Hydrologic Routing

Reading: Applied Hydrology

Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.4
 Flow Routing Q

t
Procedure to
determine the Q
flow hydrograph
at a point on a
watershed from a t
known hydrograph
upstream Q

As the hydrograph
travels, it
t
attenuates
gets delayed Q

t
2
 Why route flows?

Account for changes in flow hydrograph as a flood

wave passes downstream
This helps in
Accounting for storages
Studying the attenuation of flood peaks

3
 Types of flow routing
Lumped/hydrologic
Flow is calculated as a function of time
alone at a particular location
Governed by continuity equation and
flow/storage relationship
Distributed/hydraulic
Flow is calculated as a function of space
and time throughout the system
Governed by continuity and momentum
equations
4
 Hydrologic Routing
Discharge I (t ) Discharge
Inflow
Transfer
Q (t )
Function
Outflow

I (t ) Inflow Q (t ) Outflow
Upstream Downstream hydrograph
hydrograph
Input, output, and storage are related by continuity
equation:
dS
I (t ) Q (t ) Q and S are
dt unknown
Storage can be expressed as a function of I(t) or Q(t) or
both
dI dQ
S f (I , , , Q, , )
dt dt
For a linear reservoir, S=kQ
5
 Lumped flow routing
Three types
1. Level pool method (Modified Puls)
Storage is nonlinear function of Q
2. Muskingum method
Storage is linear function of I and Q
3. Series of reservoir models
Storage is linear function of Q and its
time derivatives

6
S and Q relationships

7
 Level pool routing
Procedure for calculating outflow
hydrograph Q(t) from a reservoir with
horizontal water surface, given its
inflow hydrograph I(t) and storage-
outflow relationship

8
 Level pool methodology
dS
Discharge
Inflow I (t ) Q(t )
dt
I j 1
Outflow S j 1 ( j 1) t ( j 1) t
Ij dS Idt Qdt
Q j 1 Sj jt j t

Qj
t S j 1 S j I j 1 I j Q j 1 Q j

jt ( j 1) t Time t 2 2
Storage 2 S j 1 2S j
Q j 1 I j 1 I j Qj
t t

Unknown Known
S j 1 Need a function relating

Sj 2S
Q, and Q
t
Time
9
Storage-outflow function
 Level pool methodology
Given
Inflow hydrograph
Q and H relationship

Steps
1. Develop Q versus Q+ 2S/t
relationship using Q/H relationship
2 S j 1 2S j
2. Compute Q+ 2S/t using Q j 1 I j 1 I j Q j
t t
3. Use the relationship developed in step
1 to get Q

10
 Ex. 8.2.1

Given I(t) Given

Q/H
Elevation H Discharge Q
(ft) (cfs)
0 0
0.5 3
1 8
1.5 17
2 30
2.5 43
3 60
3.5 78
4 97
4.5 117
5 137
5.5 156
6 173
6.5 190
7 205
7.5 218
8 231
8.5 242
9 253
9.5 264
10 275

Area of the reservoir = 1 acre, and outlet

diameter = 5ft
11
 Ex. 8.2.1 Step 1
evelop Q versus Q+ 2S/t relationship using Q/H relationship

Elevation H Discharge Q Storage S 2S/ t + Q S Area Height 43560 0.5 21,780 ft 3

3
(ft) (cfs) (ft ) (cfs)
0 0 0 0
0.5 3 21780 75.6 2S 2 21780
1 8 43560 153.2 Q 3 75.6 cfs
1.5 17 65340 234.8 t 10 60
2 30 87120 320.4
2.5 43 108900 406
3 60 130680 495.6
3.5 78 152460 586.2
4 97 174240 677.8
4.5 117 196020 770.4
5 137 217800 863
5.5 156 239580 954.6
6 173 261360 1044.2
6.5 190 283140 1133.8
7 205 304920 1221.4
7.5 218 326700 1307
8 231 348480 1392.6
8.5 242 370260 1476.2
9 253 392040 1559.8
9.5 264 413820 1643.4
10 275 435600 1727

12
 Step 2
2 S j 1 2S j
Compute Q+ 2S/t using Q j 1 I j 1 I j Qj
t t

At time interval =1 (j=1), I1 = 0, and therefore Q1 = 0 as the reservoir

is empty
Write the continuity equation for the first time step,
which can be used to compute Q2

2S 2 2S1
Q2 I 2 I1 Q1
t t

2S 2 2 S1
Q2 I 2 I1 Q1 0 60 60
t t

13
 Step 3
Use the relationship between 2S/t + Q
versus Q to compute Q
2S 2
Q2 60
t

e the Table/graph created in Step 1 to compute Q

Elevation H Discharge Q Storage S 2S/ t + Q
3
(ft) (cfs) (ft ) (cfs)
What is the value of Q if 2S/t + Q 0
0.5
0
3 21780
0 0
75.6
= 60 ? 1 8 43560 153.2
(3 0) 1.5 17 65340 234.8
Q 0 (60 0) 2.4 cfs 2 30 87120 320.4
(76 0) 2.5
3
43
60
108900
130680
406
495.6
3.5 78 152460 586.2
4 97 174240 677.8
So Q2 is 2.4 4.5 117 196020 770.4
5 137 217800 863
cfs 5.5 156 239580 954.6
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for j=2, 3, 4 to 6
6.5
173
190
261360
283140
1044.2
1133.8
compute Q3, Q4, Q5.. 7 205 304920 1221.4
7.5 218 326700 1307
8 231 348480 1392.6
8.5 242 370260 1476.2
9 253 392040 1559.8
9.5 264 413820 1643.4
14 10 275 435600 1727
Ex. 8.2.1 results 2 S j 1
Q j 1 I j 1 I j
2S j
Qj
2S j 2S j t t
Qj Q j 2Q j
t t

15
 Ex. 8.2.1 results
12.0

10.0

8.0
Outflow
hydrograp
Storage (acre-ft)

6.0
h
4.0

2.0

0.0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
Time (minutes) 400

350
Inflow
300

Discharge (cfs)
Peak outflow intersects with the 250

receding limb of the inflow 200

hydrograph 150

100 Outflow
50

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
TIme (minutes)
16
 Q/H relationships

http://www.wsi.nrcs.usda.gov/products/W2Q/H&H/Tools_Models/Sites
.html Program for Routing Flow through
17 an NRCS Reservoir
 Hydrologic river routing (Muskingum Method)

Wedge storage in reach

Advancing I
S Prism KQ Flood
Q
Wave
S Wedge KX ( I Q ) I>Q
I Q
K = travel time of peak through the reach
X = weight on inflow versus outflow (0 X Q Q
0.5)
X = 0 Reservoir, storage depends on
outflow, no wedge
X = 0.0 - 0.3 Natural stream
I Q
S KQ KX ( I Q)
Receding
Flood
S K [ XI (1 X )Q] Wave QI
Q>I
I I
 Muskingum Method (Cont.)
S K [ XI (1 X )Q]

S j 1 S j K {[ XI j 1 (1 X )Q j 1 ] [ XI j (1 X )Q j ]}

Recall:
I j 1 I j Q j 1 Q j
S j 1 S j t t
2 2

t 2 KX
Combine: C1
2 K (1 X ) t
Q j 1 C1 I j 1 C 2 I j C3Q j
t 2 KX
C2
2 K (1 X ) t
2 K (1 X ) t
C3
2 K (1 X ) t

If I(t), K and X are known, Q(t) can be calculated using

19
above equations
 Muskingum - Example
Given:
Inflow hydrograph
K = 2.3 hr, X = 0.15, t =
1 hour, Initial Q = 85 cfs
Find:
Outflow hydrograph using
Muskingum routing
method
t 2 KX 1 2 * 2.3 * 0.15
C1 0.0631
2 K (1 X ) t 2 * 2.3(1 0.15) 1
t 2 KX 1 2 * 2.3 * 0.15
C2 0.3442
2 K (1 X ) t 2 * 2.3(1 0.15) 1
2 K (1 X ) t 2 * 2.3 * (1 0.15) 1
C3 0.5927
2 K (1 X ) t 2 * 2.3(1 0.15) 1
20
 Muskingum Example (Cont.)

Q j 1 C1I j 1 C 2 I j C3Q j

C1 = 0.0631, C2 = 0.3442, C3
= 0.5927
800

700

600
Discharge (cfs)

500

400

300

200

100

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Time (hr)

21