27. Résumé of Method for Determination of Quantity of Dry weather Sewage.—The steps in the determination of the quantity of sewage are: determine the period in the future for which the sewers are to be designed; estimate the population and tributary area at the end of this period; estimate the rate of water consumption and assume the sewage flow to equal the water consumption; determine the maximum and minimum rates of sewage flow; and finally, estimate the maximum rate of ground water seepage and add it to the maximum rate of sewage flow to give the total quantity of sewage to be carried by the proposed sewers.

TABLE 12
Data on the Infiltration of Ground Water into Sewers
Abstracted from paper by J. N. Brooks in Transactions Am. Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 76, p. 1909.
PlaceShapeDiameter or Dimensions in InchesMaterialWet Trench, Per Cent of Total LengthAvg. Head of Ground Water, FeeCharacter of SubgradeGallons per 24 Hours
Per Foot of JointPer Inch Diameter Per Mile of PipePer Mile of Pipe
Boston, Mass.Circ.8 to 36V.P. 2.61,81840,000
East Orange, N. J. 10Q. 22,400
East Orange, N. J. 8 to 24V.P. 0.85408,650
Joint trunk sewer, New Jersey G. & Q. 25,000
Rogers Park, Ill. 6 0.32071,240
Altoona, Pa. 30 5.02,89086,592
Concord, Mass. 188 43,000
Malden, Mass.Circ. V.P.60 50,000
Westboro, Mass. 15V.P.100 88,1001,320,300
Fond du Lac, Wis.Circ.24V.P.1005C.1.51,01024,370
East Orange, N. J.Circ.10 to 24V.P.100 4.72,54043,250
Ocean Grove, N. J.Circ.4 to 12V.P.1003S.C.2.71,89015,126
Ocean Grove, N. J.Circ.4 to 12V.P.1004S.C.7.95,48043,764
East Orange, N. J.Rect.24 × 36Brick100 570,000
Westboro, Mass. Brick 415,850
Altoona, Pa.Rect.33 × 44B. & C. 5,390264,000
Columbus, Ohio.H.S.42 × 42Concrete 1206,340
Bronx Valley, N. Y.Circ.44 to 72Concrete G. 1237,266
Cincinnati, Ohio.Estimated in design. Data not from Brooks 67,500
Milwaukee, Wis.Residential districts, gals. per acre per day. Not taken from Brooks 1460 to 2200
Abbreviations: H.S. = horseshoe shaped; B. & C = Brick and concrete; V.P. = vitrified pipe; G. = gravel; Q. = quicksand; S. C. = sand clay; C. = clay.

Quantity of Storm Water

28. The Rational Method.—The water which falls during a storm must be removed rapidly in order to prevent the flooding of streets and basements, and other damages. The quantity of water to be cared for is dependent upon: the rate of rainfall, the character and slope of the surface, and the area to be drained. All methods for the determination of storm-water run-off, whether rational or empirical, depend upon these factors.

The so-called Rational Method can be expressed algebraically, as,

Q = AIR,

in which Q = rate of run-off in cubic feet per second; A = area to be drained expressed in acres; I = percentage imperviousness of the area; R = maximum average rate of rainfall over the entire drainage area, expressed in inches per hour, which may occur during the time of concentration.

The area to be drained is determined by a survey. A discussion of R and I follows in the next two sections. An example of the use of the Rational Method is given on page [95].

29. Rate of Rainfall.—Rainfall observations have been made over a long period of time by United States Weather Bureau observers and others. Continuous records are available in a few places in this country showing rainfall observations covering more than a century. Such records have been the bases for a number of empirical formulas for expressing the probable maximum rate of rainfall in inches per hour, having given the duration of the storm. Table 13 is a collection of these formulas with a statement as to the conditions under which each formula is applicable. The formula most suitable to the problem in hand should be selected for its solution.[[22]]

TABLE 13
Rainfall Formulas
Name of OriginatorConditions for which Formula is SuitableFormula
E. S. Dorr i = 150
t + 30
A. N. TalbotMaximum storms in Eastern United Statesi = 360
t + 30
A. N. TalbotOrdinary storms in Eastern United Statesi = 105
t + 15
Emil KuichlingHeavy rainfall near New York Cityi = 120
t + 20, etc.
L. J. Le ConteFor San Francisco. See T. A. S. C. E. v. 54, p. 198i = 7
t½
ShermanMaximum for Boston, Mass.i = 25.12
t.687
ShermanExtraordinary for Boston, Mass.i = 18
t ½
WebsterOrdinary for Philadelphia, Pa.i = 12
t0.6
HendrickOrdinary storms for Baltimore. Eng. & Cont., Aug. 9. 1911i = 105
t + 10
J. de Bruyn-KopsOrdinary storms for Savannah, Ga.i = 163
t + 27
C. D. HillFor Chicago, Ill.i = 120
t + 15
Metcalf and EddyLouisville, Ky. Am. Sew. Prac., Vol I.i = 14
t½
W. W. HornerSt. Louis, Mo. Eng. News, Sept. 29, 1910i = 56
(t + 5).85
R. A. BrackenbuyFor Spokane, Wash. Eng. Record, Aug. 10, 1912i = 23.92
t + 2.15 + 0.154
Metcalf and EddyNew Orleansi = 19
t½
Metcalf and EddyFor Denver, Colo.i = 84
t + 4
Kenneth AllenCentral Park, N. Y. 51–Year Record. Eng. News-Record, April 7, 1921, p. 588i = 400
2t + 40[[23]]