Introduction to hydraulic and hydrologic engineering
1 What is hydraulics?
Hydraulics is the branch of engineering and applied science concerned with the behavior, control, and use of fluids—primarily water in this class——in motion and at rest, including the design and analysis of systems such as pipes, channels, pumps, and hydraulic structures.
2 What is hydrology?
Hydrology is the study of the distribution and movement of water both on and below the Earth’s surface, as well as the impact of human activity on water availability and conditions. National Geographic
3 Watershed
4 Flooded road at NMSU campus
5 Flooded area in Sunland Park, NM
6 Flooding in New Mexico
7 Breached section of a canal
8 Infrastructure design
Wait, what? I thought culverts are “hydraulic” structures...
9 Hydrology vs. hydraulics
Hydrology—The study or science of transforming rainfall amount into quantity of runoff.
Hydraulics—The study or science of the motion of liquids in relation to disciplines such as fluid mechanics and fluid dynamics.
hydrology converts rainfall to discharge
hydraulics converts discharge to pressure
Civil engineers typically go like this: Hydrology ⇒ Hydraulics ⇒ Design
10 Why are hydrology and hydraulics important?
Allows us to
- Estimate the quantity of water flowing on the surface
- Create flood inundation maps for emergency action plans
- Design detention/retention ponds and dams for flood control and groundwater recharge purposes
- Design roads with proper stormwater management practices