STREAMFLOW MEASUREMENT

Stream – flow channel into which the surface runoff from a specified basin drains

Streamflow - representing the run-off phase of the hydrologic cycle

‘- only part of the hydrologic cycle that can be measured accurately, measured of discharge (cum/sec)

Classification of streamflow measurement techniques:

1. Direct determination of stream discharge

a. Area-velocity methods
b. Electromagnetic method
c. Dilution techniques
d. Ultrasonic method
2. Indirect determination of streamflow
a. Hydraulic structures, such as weirs, flumes and gated structures and
b. Slope-area method

‘1. DIRECT METHODS

A. AREA-VELOCITY METHOD
-consist of measuring the area of cross-section of the river at selected section called gauging site and
measuring the velocity of flow through the cross-sectional area

Criteria:

 The stream should have a well-defined cross-section which does not change in various seasons
 It should be easily accessible all through the year
 The site should be in a straight, stable reach
 The gauging site should be free from backwater effects in the channel

Echo-depth recorder – use to measure when the stream depth is large or when quick and accurate depth
measurements are needed

‘- advantageous in high-velocity streams, deep streams and in streams with soft or mobile beds

Figure 1: Stream Section for area-velocity method:

CALCULATION OF DISCHARGE:
 B. ELECTROMAGNETIC METHOD
- Based on Faraday’s principle that an emf is induced in the conductor (water in the present case) when it cuts
a normal magnetic field.
- Involves sophisticated and expensive instrumentation and has been successfully tried in an number of
installation, makes it specially suited for field situations where the cross-sectional properties can change with
time due to weed growth, sedimentation, etc.

Where: d = depth of flow

I = current in the coil
n and K1 and K2 = system constants

C. DILUTION TECHNIQUE OF STREAMFLOW MEASUREMENT

- Also known as the chemical method depends upon the continuity principle applied to a tracer which is allowed
to mix completely with the flow
- Major advantage that the discharge is estimated directly in an absolute way. It is particularly attractive
method for small turbulent streams, such as those in mountainous areas.

D. ULTRASONIC METHOD
- Method with the average velocity being measured by using ultrasonic signals
- Advantages are a)it is rapid and gives high accuracy b)it is suitable for automatic recording of data c)it can
handle rapid changes in the magnitude and direction of flow, as in tidal rivers d)the cost of installation is
dependent of the size of rivers.

‘2. INDIRECT METHODS – relationship between the flow discharge and the depths at specified locations.

Classifications:

‘A. FLOW MEASURING STRUCTURES

Where: H = water surface elevation measured from a specified datum

Where: H = head over the weir
K and n = system constants

Where: Qs = submerged discharge

Q1 = free flow discharge under H1
H1 = upstream water surface elevation measured above the weir crest
H2 = downstream water surface elevation measured above the weir crest
n = exponent of head in the free flow head discharge relationship, for rectangular weir n = 1.5

‘B. SLOPE-AREA METHOD

For nonuniform flow an

average conveyance is
used to estimate the
average energy slope
and
RUN-OFF

Run-off = the draining or flowing off of precipitation from a catchment area through a surface channel. It represents
the output from the catchment in a given unit of time.

Overland flow = excess precipitation that moves over the land surfaces to reach smaller channels. Involves building
up of storage over the surface and draining off of the same.

Surface Run-off = it is the flow where it travels all the time over the surface overland flow and through the channels
as open-channel flow and reaches the catchment outlet.

Components of Run-off: Interflow, through flow, storm seepage, subsurface storm flow or quick return flow

Groundwater Run-off (flow) = another route for the infiltered water that undergo deep percolation and reach the
groundwater storage in the soil. Groundwater flow provides the dry-weather flow in perennial streams.

Classification of Run-off:

1. Direct Run-off = part of the run-off which enters the stream immediately after the rainfall. It includes surface
run-off, prompt interflow and rainfall on the surface of the stream.

Direct Storm Runoff and Storm Run-off = other terms used to designate direct runoff

2. Base Flow = it is the delayed flow that reaches a stream essentially as groundwater flow.

NATURAL FLOW = also called as virgin flow. It is a stream flow unaffected by works of man, such as reservoirs and
diversion structures on a stream.

When there exists storage or diversion works on a stream, the flow on the downstream channel is affected by the
operational and hydraulic characteristics of these structures and hence does not represent the true runoff, unless
corrected for the diversion of flow and return flow.
HYDROGRAPH = a plot of the discharge in a stream plotted against time chronologically

Types:

1. Annual hydrographs showing the variation of daily or weekly or 10 daily mean flows over a year
2. Monthly hydrographs showing the variation of daily mean flows over a year.
3. Seasonal hydrographs depicting the variation of the discharge in a particular season such as the monsoon
season or dry season
4. Flood hydrographs or hydrographs due to a storm representing stream flow due to a storm over a catchment

Notes: Applications

Annual and seasonal hydrographs are of use in

i) Calculating the surface water potential of stream

ii) Reservoir studies
iii) Drought studies

Flood Hydrographs

i) Essential in analyzing stream characteristics associated with floods

RUN-OFF VOLUME

Yield = the total quantity of surface water that can be expected in a given period from a stream at the outlet of its
catchment.

Note: The annual yield from a catchment is the end product of various processes such as precipitation, infiltration and
evapotranspiration operating on the catchment