NOTE

This workbook and software are provided for free as part of the e-book:
1D SEDIMENT TRANSPORT MORPHODYNAMICS with applications to RIVERS
by Gary Parker.
Neither I nor any university in which I am in the employ accepts
responsibility or liability for its use by third parties.

he e-book:
lications to RIVERS AND TURBIDITY CURRENTS,

Backwater Curve Calculator: Case of Constant Cz

For a given reach of river, specify
S
0.00025
bed slope
Cz
22
Chezy Friction Coefficient
2
qw
5.7 m /s water discharge/width
Parameters at Normal Flow
Hn
3.014 m
Un
1.891 m/s
Frn
0.348
2
tbn
7.391 Newtons/m
Parameters at Critical Flow
Hc
1.4906 m
Uc
3.82397 m/s
Calculations with Predictor-Corrector Scheme
x1
H1
Dx
Cf
distance
x
0.00
-1000.00
-2000.00
-3000.00
-4000.00
-5000.00
-6000.00
-7000.00
-8000.00
-9000.00

depth
m
H
30
29.75023
29.50046
29.25069
29.00094
28.75119
28.50144
28.25171
28.00198
27.75226

0.00 m
30.00 m
1000.00 m
0.00207

dH/dxpred Hpred
dH/dxcorr
0.00025
29.7502228 0.00025
0.00025 29.50045409 0.00025
0.00025 29.25069133 0.00025
0.00025 29.00093472 0.00025
0.00025 28.75118448 0.00025
0.00025 28.50144084 0.00025
0.00025 28.25170402 0.00025
0.00025 28.00197428 0.00025
0.00025 27.75225186 0.00025
0.00025 27.50253704 0.00025

starting point
starting depth
step length
friction coefficient

er
1.634856
1.632072
1.629246
1.626376
1.623461
1.6205
1.617493
1.614438
1.611333
1.608179

velocity
bed shear stress
m/s
N/m^2
t
U
b
0.19 0.074586777
0.191595 0.075844453
0.193217 0.077134179
0.194867 0.078457053
0.196545 0.079814218
0.198253
0.08120687
0.19999 0.082636253
0.201758
0.08410367
0.203557
0.08561048
0.205389 0.087158104

-10000.00
-11000.00
-12000.00
-13000.00
-14000.00
-15000.00
-16000.00
-17000.00
-18000.00
-19000.00
-20000.00
-21000.00
-22000.00
-23000.00
-24000.00
-25000.00
-26000.00
-27000.00
-28000.00
-29000.00
-30000.00
-31000.00
-32000.00
-33000.00
-34000.00
-35000.00
-36000.00
-37000.00
-38000.00
-39000.00
-40000.00
-41000.00
-42000.00
-43000.00
-44000.00
-45000.00
-46000.00
-47000.00
-48000.00
-49000.00
-50000.00
-51000.00
-52000.00
-53000.00
-54000.00
-55000.00
-56000.00
-57000.00
-58000.00
-59000.00
-60000.00
-61000.00

27.50254
27.25283
27.00314
26.75345
26.50376
26.25409
26.00443
25.75478
25.50513
25.2555
25.00588
24.75627
24.50667
24.25709
24.00752
23.75796
23.50841
23.25889
23.00937
22.75987
22.51039
22.26093
22.01148
21.76206
21.51265
21.26327
21.0139
20.76456
20.51525
20.26596
20.0167
19.76746
19.51825
19.26908
19.01994
18.77083
18.52176
18.27272
18.02373
17.77478
17.52588
17.27702
17.02821
16.77946
16.53076
16.28213
16.03355
15.78505
15.53662
15.28826
15.03999
14.7918

0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248

27.2528301
27.00313132
26.75344101
26.50375949
26.25408711
26.0044242
25.75477114
25.50512832
25.25549615
25.00587504
24.75626545
24.50666785
24.25708273
24.00751061
23.75795205
23.50840762
23.25887794
23.00936363
22.75986538
22.51038391
22.26091996
22.01147434
21.7620479
21.51264151
21.26325613
21.01389276
20.76455246
20.51523636
20.26594565
20.0166816
19.76744557
19.51823898
19.26906337
19.01992037
18.77081172
18.52173927
18.272705
18.02371103
17.77475963
17.52585323
17.27699443
17.02818602
16.77943101
16.53073262
16.28209432
16.03351986
15.78501327
15.5365789
15.28822148
15.03994609
14.79175827
14.54366401

0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.00025
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000249
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248

1.604972
1.601713
1.5984
1.595031
1.591606
1.588122
1.584578
1.580973
1.577305
1.573573
1.569774
1.565907
1.56197
1.557961
1.553878
1.549719
1.545483
1.541166
1.536766
1.532282
1.52771
1.523049
1.518295
1.513445
1.508498
1.503449
1.498295
1.493034
1.487663
1.482176
1.476572
1.470845
1.464993
1.45901
1.452893
1.446637
1.440237
1.433688
1.426985
1.420123
1.413096
1.405898
1.398522
1.390963
1.383213
1.375266
1.367113
1.358746
1.350159
1.34134
1.332283
1.322975

0.207254
0.209153
0.211087
0.213057
0.215064
0.217109
0.219193
0.221318
0.223484
0.225693
0.227946
0.230245
0.23259
0.234983
0.237426
0.23992
0.242466
0.245068
0.247725
0.250441
0.253216
0.256054
0.258956
0.261924
0.26496
0.268068
0.271249
0.274506
0.277842
0.28126
0.284762
0.288353
0.292034
0.295811
0.299686
0.303663
0.307746
0.31194
0.31625
0.320679
0.325233
0.329918
0.334739
0.339701
0.344812
0.350077
0.355504
0.361101
0.366875
0.372835
0.37899
0.385349

0.088748028
0.090381804
0.092061057
0.09378749
0.095562882
0.0973891
0.099268099
0.101201929
0.10319274
0.10524279
0.107354447
0.1095302
0.111772664
0.114084589
0.116468867
0.118928542
0.121466819
0.124087076
0.126792872
0.129587962
0.132476308
0.135462094
0.13854974
0.141743918
0.145049573
0.148471935
0.152016546
0.155689278
0.159496359
0.1634444
0.167540418
0.171791873
0.176206699
0.180793338
0.185560783
0.190518619
0.195677073
0.201047062
0.20664025
0.212469114
0.218547006
0.224888232
0.231508133
0.238423174
0.245651043
0.253210763
0.261122813
0.269409259
0.278093906
0.287202461
0.296762717
0.306804754

-62000.00
-63000.00
-64000.00
-65000.00
-66000.00
-67000.00
-68000.00
-69000.00
-70000.00
-71000.00
-72000.00
-73000.00
-74000.00
-75000.00
-76000.00
-77000.00
-78000.00
-79000.00
-80000.00
-81000.00
-82000.00
-83000.00
-84000.00
-85000.00
-86000.00
-87000.00
-88000.00
-89000.00
-90000.00
-91000.00
-92000.00
-93000.00
-94000.00
-95000.00
-96000.00
-97000.00
-98000.00
-99000.00
-100000.00
-101000.00
-102000.00
-103000.00
-104000.00
-105000.00
-106000.00
-107000.00
-108000.00
-109000.00
-110000.00
-111000.00
-112000.00
-113000.00

14.54371
14.29572
14.04784
13.80007
13.55243
13.30491
13.05755
12.81033
12.56328
12.31642
12.06974
11.82328
11.57704
11.33106
11.08534
10.83992
10.59483
10.35008
10.10573
9.861799
9.618338
9.375395
9.133024
8.891289
8.650258
8.410013
8.170646
7.93226
7.694976
7.458932
7.224287
6.991225
6.759957
6.530731
6.303832
6.079592
5.858396
5.640694
5.427003
5.217923
5.01414
4.816438
4.625693
4.442877
4.269034
4.105254
3.95262
3.812139
3.684654
3.570748
3.470663
3.384235

0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000246
0.000246
0.000246
0.000246
0.000245
0.000245
0.000245
0.000244
0.000244
0.000243
0.000243
0.000242
0.000241
0.000241
0.00024
0.000239
0.000238
0.000237
0.000235
0.000234
0.000232
0.00023
0.000228
0.000226
0.000223
0.00022
0.000216
0.000212
0.000207
0.000201
0.000195
0.000187
0.000179
0.000169
0.000159
0.000147
0.000135
0.000121
0.000108
9.37E-05
8.03E-05

14.29566983
14.04778282
13.8000107
13.55236189
13.3048456
13.0574719
12.81025183
12.56319751
12.31632226
12.06964074
11.82316916
11.57692539
11.33092925
11.08520271
10.83977022
10.59465899
10.34989941
10.10552545
9.861575222
9.618091551
9.375122664
9.132723014
8.890954231
8.649886243
8.40959859
8.170181977
7.931740107
7.694391841
7.458273753
7.223543152
6.990381643
6.758999316
6.529639666
6.302585317
6.078164631
5.856759225
5.638812355
5.424837973
5.215430037
5.011271317
4.813140397
4.621914878
4.438567923
4.264154316
4.099781594
3.946561917
3.805542203
3.677614331
3.563414159
3.463226231
3.376916794
3.303916399

0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000248
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000247
0.000246
0.000246
0.000246
0.000246
0.000245
0.000245
0.000245
0.000244
0.000244
0.000243
0.000243
0.000242
0.000241
0.000241
0.00024
0.000239
0.000238
0.000237
0.000235
0.000234
0.000232
0.00023
0.000228
0.000226
0.000223
0.00022
0.000216
0.000212
0.000207
0.000201
0.000194
0.000187
0.000179
0.000169
0.000158
0.000147
0.000134
0.00012
0.000107
9.26E-05
7.91E-05
6.64E-05

1.313409
1.303572
1.293454
1.283042
1.272324
1.261288
1.249917
1.238199
1.226117
1.213655
1.200795
1.187519
1.173807
1.15964
1.144994
1.129848
1.114176
1.097953
1.081152
1.063744
1.045699
1.026986
1.007571
0.987419
0.966494
0.944759
0.922175
0.898702
0.874299
0.848927
0.822545
0.795116
0.766606
0.736984
0.706227
0.674323
0.641271
0.607092
0.571828
0.535553
0.498379
0.460465
0.422025
0.383337
0.344746
0.306665
0.269563
0.23395
0.200337
0.169205
0.140947
0.115833

0.391922
0.398721
0.405756
0.413041
0.420589
0.428413
0.436529
0.444953
0.453703
0.462797
0.472255
0.4821
0.492354
0.503042
0.514192
0.525834
0.537998
0.55072
0.564037
0.577988
0.592618
0.607974
0.624109
0.641077
0.65894
0.677763
0.697619
0.718585
0.740743
0.764184
0.789005
0.815308
0.843201
0.872797
0.904212
0.937563
0.972962
1.010514
1.050303
1.092389
1.136785
1.183447
1.232248
1.282952
1.335197
1.388465
1.442081
1.495224
1.546957
1.596304
1.642338
1.68428

0.31736117
0.328467328
0.340161645
0.3524859
0.365485594
0.379210342
0.393714323
0.409056775
0.425302566
0.442522824
0.460795665
0.480206999
0.500851458
0.52283344
0.546268302
0.571283706
0.598021162
0.626637783
0.657308279
0.690227243
0.725611742
0.763704289
0.804776208
0.849131474
0.897111054
0.94909781
1.005522009
1.066867443
1.133678171
1.206565807
1.286217225
1.373402386
1.468981828
1.573913044
1.689254559
1.816165903
1.955900864
2.109790295
2.279209431
2.465523091
2.670000783
2.893692992
3.137261085
3.400758003
3.683367494
3.983127882
4.296691984
4.619201727
4.944370477
5.264848113
5.57287858
5.861156242

-114000.00
-115000.00
-116000.00
-117000.00
-118000.00
-119000.00
-120000.00
-121000.00
-122000.00
-123000.00

3.310896
3.249713
3.199477
3.158822
3.126335
3.100657
3.080542
3.064902
3.052815
3.043516

6.76E-05
5.6E-05
4.57E-05
3.68E-05
2.92E-05
2.3E-05
1.8E-05
1.39E-05
1.07E-05
8.25E-06

3.243262588
3.193695779
3.15378567
3.122059147
3.09710577
3.077648818
3.062581648
3.050976458
3.042074865
3.035268745

5.47E-05
4.45E-05
3.56E-05
2.82E-05
2.21E-05
1.72E-05
1.33E-05
1.02E-05
7.86E-06
6.01E-06

0.093985
0.075366
0.059805
0.047026
0.036692
0.028447
0.02194
0.01685
0.012899
0.009848

1.721588
1.754001
1.781541
1.80447
1.823221
1.83832
1.850324
1.859766
1.867129
1.872834

6.123689203
6.356445209
6.557620496
6.727505022
6.868046129
6.982276062
7.073756082
7.146132312
7.202835826
7.246915604

onstant Cz

Coefficient

Input cell
Output Cell

Plots of results given on succeeding worksheets

bed elev
m
h
0
0.25
0.5
0.75
1
1.25
1.5
1.75
2
2.25

water surf elev

m
x
30
30.00023
30.00046
30.00069
30.00094
30.00119
30.00144
30.00171
30.00198
30.00226

2.5
2.75
3
3.25
3.5
3.75
4
4.25
4.5
4.75
5
5.25
5.5
5.75
6
6.25
6.5
6.75
7
7.25
7.5
7.75
8
8.25
8.5
8.75
9
9.25
9.5
9.75
10
10.25
10.5
10.75
11
11.25
11.5
11.75
12
12.25
12.5
12.75
13
13.25
13.5
13.75
14
14.25
14.5
14.75
15
15.25

30.00254
30.00283
30.00314
30.00345
30.00376
30.00409
30.00443
30.00478
30.00513
30.0055
30.00588
30.00627
30.00667
30.00709
30.00752
30.00796
30.00841
30.00889
30.00937
30.00987
30.01039
30.01093
30.01148
30.01206
30.01265
30.01327
30.0139
30.01456
30.01525
30.01596
30.0167
30.01746
30.01825
30.01908
30.01994
30.02083
30.02176
30.02272
30.02373
30.02478
30.02588
30.02702
30.02821
30.02946
30.03076
30.03213
30.03355
30.03505
30.03662
30.03826
30.03999
30.0418

15.5
15.75
16
16.25
16.5
16.75
17
17.25
17.5
17.75
18
18.25
18.5
18.75
19
19.25
19.5
19.75
20
20.25
20.5
20.75
21
21.25
21.5
21.75
22
22.25
22.5
22.75
23
23.25
23.5
23.75
24
24.25
24.5
24.75
25
25.25
25.5
25.75
26
26.25
26.5
26.75
27
27.25
27.5
27.75
28
28.25

30.04371
30.04572
30.04784
30.05007
30.05243
30.05491
30.05755
30.06033
30.06328
30.06642
30.06974
30.07328
30.07704
30.08106
30.08534
30.08992
30.09483
30.10008
30.10573
30.1118
30.11834
30.12539
30.13302
30.14129
30.15026
30.16001
30.17065
30.18226
30.19498
30.20893
30.22429
30.24122
30.25996
30.28073
30.30383
30.32959
30.3584
30.39069
30.427
30.46792
30.51414
30.56644
30.62569
30.69288
30.76903
30.85525
30.95262
31.06214
31.18465
31.32075
31.47066
31.63424

28.5
28.75
29
29.25
29.5
29.75
30
30.25
30.5
30.75

31.8109
31.99971
32.19948
32.40882
32.62634
32.85066
33.08054
33.3149
33.55281
33.79352

35

H (m), tb (N/m2), U (m/s)

30

25

20

H
U
tb

15

10

0
-140000

-120000

-100000

-80000

-60000

x, m

-40000

-20000

bed (h) and water surface (x)

elevations m

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5

0
-140000

-120000

-100000

-80000

-60000

xm

-40000

-20000

Formulation for mild backwater curves:

Integrate upstream if starting depth is greater than critical depth.

dH S - S f
=
= F(H)
dx 1 - Fr 2

q2w
S - Cf
gH3
F(H) =
q2
1 - w3
gH

H( x 1 ) = H1

Here H1 is the starting depth and S, qw and Cf, all taken to be constant here, are the bed
slope, water discharge per unit width and friction coefficient, respectively.
Grid:

xn+1 = xn - Dx

Note as n increases we march upstream

Finite-difference approximation:

H - H n +1
dH
@ n
dx
dx
Euler scheme

Hn+1 = Hn - F(Hn )Dx

Predictor-corrector scheme

Hpred = Hn - F(Hn )Dx

Hn+1 = Hn - 0.5[F(Hn ) + F(Hpred )] Dx