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Model Overview
Applies to small urban and urbanizing watersheds but can be used with other watersheds if limitations are met. Uses simplified methods for estimating:
Storm runoff volume (SCS Method) Peak rate of discharge (Graphical Method) Hydrographs (Tabular Method) Storage Volumes (Quick Manual Method)
Rainfall
Includes four regional 24 hour rainfall distributions The critical parameter is the time of concentration.
Rainfall Distributions
Types I and IA
Pacific maritime climates with wet winters and dry summers IA is the least intense rainfall Atlantic coastal areas and the Gulf of Mexico where tropical storms with large 24 hour rainstorms occur. The rest of the country Most intense short duration rainfall
Type III
Type II
Rainfall Distributions
Rainfall Distributions
Rainfall
3.
4.
5.
Tc (hr) Drainage Area (mi2) Appropriate Rainfall Distribution (I, IA, II, or III) 24-hour Rainfall (in) CN
qu
Tc
Limitations
Can only be used for peak discharge Watershed must be homogenous Only one main stream Cannot perform valley or reservoir routing Ia/P must be in range given in the manual (3.000 0.041)
2. 3.
4.
5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
Subdivision of the watershed into areas of homogenous watershed characteristics Drainage Area (mi2) Tc (hr) Tt time of travel for each reach (hr) Weighted CN Appropriate Rainfall Distribution (I, IA, II, or III) Total Runoff (in) Ia for each subarea Ia/P ratio of each subarea
q= qtAmQ q= hydrograph coordinate (cfs) at hydrograph time t qt=tabular unit discharge located in exhibit 5 (csm/in) depends on rainfall distribution Am = drainage area of individual subarea (mi2) Q = runoff (in)
Each stage requires a design storm A storage is calculated for each stage
Less accurate as the qo/qi ratio reaches the limit of the relationship graph Biased towards overestimating the storage needed Should be used as an initial design step
General Limitations
Flow is based on open and unconfined flow over land or in channels. Graphical Method is used only for homogenous watersheds. Tabular Method can be used for heterogeneous watersheds divided up into homogenous subwatersheds. Approximate storage-routing curves should not be used if the adjustment for ponding is used.
References
Soil Conservation Service (SCS), Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds, Tech. Release 55, Washington, DC. 1986. Available online at http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/water /quality/common/tr55/tr55.pdf McCuen, R.H., Hydrologic Analysis and Design, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1998.