Stream flow measurement
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DISCHARGE MEASUREMENT
TECHNIQUE
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Streamflow and Measurement
Stream flow 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.
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Need for Streamflow
Measurements
Floodplain management
Flood forecasting & analysis
Reservoir operations
Low flows – water quality concerns
Design structures – culverts, bridges,
stormwater systems
Evaluate changes in land use on watersheds
and/or changes in climatic regimes
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Floods
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Streamflow Measurements
Serves as the basis for many water
resources engineering designs
Two approaches
– Measurement of water stage (water level)
– Measurement of flow velocity
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Measurement of water stage
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Streamflow Measurements
Measurement of Water Stage
– Water stage: the stage of the stream ( elevation of
water surface above a datum) is measured
Types of Gages Measuring River Stage:
– Staff gage – vertical or inclined
– Suspended – weight gage
– Float gauge
– Pressure sensor
– The discharge is related with the stage in well
known stage-discharge relationship (rating curve)
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rating curve
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Staff gauge
The vertical staff gauge which is
nothing but a graduated scale
(about 15cm wide) such that a
portion of it is always in water at
all times. It can be conveniently
attached to a bridge pier or any or
existing structure. It is read
manually by noting level of water
surface in contact with it. The
vertical height should cover the
highest and lowest water levels in
that section.
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Figures of Stream Gauges
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Suspended – weight gage
The river stage can also be measured manually by using
another type of device called suspended weight gauge. In this
method a weight(electrically connected) attached to a rope is
lowered from a fixed reference point on a bridge or other
overhead structure till it touches the water surface. By
subtracting the length of the rope lowered from the reduced
level of the fixed reference point the stage is obtained.
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Float gauge
The stage can also be measured by the
arrangement of float and pulley attached to a
pointer which moves over the graduated
scale in accordance with the water surface in
the stream.
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Float gauge
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Measurement of flow velocity
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Streamflow Measurements
Measurement of Flow Velocity
– Floats: Suitable for straight channel, V = L/T
– Manning Equation
– Current meter
– Dilution
– Hydraulic structures
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Current Meter Method
Current meter
– Propeller type : for high discharge
– Using anemometer
– Electromagnetic type : for low river flow
V = a + bN
where V = flow velocity (m/s);
a, b = constants;
N = revolutions/sec.
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Current
Meters
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How & Where to measure???
Velocity-Area Method
Q = [Velocity x Area]
– Need to know width of channel (w), Depth of
channel (d), and Velocity of flow (V) (ft/s or m/s)
– Area = w x d
Because depth & velocity vary across a
channel:
(1) Important to divide the channel into manageable
segments (slices); Typically use 10-20 segments
(2) For each segment measure depth, width and
velocity
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Area-Velocity
Method
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At what depth to measure???
Procedure: at each segment measure depth then velocity
If Depth < 0.6m, take one reading @ 60% depth from
water surface
If Depth > 0.6m and < 2m take 2 measurements and
compute the average
– One @ 20% depth
– One @80 % depth
– Average the two readings
If Depth > 2m take 3 measurements and compute the
average
– One @ 20% depth
– One @ 60% depth
– One @ 80 % depth
– Average the three readings
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Discharge (Q) Measurement
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Mean Flow Velocity Estimation
Velocity Profile
Deph < 0.6m VV ; 0.6 water depth from the water surface
0.6d
V V
0.6m Depth 2m V 0.2d 0.8d
2
V 2V V
Depth 2m V 0.2d 0.6d 0.8d
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Measuring Streamflow Discharge
Two method of measurement
– Mean section method
– Mid section method
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Mean section
b
A (d d )
i 2 i i 1
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V ( V Vi 1)
i 2 i
Q VA
i i i
Q Q
i
i
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Mid section
A bd
i i
Q VA
i i i
Q Q V A
i i i
i
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Discharge (Q) Measurement
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Measuring
Streamflow in
small streams
with a current
meter
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Discharge (Q)
Measurement
Large rivers –
from bridges or
boats
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Dilution
Using tracer/chemical at upstream
For uneven stream base and stones in stream
Q can be determined by tracer quantity and
concentration at upstream and downstream (after
dilution) using mass transfer equation.
Example of tracer:
– Chemical: Sodium cloride,sodium dicromate,manganese
sulphate
– Dye: sodium fluoroscein, Rhodamine-WT
– Radioactive: Bromine-82,Sodium-24,Iodine-132
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Dilution
Constant rate of injection
Apply mass balance
Where
q is the rate of flow of the injected tracer solution,
Q is the discharge of the stream,
Cb, is the background concentration of the stream,
C1, is the concentration of the tracer solution injected into the stream,
C2, is the measured concentration of tracer in the d/s
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Hydraulic Structures
Used for small watersheds – such as
experimental watersheds – where need
accurate, continuous flow measurements.
Ex: Notch
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Notch
Generally used in small streams
A Notch is a device used for measuring the
rate of flow of a liquid through a small
channel or a tank
Various types
– V-notch for accurate low flow
– Rectangular notch
– Trapezoidal notch
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Rectangular notch
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Rectangular Notch
The discharge through a weir
or notch is directly related to
the water depth or head (H)
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Rectangular Notch
Let us consider a horizontal strip of water of
thickness dh at a depth of h from the water
level as shown in figure
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V-notch
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V-notch
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Trapezoidal notch
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Trapezoidal notch
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Trapezoidal notch
Thank You!
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