Irrigation and Flood Control

(CE 4161)

Dr. Khondoker Mahbub Hassan

Dept of Civil Engg, Khulna University of Engg & Tech (KUET)
Introduction (Flood Frequency)
 Frequency:
“The frequency is the number of time that a given magnitude
flood may occur in a given period.

 Knowledge of the magnitude and probable frequency of recurrence of

floods is necessary for
1) Economical planning and safe design of :
Bridges
Dams
Levees
Culverts,
Sewage disposal plants,
Other structures located along rivers and streams
2) The effective management of
Flood plains
Flood defence scheme

3) To predict the possible flood magnitude over a certain time period.

4) To estimate the frequency with which floods of a certain magnitude may

occur.

 Knowledge of flood frequency is necessary also to flood insurance and

flood zoning.
 Flood frequency analysis uses historical
records of peak flows to produce guidance
about the expected behavior of future
flooding determination of the design flood.

• There are two methods of collecting the

flood peak data.

1) Annual-flood series
2) Partial-duration series

•An annual flood is defined as the highest momentary peak

discharge in a water year. The use of only one flood in each year is the
most frequent objection to the use of annual floods.
 A flood frequency curve can be constructed by plotting a graph of
discharge versus probabilities.

 This can easily be accomplished provided you have a data set of annual
peak discharge measured over a number of years.

 We need to calculate the chronological order of each of the floods. Start

by ordering our data according to the magnitude of the flood, from
largest to smallest.

 Number each of the floods in order, starting with the largest flood as
number "1".

 The order of the flood is denoted by the letter "m". If you have 100 years
of records, you will calculate flood orders for m=1, m=2, m=3,....m=10.
 We find the probabilities of flood by this equation,
P = m / (n+1)

Where , P= probability
m= the number we calculated
n=number of years in the record,

 probabilities will go on the x axis; and discharge will go on the y axis.

title of graph “Flood Frequency Curve.”

 Plot corresponding discharges and probabilities.

 Draw a best fit line between the data set. The resulting line is the flood
frequency curve.
 The likelihood of a particular event is calculated from its flood frequency
as follows:
F = P × 100
= [ m / (n+1) ] × 100

For example, the chance of a 50-year flood occurring this year is:
1/50 = 0.02
= 0.02 × 100
= 2% chance.
Year Discharge Discharge M P=M/(N+1)
(descending (%)
order)

1950 2000 2684 1 0.019

1951 2100 2100 2 0.039

1952 2684 2000 3 0.059

1953 1251 1500 4 0.078

- - - - -

- - - - -

2000 1500 1251 50 0.98

 We also draw graph between Flood recurrence interval and discharge.

 This plotting position is in terms of years.

 The objective of the frequency analysis is to determine the magnitude of

the flood which will be equaled or exceeded once in a specified period of
years; this specified period of years is known as the recurrence interval.

 “Recurrence intervals" or “Return period " is the time period over

which it is likely that a particular magnitude flood will occur.

 Based on considerations of probability, several methods have been used

to compute the recurrence interval.
 For example, if a town has a flood recurrence interval of 100 years, the
town on average will flood one time every 100 years.

Calculate the recurrence interval, which is the number of times in your

record that a flood of a given magnitude occurred.

Recurrence interval, which is the reciprocal of the annual exceedance

probability.

 The formula for recurrence interval is.

T = 1/P
= (n+1)/m
 Construct graph on the semi logarithmic paper.

 Recurrence interval will go on the x axis; and discharge will go on the y

axis. title of graph “Flood Frequency Curve”

 Plot corresponding discharges and recurrence intervals.

 Draw a best fit line between the data set. The resulting line is the flood
frequency curve.
Year Discharge Discharge M P=M/(N+1) T=1/P
(descending
order)

1950 2000 2684 1 0.019 51.0

1951 2100 2100 2 0.039 25.5

1952 2684 2000 3 0.059 17.0

1953 1251 1500 4 0.078 12.75

- - - - - -

- - - - - -

2000 1500 1251 50 0.98 1.0

 Flood Frequency
Flood Frequency/ Return Period/ Recurrence Interval:
Flood frequency of a flood may be defined as an index which
indicates how often such a flood may be equaled or
exceeded in magnitude during a representative interval of
time.

Flood Frequency Curve (F.C):

A curve which predicts the number of times that a flood of
any magnitude will be equaled or exceeded within any future
representative period.
Graphical Method for the Construction of
Flood Frequency Curve
Graphical Method for the Construction of
Flood Frequency Curve
Graphical Method for the Construction of
Flood Frequency Curve