CIV3044F: ENGINEERING HYDROLOGY

Assignment 2: Flood Flow Estimation

(To be submitted by 16:00 hours on 28th March 2021 via VULA – assignments link)

Part A

Statistical Method

The objective of this assignment is for students to apply the statistical method to estimate flood
flow of required return period.

Task
The annual flow values for a given river are available for a period of 80 years. From this record,
the 22 highest annual maxima values are as shown in table below. Assume data has log-normal
distribution, estimate 100- and 1000-year recurrence interval flows using Blom method.

Year Flow (m3/s) Year Flow (m3/s)

1995 2012 2006 1745
1996 3485 2007 1662
1997 1153 2008 3676
1998 3590 2009 3641
1999 3472 2010 3755
2000 3183 2011 1160
2001 3299 2012 3971
2002 2435 2013 1088
2003 3156 2014 1836
2004 2077 2015 1861
2005 3435 2016 1332
Part B - Catchment delineation from contours – hand method

Note:

 To interpret a topographic map with contours, note that each contour line represents a ground
elevation or vertical distance above a reference point such as sea level. All points along any
one contour line are at the same elevation.

 The difference in elevation between two adjacent contours is called the contour interval. It
represents the vertical distance from one contour elevation to the next.

 The horizontal distance is determined by the scale bar.

 To identify the river flow path, note that water always flows downhill perpendicular to contour
lines. A general rule of thumb is that topographic lines in a river always point upstream. With
that in mind, it is not difficult to make out drainage patterns and the direction of flow on the
landscape even when there is no stream depicted on the map. In the figure below, the direction
of streamflow is from point A - headwater to point B - outlet.

Task 1: Select any location on the topographic map with contours provided and sketch out the
river from headwaters to outlet (see example in the Figure 1)

Figure 1 Catchment delineation

Adapted from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Task 2: Delineate a catchment following the steps below.
i Draw a circle at the outlet or downstream point of the river sketched in task 1 above (see
example in the Figure 1)
ii Put small "X's" at the high points along both sides of the river, working your way upstream
towards the headwaters of the catchment.
iii Starting at the circle that was made in step one, draw a line connecting the "X's" along one
side of the river. This line should always cross the contours at right angles (i.e. it should be
perpendicular to each contour line it crosses).
iv Continue the line until it passes around the head of the catchment and down the opposite side
of the river. Eventually it will connect with the circle from which you started.
v At this point you have delineated the catchment.
vi Generally, surface water runoff from rain falling anywhere in this area flows into the river
and out of the catchment through the outlet.

Task 3: Determine the following

i Using the grid and scale bar provided, estimate the catchment area
ii Using the scale bar, estimate the length of the flow path
iii Using the contours and scale bar, estimate the slope of the flow path
iv Estimate the time of concentration for the flow path (time water takes to flow from
headwaters to outlet of catchment. Use the empirical formula for calculating the time of
concentration in natural channels developed by the US Soil Conservation Service.

𝑇𝑐 = (0.87𝐿2 /1000𝑆𝑎𝑣 )0.385

Where TC - time of concentration (hours)

L = Length of the flow path (km)
Sav = average slope (m/m)

Adapted from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

 ´
A B C
A D E F G H
B I J K L M
C N O P Q D
R S T U V W
E X Y Z AA AB
F AC AD AE AF AG
G AH AI AJ AK AL
H AM AN AO AP AQ
I AR AS AT AU AV
J AW AX
1 2800 1
27

00
2 00 270 2

27
0

26
1
3 1
3

300

00
4 4

0
0
230 2900
5 5

24
00
19

00
6 6

29
21

00
00
7 7
0
190 28

27
2
8 00 2
8

00
20
00 19
9 29 00 9

25
00
10 10

00
1800

00
11 11
2400

00

18
22

27

27
270 17
12 12

00

00
0 00
13
3 13
3
14 14
15 15
16 2700 16
0
260

17 17

00
18
19 00

18
18
4 00 18
4
00
19 26 190
19
2600

0
1900
20 190
0 20

2600
21 21

2600
22 22
0
270

23
5 23
5
27 2000
24 00 24
26
00

25 25
26 180 26
0
27 27
2900

28
6 28
6
29 29
00

30 160 30
28

0
31 31
32 2200 18 32
0 00
33
7 290 33
7
00
23
2800

34 2300 34
00
35 28 1700 35
2700
2900

36 36
37 37
21

26 160
00

00 0 160
00

38
8 0 38
8
26

39 1900 39
240
0
40 2500 40
280

41 19 41
00
0

2800
42 42

1700
43
9 18
00 43
9
180
44 0 44
1700
280
45 0 1700 1700 0 45
170
26
2900

46 00 46
00

27
47 1700 47

0
150
10
48 2400 10
48
49 49
50 50
A B C
A D E F G H
B I J K L M
C N O P Q D
R S T U V W
E X Y Z AA AB
F AC AD AE AF AG
G AH AI AJ AK AL
H AM AN AO AP AQ
I AR AS AT AU AV
J AW AX

Kilometers Legend
0 0.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Contours at 100 m interval
 Part C - Rational Method

Objective
The objective of this assignment is for students to apply the Rational Method to estimate
flood flow of required return period. In this task, you will apply the rational method on the
catchment delineated in the earlier task of ‘Catchment delineation by hand’ to estimate peak
flow of 100 years return period.

Complete the following tasks:

1. Catchment delineation by hand. Measure the delineated catchment and ensure that the area
is less than 30 Km2, otherwise select another location.
2. Using the scale provided, measure the length of the longest flow path
3. Using the contours, estimate the slope
4. With the length of the longest flow path and slope, estimate ‘Time of Concentration’
5. Given the catchment is in Pretoria with characteristics in Table 1 and Mean Annual
Rainfall of 500 mm, estimate runoff coefficient and rainfall intensity. Assume catchment
has 100% rural characteristics.
Table 1
Catchment characteristics Percentage area covered
Vleis and Pans (<3%) 15%
Flat Area (3-10%) 15%
Hilly (10% - 30%) 20%
Steep Areas (> 30%) 50%
Permeability (Cp)
Very permeable 10%
Permeable 30%
Semi Permeable 50%
Impermeable 10%
Vegetation (Cv)
Thick Bush and Plantations 5%
Light Bush and Farm-lands 35%
Grass-lands 10%
No Vegetation 50%

6. Compute peak flow discharge for 100 years return period.

 WEB2P
RATIONAL METHOD

Description of catchment
River detail
Calculated by Date
Physical characteristics
Size of catchment (A) km² Rainfall region
Longest watercourse (L) km Area distribution factors
Average slope (Sav) m/m Rural (α) Urban (β) Lakes (γ)
Dolomite area (D%) %
Mean annual rainfall (MAR)0# mm
Rural1 Urban2
Surface slope % Factor Cs Description % Factor C2
Vleis and pans Lawns
Flat areas Sandy, flat (<2%)
Hilly Sandy, steep (>7%)
Steep areas Heavy soil, flat (<2%)
Total 100 - Heavy soil, steep (>7%)
Permeability % Factor Cp Residential areas
Very permeable Houses
Permeable Flats
Semi-permeable Industry
Impermeable Light industry
Total 100 - Heavy industry
Vegetation % Factor Cv Business
Thick bush and plantation City centre
Light bush and farm-lands Suburban
Grasslands Streets
No vegetation Maximum flood
Total 100 - Total (C2) 100 -
Time of concentration (TC) Notes:
Overland flow3 Defined watercourse
0,467 0,385
⎛ rL ⎞ ⎛ 0,87L2 ⎞
TC = 0,604⎜ ⎟ TC = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎜ S ⎟ ⎝ 1000Sav ⎠
⎝ av ⎠
hours hours
Run-off coefficient
Return period (years), T 2 5 10 20 50 100 Max
Run-off coefficient, C1
(C1 = CS + CP + CV)
Adjusted for dolomitic areas, C1D
(= C1(1 - D%)+C1D%(∑(Dfactor x CS%))4
Adjustment factor for initial saturation,
Ft5
Adjusted run-off coefficient, C1T
(= C1D x Ft)
Combined run-off coefficient CT
(= αC1T + βC2 + γC3)
Rainfall
Return period (years), T 2 5 10 20 50 100 Max
Point rainfall (mm), PT6
Point intensity (mm/hour), PiT (= PT/TC)
Area reduction factor (%), ARFT7
Average intensity (mm/hour), IT
(= PiT x ARFT)
Return period (years), T 2 5 10 20 50 100 Max
CT IT A
Peak flow (m³/s), Q T =
3,6
Note: # Reference to the appropriate figures and tables is made in the legend table of this method. R - Page 1/2

Flood calculations 3C-2

 WEB2P
RATIONAL METHOD

LEGEND TABLE Table 3C.1

Rational method Rural (C1)
ID Reference
Component Classification Mean annual rainfall (mm)
0 Figure 3.7
1 Table 3C.1 600 600 - 900 900
2 Table 3C.2 Vleis and pans (<3%) 0,01 0,03 0,05
3 Table 3C.3 Surface slope Flat areas (3 to 10%) 0,06 0,08 0,11
4 Table 3C.4 (CS) Hilly (10 to 30%) 0,12 0,16 0,20
5 Table 3C.5 Steep areas (>30%) 0,22 0,26 0,30
6 Figure 3.6
7 Figure 3.20 or Very permeable 0,03 0,04 0,05
3.21 Permeability Permeable 0,06 0,08 0,10
(CP) Semi-permeable 0,12 0,16 0,20
Impermeable 0,21 0,26 0,30
Thick bush and plantation 0,03 0,04 0,05
Vegetation Light bush and farm-lands 0,07 0,11 0,15
(CV) Grasslands 0,17 0,21 0,25
No vegetation 0,26 0,28 0,30

Table 3C.2 Table 3C.3

Urban (C2) Surface description Recommended
value of r
Use Factor
Paved areas 0,02
Lawns Clean compacted soil, no stones 0,1
Sandy, flat (< 2%) 0,05 - 0,10 Sparse grass over fairly rough surface 0,3
Sandy, steep (>7%) 0,15 - 0,20 Medium grass cover 0,4
Heavy soil, flat (< 2%) 0,13 - 0,17 Thick grass cover 0,8
Heavy soil, steep (>7%) 0,25 - 0,35 Table 3C.4
Residential areas Adjustment factor to Cs
Houses 0,30 - 0,50 Surface slope classification Dfactor
Flats 0,50 - 0,70 Steep areas (slopes >30%) 0,50
Industry Hilly (10 to 30%) 0,35
Light industry 0,50 - 0,80 Flat areas (3 to 10%) 0,20
Heavy industry 0,60 - 0,90 Vleis and pans (slopes <3%) 0,10
Business
City centre 0,70 - 0,95
Suburban 0,50 - 0,70
Streets 0,70 - 0,95
Maximum flood 1,00

Table 3C.5
Return period (years) 2 5 10 20 50 100
Adjustment factor (Ft) for
steep and impermeable 0,75 0,80 0,85 0,90 0,95 1,00
catchments
Adjustment factor (Ft) for
flat and permeable 0,50 0,55 0,60 0,67 0,83 1,00
catchments

R - Page 2/2

3C-3 Flood calculations