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Muskingum routing, x=0.28, k=38.4 hr

Short answer

Muskingum routing with K=38.4 h, x=0.28, Δt=6 h gives C₀=−0.2529, C₁=0.4487, C₂=0.8042 using O₂=C₀I₂+C₁I₁+C₂O₁. Starting from O=35 m³/s, outflow at 0,6,12,18,24,30 h is 35.00, 29.94, 25.49, 28.90, 41.10, 69.44 m³/s; peak not yet reached within given data.

The storage in the reach of a stream has been studied. The values of x and k in Muskingum equation have been identified as 0.28 and 38.4 hr. If the inflow hydrograph to reach is as given below, compute the outflow hydrograph. Assume the outflow from the reach at t = 0 is 35 m3^3/s.

Time (hr)0612182430
Inflow (m3^3/s)355592130160140

Method

Muskingum routing: O2=C0I2+C1I1+C2O1O_2 = C_0 I_2 + C_1 I_1 + C_2 O_1, where

C0=−Kx+0.5ΔtK−Kx+0.5Δt,C1=Kx+0.5ΔtK−Kx+0.5Δt,C2=K−Kx−0.5ΔtK−Kx+0.5ΔtC_0 = \frac{-Kx + 0.5\Delta t}{K - Kx + 0.5\Delta t},\quad C_1 = \frac{Kx + 0.5\Delta t}{K - Kx + 0.5\Delta t},\quad C_2 = \frac{K - Kx - 0.5\Delta t}{K - Kx + 0.5\Delta t}

Here K=38.4K = 38.4 h, x=0.28x = 0.28, Δt=6\Delta t = 6 h, so K−Kx+0.5Δt=30.648K - Kx + 0.5\Delta t = 30.648 h.

C0=−(38.4)(0.28)+330.648=−0.2529C1=(38.4)(0.28)+330.648=0.4487C2=27.648−330.648=0.8042\begin{aligned} C_0 &= \frac{-(38.4)(0.28) + 3}{30.648} = -0.2529\\ C_1 &= \frac{(38.4)(0.28) + 3}{30.648} = 0.4487\\ C_2 &= \frac{27.648 - 3}{30.648} = 0.8042\end{aligned}

Check: C0+C1+C2=1.0000C_0 + C_1 + C_2 = 1.0000.

C0C_0 is negative because Δt<2Kx\Delta t < 2Kx (6<21.56 < 21.5 h). This is acceptable in the computation, but it makes the outflow dip at the start of the rise, as the table shows.

Routing table

t (h)IC0·I2C1·I1C2·O1O (m³/s)
035.00---35.00
655.00-13.9115.7028.1529.94
1292.00-23.2724.6824.0825.49
18130.00-32.8841.2820.5028.90
24160.00-40.4758.3323.2441.10
30140.00-35.4171.7933.0669.44

Answer: the outflow hydrograph is 35.00, 29.94, 25.49, 28.90, 41.10 and 69.44 m³/s at t = 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 h. The outflow is still rising at 30 h (the given inflow record ends there), so the outflow peak is not reached within the data.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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