CE 326
Hydrology
Watershed and
. .
Water Budget Equation
Engr. Jeferson M. Sabio
It is the area of land from which water flows towards a river and then
in that river to a lake, sea, or ocean. It is also known as a catchment
area, drainage area, drainage basin or river basin.
Watershed areas vary in size from a few
hectares in an urban area to millions of
square kilometers for a major river basin.
tributaries
Watershed divide
A tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem
(or parent) river or a lake. It does not flow directly into a sea or ocean..
tributaries
Watershed divide
A watershed is separated from its neighboring area by a
ridge called a divide.
Typical watershed area shapes. The difference in shape and land
classification affects the timing and peak flow of runoff to the outlet.
It can be seen that the elongated shape’s hydrograph is longer and has a
smaller peak flow than the concentrated shapes.
In both cases, however, the effect of development shows a decrease in
timing and an increase in peak flow.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1tWPz0l4Cu9021ny2h-
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A watershed may
have multiple
subcatchments or
subwatersheds
within it.
8 subwatersheds of CDO River Basin:
Bubunawan, Cagayan de Oro Rivers
A watershed may
Tumalaong, Samalawan Rivers
have multiple
Tagiti River
subcatchments or
Kalawaig, Tutoban, Minontay Rivers
subwatersheds
Batang, Banongcol, Baylanan, Sangaya, Sagayan Rivers
within it.
Tikalaan, Picalin Rivers
Pigcotin, Bulaong Rivers
Munigui River
Therefore, the watershed is the basic hydrologic unit
within which all measurements, calculations,
and predictions are made in hydrology.
It is a mathematical description of the hydrological processes
operating within a given timeframe and incorporates mass
and energy continuity principles.
There are numerous ways of representing the water balance
(budget) equation but below is its most fundamental form:
𝑃 ± 𝑅 ± 𝐺 ± 𝐸 ± 𝑇 = ∆𝑆
Where P = Precipitation
R = Runoff (surface)
G = Groundwater flow
E = Evaporation
T = Transpiration
∆𝑆 = Change in Storage in a
specified time period
A lake had a water surface elevation of 103.2 𝑃 ± 𝑅 ± 𝐺 ± 𝐸 ± 𝑇 = ∆𝑆
meters above the datum at the beginning of a
certain month. In that month, the lake received Where P = Precipitation
an average inflow of 6 m3/s from surface R = Runoff (surface)
runoff sources. In the same period, the outflow G = Groundwater flow
from the lake had an average value of 6.5 E = Evaporation
m3/s. Further, in that month, the lake received T = Transpiration
a rainfall of 145 mm and the evaporation from ∆𝑆 = Change in Storage in a
the lake surface was estimated as 6.10 cm. specified time period
Calculate the water surface elevation of the
lake at the end of the month. The average lake
surface area can be taken as 5000 hectares.
Assume that there is no contribution to or
from the groundwater storage.
Answer:
103.258 m
For a given month, a 3 km2 lake has 0.5 m3/s 𝑃 ± 𝑅 ± 𝐺 ± 𝐸 ± 𝑇 = ∆𝑆
of inflow, 0.3 m3/s of outflow, and a total
storage increase of 20,000 m3. A USGS gauge Where P = Precipitation
next to the lake recorded a total of 3.5 cm of R = Runoff (surface)
precipitation for the lake for the month. G = Groundwater flow
Assuming that infiltration loss is insignificant E = Evaporation
for the lake, determine the evaporation loss, in T = Transpiration
centimeters, over the lake for the month. ∆𝑆 = Change in Storage in a
specified time period
Seatwork
A lake has an area of 10 km2. During a specific 𝑃 ± 𝑅 ± 𝐺 ± 𝐸 ± 𝑇 = ∆𝑆
month, the lake evaporation was 90 mm.
During the same month, the inflow to the lake Where P = Precipitation
from a river was on average 1.2 m3/s and the R = Runoff (surface)
outflow from the lake via another river was on G = Groundwater flow
average 1.1 m3/s. Also, for the same month, a E = Evaporation
water level increase of 100 mm for the lake T = Transpiration
was observed. What was the precipitation in ∆𝑆 = Change in Storage in a
millimeters during that month? specified time period
Homework
