Rainfall – Runoff Relationships:

Unit Hydrograph Theory

References: Chapter 3 - Sections: 3.7, Mimikou et al.;

Chapter 7, Chow et al.
Unit Hydrograph Theory (Sherman, 1932)
➢ Area of ERH multiplied by the catchment area gives the total volume of

rainfall excess or direct runoff which is the same as the area of DRH

➢ Unit hydrograph (UH): Defined as the hydrograph of direct runoff

resulting from unit depth (1 cm) of rainfall excess occurring uniformly over

the basin and at a uniform rate for a specified duration (D hours).

➢ e.g. 2-h UH, 3-h UH, 5-h UH, etc

➢ Useful in deriving DRH directly when ERH is known

Unit Hydrograph
➢ Definition of a unit hydrograph implies that

1. UH represents the lumped response (DRH) of the catchment to a unit

rainfall excess of D-h duration. Hence area under a UH = runoff

volume due to rainfall excess of 1 cm = catchment area ×1 cm.

2. Rainfall is considered to have an average intensity of excess rainfall of

1/D cm/h for the duration D-h of the storm.

3. Distribution of the storm is considered to be uniform all over the

catchment.
Basic Assumptions of UH

i. In a particular catchment area, rainfall of equal duration, which cause

runoff, derive DRH of same time base, regardless of the rainfall intensity

ii. At a given drainage area, the direct runoff caused by a specific rainfall is

independent of the previous or next rainfalls

iii. Basin characteristics remain the same

Principles behind UH Theory
➢ Two basic assumptions in the application of UH

1. Time invariance: Principle of Superposition

• DRH for a given ER in a catchment is always the same irrespective of when it occurs
Principles behind UH Theory
2. Linear response: Principle of proportionality
➢ Direct runoff response to the rainfall
excess is linear

➢ If the rainfall excess in a duration D

is r times the unit depth, the
resulting DRH will have ordinates
bearing ratio r to those of the
corresponding D-h UH and will
have base time equal to UH base
time.
Derivation of UH of a specific duration
• Necessary data for derivation of basin UH are simultaneous

observations of rainfall and discharge for a period of time,

usually several years

• From these information, a few intense storms of same duration,

uniformly distributed as possible over the catchment and with

uniform intensity are selected

• From the corresponding measured hydrographs of these storms,

UHs are derived → Representative UH of specific duration of

the basin
Derivation of UH from a single storm
• Total hydrograph resulted from a storm of D-hr is separated into

direct runoff and baseflow →DRH is computed

• Total volume of direct runoff and rainfall excess depth is

computed

• From principle of proportionality, divide the DRH ordinates by

the rainfall excess depth (in cms), to get the ordinates of D-hr
UH.
Example: Rainfall excess of 12 mm and of 1-hr duration resulted in a flood
hydrographs at the outlet of the basin. Find the the 1-hr UH of the basin

Solution: Assuming a constant baseflow of 102 m3/ s

Time (hr) Q (m3/s) Direct Runoff (m3/s)UH (m3/s)
0 102
1 102
2 102 0 0.00
3 221 119 99.17
4 520 418 348.33
5 312 210 175.00
6 583 481 400.83
7 446 344 286.67
8 338 236 196.67
9 208 106 88.33
10 146 44 36.67
11 107 5 4.17
12 102 0 0.00
13 102
14 102
Derivation of UH from
a Composite Rainfall
• Consider the ERH, DRH and UH shown.
• For this case,
• Let 𝑄1 , 𝑄2 , 𝑄3 , … be the ordinates of DRH
• And 𝑈1 , 𝑈2 , 𝑈3 , … be the ordinates of UH

Then,
• 𝑄1 = 𝑃1 𝑈1
• 𝑄2 = 𝑃1 𝑈1 + 𝑃2 𝑈2
• …….
• 𝑄𝑛 = 𝑃1 𝑈𝑛 + 𝑃2 𝑈𝑛−1 + 𝑃3 𝑈𝑛−2
Example: The storm hydrograph resulted from an excess rainfall of 2 hr
duration (30 mm/hr in 1st hour anf 7.5 mm/hr in 2nd hour) is given below.
Derive the 1-hr UH of the basin

Solution: Assuming a constant baseflow of 96.23 m3/ sc

Time (hrs) Discharge (m3/s) DRH (m3/s)

0 96.23 0
1 342.28 246.05
2 311.29 215.06
3 248.65 152.42
4 174.84 78.61
5 110.07 13.84
6 96.23 0
Unit Hydrographs of different duration
➢ Two methods

➢ Method of superposition

➢ S-curve method.

Method of superposition:

➢ A D-h unit hydrograph is available

➢ To develop a unit hydrograph of nD-h, where n is an integer

➢ Superpose n unit hydrographs with each graph separated from the previous

on by D-h.

➢ Resulting ordinates divided by n give ordinates of the desired UH of nD-h.

Unit Hydrographs of different duration - Method of superposition
To construct a 18-hr UH from a 6-hr UH
Unit Hydrographs of different duration - Method of superposition
To construct a 18-hr UH from a 6-hr UH

Discharge Delayed Delayed UH DRH of 3 cm 18 hr

Time (6 hr UH): UH by 6hr: by 12hr: duration rainfall: 18hr UH:
(h) A B C D = A+B+C E = D/3
0 0 - - 0 0
6 1.8 0 - 1.8 0.6
12 30.9 1.8 0 32.7 10.9
18 85.6 30.9 1.8 118.3 39.43333
24 41.8 85.6 30.9 158.3 52.76667
30 14.6 41.8 85.6 142 47.33333
36 5.5 14.6 41.8 61.9 20.63333
42 1.8 5.5 14.6 21.9 7.3
48 - 1.8 5.5 7.3 2.433333
54 - - 1.8 1.8 0.6
Unit Hydrographs of different duration – S curve method

S curve
Unit Hydrographs of different duration – S curve method
Example: Ordinates of a 1hr UH is given. Derive a 3-hr UH using
S-Curve method

Time 1hr-UH S-Curve

(hrs) (m3/s) S-Curve Displacement 3hr-UH
0 0 0.00 0.00
1 101.63 101.63 33.88
2 344.86 446.49 148.83
3 434.83 881.32 0.00 293.77
4 405.67 1286.99 101.63 395.12
5 295.72 1582.71 446.49 378.74
6 198.25 1780.96 881.32 299.88
7 93.3 1874.26 1286.99 195.76
8 43.32 1917.58 1582.71 111.62
9 5.83 1923.41 1780.96 47.48
10 0 1923.41 1874.26 16.38
1923.41 1917.58 1.94
1923.41 1923.41 0.00
Example: Ordinates of a 2hr-UH is given. Derive a 3-hr UH
using S-Curve method

Time 2hr-UH S-Curve

(hrs) (m3/s) 2-hr S Curve Displacement 3hr-UH
0 0 0 0.00
1 50 50 33.33
2 120 120 80.00
3 95 145 0 96.67
4 50 170 50 80.00
5 25 170 120 33.33
6 0 170 145 16.67
7 170 170 0.00
8 170 170 0.00