Calculating Average Depth of Precipitation

Calculating Average Depth of
Precipitation: 3 Methods
The following three methods of calculating average depth
of precipitation upon the area of the basin, i.e.,
(1) Arithmetic Mean,
(2) Theissen Polygon Method, and
(3) Iso-Hyetal Method.
1. Arithmetic Mean:
When the area of the basin is less than 500 km2 this method implies
summing up of all the rainfall values from all the raingauging
stations and then dividing it by the number of stations in that basin.
The method becomes very clear by the use of a tabular forra.
To explain, there are in all four rain-gauging stations A, B, C, D in

the basin, whose rainfall values are given in the table 2.3? Sum of
the rainfall values comes out to be 21.2 cm. It is divided by number
of stations to give average depth of precipitation which comes out to
be 5.3 cm.
This method gives accurate results if the stations are uniformly
distributed over the area. There should not be much variation in the
rainfall values of the stations under consideration. Drawback of this
method is the stations just outside of the basin are not considered
although these stations might have some influence on the basin
under consideration.
2. Theissen Polygon Method:

This method is very accurate. It is used for basins having areas
between 500 – 5000 km2. This method can be best understood with
the help of Fig. 2.7.
The firm closing line shows a basin having an area between 500 to
5000 sq km. Let there be rain-gauging stations A, B, C, D, E and F.
It is assumed that each station has its own domain in the total area.
While finding out the average value of rainfall it is very essential to
divide the total basin area in such a way that each station enclosed
in a particular area represents that area in true sense.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The domain of each rain recording gauge station can be marked as

now mentioned here. Join all the stations to each of the adjacent
stations by dotted line so as to form a system of triangles. Rain-
gauging stations form vertices of the triangles. Then draw the
perpendicular bisector of each of the sides of all the triangles. In
Fig. 2.7 triangles are shown by dotted lines and perpendicular
bisectors by firm lines. As a result the whole basin area is divided
into number of polygons.
Remarkable thing is one polygon enclose only one rain-gauging

station. Each polygon is the domain of the rain-gauging station
which is enclosed in it. The justification for it can now be given.
Each firm line is perpendicular bisector of the line joining two
stations. So any point on this line will be equidistant form both the
stations. If we go slightly this or that side of the bisector our
position will distinctly fall in the domain of that station to which our
position is now nearer.
Naturally perpendicular bisector will mark the boundary of the

domain. As all the sides of the polygons for all the stations are
perpendicular bisectors the new polygons system drawn by firm
lines in Fig. 2.7 represents the domain of various stations. Thus the
domain of each station can be plotted. Then the area of each domain
can be found by use of a graph paper or a planimeter.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The values can now be tabulated as shown below:

To explain the procedure, column:
(i) Shows the various rain-gauging stations, column
ADVERTISEMENTS:
(ii) The amount of rainfall at each station, column,
(iii) Gives area of each polygonal domain of the stations and

column,
(iv) Gives weighted depth of rainfall which is obtained by

multiplying values in columns 2 and 3.
Now, mean depth of rainfall = (∑ column No. 4)/(∑ column No. 3)
ADVERTISEMENTS:
∑ Column number 3 = Total area of basin = a + b + c + d + e + f
Mean depth of rainfall = (5.6a + 4.9b + 5.2c + 5.4d x 5.5e + 5.2f)/(a

+ 6 + c + d + e+ f )
3. Iso-Hyetal Method:
As contours are lines joining points of equal height, iso-hyetes are
the Knes joining the points of equal depth of precipitation. The
properties of iso-hyetes are similar to that of contours.
For example:
i. Two different iso-hyetes do not cross each other;
ii. Iso-hyet of higher value shows the places which receive more
rainfall;
iii. Each iso-hyet must close on itself or must go out of the area
under consideration.
Iso-hyetal method is used for basins having area more than 5000
km2
For a given basin iso-hyetes are drawn by joining the points of equal
depth of precipitation as shown in Fig. 2.8. The points of equal
depth of precipitation can be computed by the method of estimation
from the rainfall values of rain- gauging stations.
In Fig. 2.8 dotted lines show iso-hyetes and the outer most firm line
is basin boundary. The interval of iso-hyetes is 1 cm. The highest
spot rainfall value in area is 9.4 cm. Now the areas between two
successive iso-hytes can be found by using a graph paper or a
planimeter.
The rest of the procedure of finding out average or mean depth of
rainfall is done by tabulating the values as shown in Table 2.5.
To explain, column (1) shows the iso-hyetal interval of successive

iso-hyetes, column (2) gives the average of the two extreme values
of interval, column (3) gives the area enclosed between two
successive iso-hyetes and column (4) shows mean of interval
multiplied by the area of interval.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Now, Mean depth of rainfall = ∑ column No. 4/∑ column No. 3
∑ column number 3 = Total area of basin = a + b + c + d + e

Mean depth of rainfall = (9.2a+ 8.5b +7.5c + 6.5d x 5.5e)/a + b+ c +
d+e
Problem:
ADVERTISEMENTS:
A drainage basin has the catchment area of 626 km2. There are in all
11 rain- gauging stations of which 6 are within the catchment and 5
are in the vicinity but outside the catchment. The point rainfall
observed during a particular storm at various stations has been
shown in Fig. 2.9. (a).
Figure 2.9. (6). It is given that the areas of the polygons

and the rainfall station with its value is as follows:

Calculate average depth of precipitation over the catchment by
arithmetic mean, Thiessen polygon and Isohyetal methods and
compare the results.
Solution:
Step 1: Arithmetic Average Method:
Referring Fig. 9(a). There are 6 stations within the catchment.
Average depth of ppt. = (1.46 + 1.92 + 2.69 + 4.50 + 2.98 + 5.00)/6

= 3.09 cm
Step 2: Thiessen Polygon Method:

Referring to Fig. 9(b) the precipitation and areas can be tabulated
as in Table 2.3.
Average depth of ppt. = 2.84 cm
Step 3: Isohyetal Method:

Referring to Fig. 9(c) the iso-hyetal interval and area enclosed can
be tabulated as follows to work out the average depth as on in Table
2.4.

Average depth of precipitation = Volume of ppt./Area of catchment

= 1622/626 = 2.59 cm
Answer:
Average depth of precipitation by the three methods
comes out to be:
Arithmetic mean method =3.09 cm
Thiessen polygon method = 2.84 cm
Isohyetal method = 2.59 cm

Calculating Average Depth of Precipitation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Calculating Average Depth of Precipitation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Calculating Average Depth of Precipitation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Calculating Average Depth of

To explain, there are in all four rain-gauging stations A, B, C, D in

2. Theissen Polygon Method:

The domain of each rain recording gauge station can be marked as

Remarkable thing is one polygon enclose only one rain-gauging

Naturally perpendicular bisector will mark the boundary of the

The values can now be tabulated as shown below:

(ii) The amount of rainfall at each station, column,

(iii) Gives area of each polygonal domain of the stations and

(iv) Gives weighted depth of rainfall which is obtained by

Now, mean depth of rainfall = (∑ column No. 4)/(∑ column No. 3)

∑ Column number 3 = Total area of basin = a + b + c + d + e + f

Mean depth of rainfall = (5.6a + 4.9b + 5.2c + 5.4d x 5.5e + 5.2f)/(a

To explain, column (1) shows the iso-hyetal interval of successive

Now, Mean depth of rainfall = ∑ column No. 4/∑ column No. 3

∑ column number 3 = Total area of basin = a + b + c + d + e

Figure 2.9. (6). It is given that the areas of the polygons

Average depth of ppt. = (1.46 + 1.92 + 2.69 + 4.50 + 2.98 + 5.00)/6

Step 2: Thiessen Polygon Method:

Average depth of ppt. = 2.84 cm

Step 3: Isohyetal Method:

Average depth of precipitation = Volume of ppt./Area of catchment

Thiessen polygon method = 2.84 cm

Isohyetal method = 2.59 cm

You might also like