Chemical Gauging Method (Dilution Method

• This method is particularly useful when plenty of

turbulence exist in the flow and the measurement of
discharge by current-meter is not feasible.

• 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 section”

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

• By the time the flow reaches the sampling section

the salt solution is properly 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.

• There are two alternatives for injection;

– Sudden injection
– Injection at constant rate.
 Sudden Injection
– In this method a known volume “V” of the dosing
solution or tracer is added to the stream as rapidly
as possible.

– The concentration at the sampling point rises

rapidly to a peak and then slowly diminishes.

– Samples are then taken at regular intervals of time

and chemical concentration is determined in
laboratory
 vC1
Q  t1

 (C
t2
2  C1 ) dt

• V = Volume of injected solution

• C1 = Concentration of chemical in dozing solution.
• Co = Conc. of chemical already existing in stream water
• C2 = Conc. of chemical in water at sampling point
Sudden Injection of Volume
V1 at section 1 Conc. At
C1 Section 2
Concentration

C0 C2

t1 t2
Time
 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
 Constant rate of Injection
The discharge is given as

Q = q(C1–C2)/(C2–Co)
Where Co = Concentration of chemical already existing in flowing
fluid of stream

q = Constant rate of injection of chemical

C2 = Concentration of chemical in water at sampling point

Section 1
C1
Concentration

Background
Concentration Section 2

C2
C0
0
Time
• One gram in 1000 ml is 1000 ppm and one
thousandth of a gram (0.001g) in 1000 ml is
one 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 5 parts per billion. Estimate the stream
discharge

Solution
From Equation 10, we have
Q = q(C1 – C2 )/ (C2 – Co )
q = 10x10-6 m3/sec.
C1 = 30g/l=0.030 g/ml
C2 = 5000 parts per million = 0.005x10-6 g/ml
Co = 0
Q = [10x10-6 x (0.03-5x10-9)]÷( 5x10-9 )= 60 m3/sec.
Stage ~ Discharge relationship
• The graphical curve between stage and
discharge is called the stage-discharge curve
or Rating curve.

• Stage is plotted along y-axis and discharge is

plotted along x-axis.

• The shape of rating curve looks like parabola

• The stage discharge rating depends upon the
channel control.
• For a permanent control this relation may be
applicable for years.
• It may be necessary to take at least three
discharge measurements in a week to check
the rating curve because of random shifting of
the stream channel particularly during flood
season.
• There may be three types of rating curve for any
type of river.
1. Low Flow Rating Curve:
• It is the most frequently occurring.
2. Intermediate Flow Rating Curve:
• It is the stage between a flood and low flows.
3. High flow Rating Curve:
• This occurs in high flood days, so is for rarely
occurring situation. Because of this, it is often
represented by dotted lines and is obtained by
extension of low flow rating curve.
• Not all rating curves are divided into three
segments. This division is purely artificial.
 Extension of Rating Curve
• The most important use of the stage discharge
rating curve is obtaining discharge for any
measured stage.
• Sometimes due to extraordinary (unique)
floods the stage may be so high that it may
not be possible to get the discharge from the
original rating curve.
• So we need an extension of the rating curve to
obtain discharge during high stage floods.
 Extension of Rating Curve
• Special methods have to be used to extend the
original rating curve to extrapolate the discharge
corresponding to the measured high stage.
• The most reliable method would be the one which
straightens the approximated parabolic rating
curve for the convenience of its extension. The
most commonly used methods which comply with
this condition are
i. The Logarithmic Method
ii. A√D Method
iii. Slope area Method.
 1. The Logarithmic Method
• This method is used if the cross section of the stream at the
gauging station is of a regular shape .

• 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 discharge Q. The relation between
stream discharge and gauge height can be expressed as

Q = C (g-a) n
log Q = log C + n log (g-a)

Where “n” is the slope.

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

– This straight line can then be extended to

extrapolate discharge corresponding to the
measured gauge height.
 Extension of Rating Curve
by Logarithmic Method
Stage A = Cross-Sectional D = Mean Discharge
‘g’ (m) Area (m²) Depth (m) 'Q' (m³/s)
• Example 6 0.52 24.43 0.46 29
0.76 62.62 0.55 76
• Given in Table 4 below
1.06 111.5 0.64 139
is data for a station 1.23 145.86 0.85 187
rating curve. Find the 1.3 166.3 0.98 218

flow at 4.42 m stage, 1.55 199.74 1.19 268

1.71 221.11 1.4 303
by logarithmic method. 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
2.81 464.52 1.86 708
3.02 487.74 1.98 773
4.42 761.81 2.74
Table 4: Stage vs Discharge Data
 Extension of Rating Curve
Solution:
• Logarithmic Method:
– The method involves choosing trial values of ‘a’,
finding logarithm of (g-a) and Q. Then plotting Log
Q against Log (g-a) as shown in Fig 7. The best fit
line is drawn through points for most suitable ‘a’
value. This line is extended to read required
discharge.

Continued….
Extension of Rating Curve
Extension of Rating Curve by Logarithmic Method

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0
log Q

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
-2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0
log (g-a)

a =0.3 a = 0.4 a = 0.5

Fig 7: Rating Curve

Continued….
 Extension of Rating Curve
– The calculations are shown in Table 5 and graph is
shown in Figure 7.
– The value of ‘a’ for which we obtain a straight line is 0.4.
– The discharge required is corresponding to log (4.42-
0.4) = 0.60.
– The value of log Q against stage of 4.42 m is therefore
3.1 which corresponds to a discharge of = 1260 m³/s.
– i.e. taking antilog
– Log Q = 3.1
– Q = 10^3.1 = 1258.92

Continued….
 Extension of Rating Curve

– The value of discharge found by logarithmic

method is approximated one because it depends
upon plotting accuracy and judgment of drawing
best fit line.
– Suppose for example if value of log Q would have
been read as 3.15, the discharge value would
have been 1412 m³/s which is 12 % more than
previous computed value of 1260 m³/s.

Continued….
 Extension of Rating Curve
Log10(g-a)
Discharge 'Q' Log10Q
Stage 'g' (m)
(m³/s) a = 0.3 a = 0.4 a = 0.5

0.52 29 1.46 -0.649 -0.906 -1.615

0.76 76 1.88 -0.335 -0.441 -0.582
1.06 139 2.14 -0.121 -0.182 -0.254
1.23 187 2.27 -0.034 -0.083 -0.139
1.30 218 2.34 -0.001 -0.047 -0.098
1.55 268 2.43 0.096 0.060 0.021
1.71 303 2.48 0.149 0.117 0.083
1.82 371 2.57 0.183 0.153 0.121
2.04 428 2.63 0.241 0.215 0.188
2.08 456 2.66 0.251 0.226 0.199
2.38 538 2.73 0.318 0.296 0.274
2.67 682 2.83 0.374 0.355 0.336
2.81 708 2.85 0.399 0.382 0.363
3.02 773 2.89 0.434 0.418 0.401
4.42 0.615 0.604 0.593

Table 5: Extension of Rating Curve

• 2. A√D Method
– This method is based on the Chezy’s formula
Q = AC√RS
where
C = Roughness coefficient (Chezy’s 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

perimeter)

If B>>y then ignoring 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”, 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 the extended curve for estimates of Q.
 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
0.76 62.62 0.55 76
– Given in Table is data
1.06 111.5 0.64 139
for a station rating 1.23 145.86 0.85 187
curve. Find the flow at 1.3 166.3 0.98 218

4.42 m stage, by A√D 1.55 199.74 1.19 268

1.71 221.11 1.4 303
method 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
2.81 464.52 1.86 708
3.02 487.74 1.98 773
4.42 761.81 2.74
 A = Cross-Sectional D = Mean Depth Discharge 'Q'
Stage 'g' (m) A√D
Area (m²) (m) (m³/s)
0.52 24.43 0.46 29 16.57
0.76 62.62 0.55 76 46.44
1.06 111.5 0.64 139 89.20
1.23 145.86 0.85 187 134.48
1.3 166.3 0.98 218 164.63
1.55 199.74 1.19 268 217.89
1.71 221.11 1.4 303 261.62
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 1385 1261.02
 Extension Of Rating Curve by Chezy's
2000 Method
Discharge (Q m³/s)

1500

1000

500

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Value of AxSQRT(D)
 3. 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

leveling or sounding, and the area as well the hydraulic
radius is 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.
Example 5.5 Find discharge in a rectangular channel having
Manning’s n=0.04, Sf = 0.0005, width of 5 m and depth of flow of
1.5m
 Stream Flow Units
• Rate of Run Off:
– It may be measured in cubic foot per 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 are also called cusec or cfs. In the
metric system the cubic meter per second are also
called cumec.
 Stream Flow Units
• Volume Run Off:
– Volume of flow is expressed in cubic feet, cubic
meters, cubic inches and also in Acre foot and
second foot days.
 Second Foot Day (SFD)
• It is the volume of water collected in 24 hours (one
day) at the rate of 1 cubic foot per second.
1 Sfd = 24 x 60x60 =86400 ft³.
• The smaller unit is second foot hour i.e. volume
collected in one hour at the rate of 1cfs.
1 sfh = 60x60 =3600 ft³.
 Acre Foot
• If an area of one acre is converted by a
uniform depth of 1ft of water.
• The total volume thus collected is 1 Acre foot.
One Acre = 4840 (yards)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
uniform depth of 1m of water.
• The total volume thus collected is 1 Hectare-
meter.
One Hectare-meter = 104 m³