Chapter 14: Problem 24

Differentiate between a natural stream hydrograph and one from an urbanized area.

Short Answer

Expert verified

A natural stream hydrograph and an urbanized area hydrograph differ mainly in their response to rainfall events. A natural stream hydrograph shows slower increases and decreases in discharge due to natural processes like permeation and storage in vegetation and soil. An urban hydrograph, on the other hand, exhibits a rapid rise and fall of discharge due to runoff on impervious surfaces, resulting in higher peak flows and shorter lag times.

Step by step solution

Define key terms

A hydrograph is a graph that depicts the discharge (amount of water) in a stream or river over a specific time period. A natural stream hydrograph exhibits the variations in discharge as a result of natural phenomela such as rainfall and evaporation. An urbanized area hydrograph, on the other hand, shows the changes in discharge related to human activity in urban environments, in addition to natural phenomena.

Discuss characteristics of a natural stream hydrograph

In a natural stream hydrograph, the discharge increases slowly after a rain event due to the permeability of natural surfaces which slows down the process of water becoming run-off. The peak flow has a moderate level and the discharge decreases slowly as water is gradually released from storage areas like soil and vegetation. The hydrograph covers a broad area due to these features.

Discuss characteristics of an urbanized area hydrograph

An urbanized area hydrograph differs significantly. Due to impervious surfaces in urbanized areas like roads, buildings, and other structures, rainfall quickly turns into runoff. As a result, there's rapid rise to peak flow after a rain event. The peak flow is often significantly higher than in natural environments because a larger amount of water reaches the stream more quickly. However, the discharge also decreases rapidly due to the lack of natural storage areas.

Compare the two

Comparing the two hydrographs, we see that a hydrograph from an urbanized area typically has a shorter lag time, a higher peak flow and a more rapid return to base flow, resulting from the fast surface run-off on concrete and asphalt surfaces. The natural stream hydrograph, on the other hand, shows a longer lag time, a more moderate peak flow and a slower return to base flow due to natural features and processes.

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Differentiate between a natural stream hydrograph and one from an urbanized area.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Define key terms

Discuss characteristics of a natural stream hydrograph

Discuss characteristics of an urbanized area hydrograph

Compare the two

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