The Shape of a Hydrograph Essay Example for Free

The Shape of a Hydrograph EssayThe variant of the hydrograph varies according to a number of despotic factors in the drainage handbasin A number of factors (known as drainage basin controls) influence the expressive style in which a river responds to precipitation and have an effect on the consideration of the hydrograph. The size, manufacture and relief of the basin are important controls. Water takes longer to reach the trunk stream in a large, fat basin than in does in a small, narrow one Where gradients are steep, water runs hit faster, reaches the river more than quickly and causes a steep rising limb. Prolonged heavy rain causes more overland decrease than light drizzly rain. Different river catchments produce different shapes of hydrograph. A flashy hydrograph has a short immure time, high peak discharge, and steep rising and falling limbs a damped hydrograph is the opposite. Urban development is likely to go for a river catchment more flashy and prone to floo ding, because of rapid runoff from impermeable tarmac surfaces into streams. Hello MAtthew The shape of a hydrograph changes according to a number of controlling factors in the drainage basin.An example is if on that point is a steeper gradient on the surface at which the water is running of it means that the water runs off faster and eaches the river quicker and causes a steep rise on the graph like on the Hydrograph of River Secton there is lots of discharge, compared to the River Dorth hydrograph at which the slope on the graph is shallower meaning that the surface is gentler. Also areas of permeable rocks and res publica allow more infiltration to and so there is less surface runoff which means that the shape of the graph may change. The climate may change the shape of the graph as there is more likely to be more rainfall in winter than in the summer so the shape will be slightly different