OGONGO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

AE 23: SOIL CONSERVATION

Channel Flow and Erosion Control

Exercise 4

1. A rectangular canal has a bottom width of 1.2m, and a depth of 0.9m. The channel is
unlined (earth lined), and the velocity is observed to be 0.6m/s. Assuming the canal is
flowing at full capacity, what is the flow rate of the channel (m3/s)?

2. Using the Manning equation determine the average velocity of flow for a parabolic
shaped channel having a flow depth of 1.3m, a slope of 0.8%, and a roughness
coefficient (n = 0.03). ( For parabolic channels R = 2d/3)

3. The hydraulic radius (R) of a trapezoidal channel is given by the formula:

R =[ bd +Zd2 ]/ [b + 2d (Z2 + 1)1/2

If the bottom width is 1.2m; the flow depth is 0.9m and Z = 1.5;

Determine the hydraulic radius of the channel.

4. Given that the cross sectional area (A) of a trapezoidal water channel may be
determined by the formula:

A = bd + Zd2

Calculate the cross sectional area of the figure illustrated below.

4m

3.5m 4m