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0 BASIC OF HYDROLOGY

CLO 1: Explain clearly the basic hydrology, hydrological cycle and related process and
analysis of surface runoff, rainfall data and flood routing.

CONCEPT OF HYDROLOGY
 Hydrology is the science water that deals with the occurrence, circulation and
distribution of water on the earth, under the ground and in the atmosphere.
 Hydrology can be divided into surface water hydrology and groundwater
hydrology.
a) Surface water hydrology
 area between the atmosphere and the surface of the earth.
b) Groundwater hydrology
 the subsurface portion of the earth

IMPORTANCE OF HYDROLOGY IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

 It has important role in design and operation of water resources engineering projects
like
 irrigation
 flood control
 water supply schemes
 hydropower projects

MAJOR ASPECTS OF HYDROLOGY

 Collection of data
 Analysis of data
 Prediction

HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE
 A continous process of water movement in various forms, phases and places betweeen the
asmosphere, the land and the oceans.

Atmospheric water vapor

and cloud storage SU
Evaporation N
Precipitation (rain, snow, etc) Energy
Evaporation
Transpiration
Vegetation

Ground surface

Overland flow and

surface runoff
Infiltration and percolation
Through soil and rock
Base flow
Surface waters
Ground water storage Lakes, streams. rivers

Ground water recharge

Evaporation
Oceans
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Main component of hydrological cycle.

1. Precipitation
Precipitation is the most important component of the hydrological cycle that describes all
forms of water that fall from the atmosphere to the earth surface. Depending on
temperature and location, precipitation may occur in a variety of forms which includes
drizzles, rain, snow hail and frost. It is estimated that only about one quarter of the total
amount of precipitation that falls on the land surface is returned back to the oceans by
direct runoff and underground flow.

2. Condensation
Water vapor in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid, forming clouds. The
process of changing from a gas to a liquid.

3. Evaporation
Evaporation is the conversion of water from its liquid state into vapour state as water
vapour through the transfer of water molecules to the atmosphere.

4. Transpiration
Transpiration is the transformation of water into vapour through plant and other
vegetations. The plant draw water from the soil and rainfall and after using it for building
the plant tissues evaporate most of the water into the atmosphere.

5. Evapotranspiration = Evaporation + Transpiration

6. Atmosphere
Blanket of air surrounding the earth.

7. Infiltration
Infiltration is a process whereby water on the ground surface finds its way into soil
through the interstices or pore spaces of the soil toward groundwater body. The limiting
value of infiltration capacity is controlled by the soil permeability.

8. Base flow
Base flow is the contribution from groundwater. The groundwater from aquifers near the
river will flow towards the river at a rate which is significantly less than the contribution
due to the storm.

9. Interception
Interception is the part of the precipitation that intercepted at the vegetation, rock and soil
at the land surface. This water usually evaporates back to the atmosphere.

10. Runoff
If the precipitation continues until the depressions are filled, some of the water will start
to flow over on the ground as surface runoff.

EFFECTS OF LAND USE TO THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE

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  Flood
 Land aerosion
 Water pollution
 Global warming
 Land slide

HYDROLOGY CONTINUITY EQUATION (CATCHMENT & WATER BUDGET)

ΔS = change in storage
1) ΔS/ Δt = I – O
Δt = duration of time
2) ΔS = [(I1 + I2)/2 - (O1 + O2)/2] Δt
ΔZ = change in elevation
3) S2 = S1 + ΔS
I = inflow
4) ΔZ = ΔS / A
O = outflow
5) L=P–R
L = losses
P = precipitation
R = runoff
A = area
Example 1:

The storage in a river reach at a particular time is 20 x 10³ m³. At a particular time, the recorded
inflow and outflow of the reach are 10.0 m³/s and 15.0 m³/s respectively. An hour later the inflow
is 15.0 m³/s and the outflow is 16.0 m³/s. Calculate the change of storage and the new storage of
the reach at the end of one hour.

I1 = 10.0 m³/s I2 = 15.0 m³/s

O1 = 15.0 m³/s O2 = 16.0 m³/s
S1 = 20 x 10³ m³ Δt = 1 hour = 3600 s

Solution:

ΔS = [(I1 + I2)/2 - (O1 + O2)/2] Δt

= [(10.0 + 15.0)/2 - (15.0 + 16.0)/2] 3600
= -10,800 m³

The new storage, S2 = S1 + ΔS

= 20000 – 10800
= 9200 m³

Example 2:

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A lake had a water surface elevation of 100.0 m above datum at a beginning of a certain month.
In that month, the lake received an average inflow of 5.0 m³/s from surface runoff sources. In the
same period, the outflow from the lake had an average value of 5.5 m³/s. Further in that month,
the lake received a rainfall of 135 mm and the evaporation from the lake surface was estimated
to be 60 mm. the average surface area of the lake was 45 km². Write the water budget equation
for the lake and calculate the new water surface elevation of the lake at the end of the month.
Assume there is no contribution to or from the groundwater storage.

Solution:
Δt = 1 month = 1 x 30 x 24 x 3600 = 2.592 x 106 s

I = 5.0 x 2.592 x 106 = 12.96 x 106 m³

O = 5.5 x 2.592 x 106 = 14.256 x 106 m³

Surface area of lake, A = 45 km² = 45 x 106 m²

Inflow from precipitation (rainfall), P x A = 0.135 x 45 x 106 = 6.075 x 106 m³

Outflow from evaporation, E x A = 0.06 x 45 x 106 = 2.7 x 106 m³

Total Inflow = (12.96 + 6.075) x 106 m³ = 19.035 x 106 m³

Total Outflow = (14.256 + 2.7) x 106 m³ = 16.956 x 106 m³

Change in storage, ΔS = Total Inflow - Total Outflow

= (19.035 – 16.956) x 106 m³
= 2.079 x 106 m³

Change in elevation, ΔZ = ΔS / A = 2.079 x 106 /45 x 106 = 0.046 m

Therefore, the new water surface elevation at the end of the month is;
= 100.00 + 0.046
= 100.046 m

Example 3

Rainfall of intensity 100 mm/hr fell on a catchment with area 2.5 km² for 6 hours. Measured
runoff during this period was recorded to be 720000 m³. Determine the amount of water lost
from this total 6 hours rainfall.

Solution:
Precipitation due to rainfall, P = 0.1 x 6 x 2.5 x 106 = 1.5 x 106 m³
Runoff, R = 0.72 x 106 m³

L = P – R = (1.50 – 0.72) x 106 m³

= 0.78 x 106 m³ / 2.5 x 106 m²
= 0.312 m / 6 hr
= 0.052 m/hr
= 52 mm/hr .
Example 4

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A catchment area of 80 km² of Ketapang River receives 420 mm rainfall from February to
October 2001. During that time, the evapotranspiration and infiltration was estimated to be 62
mm and 29 mm respectively. Calculate the volume of inflow from surface runoff in m³ during
this period.

Example 5

Surface runoff for a catchment area of 75 km2 from Mac to November 2010 was 0.23 m. During
that time, the transpiration and infiltration was estimated to be 56 mm and 35 mm. Calculate the
volume of precipitation in m3 during this period.