RUNOFF ESTIMATES 0.

0078 L
0.77
0.0195 L
0.77
t c= 0.385
(English) ct = 0.385
 Rational Method S S
CiA (SI)
Formula: Q=CiA (English¿ Q= (SI) where: tc = time of concentration (min)
3.6 L = length of channel/ditch from headwater to outlet (m, ft)
where: Q = design discharge or peak flow (cms, cfs) S = average channel slope (m/m, ft/ft)
C = runoff coefficient to reflect the ratio of rainfall to surface runoff See table for other formula.
i = design rainfall intensity (mm/h, in/h)
A = watershed drainage area (sq.km, acres)
For C, see table at the end (if not given)
a  Soil Conservation Service Method or SCS-CN Method (NRCS-CN Method)
For i, Type 1: i= short duration (10min – 1h)
( c +t )
b
( P−0.2 S ) 2
Formula: Pe = For P > 0.2S
a P+0.8 S
Type 2: i= long duration (1h – a day) where: Pe = direct surface runoff depth (mm, in)
( c +t )b P = total rainfall (mm, in)
where: i = design rainfall intensity (mm/h) S = potential maximum retention (mm, in)
t = rainfall duration (min) Ia = initial abstractions (mm, in) = 0.2S > P (no runoff)
a, b, c = constants derived from curve fittings
For time of concentration
100 1000
t c =t i +t f For S, S=254( −1) (SI) S= −1 0 (English)
where: ti = inlet time
CN CN
where: CN = curve number 100 - 0
tf = flow time
S = potential maximum retention (mm, in) 0 – infinity
For ti,
Factors affecting CN
t i=30 min A > 2 sq.km o Land Use

t i=30 √ 50 A min A < 2 sq.km o Hydrological Soil Group

 A – high infiltration rates, low runoff potential
For tf, using Kraven’s Formula  B – moderate infiltration rates, moderately low
runoff potential
 C – low infiltration rates, moderately high runoff
potential
For time of concentration using Kirpich Equation
 D – very low infiltration rates, high runoff potential
 o Antecedent Moisture Condition Pond and Swamp Adjustment Factor (if pond and swamp areas are
 AMC I – dry spread throughout the watershed and are not considered in tc computation,
 AMC II – usually used for annual flood estimates an adjustment is needed).
 AMC III – saturated

Conversion of AMC II
CN II For time of concentration tc, (summing all travel times)
AMC I, CN I =
2.281−0.01281 CN II T =T +T +T
c s sc o
where: tc = time of concentration (hours)
CN II
AMC III, CN = ts = travel time for sheet flow (hours)
III
0.427+0.0 0573 CN II tsc = travel time for shallow concentrated flow (hours)
to = travel time for open channel flow (hours)

 TR – 55 Method or Graphical Peak-Discharge Method L

Q p=qu A P e F p
For travel time tt, T t=
Formula: 3600 V
Where: Qp = peak discharge (cfs) where: Tt = travel time (hours)
qu = unit peak discharge (cfs/sq.mi/in) L = flow length (ft)
A = drainage area (sq.mi) V = average flow velocity (ft/s)
Pe = runoff (in) = (P-0.2S)/P+0.8S 3600 = conversion factor from seconds to hours
Fp = pond and swamp adjustment factor For travel time for sheet flow ts,
Input requirements: 0.8
tc - hours 0.007 ( nL )
Drainage area – sq. mi
T s= 0.5 0.4
24 – hour rainfall distribution ( P2 ) S
CN value where: Ts = travel time for sheet flow (hours)
n = Manning’s roughness coefficient
L = sheet flow length (ft)
 P2 = 2-year, 24-h rainfall (in) Conversion Factor
S = slope of land surface (ft/ft) 3 3
m ft
For travel time for shallow concentrated flow, max. of 300 ft of sheet flow
1 2
=232.3204 2
L s−k m −cm s−mi −¿
T sc =
3600 V
0.5
V =16.13 S Unpaved
0.5
V =20.33 S Paved
where: Tsc = travel time (hours)
V = average velocity (ft/s)
S = slope of watercourse slope (ft/ft)
For travel time for open channel flow,
L
T o=
3600 V
2 1
3 2
1.49 R S
V=
n
where: To = travel time (hours)
V = average velocity (ft/s)
R = hydraulic radius (ft)
S = slope of land surface (ft/ft)
n = manning’s roughness coefficient for OC flow
For unit peak discharge qu,
2
log q u=C o +C1 log T c +C 2 (log T c ) −2.366

( )
3
where: qu = unit peak discharge
m
2
s−k m −cm
Tc = time of concentration (hr) (minimum, 0.1h; maximum, 10h)
Co, C1, and C2 = coefficients from table f-1
Note if Ia/P < 0.1 use the coefficient of 0.1 if Ia/P > 0.5 use coefficient of 0.5