Definition of hydrology:

The study of water in all its forms (rain, snow and water on the earths surface), and from its origins to all its destinations on the earth is called hydrology.

Scope of Hydrology
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Water is one the most valuable natural resources essential for human and animal life, industry and agriculture. It is also used for Power generation, navigation and fisheries. Tremendous importance is given to the hydrology all over the world in the development and management of water resources for irrigation, water supply, flood control, water-logging and salinity control, Hydro power and navigation.

Engineering Hydrology

It uses hydrologic principles in the solution of engineering problems arising from human exploitation of water resources of the earth. The engineering hydrologist, or water resources engineer, is involved in the planning, analysis, design, construction and operation of projects for the control, utilization and management of water resources. Hydrologic calculations are estimates because mostly the empirical and approximate

Uses of Engineering Hydrology

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Hydrology is used to find out maximum probable flood at proposed sites e.g. Dams. The variation of water production from catchments can be calculated and described by hydrology. Engineering hydrology enables us to find out the relationship between a catchments surface water and groundwater resources

Uses of Engineering Hydrology

4. The expected flood flows over a spillway, at a highway Culvert, or in an urban storm drainage system can be known by this very subject. 5. It helps us to know the required reservoir capacity to assure adequate water for irrigation or municipal water supply in droughts condition. 6. It tells us what hydrologic hardware (e.g. rain gauges, stream gauges etc) and software (computer models) are needed for real-time flood forecasting

Origin of Hydrology

It was along the Indus in Pakistan, the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia, the Hwang Ho in China, and the Nile in Egypt that the first hydraulic engineers created canals, levees, dams, subsurface water conduits, and wells as early as 5000-6000 years ago. Advances in the 18th century included the Bernoulli piezometer and Bernoulli's equation, by Daniel Bernoulli, the Pitot tube.

The 19th century saw development in groundwater hydrology, including Darcy's law, the Dupuit-Thiem well formula, and Hagen-Poiseuille's capillary flow equation. Jacqui (1987) traced the history of hydrology to ancient China and postulated three stages of the development of the study of hydrology. 1. Stage of geographical hydrology 2. Stage of engineering hydrology 3. Stage of social development

Stages in the History and origin of Hydrology

1. Stage of geographical hydrology Establishment of hydrological cycle and concept of water balance 2. Stage of engineering hydrology Design of control structures and quantitative analysis of hydrological phenomena.

Stages in the History and origin of Hydrology

3. Stage of social development It is the stage in which the water demand is more and large scale of use of water resources is occurring. Coupled with the development of new techniques brought about a new stage of water resources involving resource analysis and management.

Development of hydrology according to history

In Egypt, the Nile floods formed basis for a large scale successful agricultural system. Irrigation's history can be traced back as up to 5000 years, the proof of which is the remains of the world's oldest dam built between 2950 and 2750 B.C found near Cairo. (Biswar 1970). In nearly 3000 B.C gauges were installed to measure flow of Nile. The next stage is when Aristotle (384-322 B.C) explained mechanism of precipitation.

Development of hydrology according to history

Then da Vinci (1452-1519) gave the better understanding of flow in open channels. Palissy (1510-1590) stated that rainfall was the only source of water of spring and rivers Da Vinci and Palissy gave the concept of water cycle in the 15th century. Modern science of hydrology began with studies of Perrault, Marriot and Hally in the 17th century. Perrault presented the concept of rainfall

Development of hydrology according to history

Holly measured evaporation of Mediterranean Sea. 16th century brought numerous advances in hydraulic theory and instrumentation. Piezometer, Pitot tube, Bernoulli's theory and Chezy formulae are some example examples. In 19th century significant advances were made in ground water hydrology and in measurement of surface water. Capillary flow equation Darcy's Law and Depiut theorem evolved during this etc.