Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd
Upload
159 views

Time of Concentration

Time of concentration is the time for runoff from the furthest point in a watershed to reach the outlet. It depends on slope and watershed characteristics. There are two main methods to estimate it: the watershed lag method, which uses flow length and drainage area, and the velocity method, which sums travel times over sheet, shallow, and open channel flow segments using flow equations. An example applies both methods to calculate the time of concentration for a sample watershed divided into reaches. Other equations like Kirpich and Kerby also relate watershed factors to estimate this time.

Uploaded by

Steven Joseph Incio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
159 views

Time of Concentration

Time of concentration is the time for runoff from the furthest point in a watershed to reach the outlet. It depends on slope and watershed characteristics. There are two main methods to estimate it: the watershed lag method, which uses flow length and drainage area, and the velocity method, which sums travel times over sheet, shallow, and open channel flow segments using flow equations. An example applies both methods to calculate the time of concentration for a sample watershed divided into reaches. Other equations like Kirpich and Kerby also relate watershed factors to estimate this time.

Uploaded by

Steven Joseph Incio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 13

Time of concentration

Time of concentration (Tc) is the time required for runoff to travel from the hydraulically most distant
point in the watershed to the outlet. The hydraulically most distant point is the point with the longest
travel time to the watershed outlet, and not necessarily the point with the longest flow distance to the
outlet. Time of concentration will vary depending upon slope and character of the watershed and the flow
path.

Travel time
Travel time (Tt) is the time it takes water to travel from one location to another. Travel time between two
points is determined using the following relationship:

Methods for estimating time of concentration


Two primary methods of computing time of concentration were developed by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) (formerly the Soil Conservation Service (SCS)).

Watershed lag method


The SCS method for watershed lag was developed by Mockus in 1961. It spans a broad set of conditions
ranging from heavily forested watersheds with steep channels and a high percent of runoff resulting from
subsurface flow, to meadows providing a high retardance to surface runoff, to smooth land surfaces and
large paved areas.
Flow length—In the watershed lag method of
computing time of concentration, flow length is
defined as the longest path along which water flows from the watershed divide to the outlet. Flow length
can be measured using aerial photographs, quadrangle sheets, or GIS techniques. Mockus (USDA 1973)
developed an empirical relationship between flow length and drainage area using data from Agricultural
Research Service (ARS) watersheds. This relationship is:

Land slope percent—The average land slope of the watershed, as used in the lag method, not to be
confused with the slope of the flow path, can be determined by using the following equation (Chow
1964):

Applications and limitations—The watershed lag equation was developed using data from 24
watersheds ranging in size from 1.3 acres to 9.2 square miles, with the majority of the watersheds being
less than 2,000 acres in size (Mockus 1961). Folmar and Miller (2000) revisited the development of this
equation using additional watershed data and found that a reasonable upper limit may be as much as 19
square miles.

Velocity method
The velocity method assumes that time of concentration is the sum of travel times for segments along the
hydraulically most distant flow path.

Sheet flow—Sheet flow is defined as flow over plane surfaces. Sheet flow usually occurs in the
headwaters of a stream near the ridgeline that defines the watershed boundary. Typically, sheet flow
occurs for no more than 100 feet before transitioning to shallow concentrated flow (Merkel 2001).
A simplified version of the Manning’s kinematic solution may be used to compute travel time for sheet
flow (Welle and Woodward 1986).
To support the sheet flow limit of 100 feet, Merkel (2001) reviewed a number of technical papers on sheet
flow. McCuen and Spiess (1995) indicated that use of flow length as the limiting variable in the previous
equation could lead to less accurate designs, and proposed that the limitation should instead be based on:

Shallow concentrated flow—After approximately 100 feet, sheet flow usually becomes shallow
concentrated flow collecting in swales, small rills, and gullies. Shallow concentrated flow is assumed not
to have a well-defined channel and has flow depths of 0.1 to 0.5 feet.
To estimate shallow concentrated flow travel time, velocities are developed using the figure 15-4:
Open channel flow— Shallow concentrated flow is assumed to occur after sheet flow ends at
shallow depths of 0.1 to 0.5 feet. Beyond that channel flow is assumed to occur.
Manning’s equation or water surface profile information can be used to estimate average flow velocity.
Applications and limitations—The velocity method of computing time of concentration is
hydraulically sound and provides the opportunity to incorporate changes in individual flow segments if
needed. The velocity method is the best method for calculating time of concentration for an urbanizing
watershed or if hydraulic changes to the watercourse are being considered.

Example of watershed lag method


Compute the time of concentration using the
watershed lag method for Mawney Brook
Watershed in Kent County, Rhode Island. The
watershed has the following attributes:

Example of velocity method


The time of concentration flow path for the watershed shown in figure 15–6 is split into three reaches
based upon similar hydraulic characteristics within the reaches.

Part A: Travel time through reach 1


(designated R-1—from the watershed
divide to cross section A-A)
Reach 1 (R–1) consists of sheet flow and shallow
concentrated flow from the watershed divide to cross
section A–A. The flow segments are as follows:

 Flow segment from the watershed divide to


the diversion terrace consists of 100 feet of
sheet flow and 800 feet of shallow
concentrated flow across pasture at a slope of
8 percent.
 The diversion terrace is 2,100 feet long with a
design velocity of 1.5 feet per second.
 The grassed waterway is 2,400 feet long with
an average slope of 4 percent.
 The grassed waterway terminates at a road
crossing and a raw gully extends from the road crossing to a point where a grade stabilization
structure (GS–1) is planned (but not yet installed). The length of the gully is 2,700 feet with a 3
percent grade.
Sheet flow segment—The travel time for the sheet flow segment through the short-grass pasture is
computed using equation:

The 2-year, 24-hour precipitation for the watershed is 3.6 inches. The n value for short grass pasture from
table 15–1 is 0.15.
Shallow concentrated flow segments—The travel times for the remaining portions along the flow path are
based on shallow concentrated flow velocities.

Part B: Travel time through Reach 2 (designated R–2—from cross section A–


A to cross section B–B)
Reach 2 (R–2) consists of channel flow from cross section A–A to cross section B–B and has a
total reach length of 6,000 feet.
v 6.3+3.7 +3.4+5.7+5.9 +6.1
average= =5.2
6

Part C: Travel time through Reach 3 (designated R–3—


from cross section B–B to the watershed outlet)

Part D The
total travel
time for reaches
R-1, R-2 and R-3

Other Methods for Computing Time of Concentration


Kirpich equation - The Kirpich equation was developed using data from seven rural
watersheds on a farm in Tennessee with well-defined channels and steep slopes. Drainage areas
ranged from 1.25 to 112.0 acres.

Kerby equation - The Kerby (1959) equation was developed from a very small watershed in
which overland flow dominated. Some references suggest that it should be used for watersheds
having flow lengths less than 1,000 feet.

Relationship of Kerby and Kirpich Formula


The Kerby-Kirpich approach produces time of concentration estimates consistent with
watershed time values independently derived from real-world storms and runoff hydrographs.
Similar to other methods for calculation of tc, the total time of concentration is obtained by
adding the overland flow time (Kerby) and the channel flow time (Kirpich):
Application of the Kerby-Kirpich Method
For example, suppose a hydraulic design is needed to convey runoff from a small
watershed with a drainage area of 0.5 square miles. On the basis of field examination and
topographic maps, the length of the main channel from the watershed outlet (the design point) to
the watershed divide is 5,280 feet. Elevation of the watershed at the outlet is 700 feet. From a
topographic map, elevation along the main channel at the watershed divide is estimated to be 750
feet. The analyst assumes that overland flow will have an appreciable contribution to the time of
concentration for the watershed. The analyst estimates that the length of overland flow is about
500 feet and that the slope for the overland-flow component is 2 percent (S = 0.02). The area
representing overland flow is average grass (N = 0.40).

For the overland-flow

= 24.65 mins
For the channel flow
T ch=0.007 (5280−500)0.77 (0.0095)−0.385
750−700
S= =0.0095
5280

T ch=28.63 mins

For Total Time of Concentration

T c =T ov +T ch

T c =24.65+28.63

T c =53.28 mins

You might also like