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Lecture 10 CIE 562

This document discusses the mass curve method for determining reservoir storage capacity. It explains that a mass curve plots accumulated stream flow over time, with the slope indicating flow rate. Required draw-off rates are marked with tangents to the curve. The maximum vertical distance between the demand line and mass curve represents the needed storage capacity. The procedure involves preparing mass and demand curves, drawing parallel tangents, and measuring the largest vertical intercept to determine capacity. The mass curve method is simple but assumes future flows will not be more severe than historical flows.

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Emmanuel Mwaba
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85 views16 pages

Lecture 10 CIE 562

This document discusses the mass curve method for determining reservoir storage capacity. It explains that a mass curve plots accumulated stream flow over time, with the slope indicating flow rate. Required draw-off rates are marked with tangents to the curve. The maximum vertical distance between the demand line and mass curve represents the needed storage capacity. The procedure involves preparing mass and demand curves, drawing parallel tangents, and measuring the largest vertical intercept to determine capacity. The mass curve method is simple but assumes future flows will not be more severe than historical flows.

Uploaded by

Emmanuel Mwaba
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mulungushi University

CIE 562 WATER RESOURCES


MANAGEMENT
WATER ALLOCATION

RESERVOIR CAPACITY
LECTURE 10
Storage Capacity
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Mass curve (Rippl's) method
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 Mass curve (Rippl's) method

 A mass curve (or mass inflow curve) is a plot of accumulated flow


in a stream against time.

 It rises continuously as it shows accumulated flows.

 The slope of the curve at any point indicates the rate of inflow at
that particular time.

 Required rates of draw off from the reservoir are marked by


drawing tangents, having slopes equal to the demand rates, at the
highest points of the mass curve
Mass curve (Rippl's) method
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 If the demand is at a constant rate then the demand curve is a


straight line having its slope equal to the demand rate.

 However, if the demand is not constant then the demand will be


curved indicating a variable rate of demand
Mass curve Method
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Mass curve Method
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 The maximum departure between the demand line


and the mass curve represents the storage capacity
of the reservoir required to meet the demand.
 A demand line must intersect the mass curve when
extended forward, otherwise the reservoir is not
going to refill.
Mass curve Method
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Assumptions
 The reservoir is full at time zero.

 In using historical flow data it is implicitly assumed

that future flow sequence will not contain a more


severe drought than the historical flow sequence.
Attributes
 The procedure is simple and it is widely understood

 It takes into account seasonality


Mass curve Method
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 Mass curve procedure


 The reservoir capacity required for a specified yield or
demand may be determined by using mass curve and demand
curve using the following steps
1. A mass curve is prepared from the flow hydrograph for a
number of consecutive years selected from the available
stream flow record such that it includes the most critical or the
driest period.
2. Corresponding to the given rate of demand, a demand curve
is prepared.
3. Lines are drawn parallel to the demand curve and tangential
to the high points of the mass curve
Mass curve Method
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 The maximum vertical intercepts between the


tangential lines drawn in step and the mass curves
are measured
 The largest of the maximum vertical intercepts
determined in step 4 represents the reservoir
capacity required to satisfy the given demand.
Mass curve Method
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The Mass Curve Method
Procedure of Mass Curve
1. Prepare a mass inflow curve from the flow hydrograph of the site for a number of
consecutive years including the most critical years (or the driest years) when the
discharge is low.
2. Prepare the mass demand curve corresponding to the given rate of demand. If the rate of
demand is constant, the mass demand curve is a straight line. The scale of the mass
demand curve should be the same as that of the mass inflow curve.

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DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, MU,2021
The Mass Curve Method
Procedure of Mass Curve
3. Draw the lines AB, FG, etc. such that
(i) They are parallel to the mass demand curve,
and
(ii) They are tangential to the crests A, F, etc. of the mass curve.
4. Determine the vertical intercepts CD. HJ, etc. between the tangential lines and the mass
inflow curve. These intercepts indicate the volumes by which the inflow volumes fall short
of demand.

 Assuming that the reservoir is full at point A, the inflow volume during the period AE is
equal to ordinate DE and the demand is equal to ordinate CE. Thus the storage required is
equal to the volume indicated by the intercept CD.
5. Determine the largest of the vertical intercepts found in Step (4). The largest vertical
intercept represents the storage capacity required.

 Although the mass curve technique is very simple and straight forward, it has a few
shortcomings. This method is suitable when the draft is constant. It is not possible to
consider evaporation losses. One drawback is the implicit assumption that the storage
which would have been adequate in past will also be adequate in future. Although this
is not clearly true, the error caused is not really serious particularly if sufficiently long
flow series has been considered.
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DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, MU,2021
Sequent Peak Algorithm
 capacity of the reservoir is determined from the net inflow and demand.
 storage is required when the demand exceeds the net inflow.
 the total storage required is equal to the sum of the storage required during the various
periods.

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DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, MU,2021
Example
A reservoir is to be constructed at a location where monthly flow data are available for 28
months. It is required to release 35 MCM of water from the reservoir every month. Find
the minimum size of the required reservoir by the Sequent Peak Algorithm.

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THANK YOU

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