CONFIDENTIAL

UNIVERSITI TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA

TEST 1
SEMESTER II
SESSION 2018/19

ANSWER SCHEME

COURSE NAME : HYDROLOGY

COURSE CODE : BFC 32002

PROGRAMME : BFF

EXAMINATION DATE : 27 MAC 2019

DURATION : 1 HOUR

INSTRUCTION : ANSWER QUESTIONS IN

PART A AND PART B

THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF FOUR (4) PRINTED PAGES

CONFIDENTIAL BFC 32002

PART A

Q1 (a) Discuss the importance of hydrological studies.

(2 marks)
Importance in managing water resources, water supply management and
managing floods/droughts, drainage & urban stormwater problems. [2]

(b) Describe the relationship between hydrologic cycle and water balance equation.
(7 marks)
A water balance equation can be used to describe the flow of water in and out of
a system. The water balance can be shown using the formula:
Precipitation (P) = streamflow (Q) + evapotranspiration (E) +/- changes in storage
(S), P = Q + E +/- S
The water balance affects how much water is stored in a system.

[7]
(c) An amount of 6 cm of water evaporates over a period of two days from a vertical
walled reservoir in a 250 hectare catchment area. The reservoir also receives storm
water at a flow rate of 6 m3/s during this period. Compute the volume of water
released in hectare-cm during the 2 days period assuming the water level in the
reservoir remains the same (1 ha = 10,000 m2).
(8 marks)
Depth of inflow:

𝑆
= I – O [1]
𝑡

Conversion unit
10,000 𝑚2
250 ha x = 2.5 × 106 𝑚2 [1]
1 ℎ𝑎
𝑚3 86400 𝑠
6 × ×2 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
𝑠 1 𝑑𝑎𝑦
I= = 0.41 m @ 41.47 cm [2]
2.5 × 10 𝑚2
6

Therefore
I - E- O = S
41.47  6  O  0
O = 35.47 cm [2]

In cm-ha: O = 35.47 cm x 250 ha = 8,868 ha-cm [2]

CONFIDENTIAL BFC 32002

PART B: CHOOSE ONE (1) QUESTION ONLY

Q2 (a) Briefly state the causes responsible for inconsistency in rainfall record.
(2 marks)
The inconsistency in rainfall record may result from changes in instrumentation,
changes in observation procedures or changes in gauge location or surrounding
conditions. [2]

(b) Explain two major categories of precipitation.

(4 marks)
Any two:
(1) Convective precipitation - It is brought about by heating of the air at the
interface with the ground. This heated air expands with a resultant reduction in
weight. During this period, increasing quantities of water vapor are taken up, the
warm moisture – laden air becomes unstable and pronounced vertical currents are
developed. Dynamic cooling takes place, causing condensation and precipitation.
Convective precipitation maybe produces in the form of light showers or storms
of extremely high intensity (thunderstorms). [2] or

(2) Orographic precipitation - Orographic precipitation results from the

mechanical lifting of moist horizontal air currents over natural barriers such as
mountain ranges. This type of precipitation is very common on the West Coast of
the United States where moisture laden air from the Pacific Ocean is intercepted
by coastal hills and mountains. [2] or

(3) Cyclonic precipitation - Cyclonic precipitation is associated with the

movement of air masses from high pressure regions to low pressure regions. These
pressure differences are created by the unequal heating of the earth’s surface. This
precipitation may be classified as frontal or non-frontal. Any barometric low
canproduce non-frontal precipitation as air is lifted through horizontal
convergence of the inflow into a low pressure area. Frontal precipitation results
from the lifting of warm air over cold air at the contact zone between air masses
having different characteristics. [2]

(c) In a catchment area (see Figure Q1(c)), four (4) rainfall stations are situated inside
the catchment and one catchment station is outside in its neighbourhood. Also
given are the precipitation recorded by the five stations in 2018. Sketch and
estimate the average annual precipitation using the Thiessen polygon method.
Consider each square as 1 sq km.
(10 marks)
CONFIDENTIAL BFC 32002

85 cm


125 cm 136 cm
 

92 cm

75 cm



Figure 1
[3]

Precipitation Area (km2) Area x precipitation

(cm) (km2.cm)
85 15 1,275
125 13 1,625
92 13 1,196
136 18 2,448
75 4 300
Total 64 6,844
[6]
Average precipitation =  Area x precipitation = 6,844 = 108.6 cm
 Area 64
[1]

(d) Figure Q1(d) shows the precipitation recorded at each rain gauge station. Estimate
the precipitation depth at Station X with coordinates (0,0) using quadrant method.
(8 marks)

Coordinate 2 1
Precipitation 2
X Y
10 3 9 90
4 18 25 949
9 6 4 52 0.019 0.590 5.310
4 11 -8 185 0.005 0.166 0.663
1 14 -26 872
2 -4 -22 500
8 -10 -7 149 0.007 0.206 1.647
2 -21 19 802 0.001 0.038 0.077
0.03 7.697
*coordinate mungkin berbeza bagi setiap student kerana ia anggaran..
Precipitation at Station X = 7.697 cm [8]
CONFIDENTIAL BFC 32002

Q3 (a) State four (4) factors which affect evaporation process.

(2 marks)
a. Sun Radiation
b. Wind
c. Humidity Relative
d. Temperature
e. Surface area
[0.5 x 4 = 2]
(b) Define infiltration and briefly describe TWO (2) factors which affect infiltration
process.
(4 marks)
Infiltration is that process, by which precipitation moves downwards through the
surface of the earth and replenishes soil moisture, recharges aquifers and
ultimately supports stream flows during dry periods. [1]

(a) Characterictics of Soil

The texture, structure, permeability, under drainage and type of soil such as sand,
silt, and clay, are the important characteristics under this category. A loose,
permeable, sandy soil will have a larger infiltration capacity than a tight clayey
soil.

(b) Soil Surface

At the soil surface, the impact of raindrops causes the fines in the soils to be
displaced and these in turn can clog the pore spaces in the upper layers. This is an
important factor affecting the infiltration capacity.

(c) Fluid Characteristics

Water infiltrating into the soil will have many impurities, both in solution and
suspension. The turbidity of water, especially the clay and colloid content is an
important factor as suspended particles block the fines pores in the soil and reduce
its infiltration capacity.
[1.5 x 2 = 3]
(c) Compute the evapotranspiration, 𝐸𝑇 in May at Lake X using the following data:
temperature at water surface = 25° C, temperature of air = 34° C, relative humidity
= 55% and wind velocity = 6 mph (144 mi/day). The latitude is 40° South, r is
given as 0.05 and 𝑛⁄𝐷 is found to be 0.88. Refer Table Q3(c)(i)-(ii) and Figure
Q3(c)(i)-(ii) for use in the Penman equation.
(10 marks)
The saturated vapour pressures (Figure 3(c)(i)) are found to be 23 and 40 mm
Hg, respectively.

Thus: ea = 40. [1]

For a relative humidity of 55%
ea = 40 x 0.55 = 22
Then,
E0 = 0.35 (es – ea) (1 + 0.0098 u2)
Eo = 0.35 (23– 22)[ 1 + (0.0098  144)]
Eo = 0.844 mm/day [2]
CONFIDENTIAL BFC 32002

The value of Δ is found using Figure 3(c)(ii) for the given latitude and month,
and R is obtained from Table 3(c)(ii). The value of B is obtained from Table
3(c)(i) for a temperature of 34oC.

The values found are Δ = 1.2, R = 6.4 and B = 17.916. [2]

Using equation:
H = R (1-r)(0.18 + 0.55 n/D) - B (0.56 – 0.092eo0.5)(0.10 + 0.9n/D) [1]

H = 6.4 (1- 0.05)[0.18 + (0.55 x 0.88)] – 17.916 [0.56 –(0.092 x

220.5 )][0.10 + (0.90 x 0.88)]

H = 1.98 mm/day [2]

Using equation;

H  0.27 E0
ET 
  0.27
ET = [(1.2 x 1.98)+(0.27 x 0.844)]/(1.2 + 0.27)

ET = 1.77 mm/day [2]

(d) A catchment area of 100 hectare produced a mass curve of the average rainfall
depth as shown Table Q3(d). If the Φ-index was found to be 6.80 mm/hr, quantify
the runoff volume of the catchment in cubic meter.
(8 marks)

Time (hour) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Accumulated rainfall, 0 6.5 17.2 50.9 81.5 93.7 100 100
Pacc (mm)
Rainfall Intensity, 0 6.5 10.7 33.7 30.6 12.2 6.3 0
i (mm/hr)
[4]
Since Φ-index = 6.80 mm/hr, then the rainfall intensity in the first and sixth
hour is ineffective, and has to be omitted.
Effective rainfall, P = 10.7 + 33.7 + 30.6 + 12.2 = 87.2 mm for 4 hours only
[1]
P - R 87.2  R
 
te 4 [1]

R  87.2  6.804  87.2  27.2

[1]
 60mm  0.06m
Surface Runoff, R = 0.06 m x 100 x 104 m2 = 60 x 103 m3 [1]