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HYDROGRAPHS
LECTURE 13
 Synthetic Unit Hydrograph

• In Pakistan, only a small number of streams are gauged (i.e., stream flows
due to single and multiple storms, are measured)
• There are many drainage basins (catchments) for which no stream flow
records are available and unit hydrographs may be required for such basins
• In such cases, hydrographs may be synthesized directly from other
catchments, which are hydrologically and meteorologically homogeneous,
or indirectly from other catchments through the application of empirical
relationship
• Methods for synthesizing hydrographs for ungauged areas have been
developed from time to time by Bernard, Clark, McCarthy and Snyder. The
best known approach is due to Snyder (1938)
 Snyder’s Method

 Snyder (1938) was the to develop a synthetic UH based on a study of

watersheds in the Appalachian Highlands. In basins ranging from 10 – 10,000
mi.2
 Snyder relations are
1. tp = Ct (LLC)0.3
where
tp= basin lag (hr)
L= length of the main stream from the outlet to the divide (mi)
Lc = length along the main stream to a point nearest the watershed centroid (mi)
Ct = Coefficient usually ranging from 1.8 to 2.2
 Snyder’s Method

2. Qp = 640 CpA/tp
where
Qp = peak discharge of the UH (cfs)
A = Drainage area (mi2)
Cp = storage coefficient ranging from 0.4 to 0.8,
where larger values of cp are associated with smaller
values of Ct
3. Tb = 3+tp/8
where
Tb is the time base of hydrograph
Note: For small watershed the above eq. should be
replaced by multiplying tp by the value varies from 3-
5
• The above 3 equations define points for a UH
produced by an excess rainfall of duration D= tp/5.5
 Numerical

Question:1 Use Snyder’s method to develop a UH for the area of 100mi2

described below. Sketch the appropriate shape. What duration rainfall does
this correspond to.
Ct = 1.8, L= 18mi, Cp = 0.6, Lc= 10mi
Solution:
1.Calculate tp
tp = Ct (LLC)0.3 = 1.8(18·10) 0.3 hr, = 8.6 hr
2. Calculate Qp
Qp= 640(cp)(A)/tp = 640(0.6)(100)/8.6 = 4465 cfs
3.Calculate Tb
Since this is a small watershed, Tb ≈4tp = 4(8.6) = 34.4 hr
 Numerical

4. Duration of rainfall
D= tp/5.5 hr = 8.6/5.5 hr = 1.6 hr
5.Shape
W75 = 440(QP/A)-1.08
W50 = 770(QP/A)-1.08
(widths are distributed 1/3 before Qp and
2/3 after)
 Numerical

Question:2 The following are the ordinates of the 9-hour unit hydrograph for the entire
catchment of the river Indus up to Tarbela dam site: and the catchment characteristics are ,
A = 4480 km2, L = 318 km, Lca = 198 km.

Derive a 3-hour unit hydrograph for the catchment area of river Indus up to the head
of Tarbela reservoir, given the catchment characteristics as,
A = 3780km2, L = 284 km, Lca = 184km.
Use Snyder’s approach with necessary modifications for the shape of the hydrograph.
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 Important Announcements

 Assignment 4: (Deadline Wednesday 13th December 2023)

 Quiz 4:Next Week Topic Synthetic Hydrograph

 CEP
 Submision Deadline 17th week Classes
 Assignment 5: CEP Report 40 Marks
 Quiz 5: CEP Presentation 20 Marks
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