ARUSHA TECHNICAL COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT: CIVIL ENGINEERING

PROGRAM: HIGHER DIPLOMA IN CIVIL AND IRRIGATION
ENGINEERING
MODULE NAME: ENGINEERING HYDROLOGY
MODULE CODE: CIU 07422
TASK: GROUP ASSIGNMENT

INSTRUCTOR: ENG ELIA

GROUP MEMBERS
No NAME ADMISSION NUMBER
1 EMMANUEL CHARLES NAMKUMBE 21020413009
2 HERBETH VICTOR MHINA 21020413013
3 DAGADAGA PETER LUCAS 21020413007

Sub mission date: 12 June 2023

QUESTION ONE:
a. What are the uses of flow duration curve in hydrology?

ANSWER
Flow duration curve presents percent of time during which specified flow rate are exceeded
at a given location. Its sometimes known as graphical representation of runoff.
Discharge and time are calculated at first. flow duration curve is then plotted which is to
learn or study floods, evaluate many dependable stream data, design drainage works, etc.

The following are the uses of flow duration curve;

 Flow duration curve helps to evaluate low level of flow. Flow relating to any % of
the time can be obtained by using flow duration curve.
 The total amount of sediment transported by river can be found out if flow
duration curve along with sediment rating curve is available.
 Flow duration curve also provide runoff variability of the stream. If the curve has
steep slope throughout. This indicate that the stream has highly variable
discharge. This is typical where the flow is mostly surface runoff.
 Planning and designing of the hydropower project. Firm power is calculated using
flow duration curves in hydropower.
 It is in flood control studies.
 It is in calculation of the sediment load and dissolved solids load of the stream
 It used for evaluating many dependable flows in water engineering projects
 It used for comparing streamflow data.

b. What are the steps used in construction of flow duration curve?

ANSWER
The following are the steps used in construction of flow duration curve;
1. Ranking the observed stream flows in descending order (from the maximum to the
minimum value).
2. Calculating exceedence probability; It can be calculated in two ways:

i. F(x) as follows:
1-F(x) = 100 * [i/(N+1)]
Where by:
1-F(x): the probability that a given flow will be equaled
or exceeded (% of time).
i: the ranked position on the listing.
N: the length of the sample.
 ii. (P) as follows:
P = 100 * [M/(n+1)]
Where by:
P: the probability that a given flow will be equaled
or exceeded (% of time).
M: the ranked position on the listing.
N: the length of the sample
3. Plotting each ordered observation versus its corresponding duration or exceedence
probability.

c. Given below are records of monthly discharge for a certain river in Tanzania for two years
(2003 and 2004) (Table1). Use the data provided to construct a flow duration curve and
determine the magnitude of flow that can be guaranteed to be available 70% of the time.

Monthly Flows in m3/sec

Year 2003 Year 2004

Month
Oct 11.5 14.3
Nov 17.1 72
Dec 126.9 171
Jan 215.3 204.2
Feb 193 203.6
Mar 214.1 178
Apr 141.9 97.1
May 52.3 40.7
Jun 29.2 25.6
Jul 22.1 19.8
Aug 17.5 16
Sep 14.6 13.8

SOLUTION
Percentage exceedence are calculated in the table below
Rank(i) 1-F(x) = i/(n+1) Flow(m3/sec)
 % Flow Exceeded Qp

1 4 215.3

2 8 214.1

3 12 204.2

4 16 203.6

5 20 193.0

6 24 178.0

7 28 171.1

8 32 141.9

9 36 126.9

10 40 97.1

11 44 72.0

12 48 52.3

13 52 40.7

14 56 29.2

15 60 25.6

16 64 22.1

17 68 19.8

18 72 17.5

19 76 17.1

20 80 16.0

21 84 14.6

22 88 14.3

23 92 13.8

24 96 11.5
 To draw the flow duration curve of Flows against corresponding duration or exceedence
probability.

250

200

150
Flow(m³/sec)

100

50

19
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

Percentage (%) Flow Exceeded

To read the flow corresponding to 70% from the graph

Therefore, the flow available in 70% is 19m3|sec
|
QUESTION TWO:
a. Explain the steps to determine the reservoir storage using mass curve analysis.
T Mass curve analysis is a technique used to determine the storage capacity or volume of a
reservoir. It involves plotting the cumulative inflow and outflow data over a specified period to
create a mass curve. By analyzing the mass curve, we can estimate the storage capacity of the
reservoir. Here are the steps to determine reservoir storage using mass curve analysis:
i. Gather data: Collect historical data of inflow and outflow rates for the reservoir over a
specific period. The data should ideally cover a range of hydrological conditions,
including both high and low flow periods.
ii. Calculate cumulative inflow and outflow: For each time interval, calculate the cumulative
inflow and outflow by summing up the inflow and outflow rates from the beginning of
the data series up to that point in time.
iii. Plot the mass curve: Create a graph with time on the x-axis and the cumulative inflow
and outflow on the y-axis. Plot the cumulative inflow as a function of time using a line or
curve. Plot the cumulative outflow as a separate line or curve on the same graph.
iv. Analyze the mass curve: Study the shape of the mass curve. The reservoir storage
capacity is represented by the point where the cumulative inflow and outflow lines
intersect or cross each other. This intersection point indicates that the inflow and outflow
are balanced, representing the storage capacity of the reservoir.
v. Determine storage capacity: Read the storage capacity from the mass curve by identifying
the corresponding inflow and outflow values at the intersection point. The vertical
distance between the two lines at the intersection point represents the reservoir storage
volume.
vi. Validate the results: Compare the calculated storage capacity with the known or
measured capacity of the reservoir, if available. If the calculated value is significantly
different, review the data, calculations, and assumptions made during the analysis.

It's important to note that mass curve analysis provides an estimate of the storage capacity based
on the available data. Factors such as sedimentation, evaporation, and other losses may affect the
actual storage capacity. Therefore, it's advisable to consider these factors and make appropriate
adjustments when using the results for practical applications.
b. A sequence of 15 mean annual daily flow in m 3|sec at possible reservoir site in certain
river for the period from 1984-1999 are given in Table2. Use a mass curve analysis to
determine amount of storage in m3 which would require to supply a constant demand

Table No.2

S/No Year Flow (m3/sec)

1983

1 1984 15

2 1985 20

3 1986 60

4 1987 65

5 1988 68

6 1989 75

7 1990 25

8 1991 20

9 1992 21

10 1993 22

11 1994 23

12 1995 16

13 1996 70

14 1997 75

15 1998 76
39m3|sec
SOLUTION
To fill the table

Annual Vol. Cum. Cum. Demand (x 10^8 m3)

S/No. Year Flow (x 10^8 m3) Flow
(m3/sec)
(x 10^8m3)

1 1984 15 4.73 4.73 12.30

2 1985 20 6.31 11.04 24.60

3 1986 60 18.92 29.96 36.90

4 1987 65 20.50 50.46 49.20

5 1988 68 21.44 71.90 61.50

6 1989 75 23.65 95.55 73.79

7 1990 25 7.88 103.44 86.09

8 1991 20 6.31 109.75 98.39

9 1992 21 6.62 116.37 110.69

10 1993 22 6.94 123.31 122.99

11 1994 23 7.25 130.56 135.29

12 1995 16 5.05 135.60 147.59

13 1996 70 22.08 157.68 159.89

14 1997 75 23.65 181.33 172.19

15 1998 76 23.97 205.30 184.49

To draw the mass curve

Cumm. Flow against demand

250

Cumm.
200 Flow x 108 m3

150

100

50

Year 1983 - 1998

Therefore, Amount of storage = 39 m3/sec × 24 × 60 × 60

= 4.5 ×10^-4 m3

c. A given population of annual maximum floods, Q, has following parameter value;

Mean of log10Q = 2.13
Standard deviation of log10Q = 0.18
Skewness of log10Q = 0.55
Calculate the flood magnitude, which has an exceedance probability of 0.02 on the
assumption that the flood data is distributed as log-normal distribution.

Solution
Data given:
MT = 2.13
DT = 0.18
Skewness log10Q = 0.55

Then,
1₋ F(y) = 0.02
Required,
XT =?
Recall
XT = 10ZT
But,
ZT = ℳT ₊ σT(yT)

From exceedance probability

1₋ F(y) = 0.02
F(y) = 1 – 0.02
F(y) = 0.98 from the table yT
F(y) = 2.06
ZT = 2.13 + 0.18 (2.06)
ZT = 2.5008
Then
XT =10ZT
XT = 102.5008
XT = 316.811

Therefore, the flood magnitude is 316.811