CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.

15
Laboratory Assignment #4 Unit Hydrograph
1) The unit hydrograph is the flow Q over time t . Integrating the hydrograph with
respect to time gives the runoff volume:
Volume= Qdt

(1.1)

The runoff volume is equal to the depth (1 for a unit hydrograph) times the area of runoff:
1)( {A} rsub {watershed} )
Volume=( depth ) ( A watershed )=

(1.2)

Combining Equation 1.1 and Equation 1.2:

1 )( {A} rsub {watershed} )= int {Q} dt

(1.3)

Use the trapezoid method to calculate the volume according to the flow provided in
A4_UHG_AnnArbor.xls:

Q dt t
Time
(minutes
)
0
15
30
45
60
75
90
105
120
135
150
165
180
195
210
225
240
255
270
285
300

Time
(seconds)
0
900
1800
2700
3600
4500
5400
6300
7200
8100
9000
9900
10800
11700
12600
13500
14400
15300
16200
17100
18000

Runoff
(ft3/s)
0
0.25
2.12
3.73
8.56
11.30
23.70
30.90
65.00
144.00
131.00
114.00
94.10
71.80
58.10
45.20
30.70
20.30
13.00
9.58
5.85

Volume (ft3)
0
112.50
1066.50
2632.50
5530.50
8937.00
15750.00
24570.00
43155.00
94050.00
123750.00
110250.00
93645.00
74655.00
58455.00
46485.00
34155.00
22950.00
14985.00
10161.00
6943.50

Q +Q
+
+ )
( Q +Q
2
2
1

(1.4)

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

315
330

18900
19800

1.86
0.00

3469.50
837.00
796545

V =796545 f t 3
V =1 ( {A} rsub {watershed} )=796545 f {t} ^ {3}
1 {1ft} over {12 in} )( {A} rsub {watershed} )=13275.75 f {t} ^ {3} ((1asdf
V =
2

A watershed =9558540 f t

1 acre
43560 f t 2

A watershed =219.4 acre

The 15-minute unit hydrograph for the small watershed is shown below:
160
140
120
100

Runoff (ft3/s)

80
60
40
20
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Time (min)

Figure 1.1: 15-minute unit hydroraph for the small watershed area in Ann Arbor.
2) The 1-hour hydrograph was found using the procedure for scaling a hydrograph of duration
D 1 to duration D2 presented in the lab.
D 1= t . Lag D2 / D1 times. For this example,
lag of 60 min/15 min=4 .

1. Lag by

2. Sum up ordinates ( u1 ,u 2 , ) . See the table below:

D 1=15 min . Require

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

3. Scale by number of lagged units (D 2 / D1) . Divide by 4 in this example.

The calculation of the 1hour

hydrograph is tabulated below:

Runoff (ft3/s)

Time

u4

0.00
0.00
0.00
0.25
2.12
3.73
8.56
11.30

0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.25
2.12
3.73
8.56

30.90

23.70

11.30

65.00

30.90

23.70

150 131.00 144.00

65.00

30.90

165 114.00 131.00 144.00

65.00

0.00
0.25
2.37
6.10
14.66
25.71
47.29
74.46
130.9
0
263.6
0
370.9
0
454.0
0
483.1
0
410.9
0
338.0
0
269.2
0
205.8
0
154.3
0
109.2
0
73.58
48.73
30.29
17.29

u1

u2

u3

0
15
30
45
60
75
90
105

0.00
0.25
2.12
3.73
8.56
11.30
23.70
30.90

0.00
0
0.25
2.12
3.73
8.56
11.30
23.70

120

65.00

135 144.00

(min)

180

94.10 114.00 131.00 144.00

195

71.80

94.10 114.00 131.00

210

58.10

71.80

94.10 114.00

225

45.20

58.10

71.80

94.10

240

30.70

45.20

58.10

71.80

255

20.30

30.70

45.20

58.10

270
285
300
315
330

13.00
9.58
5.85
1.86
0.00

20.30
13.00
9.58
5.85
1.86

30.70
20.30
13.00
9.58
5.85

45.20
30.70
20.30
13.00
9.58

Q=

u
D2 / D 1
0.00
0.06
0.59
1.53
3.67
6.43
11.82
18.62
32.73
65.90
92.73
113.50
120.78
102.73
84.50
67.30
51.45
38.58
27.30
18.40
12.18
7.57
4.32

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

345
360
375

0.00
0.00
0.00

0.00
0.00
0.00

1.86
0.00
0.00

5.85
1.86
0.00

7.71
1.86
0.00

1.93
0.47
0.00

The 1-hour unit hydrograph calculation process is shown below:

600.00
500.00
400.00

Runoff (ft3/s) 300.00

200.00
100.00
0.00

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Time (min)
15-min UHG

15-min UHG, lag=15min

15-min UHG, lag=30min

15-min UHG, lag=60min

15-min UHG, lag=45min

Scaled 1-hr UHG

Figure 2.1: Calculation of 1-hour UHG

The 1-hour hydrograph is shown below:
600.00
500.00
400.00

Runoff (ft3/s) 300.00

200.00
100.00
0.00

50

100

150

200

Time (min)

Figure 2.2: 1-hour unit hydrograph

250

300

350

400

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

3) The 7.5-minute unit hydrograph is calculated using the S-curve method. The process for
calculating a hydrograph that is not an integer multiple of a provided hydrograph was
implemented. The following steps were performed for the unit hydrograph with
D 1=15 min .
1. Find T B of the 15-minute hydrograph. In this investigation, T B=330 min .
2. Lag T B / D1 unit hydrographs, each by

D 1 . In this investigation, this required 22

unit hydrographs.
3. Sum all unit hydrographs for each time. For example, the following matrix operation was
used to define the ordinates of the unit hydrograph. The matrix [U ] is calculated using
the script shown in Appendix A in order to duplicate the column vector { u } lagged by
D 1 a total of T B / D 1 times. Take the sum of each row of the matrix in order to find
the ordinates of the S -curve.
u1

u2
u3
.
.
.
un

{}

u1
u1
u2 +u1

u2
u3 +u2 +u1

u3
u n+ +u1
.
.
.

{ S }=

.
.

.
.
un
.
u1
.
u n+ +u1

[ U ] =

(3.1)

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

The S-curve summarizes the systems response to continuously-applied uniform storm of
infinite duration. Excel was implemented to solve for the values of {S}. The system Scurve is shown below:
1000
900
800
700
600

Runoff (ft3/s)

500
400
300
200
100
0
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Time (min)

Figure 3.1: S-curve for the system.

4. Lag a second S -curve at

D 2 from the origin of the S -curve. The second S -

curve is identical to the first, but follows it by the time duration of the unit hydrograph.
1000
900
800
700
600

Runoff (ft3/s)

500
400
300
200
100
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Time (min)

Figure 3.2: S-curves for system with S-curve lagged D2

350

400

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

5. Calculate the difference between the original S -curve and the lagged S -curve.
Excel was implemented to calculate S 1S2 . Finally, scale the difference by D 1 / D2 .
The unit hydrograph for Section 3 is shown below:
160
140
120
100

Runoff (ft3/s)

80
60
40
20
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Time (min)

Figure 3.3: Unit hydrograph for 7.5-minute event.

4) The runoff hydrographs for each of the two rainfall conditions were calculated for both
the 1998 and 2000 storm events. To begin, the initial abstraction I a was subtracted
from the rainfall values until it was depleted. The -index was then subtracted from
each of the rainfall values. The -index was 0.15[/hr ] , so was used
directly for the 1998 storm, but was scaled to /4=0.0375(15 min) for each
increment for the storm. The result of this calculation is called the precipitation excess
{Pe } , a column vector of precipitation excess points. The calculated values of

{ Pe }1998 and { Pe }2000 are shown below:

For the 1998 storm
Rainfall
Time(hours)

(inches)

PI a

Pe =PI a

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.10

0.00

0.00

0.15

0.05

0.00

0.72

0.72

0.57

1.86

1.86

1.71

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

5

0.78

0.78

0.63

0.24

0.24

0.09

0.18

0.18

0.03

0.07

0.07

0.00

0.05

0.05

0.00

10

0.00

0.00

0.00

11

0.00

0.00

0.00

12

0.00

0.00

0.00

13

0.00

0.00

0.00

14

0.00

0.00

0.00

15

0.00

0.00

0.00

16

0.00

0.00

0.00

17

0.00

0.00

0.00

18

0.01

0.01

0.00

19

0.15

0.15

0.00

20

0.02

0.02

0.00

21

0.00

0.00

0.00

22

0.00

0.00

0.00

23

0.00

0.00

0.00

24

0.00

0.00

0.00

25
26
27
28

0.00
0.07
0.06
0.01

0.00
0.07
0.06
0.01

0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

Table 4.1: Calculation of excess precipitation

Pe for the 1998 storm

For the 2000 storm

Rainfall(inches)
Time(hours)

PI a

Pe =PI a

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.25

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.50

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.75

0.01

0.00

0.00

1.00

0.01

0.00

0.00

1.25

0.03

0.00

0.00

1.50

0.02

0.00

0.00

1.75

0.02

0.00

0.00

2.00

0.07

0.00

0.00

2.25

0.05

0.01

0.00

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

2.50

0.03

0.03

0.00

2.75

0.08

0.08

0.042

3.00

0.07

0.07

0.033

3.25

0.44

0.44

0.40

3.50

0.32

0.32

0.28

3.75

0.17

0.17

0.13

4.00

0.29

0.29

0.25

4.25

0.41

0.41

0.37

4.50

0.12

0.12

0.08

4.75

0.09

0.09

0.05

5.00

0.21

0.21

0.17

5.25

0.65

0.65

0.61

5.50
5.75
6.00
6.25
6.50
6.75
7.00
7.25
7.50
7.75
8.00

0.52
0.29
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.02

0.52
0.29
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.02

0.48
0.25
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

Table 4.2: Calculation of excess precipitation

Pe for the 2000 storm

The matrix [P e ] was the matrix of precipitation excess lagged by the duration D 1 a
total of the length of the unit hydrograph {u } times. The Matlab script shown in
Appendix A was used to generate the The runoff hydrograph ordinates {Q } were
calculated using a matrix of precipitation excess [P e ] and the ordinates of the unit
hydrograph {u } :

[ Pe ] { u } ={Q }

(3.1)

The precipitation excess matrix [P e ] was found by lagging the precipitation excess
one duration D 1 a total of n times where n is defined as the number of unit
hydrograph ordinates. The inner dimensions of Pe and the number of ordinates of the

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

unit hydrograph were equal, so the Matlab script shown in Appendix A was used to
generate .
The runoff responses for the two storms is tabulated below and accompanied by the
corresponding hydrograph:
For the 1998 storm:

Time(hours)

Rainfall(inches)

Subtract
Phi

Q from
Matlab

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.10

0.00

0.00

0.15

0.00

0.00

0.72

0.57

0.00

1.86

1.71

2.09

0.78

0.63

24.92

0.24

0.09

127.11

0.18

0.03

256.80

0.07

0.00

174.07

0.05

0.00

65.36

10

0.00

0.00

16.72

11

0.00

0.00

2.93

12

0.00

0.00

0.41

13

0.00

0.00

0.01

14

0.00

0.00

0.00

Table 4.3: Runoff for the 1998 storm

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

300.00
250.00
200.00

Runoff (ft3/s) 150.00

100.00
50.00
0.00

Time (hr)

Figure 4.2: Hydrograph for the 1998 storm

For the 2000 storm:
Time(hours
)

Rainfall(inches)

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.25

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.50

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.75

0.01

0.00

0.00

1.00

0.01

0.00

0.00

1.25

0.03

0.00

0.00

1.50

0.02

0.00

0.00

1.75

0.02

0.00

0.00

2.00

0.07

0.00

0.00

2.25

0.05

0.00

0.00

2.50

0.03

0.00

0.00

2.75

0.08

0.04

0.00

3.00

0.07

0.03

0.00

3.25

0.44

0.40

0.00

3.50

0.32

0.28

0.01

3.75

0.17

0.13

0.10

4.00

0.29

0.25

0.33

4.25

0.41

0.37

1.41

4.50

0.12

0.08

2.89

4.75

0.09

0.05

6.22

5.00

0.21

0.17

10.17

5.25

0.65

0.61

19.38

10

12

14

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

5.50
5.75
6.00
6.25
6.50
6.75
7.00
7.25
7.50
7.75
8.00
8.25
8.50
8.75
9.00
9.25
9.50
9.75
10.00
10.25
10.50
10.75
11.00
11.25
11.50
11.75

0.52
0.29
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

0.48
0.25
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

32.60
54.78
101.13
129.80
143.40
166.13
184.18
179.25
175.00
189.05
228.79
245.31
229.26
188.29
147.61
113.64
86.57
62.91
42.58
27.62
18.37
11.81
6.38
2.37
0.47
0.00

300.00
250.00
200.00

Runoff (ft3/s) 150.00

100.00
50.00
0.00
0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

Time (hr)

Figure

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

5) The linear least squares method was used to calculate the unit hydrograph from the
provided hyetograph and runoff hydrograph. To begin, the precipitation excess {Pe }
was calculated by subtracting from each precipitation term. The column vector
{Q } was defined as the ordinates of the runoff flow. The Matlab script defined in
Appendix A was used to generate the matrix [P] with the size of {Q } columns.
The linear least squares equation defined in the laboratory session was used to find the
unit hydrograph {u } according to the following equation:
T

{ u }=( [ P ] [ P ] ) [ P ] {Q}

(5.1)

Matlab was used to calculate {u } using matrix operations. The unit hydrograph was
returned as:
Precipitation
(inches)

Time (hours)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7

Precipitation after
phi (inches)
0
0.8
2.4
1.6
0
1
1.8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Runoff (ft3/s)

0
0.7
2.3
1.5
0
0.9
1.7
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
10
90
250
410
450
440
450
300
210
120
50
30
10
0

0
12.28
75.52
99.77
96.45
80.80
40.70
0.15
-6.49
-16.14
1.85
5.84
8.49
0.81
0.00

The {u } returned by Matlab contained several negative points. Because it is

impossible to have negative runoff, the principle of conservation of mass was used to sum
all of the outflow, sum all of the negative outflow. The two negative hydrograph points
were set equal to zero and the negative outflow was uniformly-distributed to all positive
points. A tabulation of the adjustment of {u } is shown below:

Time (hours)

Precipitation
(inches)

Runoff (ft3/s)

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7

0.8
2.4
1.6
0
1
1.8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

10
90
250
410
450
440
450
300
210
120
50
30
10
0

11.62
71.48
94.43
91.29
76.47
38.52
0.14
0.00
0.00
1.75
5.53
8.04
0.76
0.00
400.03

12.28
75.52
99.77
96.45
80.80
40.70
0.15
-6.49
-16.14
1.85
5.84
8.49
0.81
0.00

Total volume
Negative volume
Absolute value

400.03
-22.64
422.67

The unit hydrograph is plotted below:

100
90
80
70
60

Runoff (ft3/s)

50
40
30
20
10
0

Time (hr)

Figure 5.1: Unit hydrograph for the storm event

Appendix A: Matlab code used to create [u ] and [P] matrices from column vectors
{u } and {Pe }

CEE 421 | Lab #4 | John Dunnuck | 10.14.15

The following Matlab code takes a column vector {a } and assembles it a total of times
into subsequent columns of the the matrix [ A ] , lagging each insertion by one row.
A = [a]; %initiate A
a_NEW = a; %Initiate access vector
for i = 1:(size-1)
a_NEW = [0;a_NEW]; %lag access vector by 1 row
A(size(a_NEW,1),1)=0; %Allocate extra space @ end -> dimensions
A = [A,a_NEW]; %combine access vector with existing matrix
end

For example, the column vector {a } is defined as:

{}
1

{a}= 2
3

and the desired number of columns is 4 , the output of the script will be:
1

2
3

1
1 2
2 3
3
1
2
3
[ A ] =