Runoff

Lecture Goals
Identify factors such as precipitation intensity,
watershed slope, watershed roughness, cover,
soil type, and pre-existing water content
affecting runoff volume and peak flow conditions.
Understand runoff volume, peak flow, and
hydrograph shape resulting from design or
actual storms over compact watersheds drained
by natural channels and constructed diversions.
Hydrologic Cycle
Runoff

Runoff generated by precipitation has three

components:
Surface Runoff – water that flows over the soil
surface.
Interflow – water that infiltrates and reemerges as a
surface seep or ephemeral spring.
Subsurface or Groundwater Runoff – Runoff that
originates from springs, seeps, and other areas
where the water table intersects the land surface.
Runoff

SURFACE RUNOFF

SURFACE
INFILTRATION RUNOFF
INTERFLOW

GROUNDWATER
GROUNDWATER

AQUICLUDE REGIONAL
GROUNDWATER
Factors Affecting Runoff
Rainfall
Duration
Intensity
Areal Distribution
Watershed
Size
Shape
Orientation
Topography
Geology
Surface Culture
Runoff Water Balance
ET = evapotranspiration (cm/h)
P f = infiltration rate (cm/h)
ET
P = precipitation (cm)
Qi = interflow (cm)
Si f Qs Qg = groundwater runoff (cm)
ground Sr Qs = surface runoff (cm)
qd = geological water loss (cm)
qg Qi
Ss qg = groundwater recharge (cm)
Sd = surface detention (cm)
Sg qd Qg Si = interception (cm)
Sg = groundwater storage (cm)
Sr = surface retention (cm)
Ss = soil moisture storage (cm)
t = time interval (h)
Runoff Equations
ET = evapotranspiration (cm/h)
Surface Runoff: f = infiltration rate (cm/h)
P = precipitation (cm)
Qi = interflow (cm)
Interflow: Qg = groundwater runoff (cm)
Qs = surface runoff (cm)
qd = geological water loss (cm)
qg = groundwater recharge (cm)
Groundwater flow: Sd = surface detention (cm)
Si = interception (cm)
Sg = groundwater storage (cm)
Sr = surface retention (cm)
Ss = soil moisture storage (cm)
t = time interval (h)
Runoff Water Balance

ET P

Si f Qs
ground Sr Qs = P – Si – Sr - ft
qg
Ss Qi Qi = (f-ET) t – Ss – qg

Sg qd Qg Qg = qg – Sg - qd
Runoff Equations
Surface Runoff:
Qs = P – Si – Sr - ft
Interflow:
Qi = (f-ET) t – Ss – qg
Groundwater flow:
Qg = qg – Sg - qd
ET = evapotranspiration (cm/h)
f = infiltration rate (cm/h)
P = precipitation (cm)
Qi = interflow (cm)
Qg = groundwater runoff (cm)
Qs = surface runoff (cm)
qd = geological water loss (cm)
qg = groundwater recharge (cm)
Sd = surface detention (cm)
Si = interception (cm)
Sg = groundwater storage (cm)
Sr = surface retention (cm)
Ss = soil moisture storage (cm)
t = time interval (h)
Surface Runoff
INTERCEPTION

Interception

SURFACE DETENTION
SURFACE RUNOFF

INFILTRATION
Interception
Rainfall stored on the ground surface (leaf surfaces, roof shingles…)
and never reaches the soil surface.
Interception water is returned to the atmosphere via evaporation.
Interception is a function of the type and density of vegetation or
surface cover, volume and intensity of precipitation, and wind speed.
Forest: up to 13 mm (0.5 inches)
Prairie: up to 7 mm (0.25 inches)
Corn: up to 0.5 mm
Typical assumption: 0.5 to 2.5 mm (up to 0.1 inches)
Interception both stores (retention) and detains (detention) rainfall.
Often estimate is based on vegetation type, subtract from rainfall.
Surface Retention (Depression Storage)
Rainfall stored on the ground surface (surface roughness,
depressions, tire tracks,…)
Function of: management, time of year, land slope
Parking lot: not 0 mm, but close
Tilled soil: up to 25 mm
Typical assumption: 15 to 25 mm (up to 1 inch)
Water in retention storage either evaporates of infiltrates into the
soil.
Surfaces both store (retention) and detain (detention) rainfall.
Estimate based on landuse type, subtract from rainfall.
Other Terms
Infiltration: movement of water into the soil (across soil surface
boundary)
Horton’s equation
Green-Ampt Equation
Permeability  hydraulic conductivity: movement of water
through the soil
Use Darcy’s Law
Hydrograph
Hydrograph: represents flowrate (volume per unit time
– water moving past a given point per time) vs. time
Area under hydrograph = cfs x sec = volume (ft3)
Can be used to verify runoff volume estimations
USGS Hydrographs
USGS Hydrographs
Hydrograph Properties
Hydrograph does not always start as soon as rainfall starts – Lag
Time: time from center of mass of rainfall excess to peak runoff flow
Rising Limb or Concentration Curve: hydrograph increases as water
from various points in the watershed “concentrate” at the outlet
Time to peak: time to maximum flow rate
Falling Limb or Recession Curve: storm has stopped
Falling limb always longer (slower) than rising limb
Total Runoff Volume: area under the hydrograph
Time of Concentration: time for water to flow from the farthest point
in a watershed to the outlet.
Runoff Comparison Preurban lag time from peak of
storm to peak of stream discharge

Urban lag time from peak of

storm to peak of stream discharge

2.1 3
1.9 Urban streamflow
2.5
1.7
2
Preurban streamflow
1.5
1.3 1.5
Discharge

1.1
1
0.9
Rainfall in 0.5
0.7 inches per hour

0.5 0
0 Time 1 2 3 After Marsh, 1998
Runoff Calculations

Total volume of runoff

Ponds
Storage structures
Maximum rate of runoff
Culverts
Open channels
Conveyance systems