See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/354562833

Rainfall-Runoff Modelling of a River Basin Using HEC HMS: A Review Study

Article · September 2021

DOI: 10.22214/ijraset.2021.38004

CITATIONS READS
3 817

1 author:

Padala Raja Shekar

National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli
15 PUBLICATIONS 62 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Rainfall-Runoff Modelling of a River Basin Using HEC HMS: A Review Study View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Padala Raja Shekar on 14 September 2021.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

9 IX September 2021
 International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET)
ISSN: 2321-9653; IC Value: 45.98; SJ Impact Factor: 7.429
Volume 9 Issue IX Sep 2021- Available at www.ijraset.com

Rainfall-Runoff Modelling of a River Basin Using

HEC HMS: A Review Study
Padala Raja Shekar
M.Tech, Civil Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra, India.

Abstract: A hydrological model helps in understanding of the hydrological processes and useful to measure water resources for
effective water resources management. Hydrological cycle describes evaporation, condensation, precipitation and collection of
earth water and on again.
Hydrological models have been used in different watersheds across the world. The runoff estimation process is the most complex
in nature that depends on the meteorological data and also on the various watershed physical parameters. To generate runoff
data for a particular watershed it is needed to find out various parameters related to precipitation models. The HEC HMS (a
Centre for Hydrological Engineering and Hydrological Modelling Systems introduced by the US Army Corps of Engineers) is a
popularly used watershed model to simulate rainfall runoff process.
The input variables used by hydrological models are rainfall data, runoff data, wind speed, relative humidity, soil type,
catchment properties, hydrogeology and other properties. The Hydrological Modeling can also be an event based or may be
continuous.
This model is used to predict future impacts of the climate changes on the runoff of River basin and it is used to simulate runoff
in ungauged watershed. This literature review represents that application of rainfall runoff modelling using HEC HMS is
helpful in prediction of flood, water management and socio-economic development as well as food security.
Keywords: HEC-HMS, hydrological modeling, rainfall-runoff simulation, soil type.

I. INTRODUCTION
Water is a precious commodity and is critical for socio-economic development, healthy ecosystem. Climate change threatening the
hydrologic cycle of watershed, due to global warming temperature rises and which effects the precipitation. Poor water management
of water resources can lead to soil infertility and erosion; destroy natural ecosystem and overall growth of region.
For better management of water resources, through understanding of hydrologic behaviour of a watershed is known. Hydrological
models have been developed across the world to study and understand the hydrologic response of a catchment (Sintayehu, 2015). To
assess and forecast the water availability of river catchment so, it is important to use hydrological models. The HEC HMS is a
popularly used watershed model to simulate rainfall runoff process. The input variables used by hydrological models are rainfall
data, runoff data, wind speed, relative humidity, soil type, catchment properties, hydrogeology and other properties.
Watershed hydrological response with data limitations, rainfall-runoff modeling is complex and also time consuming process to
manual mathematical form. Many users have been challenged in converting precipitation runoff into mathematical equation. Now a
day’s computer-aided hydrological modelling is being used for estimation of runoff become solution for such difficulties. One of the
Rainfall runoff modeling tools is Hydrologic Engineering Centre-Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) (USAC 2001). The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed Hydrologic Engineering Centre (HEC) software. HEC-1 is first software program and
called version 1.0. It was written in the FORTRAN language. The second launch was called Version 2.0. In this version, the Soil
moisture accounting method was added. The third launch was called Version 3.0. The new graphics interface was designed. The
fourth and last program launch was called Version 4.0. In this version, surface erosion, sediment transport and real-time forecasting
processes is also added.
HEC-HMS model has been used to simulate precipitation-runoff process with geo-informatics and atmospheric models like
evapotranspiration data for flood forecasting and early warnings in different regions of the world (Abed et al., 2005, Azmat.M et al.,
2017, Derdour, A.et al., 2018, Bennett, T. H., & Peters, J. C. 2000). It is used for watershed management in different parts of India
(Putty and Prasad, 2000).This paper represents the reviews of work done with HEC-HMS software (Hydrologic Engineering Centre
Hydrologic Modeling System).

©IJRASET: All Rights are Reserved 506

 International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET)
ISSN: 2321-9653; IC Value: 45.98; SJ Impact Factor: 7.429
Volume 9 Issue IX Sep 2021- Available at www.ijraset.com

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

H.K. Nandalal and U.R. Ratnayake (2010) has performed the Event Based Modeling of a Watershed by Using HEC-HMS. Study
Area in the region of Kalu-Ganga River watershed. Rainfall-runoff modelling for this basin is developed by using HEC-HMS
software. The total area of the basin is 2658 km2. There are two different models, one model having four sub basins and the other
model having ten sub basins.Used initial and constant method was utilized for loss estimation, Clark's model method for
transformation, Exponential Recession for base flow and both lag model and Muskingum model are used for routing because lag
model is used for steeper reaches and Muskingum model is used for gradual slope. The results have shown that HEC HMS software
is suitable in modeling of the Kalu-Ganga watershed. It can be concluded that there is no impact of the number of sub basins
considered in modeling the Kalu-Ganga River basin using HEC-HMS for flood prediction.
A Sarminingsih, A Rezagama, and Ridwan in 2018 has performed the Simulation of Rainfall runoff process by using HEC HMS
model for the Garang Watershed, Semarang of Indonesia. They used SCS (Soil Conservation Service) unit hydrograph method was
utilized for loss estimation, SCS’s UH method for transformation, Exponential Recession for base flow and lag for routing. For the
calibration, observational discharge data is utilized from the AWLR Kreo. HEC HMS 4.2 software is used. Rainfall-runoff
conversion is a very complex process. Basing the optimization analysis, hydrological parameter were obtained CN composite is
66.4, and the groundwater content is 128.48 mm, with Initial Abstraction as 25.7 mm and lastly the imperviousness is 9.27%. The
validity of the model is quite satisfactory, from the correlation values, RMSE and Nash. It is concluded that the HEC-HMS model is
good enough to be used to model rain-runoff in the Garang watershed.
Abdessamed D, Abderrazak B, Kamila B in 2018 used HEC-HMS Model for the rainfall runoff relations in a semi-arid region: Case
study in Ain Sefra watershed, Ksour Mountains (SW Algeria). The precipitation excess was estimated using SCS curve number
method and SCS unit hydrograph method was used for effective rainfall transformation. After calibration and validation, the
simulated peak discharges are close with the observed values. The efficiency coefficient of Nash Sutcliffe was 0.95, and it indicates
that the hydrological modeling results obtained were very satisfactory and accepted. Also, the peak discharges that were obtained
for the periods of 1000, 100, 50, 10 year storms respectively are 1328.3, 904.3, 750.5, 425.8 m3∙s–1.
Kishanlal Darji, Vidhi Khokhani, Dr.Indra Prakash, Khalid Mehmood, Binh Thai Pham (2019) performed Rainfall-Runoff
Modelling Using HEC-HMS Model: An Application of Regression Analysis. Regression analysis method is applied for the forecast
the runoff and also helped in the estimation of flood frequency in the catchment area. 12 Rain gauge stations are used. Used Initial
and Constant Rate Method was utilized for loss estimation. Regression analysis gave the coefficient of determination R 2 value is
0.85. Model is evaluated by regression analysis which gave R2 value is 0.89. There is a good approximation between observed
rainfall and estimated runoff.
Wana G N, Dr. Ing. Tamane A D and Fayera G T (2020) utilised HEC-HMS Hydrological Model for Rainfall Runoff Modeling:
The Case of Awash Bello Sub-Catchment, Upper Awash Basin, Ethiopia. The loss rate was estimated utilizing SCS CN method ,
the runoff rate was estimated using SCS unit Hydrograph method. Flood routing was estimated utilizing Muskingum and base flow
modeling was estimated utilizing monthly constant method. The rainfall-runoff model has shown good performance during
calibration and also validation with Nash Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient is 0.855, R2 estimation of 0.867 for calibration and Nash
Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient is 0.739, R2 estimation of 0.863 for validation respectively. The peak flood from the model is
573.7m3/s was compared with direct observed flow is 546.4m3/s. It is concluded that HEC-HMS can be applicable for rainfall
runoff modeling for the specified sub-catchment.
Salil Sahu, S. K. Pyasi, R. V. Galkate and R. N. Shrivastava (2020) used HEC-HMS Model for rainfall runoff modelling for Shipra
River Basin in Madhya Pradesh, India. This study is carried out in Shipra river basin of area 5679 sq. km. The daily rainfall data of
two rain gauge stations from 2000-2003 was used for calibration purposes. Validation was performed for the period from 2004 to
2006.

Methodology used in this study is shown in the following table as:

Table 1 : Methodology used in this study

Serial no. Calculation type Method used
1 Loss SCS Curve Number
2 Transform SCS-unit hydrograph
3 Base Flow Lag

©IJRASET: All Rights are Reserved 507

 International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET)
ISSN: 2321-9653; IC Value: 45.98; SJ Impact Factor: 7.429
Volume 9 Issue IX Sep 2021- Available at www.ijraset.com

The results are obtained during the calibration are Coefficient of Determination (R2) = 0.85, Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) =
0.72, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was 14.4(m3/s), and Mean Absolute Error was 53.9 (m3/s). Other side the results are
obtained during validation are R2= 0.88, NSE =69, RMSE= 13.9 (m3/s) and Mean Absolute Error = 63.9 (m3/s). It is concluded
that HEC-HMS can be applicable for rainfall runoff modeling for Shipra basin.

III. CONCLUSION
The application and selection of hydrological modeling methods according to the availability of data and other hydrological
parameters of the watershed in HEC-HMS. Event-based hydrologic modelling, the rainfall losses due to infiltration are determined.
Continuous hydrologic modelling, the rainfall losses due to evapotranspiration are mainly determined which have long-term
monitoring data and continuous data.
The results of these studies from the HEC HMS model are very good enough to be used to model rainfall-runoff by changing the
sensitive parameters. The model is very sensitive for time of concentration. Selection of model depends on type of data available. In
order to predict the surface runoff, the HEC-HMS hydrologic modeling software was applied to the watershed and can be
applied to the other catchments with similar hydro meteorological and land use characteristics.
It is concluded that, HEC-HMS model can be used for projection of the future impacts of the climate changes on the runoff of River
basin. It is concluded that, it is used to simulate runoff in ungauged watershed.
It is concluded that application of rainfall runoff modelling using HEC HMS is helpful in prediction of flood, water management
and socio-economic development as well as food security

REFERENCES
[1] Abed N. A., Abdulla F., Khyarah A. A., “GIS-hydrological models for managing water resources in the Zarqa River basin”, Environmental Geology,2005; 47,
pp405–411.
[2] Azmat M., “Application of HEC-HMS for the event and continuous simulation in high altitude scarcely-gauged catchment under changing climate”, European
Water,2017;, 8.
[3] Bennett T. H., Peters J. C., ”Continuous Soil Moisture Accounting in the Hydrologic Engineering Centre Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS)”. In
Building Partnerships, 2000; (pp. 1-10).
[4] Darji K., Khokhani V., Dr.Prakash I., Mehmood k., Pham T.B., “Rainfall-Runoff Modelling Using HEC-HMS Model: An Application of Regression
Analysis”, 2019; JETIR May 2019, Volume 6, Issue 5 ISSN-2349-5162.
[5] Derdour A., Bouanani A., Babahamed K., “Modelling rainfall runoff relations using HEC-HMS in a semi-arid region: Case study in Ain Sefra watershed,
Ksour Mountains (SW Algeria)”, 2018, No. 36 (I–III): 45–55 PL ISSN 1429–7426.
[6] Namara W.G., Dr.Damise I.T.A., Tufa F.G., “Rainfall Runoff Modeling Using HEC-HMS: The Case Of Awash Bello Sub-Catchment, Upper Awash Basin”,
2020; Ethiopia Volume-9, Issue-1, 2019/20 Issn 2091-2854.
[7] Nandalal H.K., Ratnayake U.R., “Event Based Modeling of a Watershed Using HEC-HMS”, 2010; Vol. XXXXIII, No. 02, pp. [28-37].
[8] Putty M. R. Y., Prasad R., “Understanding runoff processes using a watershed model—a case study in the Western Ghats in South India”, 2000; Journal of
Hydrology, 228, pp 215–227.
[9] Sahu1 S., Pyasi S.K., Galkate R.V., Shrivastava R.N., “Rainfall-Runoff Modelling using HEC-HMS Model for Shipra River Basin in Madhya Pradesh, India”,
2020; ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.908.398
[10] Sarminingsih A., Rezagama A., Ridwan., “Simulation of Rainfall-runoff process using HEC-HMS model for Garang Watershed, Semarang, Indonesia”, 2018;
doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1217/1/012134.
[11] Sintayehu L.G., “Application of the HEC-HMS Model for Runoff Simulation of Upper Blue Nile River Basin”, Journal of Hydrol Current,2015;Res.No.2.
Vol.6: pp.1-8.DOI: https://doi.org/10.4172/2157- 7487.1000199.
[12] USAC ., Hydrologic Modeling System HEC- HMS User's Manual, 2001; Hydrologic Engineering Centre, Davis, CA.

©IJRASET: All Rights are Reserved 508

View publication stats