The Ultimate Hydrology Guide

Clear Creek Solutions

Hey there, thank you for downloading the Ultimate Hydrology Guide! You have made an
excellent decision on your journey to improving your hydrology designs.
As engineers and hydrologists, we understand that Stormwater modeling is no easy task. A lot
of the industry tips and tricks will not be taught to you in a classroom or any University.

Our team at Clear Creek Solutions provides high quality Hydrology educational material, as well
as instructional material for our software.
That is why we put together the Ultimate Hydrology Guide. We wanted to create a simple
guide to help you understand the different forms of hydrology.

Brief Disclaimer – while this step-by-step guide covers some of the forms of hydrology used
today, it does not cover every hydrology method. This is a synopsis of some of the major forms
of Hydrology.

These forms of Hydrology are used to calculate runoff and other important Stormwater
modeling metrics. These metrics are used in Stormwater modeling packages for creating
mitigation methods.

We are assuming that you have taken a basic Hydrology or Water Resource course and
understand a few key terms. This guide will help you gain an even better understanding of
Water Resources engineering.
Now let us get started…
Hydrology Method One: Continuous Simulation
The Continuous Simulation method models the entire hydrologic cycle. All of the water in the
hydrologic cycle is tracked everywhere all of the time. This type of hydrologic modeling can’t be
done with simple equations. A hydrology model, such as WWHM2012 of WWHM-SWMM, must
be used to model a project site with continuous simulation.
With the use of a computer the continuous simulation model represents all of the processes
observed in the hydrologic cycle with appropriate algorithms. The model routes the rainfall
through the various storage compartments of the hydrologic cycle: interception storage,
shallow and deep soil moisture storage, and the groundwater storage. Evaporation and
transpiration return water back to the atmosphere from each of the storages at different rates
as a function of vegetation and soil type. Continuous simulation models can track and route
each of the three different components of runoff, interflow (shallow, subsurface runoff), and
groundwater (or baseflow).
Continuous simulation models provide more accurate hydrologic estimates than the pre-
computer, slide rule, single-event models because fewer major assumptions are required. We
do not assume some standard soil moisture condition at the start of a storm event. Continuous
simulation models track soil moisture changes, both between storms events and during storm
events, and how these changes vary the rainfall-runoff relationship with time.
Continuous simulation models use long-term, measured historic precipitation data, which
include big storms, little storms, extended dry periods, and back-to-back major storm events.

Overview
• Continuous simulation allows us to gain more accurate hydrologic results and a better
understanding of the important hydrologic processes that control local, regional, and
national water issues

• We gain the ability to reproduce historic flood events and compare our modeling results
with observed flow data, where such data are available

• We gain the ability to evaluate how flow control facilities behave over a full range of
actual hydrologic conditions, not just a single hypothetical event

• And we gain the ability to produce multiple-year, long term records to statistically
evaluate runoff and streamflow in terms of magnitude, frequency, and duration
Sample Design Scenario
A 4-acre site populated with trees and till soil will be developed by a local agency. The user inputs
4 acres of C, Forest Flat soil into the WWHM-SWMM’s software’s predeveloped scenario
schematic. The user runs the software for the given location to determine the flow before
development occurs.

The user then inputs the post-development area into WWHM-SWMM. The developer will keep
1 acre of trees but replace the rest of the with 2 acres of impervious area and 1 acre of lawn
area.

The user runs the software again to determine the post-development runoff. Through
Continuous Simulation Hydrology, the model simulates historical rainfall events at the project
location to determine a range of storms. The developer now has an accurate picture of what
mitigation measures he must use to deal with the additional runoff.
Hydrology Method Two: The Rational Method
The Rational method allows you to compute peak runoff for a stormwater site through a simple
equation.
The main equation for this method is Q = CIA. The peak Runoff equals a runoff coefficient, times
a rainfall intensity of inches per hour times the site area in acres.
The use of the Rational requires many assumptions. These major assumptions include assuming
that a specific storm return period produces the same return period flood (e.g., a two-year
storm always produces a two-year flood). We also assume a representative storm of a standard
shape and volume (e.g., Type 1A storm) to compute runoff. We are also assuming a certain
average soil moisture condition at the start of the rain even. All of these assumptions are built
into single-event hydrologic modeling. These assumptions are bundled into the standard runoff
coefficients for the Rational Method and standard curve numbers for SCS-based methods.

Overview
• Primary method currently taught in University’s and the Hydrology industry

• Single-Event Hydrology

• Revolves around simple equations, such as Q = CIA

• Q = Flow, A = Area, C = Runoff Coefficient, I = Intensity

• Plenty of free and paid for software packages that uses the rational method

• Easy to program and use

Sample Design Scenario
A 20-acre parcel of land has a rainfall intensity of 1.5 in./hr and a rational method runoff
Coefficient (C) of 0.10. Determine the peak runoff for the site in CFS to help designers
determine the size of a stormwater mitigation method.
1. Remember the key equation Q = CIA
2. To determine the peak flow, multiply 0.10, 1.5, and 20 together
3. 0.10*1.5*20 = 3 CFS
The peak runoff from the site is 3 CFS.
Note: The units do work in this equation.
Ft3/s = (No Units) * (in/hr) * (acres or ft2)
Ft3/s = (ft/s) * (ft2)
Ft3/s = Ft3/s
This peak runoff value can be used to size stormwater mitigation measures on the site to
prevent erosive flows or flooding post-development.
Hydrology Method Three: SCS Runoff Method
The SCS Runoff Curve Number method was developed by the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and is a method of determining runoff from
rainfall. The SCS curve number is another single-event hydrology method. Like the Rational
method, a set of a few equations can be used to determine values such as precipitation,
maximum runoff basin detention, runoff, and the curve number of the site.
Many factors influence the value of the Curve Number (CN). These factors include Hydrologic
Soil Group, treatment, cover type, and hydrologic conditions. A table of common CN values can
be seen below:

Cover Type Cover Description Curve numbers for hydrologic

soil group
Pasture, grassland, or range- Poor: <50% ground cover or A B C D
continuous forage for grazing heavily grazed 68 79 86 89
Fair: 50 to 75% ground cover 49 69 79 84
and not heavily grazed
Good: > 75% ground cover and 39 61 74 80
lightly or occasionally grazed
Meadow-continuous grass, 30 58 71 78
protected from grazing and Poor: <50% ground cover or 48 67 77 83
generally mowed for hay heavily grazed
Brush-brush-weed-grass mixture Fair: 50 to 75% ground cover 35 56 70 77
and not heavily grazed
Good: > 75% ground cover and 30 48 65 73
lightly or occasionally grazed
Woods-grass combination Poor 57 73 82 86
Fair 43 65 76 82
Good 32 58 72 79
Poor: Forest litter, small trees, 45 66 77 83
and brush destroyed by grazing
or burning

The general equations for the SCS curve number method are seen below:
Q = (P – 0.2S)2/(P+0.8S)
S = 1000/CN – 10
CN = 1000/(S+10)
P = precipitation (inches); S = Maximum Basin Retention (inches); Q = Runoff (inches); CN =
Curve Number
Sample Design Scenario
Find the runoff in inches of a site with 4 inches of precipitation with fair pasture A soil.
1. For this design situation, use the equations Q = (P – 0.2S)2/(P+0.8S) and S = 1000/CN –
10
2. We will first have to find the Basin Retention (S) first before solving for the runoff value
3. Use the chart seen on the previous page to find CN.
Under fair, pasture, and A soil the CN is 49.
S = 1000/(49) -10 = 10.4

Q = (4- 0.2(10.4))2/(4+0.8(10.4)) = 0.3 inches of runoff

Conclusion
Thank you for downloading the Ultimate Hydrology Guide. We hope this guide was helpful and
furthered your understanding of hydrology and Water Resources Engineering.
This is just a small portion of the instructional content we provide to help engineers and
hydrologists use our software packages.
We believe in helping engineers create designs for the future, that not only better our
communities now, but hopefully for many years to come.
I hope that gives you a vision for what is possible - which was our purpose for this guide.

Thank you for downloading this guide and reading it! Here is to creating better Stormwater
Designs- and ultimately helping a bunch of people!
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Good luck Stormwater Designers!

Clear Creek Solutions

www.clearcreeksolutions.info