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HYDROLOGIC BUDGET

The area of land draining into a stream or a water course at a given location is known as catchment area. It is also called as draining area or drainage basin. A catchment area is delineated from its neighboring catchments by ridge or watershed divide.

Area of the catchment up to a certain location on a river is measured by tracing its ridge upto that location on a topographic map. The catchment area affords a logical and convenient unit to study various aspects relating to the hydrology and water resources of the region. Therefore, its an important drainage characteristics used in hydrological analysis and design.

WATER BUDGET EQUATION


I
(System)

VI Inflow volume during t;Vo- Outflow volume during t


S- Change in the storage of the water volume within the area under consideration within the time t.

In hydrologic calculations, the volumes are often expressed as average depths, over the catchment area. E.g. if the annual stream flow from a catchment area of 10km2is 107 m3, the flow depth= =100cm
Rainfall, evaporation and often runoff volumes are expressed in units of depth over the catchment.

Based on the above philosophy of simple water budget equation, budget equation of a catchment can be written as follows: P-R-G-E-T=S
P-Precipitation

R-Runoff
G-Net GW flow outside the considered catchment area E-Evaporation T-Transpiration S- Change in storage

The storage consists of three components as : S=Ss+Ssm+Sg Ss = Surface water storage Ssm = Water in storage as soil moisture. Sg = Water in storage as groundwater Thus S= Ss+ Ssm+ Sg All terms have the dimension of volume. Also they can be expressed as depth over the catchment area.

In terms of rainfall-runoff relationship R=P-L L- Losses (water not available to runoff due to infiltration, evaporation, transpiration and surface storage)

APPLICATIONS OF HYDROLOGY IN ENGINEERING


Design and operation of water-resources engineering
projects, such as those for i. Irrigation ii.Water supply iii.Flood control iv.Water power v.Navigation

In the above projects hydrological investigation for the proper assessment of the following factors are necessary: 1) The capacity of storage structures such as reservoirs 2) The magnitude of flood flows to enable safe disposal of the excess flow.

3) The minimum flow and quantity of flow available at


various seasons. 4) The interaction of flood wave and hydraulic structures such as levees, reservoirs, barrages and bridges.

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