PRECIPITATION

Chapter 2
 Occurrence of Precipitation/Rainfall
For precipitation to form:
(i) The atmosphere must have moisture,
(ii) There must be sufficient nuclei present
to aid condensation,
(iii) Weather conditions must be good for
condensation of water vapor to take place,
and
(iv) The products of condensation must
reach the earth.
Reference: Ms. Arifa Sultana
 Forms of Precipitation
Rain Snow
-Raindrop size: 0.5 mm to 6 mm. -Ice crystals
-On the basis of its intensity -0.06 to 0.15 g/cm3
1. Light rain Trace to 2.5 mm/h -Average density of 0.1
2. Moderate rain 2.5 mm/h to 7.5 mm/h g/cm3
3. Heavy rain > 7.5 mm/h

Sleet Hail
-Form of precipitation that -Irregular pellets or
exists in the form of frozen lumps of solid ice of
droplets of rain. size
-The freezing of the droplets Drizzle: Glaze:
-Raindrop size: more
mostly occurs when the droplets -Water droplets When rain or drizzle comes in
than 8 mm
pass through the air at freezing of size less than contact with cold ground at
temperatures. 0.5 mm and around 0ºC, the water drops
intensity freeze to form an ice coating
less than 1 mm/h called glaze or freezing rain.
Measurement of Precipitation
• Measurement unit unit: depth (cm/mm)
• 1 cm rainfall fit over a 1 𝑘𝑚2 = 10000 𝑚3 volume of water
• Instrument: RAINGAUGE, pluviometer, ombrometer and Hyetometer

Standard setup of rain gauge:

• Flat level of the surface
• The gauge must be set as near the ground as possible to reduce wind effects, but it must be sufficiently high
to prevent splashing, flooding
• Surrounded by open fenced area of 5.5mX5.5m.
• No object should be nearer to the instrument than 30 m or twice the height of the obstruction.
 Types of Rain gauge
Rain gauge ✓ Non-recording rain gauge:
Measures only depth
✓ Recording rain gauge:
Measures depth with intensity and duration

Non Recording Rain gauge Recording Rain gauge

1. Simon’s rain gauge 1. Tipping bucket rain gauge

2. IMD STD rain gauge 2. Weighing bucket rain gauge
3. Float type/natural syphon type rain gauge
Types of Rain gauge
*0.25 mm of rainfall
capacity of one bucket

Tipping bucket rain gauge

Types of Rain gauge
Weighing bucket type Float type/ natural syphon gauge

Tipping bucket rain gauge

 Network Density
Network density of rain gauge should be large enough to represent the actual picture of a storm over a catchment area

Limitation to install large number of rain gauge:

▪ Economic
▪ Topography
▪ Accessibility
To address this, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommends the following density:
➢ In flat regions of temperate, Mediterranean and topical zones
Ideal- 1 station for 600 𝑘𝑚2 -900 𝑘𝑚2
Acceptable- 1 station for 900 𝑘𝑚2 -3000 𝑘𝑚2

➢ In mountainous regions of temperate, Mediterranean and topical zones

Ideal- 1 station for 100 𝑘𝑚2 -250 𝑘𝑚2
Acceptable- 1 station for 250 𝑘𝑚2 -1000 𝑘𝑚2

➢ In arid and polar zones:

1 station for 150 𝑘𝑚2 -10000 𝑘𝑚2 depending on the feasibility.
 Adequacy of Rain gauge Station
Number of existing rain gauge
Consider the existing m rain gauges. They have a
Addition of rain gauge to have allowable
mean rainfall of P and a coefficient of variation percentage of error
of 𝐶𝑣 . To know the percentage of error (ℇex )of
estimation of mean in the existing system of m
rain gauges, Eq. can be rewritten (by changing N
by m) as

N = optimal number of stations,

ℇ = allowable degree of error in the estimate of the
ℇex = expected error (in percentage) in the estimation of the mean, P. It is a measure
mean rainfall and
of the accuracy of estimation of mean precipitation in the existing system and is
𝐶𝑣 =coefficient of variation of the rainfall values at
called standard error in the estimation of the mean.
the existing m stations (in per cent).
 Preparation of Rain Data
➢ Data should be checked for continuity and consistency before using it in any application or analysis.

➢ Discontinuity or missing of any data may occur due to malfunction of any rain gauge station.

➢ Inconsistency may occur due to changes in the exposure condition of any rain gauge.

If the condition of a recording of a station changes over a period, then inconsistency may occur in data
recording.
Common causes of inconsistency:
1. Relocation of rain gauge
2. Neighborhood of the station undergone a marked change
3. Change in the ecosystem due to natural calamities such as forest fire, land slides.
4. Observational error from a certain date.
 Estimation of Missing data
▪ Estimation of the missing data of a particular station is determined from the data of neighboring station.
▪ Hence, comparison of these station is made in terms of Normal Rainfall.
▪ Normal Rainfall: Average rainfall at any date, month or year over a specified 30 years period.
Thus,
Normal annual rainfall of a station is the average annual rainfall over a 30 years period.
Problem: Say, the annual precipitation of 1, 2, 3….M stations are 𝑃1 , 𝑃2 , 𝑃3 … 𝑃𝑚 are known. However, annual precipitation 𝑃𝑋
is missing at station X which is not included in M station. Furthermore, the normal annual precipitation 𝑁1, 𝑁2 , 𝑁3 … of all
above stations (m+1) are known.
Procedure:
1. If normal annual precipitation of various station are within 10% of the normal annual precipitation at station X, then
simple arithmetic mean procedure is applied to estimate 𝑃𝑋
1
𝑃𝑋 = 𝑀 𝑃1 + 𝑃2 + ⋯ + 𝑃𝑚
2. If normal precipitation vary largely more than 10% than the normal precipitation at station X, then the following
normal ratio method is applied
𝑁 𝑃 𝑃 𝑃
𝑃𝑋 = 𝑀𝑋 𝑁1 + 𝑁2 + ⋯ + 𝑁𝑚
1 2 𝑚
 Estimation of Missing data
Example 2.2: The normal annual rainfall at station A, B, C and D in a basin are 80.97, 67.59, 76.28 and 92.01 cm, respectively.
In the year 1985, the station D was inoperative, and the stations A, B and C recorded annual precipitation of 91.11, 72.23 and
79.89 cm respectively. Estimate the rainfall at station D in that year.

Solution: Maximum difference in normal rainfall values from the normal value at station D=92.01-67.59=24.42 cm
24.42
Percentage maximum difference with respect to normal at station D=92.01 𝑋100 = 26.54%
As the normal rainfall values vary more than 10% then station D, normal ratio method is adopted.
𝑁𝐷 𝑃𝐴 𝑃𝐵 𝑃𝐶
∴ 𝑃𝐷 = + + ⋯ +
𝑀 𝑁𝐴 𝑁𝐵 𝐶
92.01 91.11 72.23 79.89
= + 67.59 + ⋯ + 76.28
3 80.97
= 99.49 cm
 Test For Consistency of record
❑ Procedures to test inconsistency in a station:
1. A group of 5 to 10 station along with the problem station X is selected
2. Annual precipitation of station X, 𝑃𝑋 and average annual precipitation, 𝑃𝑎𝑣 of
the group station of are arranged in reverse chronology manner (latest
record as a first entry in the list and oldest record as the last entry in the
list).
3. Accumulated annual precipitation of station X, σ 𝑃𝑋 and the accumulated
average annual precipitation of group station, σ 𝑃𝑎𝑣 are calculated.
4. σ 𝑃𝑋 Vs σ 𝑃𝑎𝑣 is plotted in a graph.
5. A decided break in the slope of the plot indicates a change in precipitation
regime in station X.
6. Precipitation at station X beyond the period of change of regime is
corrected by a relation
𝑀 𝑐
𝑃𝑐𝑥 = 𝑃𝑥 𝑐 = 𝑃𝑥
𝑀𝑎 𝑎
𝑃𝑐𝑥 =Corrected precipitation at any time period t at station X
𝑃𝑥 =original recorded precipitation at time period t at station X
𝑀𝑐 =corrected slope of the double mass curve
𝑀𝑎 =original slope of the double mass curve
 Test For Consistency of record
Example 2.3: Annual rainfall data for station M as well as the average rainfall values for a group of ten neighboring
stations located in a meteorologically homogeneous region are given below.
Average Average Test the consistency of the annual rainfall data of station M and correct the
Annual Annual Annual Annual
Rainfall Rainfall Rainfall Rainfall record if there is any discrepancy. Estimate the mean annual precipitation at
Year Year
of Station of the of Station of the station M.
M (mm) group M (mm) group
(mm) (mm)
1950 676 780 1965 1244 1400
1951 578 660 1966 999 1140
1952 95 110 1967 573 650
1953 462 520 1968 596 646
1954 472 540 1969 375 350
1955 699 800 1970 635 590
1956 479 540 1971 497 490
1957 431 490 1972 386 400
1958 493 560 1973 438 390
1959 503 575 1974 568 570
1960 415 480 1975 256 377
1961 531 600 1976 685 653
1962 504 580 1977 825 787
1963 828 950 1978 426 410
1964 679 770 1979 612 588
 3.Average

Test For Consistency of

2.Annual 5.Cumulative
Annual 4.Cumulative 6.Adjusted 7.Final
Rainfall of average
1.Year Rainfall of precipitaion values of value of
Station M precipitation
the group (mm), σ 𝑃𝑋 𝑃𝑋 (mm) 𝑃𝑋 (mm)
(mm), 𝑃𝑋 (mm), σ 𝑃𝑎𝑣
(mm), 𝑃𝑎𝑣

record 1979
1978
1977
612
426
825
588
410
787
612
1038
1863
588
998
1785
1976 685 653 2548 2438
Cumulative average precipitation (mm) 1975 256 377 2804 2815
1974 568 570 3372 3385
20000
1973 438 390 3810 3775
1972 386 400 4196 4175
Cumulative precipitation at sttaion X, ∑(𝑃x)

18000

16000
1971 497 490 4693 4665
1970 635 590 5328 5255
14000 1969 375 350 5703 5605
12000 1968 596 646 6299 6251 699.108 699
1967 573 650 6872 6901 672.129 672
10000
1966 999 1140 7871 8041 1171.827 1172
8000 1965 1244 1400 9115 9441 1459.212 1459
6000 1964 679 770 9794 10211 796.467 796
1963 828 950 10622 11161 971.244 971
4000
1962 504 580 11126 11741 591.192 591
2000 1961 531 600 11657 12341 622.863 623
1960 415 480 12072 12821 486.795 487
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 1959 503 575 12575 13396 590.019 590
Accumulated average precipitation of group station, ∑(𝑃av) 1958 493 560 13068 13956 578.289 578
1957 431 490 13499 14446 505.563 506
1956 479 540 13978 14986 561.867 562
𝑀 1.0259 1955 699 800 14677 15786 819.927 820
Correction ratio=𝑀𝑐 = 0.8779=1.173 1954 472 540 15149 16326 553.656 554
𝑎
1953 462 520 15611 16846 541.926 542
1952 95 110 15706 16956 111.435 111
1951 578 660 16284 17616 677.994 678
1950 676 780 16960 18396 792.948 793
 Presentation of Rainfall Data
Mass Curve of Rainfall:
• Plot of the accumulated rainfall against time.
• Useful for extracting data of rainfall duration and magnitude.

Hyetograph:
• Plot of the intensity of rainfall against the time interval. Mass curve of rainfall
• Derived from mass curve and usually represented as a bar
chart.
• Important for developing design storm to predict extreme
flood.
• The area under the hyetograph = the total rainfall received in
the period.
• Small duration time interval for urban drainage problem
• 6h time interval are used for flood flow computations in larger
catchment.
 Presentation of Rainfall Data
Point Rainfall/station rainfall:
• Plot of magnitude vs time(daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal or annual).
• A form of bar diagram
• Could not determine the trend. Due to considerable variation in rainfall.
• Trend is discovered by moving average method.

Moving Average:
• Technique for smoothening out the high frequency fluctuation of
time series data and to enable a trend if follows.
• Window of time range m years is selected
• The average of the data for m years is calculated and placed in the
middle years of the range m
• The window is next move to the sequentially one-time unit (year) at
a time and thus mean of the m terms in the window is calculated at
each window location.
• m is taken as usually 3 or more.
• Selecting higher m years lead to the greater smoothing of the data.
• This method of averaging is called Central Simple Moving Average.
Presentation of Rainfall Data
Example 2.4: Annual rainfall values recorded at station M for the period 1950 to 1979 is given in example 2.3.
represent this data as a bar diagram with time in chronological order. (i) Identify those years in which the annual
rainfall is (a) less than 20% of the mean, and (b) more than the mean, (ii) Plot the three-year moving mean of the
annual rainfall time series.
 Mean Presentation Over An Area
To convert the point rainfall values at various stations into an average value over a catchment, the
following three methods are in use.
1. Arithmetic mean method
2. Thiessen-polygon method
3. Isohyetal method

Arithmetic mean method:

If 𝑃1 , 𝑃2 ,… 𝑃𝑖 … 𝑃𝑛 … are the rainfall values in a given period in N stations within catchment then the
value of the mean precipitation 𝑃 over the catchment by the arithmetic mean method:
𝑁
𝑃1 + 𝑃2 + ⋯ + 𝑃𝑖 + ⋯ + 𝑃𝑛 1
𝑃= = ෍ 𝑃𝑖
𝑁 𝑁
1
In practice, this method is used very rarely.
 Mean Presentation Over An Area
Thiessen-polygon method:
The rainfall recorded at each station is given a weightage factor based on an area
closest to the station. The procedure for determining the weightage area is
i) Station in a catchments are connected to form a network of triangles.
ii) Perpendicular bisectors for each side of the triangle are drawn. These bisectors
form a polygon around each station. These bounding polygons are called Thiessen
polygons.
iii) The boundary of the catchment, if it cuts the bisector is taken as the outer limit
of the polygon.
If 𝑃1 , 𝑃2 ,… 𝑃6 are the rainfall magnitude recorded by the stations 1,2,….6 respectively
and 𝐴1 , 𝐴2 . … . 𝐴6 are the respective areas of Thiessen polygons then the average
rainfall over the catchment 𝑃 is given by
𝑃1 𝐴1 + 𝑃2 𝐴2 + ⋯ + 𝑃6 𝐴6
𝑃=
𝐴1 + 𝐴2 + ⋯ . . +𝐴6
Thus, in general for M station,
σ𝑀
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 𝐴𝑖
𝑃= 𝐴
Thiessen polygon method of averaging mean rainfall is superior to the arithmetic mean
method as some weightage is given the various station on a rational basis.
 Mean Presentation Over An Area
Isohyetal method:
An isohyet is a line joining points of equal rainfall magnitude.
Procedure to draw isohyet: 1. The catchment area for which the average p is drawn to scale. 2. The recording station are
marked, and the rainfall recorded in each station are marked in the plot. 3. Neighboring stations are considered as well. 4.
The isohyet of various values are drawn by considering point rainfall as guides. 5. Interpolating them by eye estimation.
Average precipitation measurement:
6. The area between isohyets are measured by planimeter.
7. If isohyet go outside the catchment, then the catchment boundary is considered as
boundary line.
Thus, from figure, 𝑃1 , 𝑃2 ,… 𝑃𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑠𝑜ℎ𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 ,… 𝑎𝑛−1 are the
inter isohyet areas respectively, then the mean precipitation over the catchment of
area A is given by
𝑃 +𝑃 𝑃 +𝑃 𝑃 +𝑃
𝑎1 1 2 2 + 𝑎2 2 2 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑛−12 𝑛
𝑃ത =
𝐴
Isohyetal method is superior to the other two method when the stations are in large
numbers.
Mean Presentation Over An Area
Example 2.5: For the catchment shown in figure, the details of Thiessen polygons surrounding each rainguage and the
recordings of the rain gauges in the month of August 2011 are given below:
Rain gauge Station 1 2 3 4 5 6

Thiessen polygon area 720 380 440 1040 800 220

(km2)

Recorded rainfall in mm 121 134 145 126 99 115

during Aug, 2011

Determine the average depth of rainfall on the basin in August 2011 by i) Arithmetic mean
method, and ii) Thiessen mean method
Solution: Arithmetic mean: 𝑃 = 𝑃1 + 𝑃2 + ⋯ + 𝑃𝑖 + ⋯ + 𝑃𝑛
𝑁
121 + 134 + 126
𝑃=
3
=127 mm
Mean Presentation Over An Area
ii) Thiessen mean method: The calculations are performed in tabular form as follows:
1 2 3 4 5
Rain Thiessen Thiessen Station Weighted
gauge polygon area weightage reading (mm) station rainfall
station (km2) factor (mm)=[col.3X
(col2/3600) col.4]
1 720 0.200 121 24.2
2 380 0.106 134 14.1
3 440 0.122 145 17.7 𝑃=
𝑃1 𝐴1 + 𝑃2 𝐴2 + ⋯ + 𝑃6 𝐴6
𝐴1 + 𝐴2 + ⋯ . . +𝐴6
4 1040 0.289 126 36.4
σ𝑀
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 𝐴𝑖
5 800 0.222 99 22.0 𝑃= 𝐴
6 220 0.061 115 7.0
Thiessen mean of the station reading
Total 3600 1.00 121.5
for the month of Aug 2011=total of
catchment
col 5=121.5 mm
area
 Mean Presentation Over An Area
Example 2.6: In a catchment, whose shape can be approximately by a pentagon, four rain gauge stations are situated
inside the catchment. The coordinates of the corners of the catchment that define its boundaries and the co-ordinates
of the four rain gauge stations are given below. Also given are the annual rainfall recorded by the four stations in the
year 2005. Determine the average annual rainfall over the catchment in that year by the Thiessen mean method.

Distance Corner a is the origin of co-ordinates.

are in Km.
Catchment Corner Corner a Corner b Corner c Corner d Corner e
boundary co- (0,0) (120,0) (120, 80) (60,140) (0,80)
ordinates
Rain gauge Station co- P Q R S
station ordinates (40,20) (80,20) (80,60) (40,80)
Annual 120 110 100 125
Rainfall
(cm)
 Mean Presentation Over An Area
Rain gauge Boundary of Area (km2) Weightage Recorded Weighted
station Thiessen factor=Col.3/ station station
polygon as in 13200 rainfall (cm) rainfall (cm)
figure (col.4Xcol.5)
1 2 3 4 5 6

P 301a 60X40=2400 0.1818 120 21.816

Q 102b 60X40=2400 0.1818 110 19.998

R 20dc [(60X40)+(60X 0.3182 100 31.82

60X1/2)]=4200
S 30de [(60X40)+(60X 0.3182 125 39.775
60X1/2)]=4200

Total area of 13200 1.00 113.41

catchment 𝑃1 𝐴1 + 𝑃2 𝐴2 + ⋯ + 𝑃6 𝐴6
𝑃=
𝐴1 + 𝐴2 + ⋯ . . +𝐴6
∴Average precipitation over the catchment in 2005 is 113.41 cm.
σ𝑀
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 𝐴𝑖
𝑃=
𝐴
Mean Presentation Over An Area

Example: 2.7: the isohyets due to a storm in a catchment were drawn in figure and the area of the
catchment bounded by the isohyets were tabulated as below
Isohyets, Pi (cm) Area, (km2)
Station-12.0 30
12.0-10.0 140
10.0-8.0 80
8.0-6.0 180
6.0-4.0 20

𝑃1 + 𝑃2 𝑃 +𝑃 𝑃 +𝑃
𝑎1 + 𝑎2 2 2 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑛−12 𝑛
𝑃ത = 2
𝐴
 Mean Presentation Over An Area
Solution:

Isohytes Average value of Area (km2) Fraction of total Weighted P

P(cm) area (col.3/450) (cm) (col.2X
col.4)
1 2 3 4 5

12.0 12 30 0.0667 0.800

12.0-10.0 11 140 0.3111 3.422

10.0-8.0 9 80 0.1778 1.600

8.0-6.0 7 180 0.4000 2.800

6.0-4.0 5 20 0.0444 0.222

Total 450 1.0000 8.844

𝑃1 + 𝑃2 𝑃 +𝑃 𝑃 +𝑃
𝑎1 + 𝑎2 2 2 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑛−12 𝑛
𝑃ത = 2
ത
Mean precipitation, 𝑃=8.844 cm 𝐴
 Depth-Area Duration Curve (DAD)
• Depth-Area-Duration curve
• Depth Vs Area plot for a given duration D of storm.
• Signifies the areal distribution of rainfall
1
• 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ ∝ 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 while duration constant
• 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ ∝ 𝐷𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 while area constant
• DAD curve can be plot from data (Isohyetal map and mass curve)
• DAD curve can be plot from empirical equation:

𝑛
𝑃ത = 𝑃0 𝑒𝑥𝑝−𝑘𝐴
Here,
ത Average depth of rainfall in cm
𝑃=
A= Area in km2
𝑃0 =Maximum depth of rainfall in cm at storm center
𝑘 & 𝑛 are constant for a given region
 Depth-Area Duration Curve (DAD)
Example 2.8: the data from an isohyetal map of 24-hour storm is given below. Assuming that the storm
centre had an area of 55 𝑘𝑚2 and the rainfall depth is 57 cm in the storm center, obtain the depth-area
curve of this storm. Using the depth-area curve, estimate the average depth of rainfall over an area of 3200
sq. km. It can be assumed that the storm center is located at the center of the area
Area
enclosed
Isohyetal (mm) (𝑘𝑚2 )
1 2
50 310
45 1300
40 2060
35 2700
30 2955
25 3600
20 4030
15 4800
10 6000
 Depth-Area Duration Curve (DAD)
Solution:
Computation of data for depth-area curve
Total Total Average
Net Average incremental volume depth of 60
Area increment isohyetal volume (𝑘𝑚2 of rainfall rainfall

Average depth of rainfall (mm)

enclose al area value .mm)[Col.3X (𝑘𝑚2 (mm)[Col. 50
Isohyetal (mm) d (𝑘𝑚2 ) (𝑘𝑚2 ) (mm) col.4] .mm) 6/Col.2]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 40

57 55 55 57 3135 3135 57
30
50 310 255 53.5 13643 16778 54
P = 56.846e-1E-04A
45 1300 990 47.5 47025 63803 49 20
40 2060 760 42.5 32300 96103 47
10
35 2700 640 37.5 24000 120103 44
30 2955 255 32.5 8288 128390 43 0
25 3600 645 27.5 17738 146128 41 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000

20 4030 430 22.5 9675 155803 39 Area (km2)

15 4800 770 17.5 13475 169278 35 Depth-area curve
10 6000 1200 12.5 15000 184278 31
Frequency of a point rainfall
▪ Return Period (T): Time to occurrence of any event (rainfall/discharge) once withing the timeframe.
▪ Frequency/Probability : Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event (rainfall/flow) per unit
1
of time. 𝑃 = 𝑇
The higher the magnitude of the event i.e very high rainfall event/high flood event, the more return
period is and the less its probability to occur.
▪ Plotting position:
The method of determining the probability of any
extreme event by empirical formula is called plotting
position.
𝑚
Weibull formula: 𝑃 = 𝑁+1
m=assigned order number of events when arranged in a
descending order of their magnitude.
N= number of years of record
Intensity-Duration-Frequency
(IDF) Curve
i=maximum intensity (cm/h),
𝐾𝑇 𝑋 T=return period (years)
𝑖= D=Duration (hours)
(𝐷 + 𝑎)𝑛
K, x, a and n are coefficient for the area

1
𝑖𝛼𝑇 while D constant and the third 𝑖𝛼 𝐷 while T constant and the third
parameter parameter
 Intensity-Duration-Frequency
(IDF) Curve
Example 2.11: The mass curve of rainfall in a storm of total duration 270 minutes is given below. (a)
Draw the hyetograph of the storm at 30 mins time step. (b) Plot the maximum intensity duration curve
of this storm. C) Plot the maximum depth-duration curve for the storm.

Time since
start in
minutes 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270
Cumulative
Rainfall
(mm) 0 6 18 21 36 43 49 52 53 54
 Intensity-Duration-Frequency
(IDF) Curve
Solution:
a) Hyetograph of the storm at 30 minutes interval:

35
Time since
start in

Rainfall Intensity (mm/h)

30
minutes 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270
25
Cumulative
20
Rainfall (mm) 0 6 18 21 36 43 49 52 53 54
Incremental 15
depth of the 10
rainfall in the
interval (mm) 0 6 12 3 15 7 6 3 1 1 5

Intensity 0
(mm/h) 0 12 24 6 30 14 12 6 2 2 0- 30 30-60 60-90 90-120 120-150 150-180 180-210 210-240 240-270

Time since start in min

 Intensity-Duration-Frequency
(IDF) Curve
Solution:
b) Tabulated calculation of Intensity-duration Curve of the given storm

Incremental depth of rainfall (mm) in various durations

Durations (min)
Time(mi Cumulative
n) Rainfall (mm) 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270
0 0
30 6 6
60 18 12 18
90 21 3 15 21
120 36 15 18 30 36
150 43 7 22 25 37 43
180 49 6 13 28 31 43 49
210 52 3 9 16 31 34 46 52
240 53 1 4 10 17 32 35 47 53
270 54 1 2 5 11 18 33 36 48 54
 Intensity-Duration-Frequency
(IDF) Curve
Solution:
b) Tabulated calculation of Depth-Duration curve of the given storm

Duration in
min 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270
Maximum
Depth (mm) 15 22 30 37 43 49 52 53 54
Maximum
Intensity
(mm/h) 30 22 20 18.5 17.2 16.3 14.9 13.3 12
 Intensity-Duration-Frequency
(IDF) Curve
Solution:
B & C) Maximum-intensity and maximum depth-duration curve for the storm

60
54
Max depth (mm) and Max intensity (mm/h) 52 53
49
50
43

40 37

30 30
30
22
20 18.5
20 17.2 16.3
15 14.9
13.3 12
10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Duration in min

Maximum Depth (mm) Maximum Intensity (mm/h)