INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

MODULE - 1

MODULE TITLE: Introduction/Review of Hydrology aspects of Water

Supply

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After finishing this module, you are expected to:

1. To explain what is hydrology is and what it deals with.

2. The element and concept of hydrological cycle.
3. To determine the water balance components.

TOPICS:
1. Definition of Hydrology
2. Hydrologic Cycle
3. Hydrologic Equation
4. Catchment and Basin

WARM UP:

A. Give three things that you expect you will learn in this module.
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________

B. Pre-Test: Answer the following:

1. In a given year, a catchment with an area of 1750 𝑘𝑚2 received 1250 mm

of precipitation. The average rate of flow measured in a river draining the
catchment was 25 𝑚3 𝑠 −1 .

a. Calculate how much total river runoff occurred in the year (𝑖𝑛 𝑚3 )?

b. Calculate the runoff coefficient. What is the percentage runoff?

Area of the catchment = 1750 𝑘𝑚2 = 1750 𝑥 106 𝑚2
Flow rate in the river = 25 𝑚3 /𝑠
Precipitation received = 1250 mm = 1.25 m

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

OVERVIEW/INTRODUCTION:

Hydrology deals with the occurrence, movement, and storage of water in the
earth system. Hydrologic science comprises understanding the underlying physical and
stochastic processes involved and estimating the quantity and quality of water in the
various phases and stores. The study of hydrology also includes quantifying the effects
of such human interventions on the natural system at watershed, river basin, regional,
country, continental, and global scales.

LESSON PROPER:

Hydrology
The study of water including rain, snow and water on the earth’s surface, covering
its properties, distribution, utilization and other water cycle. (Chambers Science and
Technology Dictionary).

The study of water in all its forms, and from its origins to all its destinations on the
earth. (Bras, 1990).

Main Branches of Hydrology

HYDROLOGY

Surface Water Ground Water

Hydrology Hydrology

Scope of Hydrology

 Water is one of the most valuable natural resources essential for human and
animal life, industry and agriculture.
 It is also used for power generation, navigation and fisheries.
 Tremendous importance is given to the hydrology all over the world in the
development and management of water resources for irrigation, water supply,
flood control, water-logging and salinity control, Hydro power and navigation.

Engineering Hydrology

 It uses hydrologic principles in the solution of engineering problems arising from

human exploitation of water resources of the earth.
 The engineering hydrologist, or water resources engineer, is involved in the
planning, analysis, design, construction and operation of projects for the control,
utilization and management of water resources.

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

 Hydrologic calculations are estimates because mostly the empirical and

approximate nature of methods are used to describe various hydrological
processes.

Major Aspects of Hydrology

The main jobs of a hydrologist are collection and analysis of data, and making
prediction out of this data.
1. Collection of Data: The hydrologic data comprises: Rainfall data, snowfall and
snowmelt data, runoff data, topographic maps, groundwater data.
2. Analysis of Data: Analysis of hydrologic data includes checking it for consistency
and homogeneity as well as finding its various statistical statistical parameters.
3. Prediction: Means to find design values and maximum possible events (rainfall,
floods, droughts).

Hydrologic Cycle

 The hydrologic cycle describes the continues re-circulating transport of the

waters of the earth, linking atmosphere, land and oceans.
 To explain briefly, water evaporates from the ocean surface, driven by energy
from the Sun, and joins the atmosphere, moving inland as clouds. Once inland,
atmospheric conditions act to condense and precipitate water onto the land
surface, where, driven by gravitational forces, it returns to the ocean through
river and streams.
 The process is quite complex, containing many sub-cycles.
 Engineering hydrology takes a quantitative view of the hydrologic cycle.

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

Hydrological Processes

o Precipitation
o Interception
o Evaporation
o Transpiration
o Infiltration
o Overland flow
o Surface Runoff
o Groundwater outflow

Hydrologic Equation

The quantification of the Hydrological cycle which is an open system, can be

represented by a mass balance equation, where inputs minus outputs are equal to the
change in storage.

I–O=S

The water holding elements of the hydrological cycle are:

1. Atmosphere 5. Vegetation
2. Snow packs 6. Land Surface
3. Soil 7. Streams, lakes and Rivers
4. Aquifers 8. Oceans

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

Water Balance Components

Inflow:
1. Precipitation
2. Import defined as water channeled into a given area
3. Groundwater inflow from adjoining areas

Outflow:
1. Surface Runoff outflow
2. Export defined as water channeled out of the same area
3. Evaporation
4. Transpiration
5. Interception

Change in Storage: This occurs as change in:

1. Groundwater
2. Soil moisture
3. Surface reservoir water and depression storage

Global Hydrologic Cycle

The global hydrologic cycle can be represented as a system containing three

subsystems:
 The atmospheric water system
 The surface water system
 The subsurface water system

Block-diagram (flow chart) representation of GHC is shown in Figure # 1.

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

Global Water Balance

In the atmosphere:
Precipitation (P) = Evapotranspiration (ET)
100 + 385 = 61 + 424

On land:
P = Evapotranspiration (ET) + Surface Runoff (R) + Groundwater outflow
100 = 61 + 38 + 1

Over Oceans and Seas:

Ocean Precipitation + Surface Runoff + Groundwater outflow = Evaporation (E)
385 + 38 +1 = 424

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

Catchment and Basin

A catchment is a portion of the earth’s surface that collects runoff and

concentrates it at its furthest downstream point, referred to as the catchment outlet.
The runoff concentrated by a catchment flows either into a larger catchment or
into the ocean.
The place where a stream enters a larger stream or body of water is referred to as
the mouth.
The terms watershed and basin are commonly used to refer to catchments.
Generally, watershed is used to describe a small catchment (stream watershed), whereas
basin is reserved for large catchments (river basin).

Regional Water Balance (Water Budget)

All terms in the hydrologic equation should be in the same units.

Schematic representation of the mass balance equation

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

Problem no.1:

In a given year, a catchment with an area of 2500 𝑘𝑚2 received 1.3 m of precipitation.
The average rate of flow measured in a river draining the catchment was 30 𝑚3 𝑠 −1.

a.) How much total river runoff occurred in the year (𝑖𝑛 𝑚3 )?
b.) What is the runoff coefficient?
c.) How much water is lost due to the combined effects of evaporation,
transpiration, and infiltration. (Express in m).

Solution:

a.) Total Runoff volume

= number of seconds in a year x average flow rate
= 31 536 000 x 30
= 𝟗. 𝟒𝟔𝟎𝟖 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟖 𝒎𝟑

b.) Runoff Coefficients

= runoff volume / precipitation volume
= 9.4608 𝑥 108 / (1.3 x 2500 x 106 )
= 0.29 (29%)

c.) The water balance equation can be arranged to produce:

ET + F = P – R – S
Where:
P = (1.3 x 2500 x 106 )
= 3.25 x 109 𝑚3
R = 9.4608 𝑥 108 𝑚3
S = 0 (no change in storage)
So,
ET + F = 3.25 x 109 - 9.4608 𝑥 108
= 2.30392 x 109 𝑚3

= (2.30392 x 109 ) / (2500 x 106 )

= 0.92 m

Problem no. 2:

Water at a constant rate of 370 cumec was observed to be entering into Tarbela
Reservoir in a certain season. If outflow from the reservoir including infiltration and
evaporation losses is 280 cumec, find out the change in storage of reservoir for 10 days.
Also convert your answer into Hectare-meter.

Solution:

I = 370 cumec O = 280 cumec

∆𝑡 = 10 days = 10 x 24 x 3600 = 864,000 sec
∆𝑆 = ?
According to water balance equation

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)
 INTRODUCTION/REVIEW OF HYDROLOGY

∆𝑆/∆𝑡 = I – O = 370 – 280 = 90 cumec

Total change in storage = ∆𝑆 = 90 x 864,000 = 7776000 𝑚3
= 7776000 / 10000
= 777.6 hectare-m

PERFORMANCE TASK:
 Defined the hydrology
 Analyze the principle of water balance equation.

TARGET SKILLS:
 Determine the uses and concept of hydrological cycle.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES
 Participate in discussion forum thru google meet or zoom meeting
 Read the entire content of Module
 Working through sample problems
 Collaborative online learning

ASSESSMENT TASK
 Recitation
 Pre-test / Quiz
References:

 https://www.slideshare.net/yasirshah51/lec01introduction-to-hydrology
 Davis, Mackenzie L. 2011. Water and Wastewater Engineering Design Principles
and Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill.
 Nathanson, Jerry. 2002. Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply, Waste
Management and Pollution Control, 4th Edition. Prentice Hall. USA.

Engr. Belen B. Magistrado

Instructor 1 (BSCE)