HYDROLOGY AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERING (CE440)

Section: Surface Water Hydrology

SW-4 (1 hr)

➢Computation of average rainfall over a basin

1. Arithmetic average method
2. Thiessen polygon method
3. Isohytel method
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After completion of this class discussion the
students will be able to:

➢ Compute average rainfall over a basin using

1. Arithmetic average method
2. Thiessen polygon method
3. Isohytel method

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Computation of average rainfall over a
basin

No. of rain-gauge stations depends upon the area and

distribution of rainfall.

If a basin or catchment area contains more than one rain-gauge

station, the computation of average rainfall may be done by the
following methods:
Arithmetic average method.
Thiessen polygon method.
Isohytel method.

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1. Arithmetic average method

◼ Simplest method of estimating average rain fall.

◼ Average rainfall is calculated by arithmetic average of

recorded rainfall @ various stations.

◼ If P1, P2, P3…..Pn are the rainfall values measured@ n gauge

stations, we have
n

P + P + P + ...... + Pn P i
Pav = 1 2 3 = i =1
n n
Advantages: Suitable method when rainfall is uniform.

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Example: Using Arithmetic Average Method, find average rainfall
over a catchment. The rain gage data is: 12.6, 18.8, 14.8, 10.4 and
16.2 mm.

Solution:
n

P + P + P + ...... + Pn P i
Pav = 1 2 3 = i =1
n n
12.6 + 18.8 + 14.8 + 10.4 + 16.2 72.8
Pav = = = 14.56 mm
5 5

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2. Thiessen polygon method
◼ This method is a more common
method of weighing the rain-gauge
observation according to the area.

◼ Also called Weighted

Mean/Average Method.

◼ Accurate than arithmetic average

method.

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Thiessen polygon method (continued)
◼ Average rainfall can be computed by the following expression.
n

P1 A1 + P2 A2 + P3 A3 + ...... + Pn An 
( Pi Ai )
Pav = = i =1 n
A1 + A2 + A3 + .... + An
 Ai i =1

Advantages: This method is based on assumption that a rain-gauge

station best represents the area which is close to it.

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 Procedure:
1. Join the adjacent rain-gauge
stations.
2. Construct the perpendicular
bisectors of each of these lines.
3. The polygon formed by the
perpendicular bisectors around a
station encloses an area which is
every where closer to that station
than to any other station.

4. Find the area of each of these polygons, shown hatched in the figure.
5. Compute the average precipitation using the given formula.
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Example: Using Thiesen Polygon Method, find average rainfall
over a catchment. The data is:
Rain Gauge Station A B C D E
Polygon Area (km2) 40 45 38 30 43
Precipitation (mm) 30.8 33.4 34.6 32.6 24.6

Solution:

 ( A  P ) 6085.6
Pav = = = 31.53 mm
A 193

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3. Isohytel method
◼ An isohyet is a line, on a
rainfall map of the basin,
joining places of equal
rainfall readings.

◼ An isohyetal map showing

contours of equal rainfall
presents a more accurate
picture of the rainfall
distribution over the basin.

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Isohytel method (continued)
◼ Average rainfall can be computed by the following
expression.
  P1 + P2  
  A  2 

Pav =
A
Advantages: The isohytel method is the most elaborate and
accurate than other methods.

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 Procedure:
1. From the rainfall values
recorded at various rain-gauge
stations, prepare the isohyetal
map.
2. Measure the areas enclosed
between successive isohyets
with the help of planimeter.
3. Multiply each of these areas by
the average rainfall between
the isohyets.
4. Compute the average rainfall
applying the given formula.

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Example: Using Isohyetal Method, find average rainfall over a
catchment. The data is:
Isohyetes (cm) 12 13 14 15 16 17
Area b/w Isohyetes (km2) 22 80 110 89 70

 P +P 
 A 2 1 2

 = 5484.5 = 14.78 cm
P =
A
av
371
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Problem:
Find the mean precipitation for the area sketched in figure by
Thiessen’s method. The area is composed of a square plus an
equilateral triangular plot of side 4 kms. Rainfall readings in cms at
the various stations are also given in figure.

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Example
Point rainfalls due to a storm at several rain-gauge stations in a basin
are shown in Figure. Determine the mean areal depth of rainfall over
the basin by the three methods.

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(iii) Isohyetal method—The isohyets are drawn as shown in
following Fig. and the mean areal depth of rainfall is worked out
below:

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 Problem:
For the rainfall in LBOD project
area during September 2011,
rainfall data and polygon area at
various rain gauge station is
tabulated below. Determine the
mean rainfall in the project area.

Rainfall Rainfall Component Part area

2
Station (mm) Part (km )
Padidan 251.2 Nawabshah 1 145.00
Nawabshah 275.2 Nawabshah 2 2878.00
275.2 Sanghar 1 1098.00
Hyderabad 162.2 Nawabshah 3 51.00
162.2 Sanghar 2 900.00
162.2 Mirpurkhas 1 756.00
Chhor 276.0 Sanghar 3 52.00
276.0 Mirpurkhas 2 703.00
276.0 Badin 1 170.00
Badin 331.2 Mirpurkhas 3 3866.85
331.2 Badin 2 3866.85

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Solution:
Rainfall Part area
Rainfall Station Component Part 2 AxP
(mm) (km )
Padidan 251.2 Nawabshah 1 145.00 36424
Nawabshah 275.2 Nawabshah 2 2878.00 792025.6
275.2 Sanghar 1 1098.00 302169.6
Hyderabad 162.2 Nawabshah 3 51.00 8272.2
162.2 Sanghar 2 900.00 145980
162.2 Mirpurkhas 1 756.00 122623.2
Chhor 276.0 Sanghar 3 52.00 14352
276.0 Mirpurkhas 2 703.00 194028
276.0 Badin 1 170.00 46920
Badin 331.2 Mirpurkhas 3 3866.85 1280701
331.2 Badin 2 3866.85 1280701
SUM = 14486.70 4224197

 ( A  P ) 4224197
Pav = = = 291.59 mm
 A 14486.7 SW-4 24
Alternate Solution:
Rainfall Rainfall Component Part area Fractional Weighted
2
Station (mm) Part (km ) Area Average
Padidan 251.2 Nawabshah 1 145.00 0.0100 2.51
Nawabshah 275.2 Nawabshah 2 2878.00 0.1987 54.67
275.2 Sanghar 1 1098.00 0.0758 20.86
Hyderabad 162.2 Nawabshah 3 51.00 0.0035 0.57
162.2 Sanghar 2 900.00 0.0621 10.08
162.2 Mirpurkhas 1 756.00 0.0522 8.46
Chhor 276.0 Sanghar 3 52.00 0.0036 0.99
276.0 Mirpurkhas 2 703.00 0.0485 13.39
276.0 Badin 1 170.00 0.0117 3.24
Badin 331.2 Mirpurkhas 3 3866.85 0.2669 88.41
331.2 Badin 2 3866.85 0.2669 88.41
Sum = 14486.70 1.0000 291.59

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 Problem:
Rainfall data and area under
the rainfall in the LBOD
project area during monsoon
2011 is given in the below
table. Determine mean rainfall
using isohyetal method.
Area between
Isohyets (mm)
isohyets
Upper Lower (km2)
1050 975 349
975 900 1383
900 825 3638
825 750 2085
750 675 1594
675 600 1666
600 525 624
525 450 114

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Solution:
Mean rainfall Area between Weighted mean
Isohyets (mm) in area isohyets rainfall

Upper Lower (mm) (km2)

1050 975 1012.5 349 353362.5
975 900 937.5 1383 1296562.5
900 825 862.5 3638 3137775.0
825 750 787.5 2085 1641937.5
750 675 712.5 1594 1135725.0
675 600 637.5 1666 1062075.0
600 525 562.5 624 351000.0
525 450 487.5 114 55575.0
Sum = 11453 9034012.5

 P1 + P2 
  2  9034012.5
A
Pav = = = 788.8 mm
A 11453

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 Problem:
For the rainfall in LBOD project
area during August 2011,
rainfall data and polygon area at
various rain gauge station is
tabulated below. Determine the
mean rainfall in the project area.

Rainfall Rainfall Component Part area

2
Station (mm) Part (km )
Padidan 251.2 Nawabshah 1 173.22
Nawabshah 275.2 Nawabshah 2 2789.94
275.2 Sanghar 1 492.10
Mirpurkhas 263.1 Nawabshah 3 146.59
263.1 Sanghar 2 1556.58
263.1 Mirpurkhas 1846.66
263.1 Badin 1 608.65
Mithi 530.0 Badin 2 336.70
Badin 331.2 Badin 3 3866.85

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 Solution:
Rainfall Rainfall Component Part area Fractional Weighted
2
Station (mm) Part (km ) Area Average

Padidan 251.2 Nawabshah 1 173.22 0.0147 3.68

Nawabshah 275.2 Nawabshah 2 2789.94 0.2361 64.97
275.2 Sanghar 1 492.10 0.0416 11.46
Mirpurkhas 263.1 Nawabshah 3 146.59 0.0124 3.26
263.1 Sanghar 2 1556.58 0.1317 34.66
263.1 Mirpurkhas 1846.66 0.1563 41.11
263.1 Badin 1 608.65 0.0515 13.55
Mithi 530.0 Badin 2 336.70 0.0285 15.10
Badin 331.2 Badin 3 3866.85 0.3272 108.38
SUM = 11817.29 1.0000 296.17

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Alternate Solution:
Rainfall Component Part area
Rainfall Station 2 AxP
(mm) Part (km )

Padidan 251.2 Nawabshah 1 173.22 43512.5

Nawabshah 275.2 Nawabshah 2 2789.94 767790
275.2 Sanghar 1 492.10 135425
Mirpurkhas 263.1 Nawabshah 3 146.59 38568.7
263.1 Sanghar 2 1556.58 409537
263.1 Mirpurkhas 1846.66 485857
263.1 Badin 1 608.65 160135
Mithi 530.0 Badin 2 336.70 178450
Badin 331.2 Badin 3 3866.85 1280701
SUM = 11817.29 3499977

 ( A  P ) 3499977
Pav = = = 296.17 mm
 A 11817.29
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Any Question?