Submitted By: Muhammad Waqar Saleem

ID: 328158

Watershed Management & Modelling

SUBMITTED ON: 19-11-2021

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
CE-888
ASSIGNMENT # 02
Submitted to: Dr. Muhammad Shahid
 1. What are the important empirical equations used to calculate the runoff?

a. Dicken’s Formula:
Q = C × A3/4
where,
Q = Runoff in cumec.
C = a coefficient varies from 11.5 to 25.
A = Catchment area in sq.km.

b. Ryve’s Formula:
𝐶×𝐴2
Q=
3
Where,
Q = Runoff in cumec
C = a coefficient varies from 6.75 to 10
A = Catchment area in sq.km.

c. Inglis Formula:
123×𝐴
Q=
√𝐴+10.4
where,
Q = Runoff in cumecs
A = Catchment area in sq.km.

d. Indian Irrigation Department:

Indian Irrigation Department uses the equation between Rainfall and Runoff
R = P - (1.17×𝑃0.86 )

e. Rational Method Formula:

The Rational Formula is the most commonly used method of determining peak discharges from
small drainage areas. This method is traditionally used to size storm sewers, channels and other
stormwater structures which handle runoff from drainage areas less than 200 acres. The
Rational Formula is expressed as
Q=C×i×A
where:
 Q = peak rate of runoff in cubic feet per second (cfs)
C = runoff coefficient, a dimensionless unit
i = average intensity of rainfall in inches per hour (in/hr)
A = the watershed area in acres (ac).

f. SCS Method:
The most used empirical method is the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN)
method to estimate the direct runoff from a watershed. The estimation of run-off using GIS
based SCS method can be used for the watershed management efficiently. The SCS-CN
method explaining the water balance equation can be expressed as below
P= Q +F + Ia - (1)
𝑄 𝐹
- Ia = 𝑆 - (2)
𝑃

(𝑃 − 𝐼𝑎) ∗ 2
Q= ⁄(𝑝 − 𝐼𝑎) + 𝑆 - (3)

where,
P = Total precipitation (mm),
Q = Actual Runoff (mm),
F= Cumulative Infiltration (mm),
Ia= Initial abstraction (mm) which represents all losses before the runoff begins
Ia = 0.2 S - (4), Substituting in equation (3)

(𝑃 − (0.2 ∗ 𝑆)) ∗ 2
Q= ⁄(𝑃 + (0.8 ∗ 𝑆)) - (5)

where,
S= potential maximum retention (mm) after the runoff begins in the watershed and is given by
empirical equation

S = 25400⁄𝐶𝑁 - 254 - (6)

g. Khuzla Formula:
The Khuzla proposed the equation to calculate runoff using Temperature and Rainfall
parameters:
𝑇
R=P-( )
3.74
 h. khosla’s Formula:
Khosla (1960) analyzed the rainfall, runoff, and temperature data for various catchments in
India and USA to arrive at an empirical relationship between runoff and rainfall. The time is
taken as a month. His relationship for monthly runoff is For T > 4.5 ˚C
R = P – L where L = (0.48×T)
For, T ≤ the loss may provisionally be assumed as
Annual runoff = ∑ R
Khosla’s formula is indirectly based on the water balance concept and the mean monthly
catchment temperature is used to reflect the losses due to evapotranspiration. The formula has
been tested on several catchments in India and is found to give fairly good results for the
annual yield for use in preliminary studies. Where,
R = monthly runoff in mm and R ≥ 0;
P =monthly rainfall in mm;
L = monthly losses in mm;
T = mean monthly temperature of the catchment in °C

2. Discuss why models are used for watershed planning and management.

Gaining an understanding of how various human activities affect watershed processes, and in
turn how the variable nature of the hydrologic cycle affects humans' well-being, is essential for
policy makers and watershed managers. Watershed models provide efficient tools for
integrated studies of the major physical, socioeconomic, and political aspects of watersheds.
For decades, water resources professionals have been developing and using models to address
watershed problems, yet watershed models are still evolving in terms of approach, application,
and ability to provide users with a comprehensive and reliable understanding of problems at a
reasonable cost and within a specified timeframe.
Modeling is a process or procedure intended to focus and force clearer thinking and to promote
better decision-making. The approach involves problem recognition, system definition, and
bounding; identification of various goals or objectives; identification and evaluation of various
alternatives; and very importantly, effective communication of this information to those who
can benefit from it.
Watersheds are modeled to facilitate well-studied designs and informed management
decisions. In engineering and management practices, it is important to understand complex
interactions occurring today as well as predict impacts years, perhaps even decades, into the
future. In recent years, watershed management practices that were once praised for their broad
benefits to society have become the focus of harsh criticisms for their adverse and unexpected
environmental or socioeconomic impacts. River channelization, dam construction, irrigation
development, trans-basin water transfer, and hydraulic mining of rivers are some examples of
numerous cases of deteriorating socioeconomic and environmental conditions caused by lack
of understanding of dynamic interactions of various watershed subsystems. Watershed models
help us predict future impacts of projects and management policies, which in turn contributes
to improved water resources system design, planning, and operation, and thus more sustainable
water resources management. The following two examples illustrate some of the environmental
and socioeconomic challenges that can arise from improper watershed planning and
management practices.
Advances in the understanding of physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing
water quality, coupled with improvements in the collection and analysis of hydrologic data,
provide opportunities for significant innovations in the manner and level with which
watershed-scale processes may be explored and modeled.

3. Calculate the peak runoff rate from a watershed of 100 ha for a rainfall
intensity of 1 hour duration of 60 mm per hour. The watershed of sandy
loam texture comprises of 30 ha cultivated land on 2% slope, 40 ha pasture
on 6% slope and the rest 30 ha wood land of 8 % slope. The maximum
length of flow path is 2500 m with average slope of 4%.

Given Data:
Area of watershed = 100 ha,
Duration of rainfall = 1 hour = 60 mins =60*60= 3600 sec,
Intensity = 60mm/hour,
Area of cultivated land with 2% slope = A1 = 30 ha
Area of pasture with 6% slope = A2 = 40 ha
Area of woodland with 8% slope= 30 ha
With avg slope of 4% the maximum length of flow path = 2500 m
To Find:
Peak runoff rate = Q =?
Solution:
From rational method (empirical model)
Q = C×I×A or Q = 0.0028 C×I×A
As its sandy loam so we take values from column 1 of sandy loam from appendix
C1 = 0.30
C2 =0.16
C3 =0.25
C= (C1 A1 + C2 A2 + C3 A3) / (A1 + A2 +A3)
C= (0.30×30 + 0.16×40 + 0.25×30) / (30 + 40 + 30)
 C= 0.229
Total area = 30+30+40= 100 ha
Q= C×I×A
Q= 0.229 × 60 × 100
Q = 1374 m3 /s
Or
Q= 0.0028×C×I×A
Q= 0.0028×0.229×60×100
Q = 3.85 m3 /s