Construction

And
Analysis of Hydrographs

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 Hydrograph
Record of River Discharge (the level of water flowing down
a river channel) over a period of time, they show how
certain rivers respond to a rainstorm.

River Discharge (the level of water flowing

down a river) (is calculated)
rivers mean (average)
= cross sectional area X
velocity

(at a particular point in its course)

Storm Hydrographs
Show the change in discharge caused by a period of
rainfall
 Why
Construct & Analyse
Hydrographs ?
• To find out discharge patterns of
a particular drainage basin
Help predict flooding events,
therefore influence implementation
of flood prevention measures
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Construction

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Of
Storm (flood)
Hydrographs
 p h
ra Basin lag time
o g Peak flow
d r
y 3
H
d

limb
o

Re
lo

ce
F
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising

ss
Overland
2

io
flow

nl
im
mm

b
4 Through flow
1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

The discharge
of the river is
measured in
cumecs - this
stands for
cubic metres 3
per second
Discharge (m3/s)

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Rainfall shown
3 in mm, as a bar
graph
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Discharge in
3 m3/s, as a line
graph
Discharge (m3/s)

2
mm
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Rising limb
The normal
3 (base) flow of
the river

limb
starts to rise
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising
2 when run-off,
mm
4
ground and soil
1 3
water reaches
2 the river.

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Peak flow
Peak flow Maximum
3 discharge in
the river, the

limb
time when the
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising
2 river reaches
mm
4
its highest
1 3
flow
2

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Recession limb
Peak flow
shows that
3 water is still

limb
reaching the

Re
ce
river but in
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising

ss
2

io
decreasing

nl
im
mm
amounts

b
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Basin lag time
Basin lag time
Peak flow The time it
3 takes for the
water to find

limb

Re
ce
its way to the
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising

ss
2

io
river

nl
im
mm

b
4

1 3

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Base flow
Basin lag time
Peak flow
Normal
3 discharge of

limb
the river

Re
ce
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising

ss
2

io
nl
im
mm

b
4

1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

 Overland flow
Basin lag time
Peak flow +
3 Through flow

limb

Re
=

ce
Discharge (m3/s)

Rising

ss
Overland
2

io
flow Storm Flow

nl
im
mm

b
4 Through flow
1 3

2
Base flow

0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

Overland flow Through flow

Volume of water Volume of water

reaching the reaching the river
river from through the soil and
surface run off underlying rock
layers
Analysis

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 Interpretation of Storm
Hydrographs Basin lag time

You need to refer to: 3

Peak flow

imb

Re
•Rising Limb

ce
Rising
Overland

s
Discharge (m3/s)

sio
2
flow

nl
mm

•Recession Limb

im
b
4 Through flow
1 3

•Lag time 2
Base flow

•Rainfall Intensity
0 12 24 36 48 30 72

Hours from start of rain storm

•Peak flow compared to Base flow

•Recovery rate, back to Base flow
Some Factors influencing
Storm Hydrographs
• Area • Land Use
• Slope • Soil
• Rock Type Precipitation / Temp

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Area
Large basins receive more precipitation than
small therefore have larger runoff

 Larger size means longer lag time as water has a

longer distance to travel to reach the trunk river

Area Rock Type Soil

Slope Land Use Precipitation / Temp

Slope
 Channel flow can be faster down a steep slope
therefore steeper rising limb and shorter lag time

Area Rock Type Soil

Slope Land Use Precipitation / Temp

Rock Type
 Permeable rocks mean rapid infiltration and little
overland flow therefore shallow rising limb

Area Rock Type Soil

Slope Land Use Precipitation / Temp

Soil

Infiltration is generally greater on thick soil

 The more infiltration occurs the longer the lag

time and shallower the rising limb

Area Rock Type Soil

Slope Land Use Precipitation / Temp

Land Use
 Urbanisation - concrete and tarmac form
impermeable surfaces, creating a steep rising limb
and shortening the time lag

 In wooded areas, trees intercept/absorb the

precipitation, creating a shallow rising limb and
lengthening the time lag

Area Rock Type Soil

Slope Land Use Precipitation / Temp

Precipitation & Temperature
 Short intense rainstorms can produce rapid
overland flow and steep rising limb
 If there have been extreme temperatures, the
ground can be hard (either baked or frozen)
causing rapid surface run off
 Snow on the ground can act as a store producing
a long lag time and shallow rising limb. Once a thaw
sets in the rising limb will become steep

Area Rock Type Precipitation / Temp

Soil Slope Land Use

 Remember!
These influencing factors will:

Influence each other

Change throughout the rivers

course