Travel Time Calculation

Travel Time Calculation
Dr. T. Brikowski, Geosciences Dept., UTD Spring 2007
Introduction o Introduction o Velocity Method o Graphical Velocity Method o Upland Velocity Method o Sheetflow Observations o Kinematic Wave Equation o Empirical Formulas o SCS Lag Formula o Kirpich Method
Runoff Curves o SCS Runoff Curve Numbers o Infiltration-Soil Groups o Textural Criteria for Hydrologic Soil Groups o Runoff Curve Number o Part II: Runoff Curve Number o Part III: Runoff Curve Number o Antecedent Moisture Condition o Antecedent Rainfall Limits o Composite CN Curves o Connected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN o Unconnected Impervious Areas o Unconnected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN
Bibliography About this document ...
Introduction
Flood hazard often depends on the time distribution of runoff, i.e. a given amount of precipitation can yield a large flood over urban areas, or a minimal flood over agricultural areas This time distribution is characterized by estimates of travel time, usually given as time of concentration Time of concentration is defined as the time required for water to travel from the farthest point of the watershed to its outlet Typically Manning Equation or ``Velocity Method'' are used to obtain , with different parameters for each flow regime (sheet flow, concentrated flow, channel and pipe flow, see summary table)
Velocity Method

Noting that velocity = , solve for time: Velocity is usually determined using the Manning Equation (1)
Note that the factor of ``1.49'' is for length measured in feet, use 1.0 for metric length. For multiple flow segments, add up the times:
Graphical Velocity Method
for convenience assume there is a relationship between roughness radius , then (1) can be simplified to
and hydraulic (3)
then
is a function of land cover (for sheet flow)
by fitting to observations, lines of velocity vs. slope can be plotted for various land covers, and used to graphically estimate velocity this is termed the ``Upland Method'' (Fig. 1), and is really just a simplification of the Manning Equation
Upland Velocity Method
Figure 1: Upland method, graphical velocity estimation (McCuen, 2004).
Sheetflow Observations
Figure 2: Raindrop impact erosion and sheetflow on bare soil (Dunne and Leopold, 1978). Note transition to channel flow at edge of field (foreground). Other examples include USGS Everglades Factsheet .
Kinematic Wave Equation
for sheet flow (Fig. 2) can often assume that hydraulic radius equals product of rainfall intensity and travel time, then substitute that into Manning Equation (1) and solve for travel time (in minutes), using length in feet: (4)
this equation is solved iteratively, since is needed only for the time of concentration note the equation assumes no local inflow (precip. is only water source), no ponding or backwater effects, no storage effects, and that discharge is only a function of depth. These assumptions are only true for sheet-flow in the most distal parts of a watershed. Generally it is better to use the Manning instead
Empirical Formulas
a variety of empirical formulas have been developed to predict for specific watershed types, most are specialized forms of Manning equation o FAA equation: developed from airfield drainage data, 1970 o Espey-Winslow equation, developed in 1974 predicting time to peak flow for overland+channel flow, Houston area was main data source o SCS lag formula (see next page), estimates time from center of mass of excess rainfall to the peak discharge. (the lag time, where ) Many other methods exist, e.g. McCuen (1998, sec. 3.6.5) in many wase these are obsolete with the advent of computers, but are important for comparison purposes to older results
SCS Lag Formula

used for small watersheds ( acres) where overland flow dominates built into the SCS TR-55 and TR-25 urban watershed models the formula is (where is watershed length in ft, slope , and is the SCS runoff curve number): (5)
Kirpich Method
One important empirical method (at least in WMS) is the Kirpich Method (Kirpich, 1940).
These are simply formulas that depend only on basin length and slope, and hence can be calculated directly from WMS-computed basin parameters: (6)
(7)
where is channel length in ft and is channel slope ( ) Equation (6) is for small watersheds in Pennsylvania. (7) was developed for watersheds from 1-112 acres, slope 3-10% in Tennessee. Computed is multiplied by 0.4 for overland flow path that are concrete or asphalt, and by 0.2 where the channel is concrete lined
Runoff Curves
Subsections

SCS Runoff Curve Numbers Infiltration-Soil Groups Textural Criteria for Hydrologic Soil Groups Runoff Curve Number Part II: Runoff Curve Number Part III: Runoff Curve Number Antecedent Moisture Condition Antecedent Rainfall Limits Composite CN Curves Connected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN Unconnected Impervious Areas Unconnected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN
SCS Runoff Curve Numbers

the Soil Conservation Service developed curve number ( ) as an index combining hydrologic soil group and land use factors (cover and condition) Soil Group (Figs. 3-4) best identified using SCS County soil conservation surveys o really represents typical infiltration rate o modern access usually via USGS STATSGO database, land-use data also included earlier applications used Curve Number tables (Figs. 5-7)
Infiltration-Soil Groups
Figure 3: Infiltration rate criteria for SCS Hydrologic Soil Groups (McCuen, 2004).
Textural Criteria for Hydrologic Soil Groups
Figure 4: Textural Criteria for SCS Hydrologic Soil Groups (McCuen, 2004).
Runoff Curve Number
Figure 5: Runoff curve numbers for typical land use types (McCuen, 2004).
Part III: Runoff Curve Number
Figure 7: Runoff curve numbers for typical land use types (cont.) (McCuen, 2004).
Part II: Runoff Curve Number
Figure 6: Runoff curve numbers for typical land use types (cont.) (McCuen, 2004).
GEOS 5313 Lecture Notes, Spring 2007 Dr. T. Brikowski, UTD. All rights reserved.
Antecedent Rainfall Limits
Figure 8: Seasonal rainfall limits (left) and CN adjustment (right) for antecedent moisture conditions (McCuen, 2004).
Composite CN Curves
in urban areas, percent imperviousness highly variable
a weighted approach is used for transitional values of imperviousness not shown in standard tables (Figs. 5-7) can be computed mathematically, where is the fraction of impervious area, and 98 is the curve number of completely impervious material: (8)
or use graphical method (Fig. 9)
Connected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN
Figure 9: Graphical computation of composite CN curves for all impervious surfaces connected to storm drain (SCS, 1986, Fig. 2-3).
Unconnected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN
Figure 10: Graphical computation of composite CN curves for impervious surfaces not connected to storm drain (SCS, 1986, Fig. 2-4). To use, enter right half of diagram with unconnected fraction of total
impervious area (total ) and the ratio of total unconnected impervious area to total impervious area. Then move left to the appropriate pervious CN and read down to find the composite CN.
Bibliography
T. Dunne and L. B. Leopold. Water in Environmental Planning. W. H. Freeman, New York, 1978. ISBN 0-7167-0079-4. Z. P. Kirpich. Time of concentration in small agricultural watersheds. Civil Engineering, 10 (6): 362-, 1940. R. H. McCuen. Hydrologic Analysis and Design. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 07458, 2nd edition, 1998. ISBN 0-13-1345958-9. URL http://www.prenhall.com. R. H. McCuen. Hydrologic Analysis and Design. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 07458, 3rd edition, 2004. ISBN 0-13-142424-6. URL http://www.prenhall.com. SCS.
Urban hydrology for small watersheds. Technical Release TR-55, Soil Conservation Service, Hydrology Unit, June 1986. URL http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/hydro/hydro-tools-models-tr55.html.

Travel Time Calculation

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Travel Time Calculation

Dr. T. Brikowski, Geosciences Dept., UTD Spring 2007

Bibliography About this document ...

Graphical Velocity Method

and hydraulic (3)

is a function of land cover (for sheet flow)

Upland Velocity Method

Figure 1: Upland method, graphical velocity estimation (McCuen, 2004).

Kinematic Wave Equation

SCS Lag Formula

SCS Runoff Curve Numbers

Textural Criteria for Hydrologic Soil Groups

Runoff Curve Number

Part III: Runoff Curve Number

Part II: Runoff Curve Number

Antecedent Rainfall Limits

in urban areas, percent imperviousness highly variable

or use graphical method (Fig. 9)

Connected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN

Unconnected Impervious Area Graphical Composite CN

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