Chapter 3

SCS Method
 CONVERTING RAINFALL
TO RUNOFF

Runoff = Rainfall – Abstractions

Q=P-I
 Calculating Runoff
Abstractions From Precip
• Surface storage
• Infiltration
• Evapotranspiration
• Bank Storage
• Interception
 Surface Storage
• Accounts for what is stored on surface and
does not contribute to runoff
• Also have surface detention due to
roughness, but an outlet exists to get the
flow to the watershed exit.
• Detention contributes to travel time or time
lag, not to surface storage.
Surface Storage
Typical Values
 Infiltration
• Water that flows through the surface into
the soil matrix
• Very important component of the
hydrologic cycle
• Can be modeled with empirical or
theoretical relationships
• Most widely used is empirical methods
General Abstraction Model
NRCS Curve Number
Q  P Q  P Ia Q  P S

Q
(P  I a )2
Q
P  S Ia

Ia S
P
General Abstraction Model
NRCS Curve Number
(P  I a )2
Q
P  S Ia
1000
S  10; I a  0.2 S
CN
CN  fctn (soil type ,cover ,
antecedent moisture )
 CN = fctn(soil type, land
use, antecedent moisture)
 CN = fctn(soil type, land
use, antecedent moisture)

A soil can have

different CNs as a
result of:
• High Water Table
• Impervious Layers
 CN = fctn(soil type, land
use, antecedent moisture)
 CN = fctn(soil type, land
use, antecedent moisture)
2.5

2
CN (I or III)/CN(II)

1.5 CN(I)/CN(II)
CN(III)/CN(II)
CN (II)/CN(II)
1

0.5

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
CN(II)
 CN = fctn(soil type, land
use, antecedent moisture)
2.5

2 CN(I)/CN(II)
4.2 CN(II )
CN(I ) 
CN(III)/CN(II)
CN (II)/CN(II) ( 3.23 )
10  0.058 CN(II )
CN (I or III)/CN(II)

1.5

23 CN(II )
CN(III ) 
1
( 3.23 )
0.5
10  0.13 CN(II )

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
CN(II)
Unit Unit hydrographs and
hydrographs runoff hydrographs
definition

A unit hydrograph is the runoff

hydrograph from one inch of
rainfall excess falling at a constant
rate during a duration D distributed
uniformly over the watershed.
Unit Unit hydrographs and
hydrographs runoff hydrographs
terminology

D=Duration of Rainfall
Excess
tL= Lag Time
tp=Time to Peak
tp=Time Base
qp=Peak Discharge
V=Volume = 1 in.
Unit Unit hydrographs and
hydrographs
runoff hydrographs

Time

Rainfall Excess
V = 0.75 in

Unit hydrograph
qp
V = 1in
0.75 qp
Runoff hydrograph
V = 0.75in

Time
Runoff Unit
hydrographs and
hydrographs
runoff hydrographs

0.15
Time
0.2
0.35 Total Rainfall Excess
V = 0.7in

Runoff hydrograph
V = 0.7in
Unit hydrograph V = 1in

0.2*Unit hydrograph V = 0.2 in

0.35*Unit hydrograph V = 0.35in

0.15*Unit hydrograph V = 0.15 in

D D D D

Time
 Unit hydrographs and
Unit hydrograph
timing parameters
runoff hydrographs
n
Li
tc  
• Time of Concentration
– Most often used timing
( 3.47 )
parameter i 1 Vi
– Time for water to flow from
most hydraulically remote point Vi  aS 0.5
( 3.48 )
to watershed outlet.

Li = length of
flow path i

Vi = velocity
in flow path i
 Unit hydrographUnit hydrographs and
timing parameters
runoff hydrographs
• Lag Time
– Frequently used on
larger watersheds Lag
– Time from midpoint of Time
rainfall excess to peak
discharge of unit
hydrograph
– NRCS Equation
t L  0 .6 t c ( 3.52 )
L0.8 (S  1 )0.7
tL  0 .5
( 3.53 )
1900Y
S from CNII Y  land slope % 
TR55

Peak Discharge

• qp = qu AQFp
– qu unit peak discharge (Figure 3.40) csm/in
– A = area in square miles
– Q = runoff volume in inches
– F = Pond and swamp adjustment factor (Table
3.25)
• Not quite as simple as Rational
• Finding widespread use
 Example
• Go through the hydrology for the Edmonds
property
• Look at spreadsheets for SCS storm and
peak flow