Definition of Unit Hydrograph

Introduction to Unit Hydrograph:
The basis of unit hydrograph is that if two identical rainfalls occur on a drainage basin having
identical conditions prior to the rains, the hydrograph of run-off from the two storms would be
expected to be same.
In actual conditions two identical storms are rare to occur. Most of the practical storms vary in
duration, amount, and distribution of rainfall.
A unit hydrograph is a hydrograph of a rainfall of a specified duration and areal pattern, resulting in a
run-off of 1 cm. In other words, the total volume of water contained in this run-off hydrograph will
be equal to 1 cm depth of water on the catchment. The specified duration is such that the
hydrographs of any other storms of like durations are assumed to have the same shape but with
ordinates of flow in proportion to the run-off volumes.
Different unit hydrographs for different unit duration can be prepared. A particular unit hydrograph
when once prepared for a particular unit duration can be utilised for evaluating the run-off
hydrographs of other storms of the like durations.
Assumptions in the Theory of Unit Hydrograph:
1. The rainfall is uniformly distributed within the specified duration.
2. The rainfall is uniformly distributed in the whole of the catchment area.
3. The base or time duration of the hydrograph of direct run-off due to an effective rainfall of unit
duration is constant.
4. The ordinates of direct run-off of common base time are directly proportional to the total amount
of direct run-off represented by each hydrograph.
5. For a given basis the hydrograph of run-off due to a given period of rainfall reflects all the
combined physical characteristics for the catchment.
Construction of Unit Hydrograph: The unit hydrograph method is used for determination of the
maximum flood discharge of a stream and also for developing a flood hydrograph corresponding to
any anticipated rainfall. For this a unit hydrograph of suitable unit duration is derived from an
observed hydrograph of the drainage basis under consideration. Using the unit hydrograph, the flood
hydrograph corresponding to any rainfall of the same unit duration can be obtained.
The following steps are used to derive a unit hydrograph:
1. Choose a hydrograph resulting from an isolated, intense, short-duration rainfall of nearly uniform
distribution over the entire drainage basis as well as within its duration.
2. To obtain direct run-off deduct the base flow from the total run off represented by the
hydrograph.
3. Draw a series of ordinates at some uniform time interval for the entire hydrograph.
4. From these ordinates of the hydrograph obtain the ordinates of direct run-off by deducting the
corresponding ordinates of base-flow.
5. Compute the volume of direct run-off which is equal to (∑R x t x 3600) m 3. Where ∑R is the sum of
the direct run-off ordinates in cumecs and t is the time interval in hours between the successive
ordinates.
6. Divide the volume of direct run-off by the area of the drainage basis to obtain the equivalent
depth of direct run-off as follows:
Direct run-off depth = [(∑R x t x 3600) / (A x 10 6)] m
= (0.30 ∑R x t) / A cm.
7. By dividing each of the ordinates of direct run-off by the depth of direct run-off, obtain the
ordinates of the unit hydrograph. By joining the tops of these ordinates by a smooth curve a unit
hydrography is obtained. The unit duration of the obtained unit hydrograph is same as that of
effective rain-fall corresponding to which the resulting hydrograph has been used for driving the unit-
hydrograph.
To Develop Storm Hydrograph from Unit Hydrograph:

The unit hydrograph of specified unit duration can be easily used to develop the hydrograph of
storms of the same duration. The total volume of run-off (in cm) resulting from a storm when divided
by 1 cm will give the multiplying factor i.e. the factor by which the ordinates of the unit hydrograph
must be multiplied in order to obtain the ordinates of storm hydrograph of the same duration.
The following example illustrates the method by which storm hydrograph is developed from unit
hydrograph of the same duration:
Example:
Date, time, ordinates of unit hydrograph and base flow are given as follows. Determine the ordinates
of direct run-off and total discharge ordinates. Rainfall excess is 10 cm. Time of duration is 6 hrs.
Use of Unit Hydrograph of Specific Duration to Evaluate the Storms Hydrograph of Longer
Duration:
The unit hydrograph of a specified duration can be used to evaluate the hydrograph of storms of
longer durations. If a unit hydrograph of say 3 hours duration is given, it can be used to evaluate the
hydrograph of 6 hours, 9 hours to 12 hours duration. This is accomplished by dividing the storm in to
a number of storm hydrographs, each of 3 hours duration.
Ordinates of different hydrographs are computed separately and then added to get the final storm
hydrograph. But care should be taken to see that the hydrograph of each subsequent part of the
storm will start at a lag time of each part i.e. 3 hours as shown in Fig. 6.22.
Unit hydrograph cannot give precise results and should not be used for areas larger than 8000 sq km.
The number of unit durations is also reduced to keep only a limited number of unit hydrographs for a
basin.
In Fig. 6.22 a 3 hours unit hydrograph is available and it is required to compute the flood hydrograph
for a rainfall lasting 9 hours. With variable intensities of rainfall. The rainfall intensity rates are
n1 cm/3 hr for the first of 3 hours, n2 cm/3 hr for the second 3 hours and n3 cm/3 hr for the last 3
hours. The storm is divided into three parts and flood hydrograph of each point are found separately
and added to get the final flood hydrograph as shown in Fig. 6.22.
Example:
Illustrates the development of storm hydrograph from a 2 hours storm with 3 6.4 and 5.4 cm
intensities of rainfall during subsequent intervals of 2 hours. Find the ordinates of a storm
hydrograph resulting from a 2 hours storm with rainfall 3.0, 6.4 and 5.4 cm during subsequent
intervals of 2 hours.
The ordinates of unit hydrograph of 2 hours are given as follows:
Assume initial loss of 6 mm, infiltration index as 2 mm/hr and Base Flow 10 cumecs. Solution:
1. Rainfall excess during first 2 hours
= 30-2×2-6 = 20 mm = 2 cm.
2. Rainfall excess during second 2 hours
= 64-2 x 2 = 60mm = 6.0cm.

3. Rainfall excess during the last 2 hours
= 54-2 x 2 = 50 min = 5 cm.
Rainfall excess as ratio of unit rainfall of 1 cm during subsequent 2 hours intervals are 2 cm, 6 cm and
5 cm. The example has been solved in tabular form as follows. The computations of run-off due to 2
cm rainfall excess will start from 2 A.M. The computations of run-off due 6 cm and 5 cm rainfall
excesses will start at 4 A.M. and 6 A.M. respectively. See Fig. 6.23.
Limitations of Unit Hydrographs:
A tolerance of about 25% of the adopted unit hydrograph duration is generally accepted, without
serious errors. Thus a 4 hours unit hydrograph might be applied for storms of 3 hours to 5 hours
effective duration.
Large variation in the rainfall intensity during the unit period may considerably affect the accuracy of
the unit hydrograph approach. Errors due to this reason can be reduced by using unit hydrographs
for relatively short time periods. The short period of unit hydrographs can be used to develop the
hydrograph resulting from a long rain of varying intensity.
Experience has shown that the best unit period is about one fourth of the basin lag i.e. the time from
the centre of mass of rainfall to the peak of the hydrograph. In general it has been found that the
period of unit storm should always be less than the period of rise (probably half or so).
Sometimes the unit hydrographs having a similar range in durations are averaged to obtain an
average unit hydrograph. An average unit hydrograph is, preferred to a single storm unit hydrograph
since the averaging tends to minimise the errors in data.

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Introduction to Unit Hydrograph:

Assumptions in the Theory of Unit Hydrograph:

1. The rainfall is uniformly distributed within the specified duration.

2. The rainfall is uniformly distributed in the whole of the catchment area.

The following steps are used to derive a unit hydrograph:

Direct run-off depth = [(∑R x t x 3600) / (A x 10 6)] m

To Develop Storm Hydrograph from Unit Hydrograph:

The ordinates of unit hydrograph of 2 hours are given as follows:

1. Rainfall excess during first 2 hours

2. Rainfall excess during second 2 hours

= 64-2 x 2 = 60mm = 6.0cm.

= 54-2 x 2 = 50 min = 5 cm.

Limitations of Unit Hydrographs:

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