http://www.fsl.orst.edu/geowater/FX3/help/8_Hydraulic_Reference/Flow_Profiles.

htm
Normal depth is the depth of flow that would occur if the flow was uniform and steady, and is usually
predicted using the Manning's Equation. 

Critical depth is defined as the depth of flow where energy is at a minimum for a particular discharge.

The profile is further classified according to the relative position of the actual flow depth to normal and
critical depth as designated by the numbers 1, 2, and 3.

 Type 1 curve: Actual depth is greater than yc and yn, flow is subcritical
 Type 2 curve: actual depth is between yc and yn, flow can be either subcritical or
supercritical
 Type 3 curve: actual depth is less than both yc and yn, flow is supercritical.

 Subcritical occurs when the actual water depth is greater than critical depth. Subcritical flow is
dominated by gravitational forces and behaves in a slow or stable way.  It is defined as having a
Froude number less than one

 Supercritical flow is dominated by inertial forces and behaves as rapid or unstable flow.

Supercritical flow transitions to subcritical through a hydraulic jump which represents a high
energy loss with erosive potential. When the actual depth is less than critical depth it is
classified as supercritical.  Supercritical flow has a Froude number greater than one.

 Critical flow is the transition or control flow that possesses the minimum possible energy for
that flowrate.   Critical flow has a Froude number equal to one.

http://www.fsl.orst.edu/geowater/FX3/help/8_Hydraulic_Reference/Froude_Number_and_Flo
w_States.htm
The Froude number, Fr, is a dimensionless value that describes different flow regimes of open
channel flow. The Froude number is a ratio of inertial and gravitational forces.

         Gravity (numerator) - moves water downhill

         Inertia (denominator) - reflects its willingness to do so.

 

Where:
V =  Water velocity
D = Hydraulic depth (cross sectional area of flow / top width)
g = Gravity
When:
Fr = 1,     critical flow,
Fr > 1,     supercritical flow (fast rapid flow),
 Fr < 1,     subcritical flow (slow / tranquil flow)
 
The Froude number is a measurement of bulk flow characteristics such as waves, sand bedforms,
flow/depth interactions at a cross section or between boulders.

The denominator represents the speed of a small wave on the water surface relative to the speed
of the water, called wave celerity. At critical flow celerity equals flow velocity. Any disturbance to
the surface will remain stationary. In subcritical flow the flow is controlled from a downstream point
and information is transmitted upstream. This condition leads to backwater effects. Supercritical
flow is controlled upstream and disturbances are transmitted downstream.

Wave propagation can be used to illustrate these flow states: A stick placed in the water will
create a V pattern of waves downstream. If flow is subcritical waves will appear in front of the
stick. If flow is at critical waves will have a 45o angle. If flow is supercritical no upstream waves will
appear and the wave angle will be less than 45 o.

Note: Critical flow is unstable and often sets up standing waves between super and subcritical
flow. When the actual water depth is below critical depth it is called supercritical because it is in
a higher energy state. Likewise actual depth above critical depth is called subcritical because it
is in a lower energy state.

Continuity Equation

when the flow is constant and the water velocity increases due to a decrease in roughness, such as
through a culvert, the flow area must decrease. In the case of constant cross section geometry that
change in area is reflected in a change in the water surface elevation.  Q=VA, when flow is constant, as
velocity increases, the flow area decreases and vice versa.

The Darcy Equation is a theoretical equation that predicts the frictional energy loss in a pipe based on
the velocity of the fluid and the resistance due to friction. It is used almost exclusively to calculate head
loss due to friction in turbulent flow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercritical_flow
The flow at which depth of the channel is less than critical depth, velocity of flow is greater than
critical velocity and slope of the channel is also greater than the critical slope is known as
supercritical flow.

https://www.civilengineeringterms.com/hydraulic-engineering/critical-sub-critical-supercritical-flow/\

The Froude number is a ratio of inertial and gravitational forces. · Gravity (numerator) - moves
water downhill. · Inertia (denominator) - reflects its willingness to do

https://www.quora.com/How-can-we-determine-that-the-flow-in-a-river-is-subcritical-critical-or-
supercritical-without-taking-any-measurements
http://www.wikiengineer.com/Water-Resources/CriticalDepth

https://www.brighthubengineering.com/hydraulics-civil-engineering/122607-calculation-of-critical-
depth-and-critical-slope-for-open-channel-flow/

https://www.brighthubengineering.com/hydraulics-civil-engineering/53261-open-channel-flow-basics-
2-supercritical-flow/