Stream Gauging

g g

Di h
Discharge Estimation
E ti ti
• In this method, the vertical in which the velocity
measurements are made (by one‐point
one point or two‐points
two points
method) is taken as the middle of the strip, and the
water depth (d) in the vertical (determined by sounding)
is taken as the mean depth of the strip.

• If b is the width of strip (usually same for all strips) then

the discharge in the elemental strip is given by
• In this method,, the dischargeg in the two‐
triangular bits near the ends are not included
in the discharge computation.
computation
– Keep
K the
h current meter cleanl and
d properly
l oiled
il d
to reduce the friction losses.

– The stream cross‐section should be sub‐divided

i
into as smallll sub‐sectors
b as possible
ibl and
d should
h ld
not be greater than 1/15 to 1/20 of the width of
the river.
river

– Difference
Diff off the
th velocities
l iti in i adjacent
dj t segments
t
should not be more than 20%
• The ffollowing
g data were collected ffor a stream
at a gauging station. Compute the discharge.
Equation of current meter: v = 0.3
0 3 N + 0.05
0 05
• Width of each strip, b = 3 m, mean depth of strip = d, and the
total discharge, Q = Σ ΔQ
 Compute the stream flow for the measurement data
given
i b l columns
below l 1 to 5 off table
bl 1 below.
b l T k the
Take h
meter rating from equation. V= a+bN with a=0.03 and
b=0 66
b=0.66

Solution
As V = a + bN
So V = 0.03 + 0.66 N

V is in m/s and N is in revolutions/s. Using this the

followingg calculations in columns 6 to 11 of Table 1
below are made. Find the discharge using Mid‐Section
method.
 Width
Distance Depth Meter Revol- Velocity at Mean in
Time N of sub-
sub Area Discharge
from bank (m) Depth utions. point vertical
section
(m) (m) (m) (Sec) (Rev./s) (m/s) (m/s) (m) (m²) (m³/s)
(6)=(4)/( (10)=(2) (11)= (8) x
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (7)= a+bN (8) (9)
5) x(9) (10)
0.60 0.30 0.18 10 50 0.20 0.162 0.162 0.30 0.09 0.015
1.20 1.05 0.84 22 55 0.40 0.294 0.384 0.60 0.63 0.242
0 21
0.21 35 52 0 67
0.67 0 474
0.474
1.80 1.56 1.26 28 53 0.53 0.379 0.432 0.75 1.17 0.505
0.3 40 58 0.69 0.485
2 70
2.70 1 89
1.89 15
1.5 32 58 0 55
0.55 0 394
0.394 0 460
0.460 0 75
0.75 1 418
1.418 0 652
0.652
0.39 45 60 0.75 0.525
3.30 1.32 1.15 28 45 0.62 0.441 0.472 0.60 0.792 0.374
0 27
0.27 33 46 0 72
0.72 0 503
0.503
3.90 0.66 0.39 22 50 0.44 0.320 0.320 0.60 0.396 0.127
4.50 0.24 0.15 12 49 0.24 0.192 0.192 0.30 0.072 0.014
5 10
5.10
Total 4.568 1.929
 Chemical Gauging Method (Dilution
Method
• This
hi method
h d is
i particularly
i l l usefulf l when
h plenty
l off
turbulence exist in the flow and the measurement of
di h
discharge b current‐meter
by t t is
i nott feasible.
f ibl

• In this method one section is selected upstream and

other at down stream end of the reach of channel.

• The upstream section is called the “dosing

dosing section
section”
and down‐stream end is called sampling section.
• At the dosing section some soluble chemical salt
made upp to a known
kno n concentration is fed into the
stream at a measured rate.

• By the time the flow reaches the sampling section

the salt solution is p
properly
p y mixed with the whole
flow.

• Samples of water are drawn from the sampling

section from the down‐stream section and are
analyzed for the quantity of salt.
salt

• There are two alternatives for injection;

– Sudden injection
– Injection at constant rate.
rate
 Sudden Injection
– In
I this
hi method
h d a known
k volume
l “V” off the
h dosing
d i
solution or tracer is added to the stream as rapidly
as possible.
possible

– The
Th concentrationi at the
h samplingli point
i rises
i
rapidly to a peak and then slowly diminishes.

– Samples are then taken at regular intervals of time

andd chemical
h i l concentration
t ti i determined
is d t i d in i
laboratory
 Q = VC1 / t1t2∫ (C2- C0) dt

• V = Volume of injected solution

• C1 = Concentration
C t ti off chemical
h i l iin d
dozing
i solution.
l ti
• Co = Conc. of chemical already existing in stream water
• C2 = Conc.
Conc of chemical in water at sampling point
 Constant rate of Injection
• In this method the dosing of the chemical or any other
tracer has to be continued at a constant, pre‐determined
rate say ‘q’ until the concentration of the chemical is
constant at the sampling point down stream where
mixing is adequate
• The discharge is given as

Q = q (C1 – C2 ) / (C2 – Co )
Where Co
Wh C = Concentration
C i off chemical
h i l already
l d existing
i i in i flowing
fl i
fluid of stream

q = Constant rate of injection of chemical

C2 = Concentration of chemical in water at sampling point
• One ggram in 1000 ml is 1000 pp
ppm and one
thousandth of a gram (0.001g) in 1000 ml is
one ppm.
ppm

• 1ppm=0.001g/litre
• 1ppm=1mg/litre
• 1ppm = 1000 parts per billion
• 1ppb = 1/1000 ppm
• A 30 g/l solution of a chemical was discharged
into a stream at a constant rate of 10x10‐6
m3//sec. The same chemical was not found in
stream water at all. The concentration of
chemical at sampling section was found to be
5000 parts per million. Estimate the stream
di h
discharge
Stage ~ Discharge relationship
• The graphical curve between stage and
discharge is called the stage‐discharge curve
or Rating curve.
curve

• The rating curve is nothing but the graph

giving the relation between stage and
discharge.

• Stage is plotted along y‐axis and discharge is

plotted along x‐axis.
x‐axis

• The shape of rating curve looks like parabola

• If ‘a’ is the gauge reading corresponding to zero‐
discharge and ‘g’ is the gauge reading when the
discharge is Q, the gauge height is (g‐a) for this
d h
discharge Q. The
h relation
l b
between stream discharge
d h
and gauge height can be expressed as

Q = C (g‐a) n
log Q = log C + n log (g‐a)
y c m x

Q = C when (g
(g‐a)
a) = 1
– Zero gauge height “a” a is determined by assuming
the various values of ‘a” until log Q” when plotted
against log (g
(g‐a)
a), forms a straight line.
line

– This
Thi straight
i h line
li can then
h b extended
be d d to
extrapolate discharge corresponding to the
measuredd gauge height.
h i h
• Correction has to be applied for the discharge obtained from
the rating curve during a rising or falling stage i.e., during a
flood.

• For this purpose, an auxiliary gauge is established some

distance upstream or downstream from the main gauge

• If Q0 is the discharge when Δh0 is the difference of gauge

readings between the main and auxiliary gauges during
normal flow,
flow and Qa is the discharge when Δha is the
difference of the two gauges during a rising or falling stage
then
• The stream discharges for various stages at a
particular section were observed to be as
follows Obtain an equation for the stage‐
follows. stage
discharge relationship and determine the
di h
discharge f a stage off 4.9 m and
for d 12 m.
• The relation between the stage (g) and discharge (Q) of
the stream can be assumed of the form

(g a) n
Q = C (g‐a)

• Plot Q vs.
vs (g – a) on a log paper paper assuming a value
for the constant a = 0.6 m (say); the curve obtained
may be concave downwards. Now assume a value a =
1 2 m (say)
1.2 ( ) and d the
h curve obtained
b i d may be b concave
upward. Now try an intermediate value a = 0.9 m,
which plots a straight line and represents the stage
discharge relationship.

• The slope of this straight line gives the value of the

exponent n = 2.2, and from the graph for g – a = 1, Q =
1 2 = K.
1.2 K Now the constants are determined and the
equation for the stage‐discharge relationship is
 Q = 1.2 ((h – 0.9))2.2

• Q can be directly read from the graph and the

stage discharge curve can be extended.

g = 4.9 m, Q = 25.3 cumecs

g = 12.0 m, Q = 240 cumecs

And the same can also be obtained from

equation
• The followingg data were obtained byy stream
gauging of a river:
Main
i Gauge
G (m)
( ) 12.0
20 12.0
20

Auxiliary Gauge (m) 11.65 11.02

Discharge (cumecs) 9.50 15.20

• what should be the discharge

g when the main
gauge reads 12 m and the auxiliary gauge
reads 11
11.37
37 m?
• A√D Method
– This method is based on the Chezy’s formula
Q = AC√RS
where
C= roughness coefficient (Chezy
(Chezy’ss Constant)
S= Bed Slope
A= Cross sectional area
R= Hydraulic radius
• If the stream is assumed to be a large rectangular
channel (wide channel), with B >>y,

Rh = A/P = By/(B+2y) (where P = Wetted

p
perimeter))

If B>>y then ignoring 2y

2y,

Rh = A/P = By/B=y=D (Hydraulic Depth)

If C√S is assumed to be constant for the station and “D”

the hydraulic depth is substituted for “R”
R , only when
the section is wide
 Q = K A √D
Q α A√D

• Knowing the values of Q and A we can plot a

graph and get a straight line, which may be
extended.

• Values of A for stages above the existing rating

can be obtained by field measurements and used
with
ith the
th extended
t d d curve for
f estimates
ti t off Q.
Q
 Slope Area Method
– This method of estimating high flows is by application of
hydraulic principles. Sufficient high water marks must be
located along a reach of channel to determine water
surface slope at the time of peak.

– Cross sections of the channel may be determined by

levelingg or sounding,
g, and the area and hydraulic
y radius
calculated.
– Manning’s Formula is different for both M.K.S. & F.P.S.
Q = A(1/n) R2/3√S (M.K.S)
Q = A(1.49/n) R2/3√S (F.P.S)

A = Area of cross section, S = Slope of water surface

n = Manning’s Constant , R= Hydraulic Radius
– The main source of error in applying this equation
is in estimating the roughness coefficient “n”.

– Since Q depends upon 1/n and the average value

of “n” for natural stream is about 0.035,, an error
of 0.001 in “n” represents about 3% in discharge.

– Under the most favorable conditions an error of

10% may be expected in a slope area estimate of
flow.
 Extension of Rating Curve
Stage ‘g’ A = Cross-Sectional D = Mean Discharge
(m) Area (m²) Depth (m) 'Q' (m³/s)
• Example 6 0.52 24.43 0.46 29

– Given in Table is data 0.76 62.62 0.55 76

1.06 111.5 0.64 139
for a station rating 1.23 145.86 0.85 187
curve Find the flow at
curve. 1.3 166.3 0.98 218
4.42 m stage, byA√D 1.55 199.74 1.19 268
method 1.71 221.11 1.4 303
1.82 270.35 1.49 371
2.04 304.72 1.58 428
2.08 317.73 1.65 456
2.38 367.9 1.74 538
2.67 447.79 1.83 682
2 81
2.81 464 52
464.52 1 86
1.86 708
3.02 487.74 1.98 773
4.42 761.81 2.74
Stage 'g' (m) A = Cross-Sectional Area (m²) D = Mead Depth (m) Discharge 'Q' (m³/s) A√D

0 52
0.52 24 43
24.43 0 46
0.46 29 16 57
16.57
0.76 62.62 0.55 76 46.44
1.06 111.5 0.64 139 89.20
1 23
1.23 145 86
145.86 0 85
0.85 187 134 48
134.48
1.3 166.3 0.98 218 164.63
1.55 199.74 1.19 268 217.89
1 71
1.71 221 11
221.11 14
1.4 303 261 62
261.62
1.82 270.35 1.49 371 330.00
2.04 304.72 1.58 428 383.03
2.08 317.73 1.65 456 408.13
2.38 367.9 1.74 538 485.29
2.67 447.79 1.83 682 605.76
2.81 464.52 1.86 708 633.52
3.02 487.74 1.98 773 686.31
4.42 761.81 2.74 1261.02
 Extension Of Rating Curve by Chezy's
2000 Method
e (Q m³³/s)

1500

1000
scharge

500
Dis

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Value of AxSQRT(D)
 Stream Flow Units
• Rate of Run Off:
– It mayy be measured in cubic foot per
p second or
cubic meter per second. One cubic foot per
second is a volume of one ft³ when collected in
one second.
– The ft³/second
ft /second are also called cusec or cfs
cfs. In the
metric system the cubic meter per second are also
called cumec.
cumec
 Stream Flow Units
• Volume Run Off:
– Volume of flow is expressed
p in cubic feet,, cubic
meters, cubic inches and also in Acre foot and
second foot days.
y
 Second Foot Day (SFD)
• IIt iis the
h volume
l off water collected
ll d iin 24 hhours ((one
day) at the rate of 1 cubic foot per second.
1 Sfd = 24 x 60
60x60
60 =86400
86400 ft³.f³
• The smaller unit is second foot hour i.e. volume
collected
ll d in
i one hour
h at the
h rate off 11cfs.
f
1 sfh = 60x60 =3600 ft³.
 Acre Foot
• If an area of one acre is converted by a
p of 1ft of water.
uniform depth
• The total volume thus collected is 1 Acre foot.
One A
O Acre = 4840 ((yards)²
d )²
1 Acre ‐ foot = (4840x9)x1 = 43560 ft³
and 1 Sfd = 1.9835 Acre foot.
 Hectare Meter
• If an area of one hectare is covered by a
p of 1m of water.
uniform depth
• The total volume thus collected is 1 Hectare‐
meter.
meter
One Hectare‐meter = 104 m³
 Inches of Run Off
• If a certain catchment area is having a
uniform depthp of 1 cm of water, the total Run
off is 1 cm for that very catchment area.