 119, 144
Storm Sewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, 144
Subcatchment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 15, 19, 74, 131
Surface
Area . . . . . . . . . 78, 81, 82, 85, 109, 110
Swamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Table . 17, 19, 43, 47, 49, 51, 55, 58, 67, 68,
70, 72, 89, 100, 105, 118, 119,
126, 142, 143, 149, 154, 155,
162-168
Tabular Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Tailwater . 15, 18-20, 30, 69, 71, 74, 75, 87,
92-98, 100-105, 107, 114, 116120, 126, 133, 135, 136, 138,
139, 144
Tailwater,
Tidal . . . . . . . . 15, 20, 30, 119, 125, 126
Tertiary Outflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Text/Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
174
Tidal
Elevation . . . . 15, 20, 30, 119, 125, 126
Time
Increment . . . . 46, 64, 71, 75, 115, 116,
118, 119, 126, 132, 134, 139141
Interval . . . 75, 115, 117, 118, 123, 134
Lag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 53, 71, 123, 125
of Peak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Span . 19, 61, 71, 75, 116, 118, 122, 123,
126, 132-134, 137, 139
Travel . . . . 15, 53-56, 67, 71, 73, 76, 123
Time of Concentration . . 38, 42, 53, 56, 58,
59, 61, 63, 64, 134
TR-20 . . . . 18, 57, 62, 72, 76, 132, 137, 145
TR-55 . . . . . 49, 50, 55, 59, 61, 62, 145, 168
Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 71, 154
Trapezoidal . . . . . 15, 67, 72, 87, 90-95, 169
Travel Time . . 15, 53-56, 67, 71, 73, 76, 123
Tube Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 32
Underlining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Undescribed Node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Uninstall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 26
Unit Hydrograph . . 15, 17, 48, 57-59, 61-63,
132
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 57, 61-63
Units . 16, 17, 20, 34, 43, 55, 65, 67, 88, 90,
99, 100, 103, 106, 164, 165,
168
Custom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Upland Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 55, 168
Velocity Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55, 168
Velocity,
Average . . . . . . . . 55, 67, 100, 111, 123
Exfiltration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108, 110
Volume . . . 18, 41-43, 46, 48, 50, 58, 59, 61,
65, 66, 71, 75, 77-86, 110, 115117, 121-123, 133, 134, 138141, 143, 144
V-Notch Weir . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 90, 91, 94
Wall Thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 78-83
Warning Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Weir,
Broad-crested . . . . 87, 89, 94, 114, 164,
165
Coefficient . . 43, 88-91, 94, 99, 164, 165
Sharp-Crested . . . . . . . . . . 87-89, 92, 94
V-Notch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 90, 91, 94
Wetted
Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-86, 109, 110
Perimeter . . . . . . . . 55, 67, 68, 169, 170
Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Notes
175
Notes
176

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HydroCAD

Stormwater Modeling System

Copyright 2011 HydroCAD Software Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.

HydroCAD is a registered trademark of HydroCAD Software Solutions LLC.

6182 rev. 7/27/11

Section 1 - What is HydroCAD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

HydroCAD User's Guide

Section 3 - About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Section 7 - Data Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

HydroCAD Technical Reference

Section 8 - Understanding Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Section 13 - SCS Unit Hydrograph Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Section 18 - Pond Hydraulics Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Section 22 - Link Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Appendix A1: Hydrologic Soil Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Section 1 - What is HydroCAD?

The following pages provide a detailed list of HydroCAD features,

Section 2 - HydroCAD Features and Capabilities

Features added in HydroCAD-10

Additional rainfall distributions.

New unit hydrograph definitions, including gamma unit hydrographs.

Pipes and culverts with internal fill.*

Expanded library of prefabricated storage chambers.

Automatic handling of chamber end-caps and row length adjustments.

Multi-span stormwater chambers.*

Constant-flow outlet (for floating skimmers & similar devices).

Tube/Siphon outlet (also used to model float valves).

Dam breach outlet (for simulation of a progressive dam breach).

Key Operating Features

Import and export of watershed data in tabular format.

Direct import of sub-area data from AutoCAD.

Automatic watershed import from Carlson Hydrology.*

Automatic definition of rainfall events.*

New projects automatically set to users default units (English or Metric/SI).

Improved compatibility with Windows 7 and Vista

HydroCAD-10 can open projects from any previous version of HydroCAD.

New Reporting Capabilities

Ground Cover report added to project reports screen.

Support for additional graphics formats for background images.

* New features added in HydroCAD 9.1.

Features added in HydroCAD-9

Automatic Curve Number adjustment for unconnected impervious areas.

Over 100 new chamber definitions added to library.

Automatic storage adjustment for wall thickness of embedded chambers. *

Enhanced exfiltration options, including hydraulic conductivity and Darcys Law.

Expanded library of rainfall distributions and unit hydrographs.

Elliptical and pipe-arch culverts are now supported.

Key Operating Features

Automatic import and conversion of TR-20 data files. *

Expanded hydrograph import capabilities, including uneven time steps. *

Updated installation program for Windows Vista. *

HydroCAD-9 can open projects from any previous version of HydroCAD.

New Reporting Capabilities

Land-use reporting and pollutant loading.

Enhanced chamber report, with tree view for chamber selection.

Project-wide reports, including Curve Number usage and soil groups. *

Pre/post comparison reports. *

Outflow volume vs. time now available on tabular hydrographs. *

Percentage impervious area can be reported for each inflow hydrograph. *

* New features added in HydroCAD 8.5.

Features added in HydroCAD-8

A reach can be defined with custom cross-section data.

Reach cross-sections can have variable Mannings values.

Muskingum-Cunge reach routing procedure added.