WinTR-55:

Introduction and Background

Objectives:

The basics
History of WinTR-55
Nuts & bolts of algorithms
Demo of model interface
Why model?
To estimate conditions where measurements
are not available or possible.

To test system understanding.

To facilitate design.
Topology of WinTR-55
Empirical vs. Conceptual

Stochastic vs. Deterministic

Lumped vs. Distributed

Continuous vs. Event-based vs. Peak discharge

History of TR-55
Developed by SCS (now NRCS) for agricultural
watersheds in 1954

Widely accepted, yet no peer review

Adapted for urban watersheds

Poor performance in forested watersheds

 TR-55 methodology: Runoff
Rainfall (P) separated into:
Rainfall excess (Q)
Initial abstraction (Ia) interception, infiltration, and
depression storage
Retention (F) proportion retained, infiltrated

Basic assumption:

CN is a function of S, the potential maximum

retention
Runoff equation:
TR-55 methodology: CN
CN range 0-100
0 = no runoff
100 = complete runoff
Function of:
Hydrologic soil group
Cover type
Treatment practice
Hydrologic condition
Impervious area
ARC antecedent runoff condition
Can be adjusted for ARCI and ARCIII
TR-55 methodology: Tc

Time it takes water to travel from most hydrologically distant

portion of watershed to the outlet.
0.7
Many ways to calculate: 1000
L0.8
CN 10 1
With limited data: Tc

1900 S 0.5

NRCS method:
Sheet flow f(length, slope, Mannings n)
Shallow concentrated flow f(length, slope, Mannings n)
Channel flow f(length, slope, Mannings n, channel dimensions)

Other methods incorporate rainfall intensity

TR-55 methodology: Hydrographs

Unit hydrograph approach:

Q = P * unit hydrograph

Defined as temporal distribution

of runoff resulting from a unit
depth (i.e., 1 cm) of rainfall
excess occurring over a given
duration (i.e., 24 hrs)
Default DUH is average shape of
a large number of ag watersheds
nationwide
User-specified DUH can be input
TR-55 methodology: Routing

Muskingum-Cunge method

Most widely used method

of stream-channel routing

Oj+1 = C1Ij+1 + C2Ij + C3Oj

Constants are based on

travel time through reach
TR-55 methodology: Detention

Outlet flow from detention

pond:
Pipe orifice flow assumed
V-notch or rectangular weir

All flow routed through

structure (no overflow
option)
Assumes no losses from
pond (i.e., infiltration)
 TR-55 Methodology:
Sub-area/Reach Concepts

WinTR-55 represents
the watershed as a
system of sub-areas
and reaches.
Sub-areas are the
watersheds that
generate hydrographs
that feed into the
upstream end of a
reach.
 TR-55 Methodology:
Sub-area/Reach Concepts

Reaches represent the configuration of flow paths within

the watershed.

Storage routing (Lakes, Structures, Wetlands, etc.) and

Channel Routing take place within a Reach.

All WinTR-55 modeled watersheds end with the final stream

reach terminating at an Outlet
Schematic Example

Sub-area Reach 2
2 Outle
(Channel
t
Routing)

Routing)
(Storage
Reach
Sub-area
3
Legend
1

Sub-area Storage Area

1
Sub-Area Inflow
Points
 Other TR-55 Criteria

Maximum Area 25 square miles

Number of Sub-areas 1-10
Tc for any sub-area 0.1 hour < Tc < 10 hours
Number of reaches 0-10
Types of reaches Channel or Structure
Rainfall Depth 0-50 inches (0-1,270mm)
Rainfall Distributions NRCS Type I, IA, II, III, NM60,
NM65, NM70, NM75, or user-
defined
Rainfall Duration 24-hour
Antecedent Runoff II (average)
Condition
Application of TR-55
Raingarden design for Votey parking lot runoff