STREAMFLOW

MEASUREMENT

Course Outcomes
On completion of this chapter, you will be able to:
perform stage measurement
perform velocity measurement
perform river gauging
calculate discharge of streamflow using areavelocity method

SURFACE WATER HYDROLOGY

Surface water hydrology deals with the movement of water

along the earths surface as a result of precipitation and

snow melt.
Streamflow is the occurrence of water in a continuous well
defined flow channel.
Streamflow represents the runoff phase of the water cycle.
The amount of runoff is given by the net amount of
infiltration, evaporation and evapotranspiration.
Streamflow is the only part of the hydrological cycle that
can be measured accurately.

Measurement of Stage
The stage of a river is defined as its water surface

elevation measured above a datum (e.g. MSL)

Measurement techniques:
Staff gauge

Wire gauge
Automatic stage recorder

d above MSL

MSL
h

Staff Gauges
Simplest stage measurement with a fixed graduated staff.
It is rigidly fixed to a structure, such as pier, wall, abutment, etc.
The staff may be vertical or inclined.
Staff material: durable, low coefficient of expansion with respect to
temperature & moisture.
Markings are easy to read from a distance.

Staff Gauges
Sometimes it may not be possible to read the entire range of
water surface elevations of a stream by a single gauge.
Sectional gauges are built in sections at different locations.
When installing sectional gauges, care must be taken to
provide an overlap between various gauges and to refer all
the sections to the same common datum.

Wire Gauges
Measure the water surface
elevation from above the surface
of a structure, such as from a
bridge.
A weight is lowered by a reel to
touch the water surface.
A mechanical counter measures
the rotation of the wheel which is
proportional to the length of the
wire paid out.
The operating range = 25 m

Wire Gauges
100 m MSL

70 m

Rigid
structure
30 m MSL

h = 40 m

MSL
- 10 m MSL

Elev. of the gauge = 100 m above MSL

Elev. of the bottom = 10 m below MSL
Length of the wire paid out = 70 m
Water surface elev. = 30 m above MSL
Water depth = 30 + 10 = 40 m

Automatic Stage Recorder

Float operating in a stilling well is balanced
by a counterweight over a pulley.
Displacement of the float due to
rising/lowering of the water surface
elevation causes an angular displacement of
the pulley.
Mechanical linkages convert the angular
displacement to the linear displacement of a
pen to record over a drum driven by
clockwork that runs for a day, week or
forthnight.
A good instrument will have a large-size
float and least friction.

Automatic Stage Recorder

Linear displacement

Angular
displacement
Pen
Pulley

Stilling well

Float

Counter
weight

Drum

Automatic Stage Recorder

Stilling well to protect the float from debris, to reduce the
water surface effects on the recording.
The instrument must be properly housed in a suitable enclosure
to protect it from weather element and vandalism.

Located above the highest water level expected in the river to

prevent it from getting inundated during floods.

Stage Data
The stage data is presented in the form of a plot of

stage against chronological time (stage hydrograph).

Stage data is particularly useful for:
Determination of stream discharge
Flood warning
Flood protection works
Stage

Time

Velocity Measurement
Velocity (v) : distance travelled per unit time, or speed.
Unit of velocity is m/s or cm/s etc.
Types of velocity measurement devices:
Current meters/ velocimeters
Float meters

Velocimeter
To measure the velocity at a point in the
flow.
Consists of a rotating element which
rotates due to the reaction of the river
current with an angular velocity
proportional to the river velocity.
Its rotation speed varies linearly with the
river velocity (v, m/s).
v = aN + b
where N = rev/sec; a, b =constant

Velocity Meter Measurements

Example
A current meter is so designed that it has a relationship of v =
0.3 N + 0.05, where v = stream velocity and N = revolutions per
second. The current was used to perform velocity measurement
of a stream. If the reading recorded is 12 revolutions in every 50
seconds, what is the velocity of the stream?
Solution:
N = 12 rev / 50 sec = 0.24 rev/s

v = 0.3 (0.24) + 0.05 = 0.122 m/s

Float Meters

Floating object: surface float, canister float, rod float

Procedures:
1. Select two sections on a fairly straight reach.
2. Release a large number of floats at fairly uniform spacing on the width
of the stream at an upstream section.
3. Note the time to cross this reach by each float.
4. Calculate the speed of each float by distance/ time.

Float Meters
Surface floats are affected by surface winds.
To get the average velocity at lower depth, Canister and rod
floats are used.
Application: preliminary survey, small stream with rapidly
changing water surface

Point Velocity & Average Velocity

Point velocity, v
Velocity that is measured at a certain depth.
Average (mean) velocity, vave
For shallow streams
The velocity measured at 60% of the depth of flow below the
free surface, h (single point method).
For deeper streams
The velocity measured at two points, i.e. 20% and 80% of h
(2 points method).

Point Velocity & Average Velocity

V0.2d
Estimated
mean
velocity

Q
d
V0.8d

Vertical Velocity Profile (Deep Flow)