Assignment 3:

Due date Thursday 28th of January, 2016.

Question 1:
For the given watershed characteristics in the table below develop a 25-year flood discharge and the
design streamflow hydrograph for this flood using the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Dimensionless
Unit Hydrograph (UH) for designing the hydrograph and calculate runoff using the SCS-CN runoff
model. Please report time of concentration of the watershed and the design storm duration you identified.
You should follow the method we discussed in the class.
GIVEN

Hillslope length(m)

500

Slope (m/m):
0.04
N:
0.08
Channel length (m):
5600
Channel Slope (m/m): 0.03
Area (mi2):
5
CN:
92

Question 2:
In the first part of this exercise you will analyze rainfall-runoff data from Newaukum urban catchment
(NUC). NUC is a relatively flat, highly developed subcatchment of the Middle Green River basin located
in the city of Enumclaw. The basins mean annual precipitation is 1,246 mm. Soils are primarily sandy
loam to loam. NUC drainage area is 1 km2. In NUC the total impervious area is 70% of the catchment.
This breaks into 15% roads, 10% rooftops, and 45% other areas including driveways, parking lots, and
impervious areas around and between houses. Runoff was measured at the outlet of the catchment (see
purple triangle top left ) for ~3 years 2001-2004.

Google earth view of NUC with catchment boundaries and the streamflow gauge at the outlet.
In Canvas assignment 2 folder you will find the rainfall-runoff data for the catchment. Please use the data
for the questions below.
Runoff from impervious areas in this catchment can be obtained using the procedures outlined in Boyd et
al. (1993) paper we have discussed in the class. According to the paper runoff can be estimated as: R =
F*(P-IL), where R is depth of runoff (mm) from a given precipitation depth P (mm), measured throughout
a precipitation event, and IL is initial losses before runoff is generated (mm). Although Boyd et al (1993)
introduced F as the effective impervious area fraction (i.e., fraction of watershed area that directly
contributes to the basin), in reality F can lump factors such as runoff losses as surface water moves
overland and leakage losses from storm drains etc. For all practical reasons if we make the assumption
that all losses (on land and in storm drains) can be represented by IL, than F will represent the effective
impervious area fraction.
In the dataset you are given precipitation events and runoff corresponding to those events. First using the
summer months only (June, July, August, September) determine the values of F and IL. Second use the
winter months (remaining months of the year, see excel spreadsheet) and estimate F and IL. Third, use all
the data in the spreadsheet and estimate F. In the estimation of F use the method and plotting position
outlined and discussed in the class. In presenting your results please always plot
x(P-IL) (as opposed to only using P, as in the Boyd paper) and yRunoff. In this question assume
total runoff provided in the excel spreadsheet are all surface runoff (negligible subsurface/groundwater
flow). This may not be a bad assumption for daily runoff in this catchment but this assumption would
need further confirmation. In larger catchment, surface runoff should be extracted using a baseflow
extraction routine. Are the F estimates for different seasons consistent with each other? Why/ Why not.
Compare your values with those reported in the class for this watershed.