Measurement of Stream Discharge by Wading

Water Resources Investigations Report 00-4036

By K. M. Nolan and R. R. Shields
Reference materials
 Agenda

•The velocity-area concept

•Making the measurement

•Measuring width
•Measuring depth
•Wading rod use
•Measuring velocity
•Site selection
 THE VELOCITY-AREA METHOD

Discharge = (Area of water in cross section) x (Water velocity)

x Water Velocity

Cross section area

 Channel cross section is divided into
numerous sub sections

Discharge of each sub-section = Area x Average Water Velocity

Area of each sub-section determined by directly
measuring width and depth

Width Area = Width x Depth

Depth
Water velocity in each sub-section
is estimated using a current meter
to measure water velocity at
selected locations
 Stream discharge is sum of discharges in
all sub-sections
Total Discharge = ((Area1 x Velocity 1) + (Area2 x Velocity2) + ….. (Arean x Velocityn))

1 2 3 n
Computing width and depth of individual
subsections
Meter locations • Example of computing
sub-section width
0 1 3 5
• Assume the following
measurements applied
• Starting point - 0 feet
• Next point - 1 feet
• Next point - 3 feet
• Next point - 5 feet
Recording Width
Meter locations (ft.)
0 1 3 5

0.5

1.5

Widths
2
?
• Width at point 0 = (1 - 0)/2 = 0.5
• Width at point 1 - (3 - 0)/2 = 1.5
• Width at point 3 = (5 - 1)/2 = 2.0
Recording Width and Depth

Meter locations

0 1 3 5

Depth, in this 0.5

example, is
zero, therefore 1.5
no flow

Widths
2
Note: See table from Rantz
(1982) for help estimating ?
velocity when edge of water is
vertical.
Measuring Cross-Section Area
Width
Measuring Cross-Section Area
Depth

• Wading
rod is
marked
every
0.1 foot
 Wading Rod Use
• Stand beside and downstream of rod
Wading Rod set so 10

Rod Use
8
2
meter placed 6
4
2
at 0.6 (2.6 ft) 0
3

(cont.) 4
Setting
Depth Rod
5
Scale
6

0.2 depth
7

0.6 2.08 ft.

8
0.8 Depth
2.6 ft. Depth
Total 1.04 ft.
Depth
0.52 ft.
Wading Rod Use (cont.)
• Must estimate depth when velocity
causes “pile-up” on rod.
• Visually extend water surface to
rod.
 Velocity Determination
• USGS generally uses
Price current meters
• AA for large depths
• Pygmy for shallow
depths
Standard AA Meter

See OSW memos 85.07

and 85.14
Pygmy Meter
 Meter Use

Meter Depth Recommended

range velocity range
(ft.) (ft/s)
Price AA > 1.5 0.10 - 12

Pygmy 0.3 – 1.5 0.5 - 12

 Headset and Stopwatch

• Velocity is determined
by placing meter in
stream and counting
number of revolutions
in a measured amount
of time
Stop Watch and Headset
Measure velocity for at least 40
seconds

• Velocity should be measured for at least 40 seconds

• Evens out short-term velocity fluctuations
Marking Meter
• Meter revolutions can
sometimes be counted
manually by marking
one meter cup.
 Rating Table

• Velocity can
then be
determined
using a
current-meter
rating table

Partial listing of standard rating #2

 Rating Table Equations
• Equations for standard Rating Tables:

For AA meter
• V = 2.2048 R + 0.0178
For pygmy meter
• V = 0.9604 R + 0.0312

R = Revolutions per second

See:
•OSW Memo 99.05
 Velocity from Digitizer, Aquacalc,
and DMX
• Current meter digitizers
Aquacalcs and DMX
units have equations for
rating table built in.
• These devices provide
direct computation of
velocity
 Average Velocity
• The goal is to represent the
average velocity in the Velocity, in feet per second
0 0.5 1 1.5
vertical 0

Distance below water surface in

10
• Measured at 0.6 the

percentage of total depth

20
depth when depths are 30
40
shallow 50
60
• Measured at 0.2 and 70
0.8 the depth when 80
90
depths are large. These 100
two velocities are
averaged to represent Typical velocity profile
average velocity in the
vertical
Wading Rod set so
meter placed
10
8
6
4
2

Rod Use. at 0.6 (2.6 ft)

2
0
3

4
Setting
Depth Rod
5
Scale
6

0.2 depth
7

0.6 2.08 ft.

8
0.8 Depth
2.6 ft. Depth
Total 1.04 ft.
Depth
0.52 ft.
Velocity Measurement Methods
Guide to velocity-measurement methods
Depth, in ft. Meter Velocity Method

2.5 ft and above Type AA 0.2 and 0.8

1.5 – 2.5 Type AA 0.6

0.3 – 1.5 Pygmy 0.6

1.5 ft and above Pygmy 0.2 and 0.8

 Non Standard Conditions

•Use of 0.6 and 0.2/0.8 methods assume velocity profile is

logarithmic.
•Velocity should decrease closer to bottom due to friction
•If velocity at 0.8 depth is greater than velocity at 0.2 depth
or if velocity at 0.2 depth is twice the velocity at 0.8 depth
then the velocity profile is considered abnormal and the
three-point method must be used.
 Three-Point Method
Velocity, in feet per second
• Three-point method
0 0.5 1 1.5
computed by 0

Distance below water surface in

averaging velocity 10

percentage of total depth

20
measured at 0.2 and 30
0.8 the depth and 40
50
averaging that result 60
with velocity 70
80
measured at 0.6 the
90
depth. 100
 Site Selection
•Reach should be straight
and uniform for a long
enough distance to provide
uniform flow through the
measuring section
•Streambed should be stable
and free of large rocks,
weeds, and protruding Upstream view of excellent
obstructions. measuring section, Little Blackfoot
River
 Assessing Measurement

• Assessing accuracy of measurement

•Semi-quantitative based upon:
1. Cross section uniformity
2. Velocity uniformity
3. Stream bed conditions
Blackfoot measuring section
4. Etc.

See “Determination of Error in

Individual Discharge
Measurements” by Sauer and
Meyer announced in OSW
memo 93.14
Assessing Measurement (cont.)
Measurement Percent off from true
Rating discharge
Excellent Within 2

Good Within 5

Fair Within 8

Poor Greater than 8

 Selected References
• Buchanan, T.J., and Somers, W.P., 1969, Discharge measurements at gaging
stations: USGS Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 3, Chapter
A8, 65 p. (In revision)

• International Organization for Standardization, 1983, Measurement of liquid

flow in open channels, Handbook 16, 518 p.

• Nolan, K.M. and others, Surface-water field techniques training class, USGS
WRIR 98-4252, (http://wwwrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov/sws/fieldmethods)

• Rantz, S.E., 1982, Measurement and Computation of Streamflow:Volumes I and

II, USGS Water Supply Paper 2175, 631 p.

• V.B.Sauer and R.W. Meyer, Determination of Error in Individual Discharge

Measurements”, USGS Open-file report 92-144
For more information:
Charlie Peterson
charlie-peterson@sccd.org

Spokane County
Conservation District
210 North Havana Street
Spokane, WA 99202
(509) 535-7274

http://www.sccd.org