Methods are used to measure the

average precipitation over an area:

• 1. Arithmetic Mean Method
• 2. Thiessen polygon method
• 3. Isohyetal method
 Arithmetic Average Method
• The simplest method of computing the average rainfall over a basin.
• the result is obtained by the division of the sum of rain depths
recorded at different rain gauge stations of the basin by the number of
the stations.
• Adaptability : rain gauges are uniformly distributed over the area and
the rainfall varies in a very regular manner.
• This method can be used for the storm rainfall, monthly or annual
rainfall average computations.
Computation of average precipitation over a basin using Arithmetic
mean method

Average precipitation
Station No. Precipitation in [mm]
[mm]
1 15
2 19
3 20 P = 120.6/6
4 16.6
5 22 = 30.1 mm
6 28
Total [mm] 120.6
 Thiessen Polygon Method

•  The basic concept is to divide the watershed into several

polygons, each one around a measurement point, and then
take a weighted average of the measurements based on the
size of each one’s polygon, measurements within large
polygons are given more weight than measurements within
small polygons.
Assume Catchment having Some Rain gauge.
Draw lines joining adjacent gages
Draw perpendicular bisectors to the lines
• Extend the lines created in both directions to form
representative areas for gages and compute representative
area for each gage
Compute the areal average using
Rain Gauge the following:
Rain Fall (P) Area
Station
1 10 mm 12 km2
2 20 mm 15 km2
3 30 mm 20 km2

 
 Isohyetal method

•  The isohyetal method is used to estimate the mean precipitation

across an area by drawing lines of equal precipitation.
• Isohyets are contours of equal precipitation analogous to contour lines
on a topographic map.
• Formula is same as Theissen polygon but area is taken between two
isohyetal lines across the watershed.
 Keywords
Average Precipitation
Arithmetic Mean Method
Thiessen polygon method
Polygon
Isohyetal method
Isohyetal lines.