Preparation of data

Before using the rainfall records of a station , it

is necessary to first check the data for
continuity and consistency. The continuity of a
record may be broken with missing data due to
many reasons such as damage or fault in a
rain-gauge during a period.
 Missing precipitation data
- Rain fall recording stations provide information at
only one point in a watershed.
-In order to predict the rainfall at anther point or to
supply missing data to a particular station one may
use one of the three methods.
1- Arithmatic Mean Method.
2- Normal Ratio Method.
3- Inverse distance weighting (IDW) method
The station whose data is missing called interpolation
station . The gauging stations whose data are used to
calculate the missing station data are called index
stations.
1. Arithmatic Mean Method
This method is used when normal annual
precipitations at various stations show variation
within 10%.
Px = 1/n [P1+P2+……+Pi]
Px = Missing rainfall value for station x.
n= Number of stations.
Pi = the known rainfall value for other stations (x
station not include)
2. Normal Ratio Method:
Used when normal annual precipitations at various
stations show variation >10%.
Px=Nx/n[P1/N1+P2/N2+……+Pi/Ni]
Px = Missing rainfall value for station x.
Nx= Normal average annual rainfall for station x.
Ni= The normal average annual rainfall for all stations
(X station not include).
Annual of the rainfall data for at lest 20 years record.
Pi= the known rainfall value for other stations.
3- Inverse distance weighting (IDW) method
Prediction at a point is more influenced by
nearby measurements than that by distant
measurements. The prediction at an un gauged
point is inversely proportional to the distance
to the measurement points.
Steps:
A- Compute distance (di) from ungauged point
to all measurement points .
B- Compute the precipitation at the ungauged point
using the following formula:

- p= precipitation
- d= distance .
 Presentation of rainfall data
1- Hyetograph (Bargraph): Plot of rainfall
intensity against time, where rainfall intensity
is depth of rainfall per unit.
2- Cumulative Mass Curve (CMC):
Time Mass curve of rainfall Plot of accumulated
precipitation against time, plotted in
chronological order.
 Optimum rain-gauge network design
The aim of the optimum rain-gauge network
design is to obtain all quantitative data
averages and extremes that define the
statistical distribution of the hydrogeological
elements, with sufficient accuracy for practical
purpose. The optimal number of rain-gauge
stations to be estimated in a given basin is
given by the below equation:
N=(Cv/p)2 Where:
N= optimum number of rain-gauge stations to be
estimated in the basin.
Cv = coefficient of variation of the rainfall of the
existing rain-gauge stations.
P = described degree of percentage error in the estimate
of the average depth of rainfall over the basin.
*Saturated Network Design:
If the project very important the rainfall has to be
estimated with a great accuracy, then the network of
rain-gage stations should be so set up that any
addition of rain-gauge stations will not alter the
average depth of the rainfall estimated. such a
network is referred to as a saturated network.
 Adjustments of precipitation data
Double mass curve:
The trend of the rainfall records at a station may slightly
change after some years due to the change in the
environment of a station either due to coming of a
new building , planting or trees or cutting of forest
nearby, which affect the catch of the gauge due to the
change in the wind pattern, the consistency of records
at the station (say, x) is tested by a double mass curve
by plotting the cumulative annual rainfall at station x
against the cumulative values of mean annual rainfall
for a group of surrounding stations, for a number of
years of record.
Test for consistency of record using (Double
Mass Curve Technique)
Pcx = Px * Mc/Ma
Pcx = corrected precipitation at any time period t1
at station X
Px = Original earlier recorded precipitation at
time period t1.
Mc = corrected slope of the double mass curve
Ma = original slope of the mass curve