UNIVERSIDAD SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO

COLEGIO POLITÉCNICO
ICV-0385 INGENIERÍA CIVIL HIDRÁULICA

LABORATORY #6
RAINFALL-RUNOFF RELATIONSHIP: STORM HYDROGRAPHS
OBJECTIVES:
 Calculate Time of Concentration, Tc, for a drainage basin.
 Calculate a Runoff Hydrograph that results from a rainfall event.
 Calculate the Runoff Coefficient for various simulations of soil type and land cover.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
 Hydrology Table  Collecting tank
 Nozzles or sprinklers  Rain gauges
 Absorbent material  Water Pump

THEORY:
The value of Q resulting from rainfall is called Runoff and depends on several factors, including the
amount of rainfall, the size of the area on which the rainfall lands, and the nature of the ground over which
the rainwater flows. When calculating the rate of Runoff in a stream resulting from a rainfall event, we must
first determine the size of the area over which the rain falls. For every stream, a well-defined area of land
intercepts the rainfall and transports it to the stream. The area of land is called the catchment area,
watershed, or drainage basin.

Rain falling on a catchment area will make its way to the point of concentration where it will leave
the catchment. In a gravity flow situation, this is bound to be the lowest point in the catchment. When the
size of the drainage basin has been determined, the next step in finding Q is to compute the time of
concentration, Tc: the amount of time needed for runoff to flow from the most hydraulically remote point in
the drainage basin to the point of analysis. The path or route taken by the most remote drop is called the
hydraulic path. The time taken for the water to reach the point of concentration will depend on the
horizontal distance it has to travel and on its velocity.

Figure 6.1 shows lines of equal flow time for a catchment of similar proportions in which the flow
velocity is the same. Figure 6.2 illustrates a valley catchment in which the flow velocity is assumed to increase
once the water has entered the stream channel. Flow outside the stream could be either by surface or
groundwater flow, or both.

Fig 6.1: Fig 6.2:

A graphical record of flow and time is called a Hydrograph and Figure 6.3 shows a typical hydrograph
resulting from a single rainstorm. The timing and intensity of the rainfall is shown by the block in the upper

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part of this figure and if the rainfall persists for longer than the time of concentration of the catchment, the
runoff hydrograph will level off at the peak value on the catchment. Under these circumstances, the recession
curve part of the hydrograph is delayed until the rain stops.

Fig 6.3: Rainfall-Hydrograph relationship.

During the early stages of the rainstorm, so long as no recent rain has fallen, the ground will be able
to absorb the water falling on it and add it to the groundwater already present. When all the voids are filled,
the excess must flow over the surface and enter the stream directly as surface flow. It is this surface flow first
reaching the point of concentration that produces a sharp rise in the hydrograph and this hydrograph
discontinuity can be used to separate the groundwater contribution from the direct runoff, as indicated in
Figure 6.3. The hydrograph shown in Figure 6.3 is typical for storms of duration shorter than the time of
concentration of the catchment area.

PROCEDURE:

I. Stream Flow from a Single Storm

Before the experiment is carried out, the sand tank should be set to a slope of about 2%. Connect
the flexible piping from the overhead spray nozzles to the pump and set the flow to approx. 3 L/min.

A) Stream Flow for a Long Duration Storm (See Figure 6.4)

Turn on the spray nozzles to simulate rainfall and select a rainfall flow rate of between 1 and 3 L/min.
Allow rain to fall long enough to give a steady runoff value. Turn off the flow and record the recession
limb of the hydrograph. Use a stopwatch started (zero time) at commencement of rainfall, and read
the discharge as frequently as necessary to show the hydrograph form. The experiment may be
repeated for different rainfall flow rates, smaller catchment areas (by closing some of the valves to
the rainfall nozzles) and for small differences in slope and surface cover.

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B) Stream Flow from a Short Duration Storm (See Figure 6.5)

Less (60% - 80%) than time of concentration. Proceed as in A) but cut off rain while hydrograph is still
rising, Figure 6.5 will result.

Fig 6.4: Fig 6.5:

C) Hydrograph
The hydrograph should properly be shown as in Figure 6.4 and Figure 6.5 by plotting the results
directly. It may be found that the best-shaped storm hydrographs are obtained when the "rain" is
stopped just before the maximum runoff is obtained. That is to say, the duration of the storm is
slightly less than the time of concentration for the catchment. If the rain persists after the water table
reaches the surface, then direct runoff over the surface occurs. When the rain stops before this
occurs, the runoff is only in the form of groundwater flow. It is recommended that different slopes
and surface profiles be tried until the most suitable hydrograph is obtained.

II. Stream Flow from an Impermeable Catchment (urbanization)

After investigating the rainfall runoff relationships for a permeable catchment, it is of interest to
reduce the permeability of the catchment surface by covering part or all of it with the impermeable Polythene
sheet. If only the upper part of the catchment (away from the discharge end) is sealed in this way, then the
runoff from the plastic sheet is lost in the sand in the lower part. If, however, the lower part of the catchment
only is covered, the runoff is more immediate and the effect on the hydrograph more marked.

III. Stream Flow from a Highly Vegetated Catchment

The effect of a highly vegetated catchment may be simulated by covering part or all of the catchment
surface with the absorbent material provided.

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FORMULAS USED:

A) PRECIPITATION
 Rainfall Intensity, i: (mm/hr)
Rain Gauge Volumecollected
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦
𝑖=
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙

B) DISCHARGE
 Runoff, Q: (L/s)
Real Discharge:
Runoff Volumecollected
𝑄𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙

Rational Method:
𝑄𝑡ℎ = 𝑐 𝑖 𝐴
Where,
A = catchment area (m2)

∑ 𝑄𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 ∙ ∆𝑡 ∑ 𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡
Runoff Coefficient 𝑐= ∑ 𝑄𝑡ℎ ∙ ∆𝑡
= ∑ 𝑉𝑖𝑛

PRECAUTIONS:

 Check that air is not trapped in the hose or pump before turning it on.
 Ensure sprinklers do not spray water outside the drainage basin or its sides.
 Use 3 decimal digits for measurements values.

PROCEDURE (LAB INSTRUCTIONS):

Experiment steps:
1. Open the water supply and allow water flow through the sprinklers and basin.
2. Using a tray measure the volume of water that fell as rainfall.
3. Using a bucket measure the volume of water the flows out the basin every 10 seconds.
4. Estimate the discharge flow and calculate the discharge coefficients.

After entering the readings in the Tabulation 6.1, compute the necessary values.

PROCEDURE (Write down your own procedure report format)

POST-EXPERIMENT ACTIVITIES:

 The apparatus should be drained and cleaned after use.

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OBSERVATION AND COMPUTATIONS:

Slope So = _____________. Land Cover = ______________. Nombre: _____________________________

Drainage Basin Area = ______________. Rain Gauge Area = ___________. Fecha: _________________

Tabulation 6.1: Determination rainfall intensity and runoff flow.

MEASURED DATA CALCULATED DATA

Rain Gauge Rain Gauge Runoff Discharge Rainfall
Rainfall Runoff Discharge Runoff
Time Volume Depth P Volume Volume Volume
Intensity Flow Rate Qth = i A Coefficient
(sec) (mL) (mm) Collected ∑ 𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 ∑ 𝑉𝑖𝑛
(mm/hr) Qreal (L/min) (L/min) c
(1) (2) (3) (1) (2) (3) (L)

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RESULTS AND COMMENTS:

 What assumptions were made about the Precipitation and how does these assumptions affect the
results.
 Show your interpolation method for the total average rainfall using the individual rain gauges.
 Describe the different catchment areas, land cover, and initial absorptions.
 Analyze the parameters used and explain the results for each simulation.
 Calculate the Runoff Coefficient for each land cover used.
 Explain reasons for any deviation from the expected results if Qreal was not equal to Qth.

GRAPH:

 Plot graphs of the Runoff flow rate Q against time since start of rainfall for each set of data. Graph for
each run, together the Rainfall (inverted-secondary axis) and Runoff in the same graph similar to Fig. 6.5.
𝐿/𝑠
 For run #2 and #5, develop and graph its Unit Hydrograph in (𝑚𝑚).

DISCUSSION:

 Discuss assumptions of the theory applied in this lab practice.

 Discuss the accuracy of each result, numerically. Explain possible experimental errors.
 Analyze probable sources of error. Explain causes of the error and how much % on consequence.

 QUESTIONS:

1) Why do we need to understand and analyze the behavior of hydrographs? What are the purposes of
hydrographs and where do you use them in the practical life?

2) Explain how you determined the Time of Concentration in the lab practice. Explain the type of flow and
calculate the flow velocity on the hydrology table.

3) Explain how did you determined and scaled the time interval t and why do we need to consider it?

4) If the following drainage basins have the same area, land cover, slope and soil type, draw in 1 graph all
four shapes of their Unit Hydrograph. You may exaggerate their differences.

5) Explain the meaning of IDF Curves and how are they developed.

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