Calculation of watershed flow concentration based on the grid drop concept

The grid drop concept is introduced and used to develop a micromechanism-based methodology for calculating watershed flow concentration. The flow path and distance traveled by a grid drop to the outlet of the watershed are obtained using a digital elevation model (DEM). Regarding the slope as an uneven carpet through which the grid drop passes, a formula for overland flow velocity differing from Manning's formula for stream flow as well as Darcy's formula for pore flow is proposed. Compared with the commonly used unit hydrograph and isochronal methods, this new methodology has outstanding advantages in that it considers the influences of the slope velocity field and the heterogeneity of spatial distribution of rainfall on the flow concentration process, and includes only one parameter that needs to be calibrated. This method can also be effectively applied to the prediction of hydrologic processes in un-gauged basins.