Ing. Melisabel Muñoz, Ph.D.
Hydrology
1.2
Hydrology The Hydrologic Cycle
Hydrologic principles Basic components
Español Inglés
Precipitación P Precipitation
Evaporación E Evaporation
Transpiración T Transpiration
Infiltración F Infiltration
Escorrentía
R Runoff
Superficial
Flujo Groundwater
G
Subterráneo Flow
Almacenamiento S Storage
Departamento de Hidráulica,
Sanitaria y Ciencias del Ambiente Course Code 8026
Facultad de Ingeniería Civil Melisabel Muñoz U.
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Hydrologic Systems
A hydrologic system is a structure or volume in space,
surrounded by a boundary, that accepts water and
What is a whatershed? other inputs, operate in them internally, and produces
them as outputs.
Concepto de una cuenca
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
Atmospheric Surface Subsurface
A working medium enters the system as input, The subsystems are Precipitation Overland flow Infiltration
interacts with the structure and other media, and interconnected in a Evaporation Surface runoff Groundwater recharge
leaves as output. complex fashion. Interception Runoff to streams Subsurface flow
Transpiration Runoff to oceans Groundwater flow
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Semester I - 2024 1
Ing. Melisabel Muñoz, Ph.D. Hydrology
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
The input is rainfall distributed in time and space over The boundary is defined by the watershed divide and
a watershed, and the output is streamflow at the extends vertically upward and downwards to horizontal
watershed outlet. planes.
Activity:
Watershed divide
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
The boundary is defined by the watershed divide and The boundary is defined by the watershed divide and
extends vertically upward and downwards to horizontal extends vertically upward and downwards to horizontal
planes. planes.
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Ing. Melisabel Muñoz, Ph.D. Hydrology
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
If a permeable soil covers an impermeable substrate,
Surface vs Groundwater the topographical division of watershed will not always
correspond to the line that is effectively delimiting the
groundwater.
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
Watershed boundaries and
Main
aquifers boundaries not Tributary
stream
always match. Drainage basins,
catchments and Catchment
basin or
watersheds are three subsystems
synonymous terms that
refer to the topographic Watershed
area that collects and area
discharges surface Catchment
streamflow through one basin or
outlet or mouth. subsystems
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
A watershed is a water-receiving area that drains into
a stream Drainage basins,
All of the precipitation that falls into a watershed catchments and
flows into that watershed’s stream watersheds are three
synonymous terms that
refer to the topographic
are that collects and
discharges surface
streamflow through one
outlet or mouth.
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Ing. Melisabel Muñoz, Ph.D. Hydrology
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Hydrologic Systems Hydrologic Systems
Hierarchy of watershed Hierarchy of watershed
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Physical aspects of a Watershed
Physical aspects of a Watershed
Características físicas de una Cuenca
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Physical aspects of a Watershed Physical aspects of a watershed
• Classification of a watershed
• By size
• By land use
• Watershed characteristics
• Examples
• How to quantify them
• Channel characteristics
• Examples
• How to quantify them Activity:
Channel order
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Ing. Melisabel Muñoz, Ph.D. Hydrology
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Physical aspects of a watershed Physical aspects of a watershed
It probably comes as no surprise
that when rain falls in a uniform
manner over a larger basin and a
smaller basin, the larger basin
produces more runoff volume. All
things being equal, a drainage
area that is twice as large can
generate twice as much runoff
volume as its smaller counterpart.
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Physical aspects of a watershed Physical aspects of a watershed
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Physical aspects of a watershed Physical aspects of a watershed
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Ing. Melisabel Muñoz, Ph.D. Hydrology
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Physical aspects of a watershed Physical aspects of a watershed
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