Engineering Hydrology Labe Report

Labe No: 03
1.Title of Lab: Areal Precipitation Estimation

2.Objective:

 To understand the significance of areal precipitation estimation in hydrology.

 To familiarize with different methods for estimating areal precipitation.
 To apply these methods in a practical setting using sample rainfall data.Introduction:

3.Theoretical Background:

The estimation of areal precipitation is necessary because

rainfall is not uniformly distributed across large areas. Several techniques have been developed
to approximate the average precipitation over an area based on point measurements from rain
gauges. The accuracy of the estimation depends on the distribution and density of the rain
gauges, as well as the rainfall pattern.

3.1 Rainfall Characteristics and Spatial Variability:

Rainfall is a highly variable meteorological
phenomenon, both in time and space. It can vary significantly over short distances, influenced by
factors such as topography, storm type, and atmospheric conditions. Engineering hydrology
addresses this variability by employing statistical and spatial methods to estimate the average
precipitation over an area.

3.2 Common Methods of Areal Precipitation Estimation:

Three widely used methods in

engineering hydrology for estimating areal precipitation are:

3.2.1 Arithmetic Mean Method:

This is the simplest method, where the average precipitation is
calculated by taking the arithmetic mean of precipitation measurements from all rain gauges
within the area. It assumes that the rainfall is uniformly distributed over the area.

Formula:
Engineering Hydrology Labe Report

Assumptions:

 Rainfall is evenly distributed across the area.

 Suitable when the area is relatively small, and rain gauges are evenly spaced.

Limitations:

 Does not account for spatial variability.

 Inaccurate for large or topographically diverse regions.

3.2.2 Thiessen Polygon Method

This method divides the area into polygons around each rain
gauge such that any point within a polygon is closer to its corresponding rain gauge than to any
other. The precipitation for the entire area is calculated as a weighted average, where the weight
is proportional to the area of each polygon.

Formula:

Assumptions:

 Rainfall within each polygon is uniform.

 The method accounts for unevenly spaced gauges.

Limitations:

 Assumes linear changes in precipitation between stations.

 More complex to apply than the Arithmetic Mean method.

3.2.3 Isohyetal Method

In this method, isohyets (contour lines of equal precipitation) are
drawn on a map based on recorded rainfall data. The area between each pair of isohyets is
calculated, and the average precipitation is weighted according to the size of the areas.

Formula:

Assumptions:

 Rainfall varies gradually between isohyets.

 Provides a more accurate representation of precipitation distribution.
Engineering Hydrology Labe Report

Limitations:

 Requires detailed rainfall data and contour plotting.

 Time-consuming compared to simpler methods.

4. Procedure
1. Data Collection: Obtain precipitation records from various gauging stations for a
particular rainfall event.
2. Station Plotting: Mark the gauging stations on a map.
3. Estimation Methods:
o Calculate areal precipitation using the Arithmetic Mean method.
o Apply the Thiessen Polygon method by constructing polygons around each
station.
o Use the Isohyetal method by drawing isohyets based on the precipitation values.
4. Comparative Analysis: Evaluate and compare the estimated areal precipitation from
each method.

5. Data an Calculation:

 For following data calculate the average precipitation :

Rain Fall Area Of Influnce Polygon A
Station AP (m-Km)
p (cm) (Km^2)
A 8.8 570 5016
B 7.6 920 6992
C 10.8 720 7776
D 9.2 620 5704
E 13.8 520 7176
F 10.4 550 5720
G 8.5 400 3400
H 10.5 650 6825
I 11.2 500 5600
J 9.5 350 3325
K 7.8 520 4056
L 5.2 250 1300
M 5.6 350 1960
N 6.8 100 680
O 7.4 160 1184
∑ 133.1 7180 66714
Engineering Hydrology Labe Report

By Arithmetic Mean method :

133.1
= = 8.873333
15

By Thiessen Polygon method :

Thissen Polygone Method

Area Of Influnce
Station Rain Fall (cm) A1P1 (m-Km)
Polygon (Km^2)
1 8 250 2000
2 6 320 1920
3 9 400 3600
4 5 425 2125
5 4 220 880
6 8 180 1440
7 9 150 1350
8 12 190 2280
9 15 350 5250
10 6 460 2760

8.015cm

 For following data calculate the areal precipitation using Isohyetal Method.

Mean of
Area Of Influnce
Station Isohyte (cm) Isohytes Value A1P1 (m-Km)
Polygon (Km^2)
P(cm)
A 3 0
B 5 4 320 1280
C 7 6 400 2400
D 9 8 425 3400
E 11 10 220 2200
F 13 12 180 2160
G 14 13.5 150 2025
H 15 14.5 190 2755
I 16 15.5 350 5425
J 18 17 250 4250
Engineering Hydrology Labe Report

Isohyetal method:

The Isohyete Method

Area Of
Mean of
Influnce
Station Isohyte (cm) Isohytes Value A1P1 (m-Km)
. Polygon
P(cm)
(Km^2)
A 3 0
B 5 4 320 1280
C 7 6 400 2400
D 9 8 425 3400
E 11 10 220 2200
F 13 12 180 2160
G 14 13.5 150 2025
H 15 14.5 190 2755
I 16 15.5 350 5425
J 18 17 250 4250

10.42 cm

6. Conclusion
Areal precipitation estimation is an essential component of engineering hydrology that influences the
design and management of water resources projects. The Arithmetic Mean, Thiessen Polygon, and
Isohyetal methods provide varying levels of accuracy, with the Isohyetal method being the most precise
when spatial rainfall data is available. The choice of method should consider the specific needs and data
availability of the hydrological study.