GGUT-236 HYDROLOGY

Interception and Depression storage

1. Interception storage
2. Throughfall

3. Stem flow

- Swapnali Madake
Objectives
After completing this unit you should be able
to:
• Explain the processes: interception,
depression storage,
• Understand the influences of various factors
on these processes,
• Estimate these losses for a given area,
• Estimate excess rainfall from a given storm.
•INTRODUCTION:
-Initial Loss :In the precipitation reaching the
surface of catchment, the major reduction in
volume of water available for runoff is through
infiltration.
-Apart from infiltration, there are two other
processes that contribute to this reduction in
volume.
-These two processes are Interception
Depression Storage.
-Together they are called as Initial loss.
Interception, depression storage, evaporation,
evapotranspiration and infiltration may be
considered as losses because these are not
available as surface runoff .
 INTERCEPTION STORAGE
Interception is the process by which water is captured
on vegetation (leaves, bark, grasses, crops, etc.)
during a precipitation event.
 Intercepted precipitation is not available for
runoff or infiltration, but instead is returned to
the atmosphere through evaporation.
As the Horton equation suggests, the total
interception is dependent on the storm duration, as
longer duration storms allow more evaporation from
the canopy during the storm event.
Formula
Interception losses are described by the
following equation
Li = S + KEt
Where,
Li is the total volume of water intercepted.
S is the interception storage.
K is the ratio of the surface area of the leaves
to the area of the entire canopy.
E is the rate of evaporation during the
precipitation event, andt is time.
There are three Main Components
of Interception:
1. Interception Loss
2. Throughfall
3. Stemflow
 1.Interception loss: The water that is retained by
vegetation surfaces that is later evaporated into the
atmosphere, or absorbed by the plant . Interception loss
prevents water from reaching the ground surface.
It is regarded as a primary water loss.

2. Throughfall: The water which falls through spaces in

the vegetation canopy, or which drips from the leaves,
twigs and stems and falls to the ground.

3. Stemflow: The water which trickles along the stems

and branches and down the main stem or trunk to the
ground surface.
Factors Affecting Interception Storage:
1.Interception storage
2.Evaporation
3.Duration of Rainfall
4.Rainfall frequency
5.Precipitation type
1.Interception storage:
The ability of vegetation surfaces to collect and retain
Precipitation, capacity will be highest at the onset of rainfall
when the vegetation is dry, when water is held by surface
tension.
2. Evaporation:
Even when the interception storage capacity is exceeded water
may be lost by evaporation off leaf surfaces, which increases in
windy conditions, though the interception storage capacity
may be reduced with increased windspeed .
3.Duration of Rainfall:
Total interception losses increase with duration of
rainfall (but only gradually)though the relative
importance of interception decreases with time .
4.Rainfall Frequency:
-The highest levels of interception loss occur when the
leaves are dry and interception storage is large.
-So the frequency of rewetting is more significant than
the duration and amount of rainfall.
5.Precipitation Type:
-The contrast between rain and snow.
Snow clings to leaves and branches more, but -
interception loss is limited due to low temperatures
and evaporation rates.
 DEPRESSION STORAGE

 Any natural ground surface generally has

numerous shallow deprssions of varying size,
shape, and depth.
 When precipitation fall these depressions form
minimature reservoirs detaining water
temporarily.
 Water from these storages either evaporates or
infiltrates into the ground charging the ground
water reservoir.
 After filling all the small depressions, overland
flow from the area takes place.
• Importance of Depressions storage
 Depression Storage help to reduce soil erosion .
 It increase soil moisture content.
 Therefore , farmers are encouraged to go for
terrace farming .
 To conserve soil and rain water for beneficial
uses.
•FORMULA
The volume of water in depression storage at any
time during a precipitation event can be
approximated as (Linsley 1982):
Where,
V is the volume of water in depression storage.
Sd is the maximum storage capacity of the
depression.
Pe is the rainfall excess, and
k is a constant equal to 1/Sd.
•Factors Affecting Depression Storage
(1)Nature of terrain
(2) Slope
(3) Type of soil surface
(4) Land use
(5) Antecedent rainfall
(6) Time