Engineering Hydrology Lecture Note

TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 Flood Routing....................................................................................................................2
4.1 General.......................................................................................................................2
4.2 Simple Non-storage Routing.....................................................................................3
4.3 Storage Routing.........................................................................................................4
4.4 Reservoir or level pool routing..................................................................................5
4.5 Channel routing.........................................................................................................7
4.5.1 Muskingum Method of Routing........................................................................8
4.5.2 Application of the Muskingum Method:...........................................................9

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Engineering Hydrology Lecture Note

4 Flood Routing
4.1 General
At a river gauging station, the stage and discharge hydrographs represent the passage
of waves of river depth and stream flow during flood, respectively. As this wave moves
down the river, the shape of the wave gets modified due to various factors, such as
channel storage, resistance, lateral addition or withdrawal of flows etc. when a flood
wave passes through a reservoir, its peak is attenuated and the time base is enlarged
(translated) due to the effect of storage. Flood waves passing down a river have their
peaks attenuated due to friction if there is no lateral inflow. In both reservoir and channel
conditions the time to peak is delayed, and hence the peak discharge is translated.

Flood routing is the technique of determining the flood hydrograph at a section of a river
by utilizing the data of flood flow at one or more upstream sections. The hydrologic
analysis of problems such as flood forecasting, flood protection, reservoir and spillway
design invariably include flood routing. In these applications two broad categories of
routing can be recognized. These are:
i) Reservoir routing and
ii) Channel routing
In reservoir routing the effect of a flood wave entering a reservoir is studied. Knowing
the volume-elevation characteristics of the reservoir and the out flow elevation
relationship for spillways and other outlet structures in the reservoir; the effect of a flood
wave entering the reservoir is studied to predict the variation of reservoir elevation and
out flow discharge with time. This form of routing is essential (i) in the design of the
capacity of spillways and other reservoir outlet structures and (ii) in the location and
sizing of the capacity of reservoirs to meet specific requirements.

In channel routing the changes in the shape of a hydrograph as it travels down a

channel is studied. By considering a channel reach and an input hydrograph at the
upstream end, this form of routing aims to predict the flood hydrograph at a various
sections of the reach. Information on the flood-peak attenuation and the duration of high-
water levels obtained by channel routing is utmost importance in flood forecasting
operations and flood protection works.

A variety of flood routing methods are available and they can be broadly classified in to
two categories as: (i) hydraulic routing and (ii) hydrologic routing. Hydrologic routing
methods employ essentially the equation of continuity and a storage function, indicated
as lumped routing. Hydraulic methods, on the other hand, employ the continuity
equation together with the equation of motion of unsteady flow. The basic differential
equations used in the hydraulic routing, known as St. Venant equations afford a better
description of unsteady flow than hydrologic methods.

A flood hydrograph is modified in two ways as the storm water flows downstream.
Firstly, and obviously, the time of the peak rate of flow occurs later at downstream
points. This is known as translation. Secondly, the magnitude of the peak rate of flow is
diminished at downstream points, the shape of the hydrograph flattens out, and the

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Engineering Hydrology Lecture Note

volume at the floodwater takes longer to pass a lower section. This modification of the
hydrograph is called attenuation.

Figure 4.1: Flood translation and attenuation

4.2 Simple Non-storage Routing

Relationship between flood events and stages at upstream and downstream points in a
single river reach can be established by correlating known floods and stages at certain
conditions. The information could be obtained from flood marks on river banks and
bridge sides. Measurements/estimates of floods can then be related to known the level
of the flood at the upstream and downstream locations. With such curves it is possible to
give satisfactory forecasts of the downstream peak stage from an upstream peak stage
measurement.

Figure 4.2: Peak stage relationship

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The time of travel of the hydrograph crest (peak flow) also need to be determined to
know the complete trace of modification of the wave. Curves of upstream stage plotted
against time travel to the required downstream point can be compiled from the
experience of several flood events.

Figure 4.3: Flood peak travel time

The complexities of rainfall-runoff relationships are such that these simple methods
allow only for average conditions. Flood events can have very many different causes
that produce flood hydrographs of different shapes. The principal advantages of these
simple methods are that they can be developed for stations with only stage
measurements and no rating curve, and they are quick and easy to apply especially for
warning of impending flood inundations when the required answers are immediately
given in stage heights.

4.3 Storage Routing

When a storm event occurs, an increased amount of water flows down the river and in
any one short reach of the channel there is a greater volume of water than usual
contained in temporary storage. If at the beginning of the reach the flood hydrograph is
(above normal flow) is given as I, the inflow, then during the period of the flood, T1, the
channel reach has received the flood volume given by the area under the inflow
hydrograph. Similarly, at the lower end of the reach, with an outflow hydrograph O, the
flood is given by the area under the curve. In a flood situation relative quantities may be
such that lateral and tributary inflows can be neglected, and thus by the principle of
continuity, the volume of inflow equals the volume of outflow, i.e. the flood

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Engineering Hydrology Lecture Note

The principle of hydrologic flood routings (both reservoir and channel) uses the
continuity equation in the form of “Inflow minus outflow equals rate of change of
storage”.

(3.1)
Where:
It = Inflow in to the reach
Ot= Outflow from the reach
dS/dt =Rate of change of storage within the reach.
Alternatively, the continuity (storage) equation can be stated as in a small time
interval Δt the difference between the total inflow volume and total outflow
volume in a reach is equal to the change in storage in that reach, i.e.,

(3.2)

(3.3)

The time interval Δt should be sufficiently short so that the inflow and out flow
hydrographs can be assumed to be straight line in that interval. As a rule of thumb Δt ≤
1/6 of the time to peak of the inflow hydrograph is required.

The continuity equation (I-Q = dS/dt), forms basis for all the storage routing methods.
The routing problem consists of finding Q as a function of time, given I as a function of
time, and having information or making assumptions about storage, S.

4.4 Reservoir or level pool routing

A flood wave I(t) enters a reservoir provided with an outlet such as a spillway. The
outflow is a function of the reservoir elevation only, i.e., O = O (h). The storage in the
reservoir is a function of the flow reservoir elevation, S = S(h). Further, the water level in
the reservoir changes with time, h = h(t) and hence the storage and discharge change
with time. It is required to find the variation of S, h and O with time, i.e., find S=S (t), O =
O (t) and h = h (t), given I =I (t)

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Figure 4.4: Storage routing (schematic)

Depending on the forms of the outlet relations for O (h) will be available. For reservoir
routing, the following data have to be known:
1. Storage volume versus elevation for the reservoir
2. Water surface elevation versus out flow and hence storage versus outflow
discharge
3. Inflow hydrograph, I= I(t); and
4. Initial values of S, I and O at time t = 0

The finite difference form of the continuity equation (Equation. 3.4) can be rewritten as:

(3.4)
Where, (I1+I2)/2= I ; (O1+ O2)/2 = O and S2-S1=ΔS and suffixes 1 and 2 to denote the
beginning and end of the time interval Δt Rearranging Equation (3.4) to get the
unknowns S2 and O2 on one side of the equation and to adjust the O 1 term to produce:

(3.5)
Since S is a function of O, [(S/Δt) + (O/2)] is also a specific function of O (for a given Δt).
Replacing {(S/Δt) + (O/2)} by G, for simplification, equation (3.5) can be written:

G2 = G1 + Im –O1 or more generally

Gi+1 = Gi + Im,i – Oi (3.6)
Where:
Im = (I1 + I2)/2
To apply this method we need beside I t also the G-O relation. The latter is easily
established from S-H and O-H relations, where for equal values of H, S and O are
determined; after which the proper interval Δt the G-O relation is established. Note that
G is dependent on the chosen routing interval Δt. The routing period, Δt, has to be
chosen small enough such that the assumption of a linear change of flow rates, I and O,
during Δt is acceptable (as a guide, Δt should be less than 1/6 of the time of rise of the
inflow hydrograph). So, in short, the method consists of three steps:
1. Inspect the inflow hydrograph and select the routing interval: Δt ≤ 1/6 time to
peak
2. Establish the G-O relation

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3. Carry out the routing according to equation (3.6)

A useful check on the validity of any level pool routing calculation is that the peak of the
outflow hydrograph should occur at the intersection of the inflow and out flow
hydrograph on the same plot. At that point, I = O, so ds/dt = 0, i.e. storage is a maximum
and therefore O is a maximum. Therefore, the temporary storage is depleted.

Figure 4.5: Storage routing

Table 4.1: Tabular computation of level pool routing

4.5 Channel routing

In reservoir routing presented in the previous section, the storage was a unique function
of the outflow discharge, S=f(O). However in channel routing the storage is a function of
both outflow and inflow discharges and hence a different routing method is needed. The
flow in a river during a flood belongs to the category of gradually varied unsteady flow.
For a river reach where the water surface cannot be assumed horizontal to the river
bottom during the passage of a flood wave, the storage in the reach may be split up in
two parts: (i) prism storage and (ii) wedge storage

Prism Storage is the volume that would exist if uniform flow occurred at the
downstream depth, i.e. the volume formed by an imaginary plane parallel to the channel
bottom drawn at a direct function of the stage at the downstream end of the reach. The
surface is taken parallel to the river bottom ignoring the variation in the surface in the
reach relative to the bottom. Both this storage and the outflow can be described as a
single function of the downstream water level and the storage is a single function of the
out flow alone.

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Wedge Storage is the wedge-like volume formed b/n the actual water surface profile
and the top surface of the prism storage. It exists because the inflow, I, differs from O
(out flow) and so may be assumed to be a function of the difference between inflow and
outflow, (I-O).

Figure 4.6: Determining storage in a river reach

At a fixed depth at a downstream section of river reach, prism storage is constant while
the wedge storage changes from a positive value at the advancing flood wave to a
negative value during a receding flood. The total storage in the channel reach can be
generally represented by:

S = f1(O)+f2(I-O) (4.7)
And this can then be expressed as:
S = K (x Im + (1-x)Om) (4.8)

Where K and x are coefficients and m is a constant exponent. It has been found that the
value of m varies from 0.6 for rectangular channels to value of about 1.0 for natural
channels.

4.5.1 Muskingum Method of Routing

Using m =1 for natural channels, equation (2.8), reduces to a linear relationship for S in
terms of I and Q as

S= K (x I+ (1-x)O (4.9)

This relationship is known as the Muskingum Equation. In this the parameter x is

known as weighing factor and take a value between 0 and 0.5. When x=0, obviously the
storage is a function of discharge only and equation (4.9) reduces to:

S = KQ (4.10)

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Such storage is known as linear storage or linear reservoir. When x= 0.5 both the
inflow and out flow are equally important in determining the storage.
The coefficient K is known as storage-time constant and has dimensions of time. K is
approximately equal to the time of travel of a flood wave through the channel reach.

As before, writing the continuity equation in finite difference form, we can write
S2 - S1 = {(I1+I2)Δt}/2 - {(O1+O2) Δt}/2 (4.11)
For a given channel reach by selecting a routing interval Δt and using the Muskingum
equation, the change in storage can be determined.
S1 = K(xI1 + (1-x) O1) (4.12)
S2 = K(xI2 + (1-x) O2) (4.13)
Substituting equations (4.12) and (4.13) in equation (4.11) and after rearrangements
gives:

(4.14)

Note that ΣC=1 and thus when C 1 and C2 have been found C3=1-C1-C2. Thus the outflow
at the end of a time step is the weighted sum of the starting inflow and outflow and the
ending inflow. It has been found that best results will be obtained when routing interval
should be so chosen that K>Δt>2kx. If Δt < 2kx, the coefficient C2 will be negative.

4.5.2 Application of the Muskingum Method:

In order to use equation (2.14) for O i+1, it is necessary to know K and x for calculating
the coefficients, C. Using recorded hydrographs of a flood at the beginning and end of
the river reach, trial values of x are taken, and for each trial the weighted flows in the
reach, [xI+(1-x)O], are plotted against the actual storages determined from the inflow
and out flow hydrographs as indicated in the following figure.

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Figure 4.7: Trial plots for Muskingum X values

When the looping plots of the weighted discharge against storages have been narrowed
down so that the values for the rising stage and the falling stage for a particular value of
x merge together to form the best approximation to a straight line, then that x value is
used, and the slope of the straight line gives the required value of K. for natural
channels, the best plot is often curved, making a straight line slope difficult to estimate.

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