Tarea Runoff-Precipitation-Flood

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Explain the rational method of computing the peak discharge of a small catchment.
Where is this method commonly used and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
R. The rational method is used to estimate the magnitude of a flood peak. Consider a rainfall
of a uniform intensity and very long duration occurring over a basin. The runoff gradually
increases from 0 to a constant value as indicated. The runoff increases as more and more
flow from remote areas of the catchment reach the outlet. The peak value of the runoff is
given by Q= Cai for t is more or equal than the time of concentration. The rational method is
found to be suitable for peak-flow prediction in small catchments up to 50 km2 in area. It
finds considerable application in urban drainage designs and in the design of small culverts
and bridges. It is reasonable for small watershed, no ability to predict flow as a function of
time, only applicable for storms with duration longer than the time of concentration
2. What do you understand by time of concentration of a catchment? Briefly describe

methods of estimation of the time of concentration.
R. Time of concentration is the time for a drop of water to flow from the remotest point in
the watershed to the point of interest. Some method to determine it are: Kirpich, California
Culverts Practice, Izzard, Federal Aviation Administration, Kinematic wave formulas, SCS
lag equation and SCS average velocity.
3. What is the importance of time of concentration of a catchment in the estimation of flood

by rational formula?
R. Because is the time associated with the peak runoff from the watershed to the point of
interest.
PROBLEMS
1. A catchment of area = 120 hectares has a time of concentration of 30 minutes and runoff
coefficient of 0.3. If a storm of duration = 45 minutes results in 3.0 cm of rain over the
catchment, estimate the resulting peak flow rate.
2. Information of the 50 year storm is given below.
Duration (min) 15 30 45 60 180
Rainfall (mm) 40 60 75 100 120

A culvert has to drain 200 hectares of land with a maximum length of travel of 1.25 km. The
general slope of the catchment is 0.001 and its runoff coefficient is 0.20. Estimate the peak flow
by the rational method for designing the culvert for a 50 year flood.
3. A basin is divided by 1 hour isochrones into four subareas of size 200, 250, 350 and 170
hectares from the upstream end of the outlet respectively. A rainfall event of 5 hour duration
with intensities of 1.8 cm/hr for the first 2 hours and 1.25 cm/hr for the next 3 hours occurs
uniformly over the basin. Assuming a constant runoff coefficient of 0.5, estimate the peak
rate of runoff.
Note: an isochrone is a line on the catchment map joining points having equal time of travel of
surface runoff.
4. An urban catchment of area = 3.0 km^2 consists of 52% of paved area, 20% parks, 18%
multi-unit residential area. The remaining land use can be classified as light industrial area.
The catchment is essentially flat and has a sandy soil. If the time of concentration is 50
minutes, estimate the peak flow due to a design storm of depth 85 mm in 50 minutes.
5. In estimating the peak discharge of a river at a location X the catchment area was divided
into four parts A,B,C and D. The time of concentration and area for different parts are as
follows:
Part Time of Concentration (hr) Area (in ha)
A 1 600
B 2 750
C 3 1000
D 4 1200
Records of a rainstorm lasting for four hours as observed and the runoff factors during different
hours are as follows:
Time (hr) Rainfall (mm) Runoff Coefficient
0-1 25 0.5
1-2 50 0.7
2-3 50 0.8
3-4 23.5 0.85

Calculate the maximum flow to be expected at X in m^3/s assuming a constant base flow of 42.5
m^3/s.
6. A catchment area has a time of concentration of 20 minutes and an area of 20 ha.
Estimate the peak discharge corresponding to return period of 25 yrs. Assume a runoff
coefficient of 0.25. The intensity-duration-frequency for the storm in the area can be
expressed by
i=KTx(D+a)n
, where i = intensity in cm/h, T = return period in years, and D = duration of storm in hours, with
coefficients K = 6.93, x = 0.189, a = 0.50, n = 0.878.
7. A 100 ha watershed has the following characteristics:
a. Maximum length of travel of water in the catchment = 3500 m
b. Difference in elevation between the most remote point on the catchment and the
outlet = 65 m
c. Land use/cover details:
Land use/cover Area (ha) Runoff Coefficient
Forest 30 0.25
Pasture 10 0.16
Cultivated land 60 0.40
The maximum intensity-duration-frequency relationship for the watershed is given by where i =
intensity in cm/h, T = Return period in years and D = duration of rainfall in hours. Estimate the
25-year peak runoff from the watershed that can be expected at the outlet of the watershed.
8. A rectangular paved area 150m x 450m has a longitudinal drain along one of its longer
edges. The time of concentration for the area is estimated to be 30 minutes and consists of 25
minutes for over land flow across the pavement to the drain and 5 minutes for the maximum
time from the upstream end of the drain to the outlet at the other end. (a) Construct the
isochrones at 5 minutes interval for this area. (b) A rainfall of 7 cm/h occurs on this plot for
D minutes and stops abruptly. Assuming a runoff coefficient of 0.8 sketch idealized outflow
hydrographs for D = 5 and 40 minutes.
9. A rectangular parking lot is 150 m wide and 300 m long. The time of overland flow
across the pavement to the longitudinal gutter along the center is 20 minutes and the
estimated total time of concentration to the downstream end of the gutter is 25 minutes. The
coefficient of runoff is 0.92. If a rainfall of intensity 6 cm/h falls on the lot for 10 minutes
and stops abruptly determine the peak rate of flow.

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REVIEW QUESTIONS

2. What do you understand by time of concentration of a catchment? Briefly describe

3. What is the importance of time of concentration of a catchment in the estimation of flood

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