Methods

of computation of

runoff Examples

COMPUTATION OF RUNOFF

METHODS

Use of runoff coefficient

Use of infiltration curves

Use of infiltration indices

1. USE OF RUNOFF COEFFICIENT

The volume of runoff can be directly computed approximately by using an equation of the form Q=k.P Where Q= runoff P= precipitation k= constant depending upon imperviousness of the drainage area Truly speaking this equation is not rational because: runoff not only depends upon the precipitation but also depends upon the recharge of the basin. but the equation gives more and more reliable results as the imperviousness of the area increases and the value of k tends to approach unity.

APPLICATION OF METHOD

Where USED? Design of storm water drains. Small water control projects especially for urban areas where the percentage of impervious area is quite high. Where should be AVOIDED? This method of computing runoff should be avoided for rural areas and for the analysis of major storms.

2. USE OF INFILTRATION CAPACITY CURVE

The infiltration capacity (IC) curve is a plot of the infiltration capacity against time. If the IC curve is super imposed on the rainfall hyetograph, the resultant amount will represent nothing but the runoff. Natural rains of varying intensities, sometimes below and some time above the prevailing infiltration capacity, results in a distortion of a capacity time curve. It is generally assumed that the infiltration capacity at any time is determined by the mass infiltration, which has occurred up to that time.

INFILTRATION CAPACITY CURVE

3. USE OF INFILTRATION INDICES

The infiltration capacity curve already determined on test plot cannot be applied to large basins or heterogeneous areas. At any instant, in a large area, the IC as well as the rainfall rate will vary from point to point. Moreover subsurface flow or interflow will also be substantial. Since this water flow is part of infiltration, it will not normally be included in the runoff computed by IC curve determined on a test plot.

Hence runoff volumes are generally computed by using infiltration indices.

W-index and -index are the two indices which are commonly used.

W-index is the average infiltration rate or the infiltration capacity averaged over the whole storm period, and is given by
Windex = F / tr = (P Q) / tr

where F = total infiltration including initial basin recharge P = total precipitation Q = total runoff tr = duration of rainfall in hour

-index is defined as, the average rate of loss such that the volume of rainfall in excess of that rate will be equal to the volume of direct runoff. It can be defined the other way round as, the rate of rainfall above which the rainfall volume equals to the runoff volume.

-index can be represented graphically as shown.

-index and W-index will be equal for a uniform rain, but they may not be equal for a non-uniform rainfall. However for rains which are reasonably uniform or for heavy rains these two indices are found to be nearly equal.

UNIFORM RAINFALL

In a usual case of moderate rain of non-uniform intensities the -index will be somewhat higher than W-index. These indices will change with a change in interception, depression storage and initial soil moisture. They will also change with the amount of precipitation. These indices are not the actual infiltration rate but the measure of potential basin recharge.

The runoff coefficient k can be determined if the Windex is known by using the equation k = (P Windex) / P where, P = rainfall rate

EXAMPLE # 1
Following are the rates of rainfall for successive 20 minutes period of a 140 minutes storm: 2.5, 2.5, 10.0, 7.5, 1.25, 1.25, 5.0 cm/hr.

Taking the value of index as 3.2 cm/hr, find out the runoff in cm, the total rainfall and the value of Windex.

Solution:
From the given rainfall rates rainfall hyetograh is plotted, to see rain intensity pattern, as shown in below Figure.

index line at a height of 3.2 cm/hr is superimposed. The hatched area is calculated, so as to obtain the value of runoff:

Windex

PQ t
r

Example # 2
An isolated 3 hour storm occurred over an area of 120 ha as below:
Partial area of catchme nt (ha) 36 Rainfall (cm) index (cm/hr) 0.9 1st hour 0.6 2nd hour 2.4 3rd hour 1.3

18
66

1.1
0.5

0.9
1.0

2.1
2.0

1.5
0.9

(i) What is the total rainfall on the catchment in this storm? (ii) Estimate the runoff from the catchment. (iii) If the index were to remain at the same value, what runoff would be produced by uniform rainfall of 3.3 cm in 3 hours uniformly spread all over the catchment?

(ii)