THE RATIONAL METHOD

FOR ESTIMATION OF
DESIGN SURFACE
RUNOFF RATE FOR
STORM WATER
CONTROL
INTRODUCTION
The
 
RATIONAL METHOD is widely used to estimate
peak surface runoff rate for design variety of drainage
structures, such as a length of storm sewer, a storm
water inlet or a storm water detention pond. The
Rational Method is most suitable for small urban
watersheds that don’t have storage such as ponds or
swamps. It is best for areas less than 100 acres, but is
sometimes used for up to 2 areas.
THE RATIONAL METHOD
EQUATION
 

q = CiA

 Where:

q – peak surface runoff rate in cfs

A – area of watershed in acres
C – runoff coefficient
i – storm intensity in
 THE DRAINAGE AREA,
- is often determined from a map which includes the drainage area of
interest.
 THE RUNOFF COEFFICIENT,
- is a fraction of rainfall striking the drainage area that becomes runoff from
that drainage area.

Type of Area Typical range for runoff

coefficient
Concrete pavement 0.70-0.95

Park or Cemetery 0.10-0.25

Downtown business 0.70-0.95

Single Family Residential Area 0.30-0.50

FACTORS AFFECTING
WATERSHED RUNOFF
COEFFICIENTS
 Land use – surfaces that are relatively impervious like streets and parking
lots have runoff coefficient approaching to one. Surface runoff and those
that allow infiltration of rainfall have lower runoff coefficients.

 Slope – a watershed with greater slope will have more storm water runoff
and thus a higher runoff coefficient than a watershed with a lower slope.

 Soil type – soils that have clay content don’t allow very much infiltration
rates and low runoff coefficients.
SCS SOIL GROUP
- the descriptive characteristics of the four SCS soil groups are summarized
in the following list

 GROUP A: deep sand, deep loess, aggregated soils

 GROUP B: Shallow loess, sandy loam
 GROUP C: Clay loams, shallow sandy loam, soils low in organic content,
soils usually high in clay
 GROUP D: Soils that swell significantly when wet, heavy plastic clays,
certain saline soils.
Following are the minimum infiltration rates in inches/hr from each SCS soil groups:

• GROUP A ………………….. 0.30 – 0.45 in/hr

• GROUP B ………………….. 0.15 – 0.30 in/hr
• GROUP C ………………….. 0.05 – 0.15 in/hr
• GROUP D ………………….. 0 – 0.05 in/hr
THE DESIGN RAINFALL
 
INTENSITY,
The design rainfall intensity is the intensity of a constant
intensity design storm with the specified design return period
and duration equal to the time of time of concentration of the
drainage area. Once the design return period and duration id
determined, the design rainfall intensity can be determined
from an appropriate intensity-duration-frequency graph or
equation for the location of the drainage area.
PEAK SURFACE RUNOFF RATE, Q IN (CFS)

 Q has a unit of inches per hour per acre (in/hour/ac); however,

since this rate of acre-inches/hour differs from cubic feet per
second (cfs) by less than one percent, the more common units
of cfs are used. The time of concentration is defined as the
time required for water to flow from the most remote point of
the tributary area to the design point, and is determined for
the selected flow length that represents the longest waterway
through a rural watershed or the most representative flow
path through the impervious portion in an urban catchment.
THE GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR RATIONAL METHOD
CALCULATIONS FOR A SINGLE CATCHMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:

 1. Delineate the catchment boundary and determine its area.

 2. Define the flow path from the upper-most portion of the catchment to
the design point. Divide the flow path into reaches of similar flow type
(e.g., overland flow, shallow swale flow, gutter flow, etc.). Determine the
length and slope of each reach.
 3. Determine the time of concentration, tc, for the selected waterway.
 4. Find the rainfall intensity, I, for the design storm using the calculated tc
and the rainfall intensity duration-frequency curve.
 5. Determine the runoff coefficient, C.
 6. Calculate the peak flow rate, Q, from the catchment using the Rational
equation.
EXPLANATION OF UNITS:
 For the SI version of the equation (Q = 0.0028 CiA), the 0.0028 factor is needed to convert ha to
m, mm to m, and hr to sec as follows:

 Q = (mm/hr)(ha)(10,000 m2/ha)(1 m/1000 mm)(1 hr/3600 sec), or

 Q = 0.0028 CiA, with i in mm/hr, A in ha, and Q in m3/s

 At first glance the units don't appear to be correct for the specified U.S. units. The equation
actually gives Q in acre-in/hr. The conversion factor, however, is 1.008 cfs/(acre-in/hr), and
based on the precision with which the runoff coefficient can be determined, this conversion is
typically taken to be 1, thus giving Q in cfs for rainfall intensity in in/hr and drainage area in
acres.

 The calculation of peak storm water runoff rate from the equation, Q = CiA, is quite
straightforward if values are known for C, i, and A. Values for the drainage area, A, and the runoff
coefficient, C, can typically be obtained without much trouble. Determination of the design
rainfall intensity, i, usually requires the most effort.
PROBLEM:

 Example #1: Calculate the peak storm water runoff rate from
a watershed of 15 acres, with a runoff coefficient of 0.35, from
a storm of intensity 2.4 in/hr.

 Solution: This requires simply substituting into the equation ( Q = CiA ),

thus:
 Q = (0.35)(2.4)(15) = 12.6 cfs