CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics CEE 421
MID-TERM EXAM #1 FALL 2014

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

1) [15 points] Lake Superior, the largest single lake on Earth (by surface area), has a surface
area of 82,100 km2. During the month of January 2010, the total inflow to the lake was
estimated at 34.2 mm (expressed as a depth over the lake surface area). The total
precipitation over the surface of the lake for the same month (January 2010) was estimated at
39.9 mm, and evaporation from the lake surface was estimated at 114.4 mm. The average
outflow from Lake Superior (through the St. Marys River) for the month was estimated at
2,000 m3/s. Calculate the change in Lake Superiors storage for January 2010 (report your
results in units of mm clearly indicate whether you found an increase or decrease in
storage). Assume groundwater seepage is negligible.

SOLUTION:
A = 82,100 km3
T = 31 days
I = 34.2 mm
O = 2,000 cms
G = 0 mm
P = 39.9 mm
E = 114.4 mm
Convert all components to the same units (10 points)
[[Convert outflow to mm]]:
(2,000 cms x 60sec/min x 60min/hr x 24hr/day x 31 days/month)/(82,100km2)x(1000m/km)2 =
O = 65.3 mm

S = I-O+P-E-G = 34.2mm 65.3mm + 39.9mm-114.4mm-0 = -105.6mm (decrease)

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

2) [20 points] Given an initial infiltration rate of 1.0 in/hr and a final infiltration capacity of
0.25 in/hr, use Hortons method to estimate the infiltration capacity at the following time
intervals, and draw a sketch of the complete infiltration capacity curve (on your sketch,
be sure to clearly label axes and parameters related to Hortons equation):
t = 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 2 hours, 5 hours, and 10 hours
Assume that the first order loss rate k is equal to 0.3 in/hr.
SOLUTION:
Hortons equation is:

f(t) = fc + (f0 fc)e-kt

Which simplifies to:

f(t) = 0.25 + (0.75)e-0.3t

Note: t must be converted to units of hours

(5 points, correct formula)

(10 points, correct values)

Time [hr]
5/60
15/60
0.5
2
5
10

f [in/hr]
0.98
0.95
0.90
0.66
0.42
0.29
(5 points, plot)

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

3) [25 points] Consider a watershed with the following 1-hr unit hydrograph:

TIME [hr]
U [cfs/in]

1
10

2
60

3
150

4
110

5
60

6
25

Determine the runoff from the watershed and estimate the watershed area if infiltration losses are
estimated at constant rate of 0.3 in/hr and the watershed experiences the following storm:
TIME [hr]
Rainfall [in]

1
0.6

2
0.8

3
1.2

4
0.5

5
0

6
0

SOLUTION
Determine runoff (5 points for estimating effective rainfall, 10 points for convolution, 5 points
for proper summation of convolution time steps):

Time
(hr)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Pt

PE

R1

R2

R3

R4

Total

0.6
0.8
1.2
0.5
0
0
-

0.3
0.5
0.9
0.2
0
0
-

10
60
150
110
60
25
-

0
3
18
45
33
18
7.5
-

0
5
30
75
55
30
12.5
-

0
9
54
135
99
54
22.5
-

0
2
12
30
22
12
5

3
23
84
164
220
166.5
88.5
34.5
5

TOTAL
=

788.5

Determine area (5 points):

788.5cfs x 1 hr x 1/1.9in x 3600s/hr x 12in/ft x 1acre/43560sf = 411.6 acres

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

EXTRA SPACE (IF NEEDED)

4) [25 points] Consider a watershed represented below.
corresponding to a 50-year return period for this area is:

The following IDF relationship

P = 3.7/(t + 0.326)
where t is the storm duration (in hours) and P is the precipitation rate (in inches/hour).
Assume soils are of hydrologic group B, and that the land surface has a mild (3-4%) slope.
Calculate the 50-year return period peak flow at the drainage outlet.

B
C
A
A

F
C

G (outlet)

E
C

A
A

A
A

A
A

C
C

A
A
A
A
A

Surface
area
(acre)
13.5

11.0

3
4

8.2
9.7
Drainage swale
Drainage swale

Subwatershed
number

Surface type
Commercial
Residential
lots (1/8-acre)
Commercial
Industrial

Flow
Drainage
travel time
path
(min)
AE
7.2
BF

12.1

CE
DF
EF
FG

5.4
8.7
6.5
10.1

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

SOLUTION

Analyze possible flow routes:

a)
b)
c)
d)

AE, EF, FG
CE, EF, FG
BF, FG
DF, FG

(10 points)

= 7.2 + 6.5 + 10.1

= 5.4 + 6.5 + 10.1
= 12.1 + 10.1
= 8.7 + 10.1

= 23.8
= 22.0
= 22.2
= 18.8

The longest travel time is 23.8 minutes.

Using the rational method,

Qp = PCiAi

and estimating runoff coefficients for each area, and CiAi

(10 points)

Subwatershed
number

Surface
area, Ai
(acre)

13.5

11.0

3
4

8.2
9.7

Surface type

AE

Flow
travel
time
(min)
7.2

BF

12.1

0.39

4.3

CE
DF

5.4
8.7

0.89
0.86
=

7.3
8.3
31.9

Drainage
path

Commercial
Residential
lots (1/8acre)
Commercial
Industrial

Runoff
coefficient
(Ci)

CiAi

0.89

12.0

and precipitation P = 3.7/(t + 0.326) = 3.7/(23.8/60 + 0.326) = 5.1 inches/hour

(5 points)

Therefore, peak flow Qp = 5.1*31.9 = 162.7 cfs

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

5) [15 points] Use Snyders method to find the peak discharge Qp, basin lag time tp, and time
base of the unit hydrograph Tb for a small watershed with the following characteristics:
A = 120 mi2
Ct = 1.9
L = 22 miles
Lc = 14 miles
Cp = 0.6

SOLUTION
tp = Ct(LLc)0.3= 1.9*(22*14) 0.3 = 10.6 hours

(6 points)

Qp = 640(Cp)(A)/tp = 640(0.6)(120)/10.6 = 4347.2 cfs

(6 points)

For a small watershed, we can estimate Tb as 4*tp = 42.4 hours

(3 points)

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

EXTRA SPACE (IF NEEDED)

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

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CEE 421 Hydrology and Floodplain Hydraulics: Fall 2014

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