Engineering Hydrology

Faculty of Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering Dept.

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 Chapter Five √

Stream Flow
• Stream flow, or channel runoff: is the flow of water in streams,
rivers, and other channels, and is a major element of the water cycle.
• Streamflow data are usually derived from continuous or frequent
records of water level.
• Stream flow Importance: is one of the most important topics in
engineering hydrology because it directly relate to water supply, flood
control, reservoir design, navigation, irrigation, drainage, water quality,
and others.
• Stream flow measurement: Serves as the basis for many water
resources engineering designs.
• Need for Streamflow Measurements:
1. Flood forecasting & analysis
2. Design structures – culverts, bridges, storm water systems
3. Evaluate changes in land use on watersheds and/or changes in climatic
regimes.

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• Basic Definitions
• Water Stage
• Staff Gage: It is a simple device used to record the water level.
• River stage: is the elevation of the water surface at a specified station
above some arbitrary zero datum.
• Suspended-Weight Gages: Another type of manual gage is in which a
weight is lowered from a bridge or other overhead structure until it
reaches the water surface.

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• Determining Stream flow: The stream flow from a particular
watershed can be measured at a particular gauging station by
measuring the stage at the station and then converting the stage to
an associated discharge using a rating curve.
• Rating Curve or Stage-Discharge Relations : relationship
between stage and stream flow that allows the determination of
stream flow for a measured stage.

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 Stream Flow √
• Factors affecting Stream Flow (Runoff):
1. Storm Characteristics
 Type of storm and season.
 Intensity
 Duration
 Antecedent Precipitation
 Direction of storm movement

2. Meteorological Characteristics
 Temperature
 Humidity
 Wind Velocity

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 Stream Flow √
• Factors affecting Stream Flow (Runoff):
3. Basin Characteristics
 - Size - Shape
 - Slope - Altitude(elev. from sea level)
 - Topography - Land use (vegetation)
 - Geology (type of soil) - Type of drainage

4. Storage Characteristics
 - Depressions
 - Pools and Ponds
 - Upstream reservoirs

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• Rules Guiding Location of Gauges
1. Gauges should not be located in rivers with scouring
characteristics.
2. The locations should stir clear of river bends because the water
surface is inclined and there is turbulence making the stage
measurement inconsistent.
3. The upstream of a natural control eg. a rapid should be used, not
downstream.
4. A uniform channel helps good stage measurement. Irregular
cross sections should be avoided.

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 Stream Flow √
• Stream Flow Measurement, (Discharge Measurement):
• Stream flow measure techniques can be classified into two
categories as:
1. Direct determination of streamflow (Discharge).
A. Area – velocity method.
B. Dilution techniques.
C. Electromagnetic method.
D. Ultrasonic method.

2. Indirect determination of streamflow (Discharge).

A. Hydraulic structures such as: Weirs, Flumes and Gated
structures
B. Slope – area method. (Using Equation)
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 Stream Flow √
1. Direct determination of stream discharge:
A. Area – velocity method (using current meter):
 Mostly/frequently used
 River cross-section determined
 Velocity measured using, Float (for linear channel) & Current meter
 Vertical velocity measured at 0.2d and 0.8d if depth, d >0.6m. If
d<0.6m, velocity measured at 0.6dm.
 Q = [Velocity x Area]
 Need to know width of channel (b), Depth of channel (d), and Velocity
of flow (V) (ft/s or m/s)
 Area = b x d
 Because depth & velocity vary across a channel:
 Important to divide the channel into manageable segments (slices);
Typically use 10-20 segments
 For each segment measure depth, width and velocity
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 Stream Flow √
1. Direct determination of stream discharge:
A. Area – velocity method (using current meter):

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 Stream Flow √
• Measuring Streamflow (Discharge):
• Area – velocity method (using current meter):
• Procedure: at each segment measure depth then velocity
 If Depth < 0.6m, take one reading @ 60% depth or 0.6d
 If Depth > 0.6m take 2 measurements and compute the average
 One @ 20% depth or 0.2d
 One @80 % depth or 0.8d
 Take average the two readings

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• Mean Flow Velocity Estimation

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• Measuring Streamflow Discharge:
• Two method of measurement
• Mean section method

• Mid section method

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1. Direct determination of stream discharge.
A. Area – velocity method (using current meter).
• A current meter measures the velocity of flowing water. The principle
of operation is based on the proportionality between the velocity of the
water and the resulting angular velocity of the meter rotor.
• Current meters generally can be classified with respect to two main
types: those meters having vertical-axis (Pygmy Meters) rotors and
those having horizontal-axis (Propeller Meters) rotors.
• The number of rotations are measured and correlated to velocity using
the formula:
• V = a + bN
• where N is the rotation of the propeller (revs per sec)
• a and b are coefficients determined by calibration in an experimental
flume.

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• Types of current meter: Q = V x A
i. Price (Pygmy) Type AA meter:

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• Types of current meter: Q = V x A
i. Price (Pygmy) Type AA meter:

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• Types of current meter: Q = V x A
ii. Propeller Type meter:

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• Current Meter: Q = V x A

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• Stream Flow Measurement, (Discharge Measurement):
2. Indirect determination of streamflow (Discharge)
(Using Equation)
A. Hydraulic Structures:
• Use of structures like notches, weirs, flumes, and sluice gates
for flow measurement in hydraulic laboratories is well known.
B. Slope – area method:
1. Manning’s Equation
2. Chézy’s (Kutter’s) Equation
3. Hazen-Williams Equation
4. Darcy-Weisbach (Colebrook-White) Equation

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• Stream Flow Measurement, (Discharge Measurement):
A. Weir Formulas by Weir Hydraulic Structures Type
• ( Q in cfs and H , L in ft )

S.I. units Q = 1.84 L H3/2

S.I. units Q = 1.84(L – 0.2 H)(H3/2)

S.I. units Q = 1.84 L H3/2

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 Stream Flow √
• Stream Flow Measurement, (Discharge Measurement):
2. Indirect determination of streamflow (Discharge).
B. Slope – area method: Using Manning’s Equation-Metric Solve for
Flow:
Q=AV=(k/n)(A)(Rh)2/3S1/2
 Where:
k
Q
2/3
• Q=flow rate (m3/s) ARh S 1 / 2
• A=wetted cross-sectional area of flow (m2) n
• k = 1.00 for SI units, 1.49 for U.S. English units
• Rh=Hydraulic Radius=A/WP (m)
• WP=Wetted Perimeter (m)
• S=slope of channel bottom (m/m)
• n=friction coefficient (dimensionless) Manning friction factor
• Concrete 0.020
• Earth 0.022
• Streams 0.045
• Pipe 0.013
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• Values of Manning n
Lined Canals n
Cement plaster 0.011
Untreated gunite 0.016
Wood, planed 0.012
Wood, unplaned 0.013
Concrete, trowled 0.012
Concrete, wood forms, unfinished 0.015
Rubble in cement 0.020
Asphalt, smooth 0.013
Asphalt, rough 0.016
Natural Channels
Gravel beds, straight 0.025
Gravel beds plus large boulders 0.040
Earth, straight, with some grass 0.026
Earth, winding, no vegetation 0.030
Earth , winding with vegetation 0.050
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 Stream Flow √
• Trapezoidal Channel
• A=wetted cross-sectional area of flow (m2) A  yb  y z 2

• Rh=Hydraulic Radius=A/WP (m)

• WP=Wetted Perimeter (m) WP  b  2 y 1 z2

y A
1
Pw
z
b

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 Stream Flow √
• Example: Trapezoidal Channel:

y A
A  yb  y 2 z Pw
z
1

b
WP  b  2 y 1  z 2

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 Stream Flow √
• Compound Trapezoidal Channel
• Example: Find the following
1. A=wetted cross-sectional area of flow (ft2)
2. Rh=Hydraulic Radius=A/WP (ft)
3. WP=Wetted Perimeter (ft)

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 Stream Flow √
• Rectangular Channel
• A=wetted cross-sectional area of flow (m2)
• Rh=Hydraulic Radius=A/WP (m)
• WP=Wetted Perimeter (m)

Pw y A

A  yb

WP  b  2 y
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 Stream Flow √
• Circular Channel
• A=wetted cross-sectional area of flow (m2)
• Rh=Hydraulic Radius=A/WP (m)
A    sin D2
• WP=Wetted Perimeter (m) 1
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b 1
WP  D
2
q h r
D If y<r:
1 r  y 
y     2 sin  
  r 
Pw If y≥r:
1 y  r 
    2 sin  
 r 
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Stream Flow √

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Stream Flow √

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 Stream Flow √
• Example: Determine normal discharge for a 200 mm inside diameter
common clay drainage tile running half-full if the slope drops 1 m over
1000 m.

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 Stream Flow √
• Example: Find the following
1. A=wetted cross-sectional area of flow
2. Rh=Hydraulic Radius=A/WP
3. WP=Wetted Perimeter

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 Stream Flow √
• Example: A concrete trapezoidal channel has a bottom width of 4 m
and 45-degree side slopes. If the channel is on a 1-percent slope and is
flowing at a depth of 1 m throughout its length, how much flow is
being carried (use Manning’s equation)? How much flow would the
same channel carry if it were a rectangular channel 4 m wide?
Manning’s n of 0.013 for concrete.
• Solution

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 Stream Flow √
• Solution

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 Stream Flow √
• Example: A channel with the cross-section shown in the following
figure has a Manning’s coefficient and bed slope of 0.040 and 1% from
station 0 to station 3 and 0.054 and 1.4% from station 3 to station 8.
The flow through the channel is 13 m3/s, and the water surface is 1.7 m
high. Find the following:
1) Top width
2) Wetted perimeter (P)
3) Average velocity (V)

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Thank You

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