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What is stream discharge?
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Stream discharge measurements can be used to estimate the annual quantity of water produced by a watershed (i.e., its water yield), informing decisions about reservoir filling, the use of hydroelectric power, and conservation for lower-flow seasons.
- What Is streamflow?
- Why Measure streamflow? Who Measures It?
- How Streamflow Is Measured in Wadeable Open Channels
- How Streamflow Can Be Estimated in Culverts and Pipes
- Alternative Methods to Measuring Streamflow
- Summary
- References Cited
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines streamflow as “the volumetric rate of flow of water (volume per unit time) in an open channel, including any sediment or other solids that may be dissolved or mixed with it that adhere to the Newtonian physics of open-channel hydraulics of water.”1 Discharge addressed in this document is in referen...
Federal agencies, such as the USGS, state and local agencies that monitor water quality, and environmental firms measure streamflow. The USGS manages over 8,200 streamgages that give discharge information that can be used for environmental monitoring, flood prediction, lock and dam management, and recreational safety.3 Stream stage is often referen...
The size and discharge of the stream or river will determine the method and instruments used for measurement. The following methods and guidance are applicable for direct measurement of discharge in wadeable streams. At the site of measurement, a cross-section is identified as a conceptual line crossing the stream perpendicular to the flow directio...
For sections of the stream that flow through culverts or pipes, direct measurement of discharge may not be possible. In these cases, Manning’s formula may be used to estimate velocity v(ft/s) in the pipe: Where R represents the hydraulic radius (ft) which is the area of water in the pipe divided by the wetted perimeter (ft). The geometry of the pip...
If channels are not wadeable or conditions are not conducive to using wading rods or sounding lines, an acoustic doppler current profiler may be a suitable alternative. This device is attached to a manned or tethered boat, moves along the cross section while scanning the water profile, and characterizes discharge within the cross section. It provid...
While there are multiple methods to calculate streamflow, the method to use is decided by the user and organization policies. While methods to estimate or measure streamflow differ for open channels or culverts, the idea is the same in that both use the velocity of the stream and the cross-sectional area of water. By understanding these basic princ...
Turnipseed DP, Sauer VB. Discharge measurements at gaging stations. In: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods. 3-A8. Reston (VA): U.S. Geological Survey; 2010. 87 p.USGS. National Water Information System: Web Interface. USGS Water Data for the Nation. Reston (VA): U.S. Geological Survey; c2023. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwisUSGS. Water Science School. How Streamflow is Measured. Reston (VA): U.S. Geological Survey; 2018 Jun 13. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/how-streamflow-measured?qt...Fondriest Environmental, Inc. Streamflow Measurements. Fundamentals of Environmental Measurements. Fairborn (OH): Fondreist Environmental, Inc.; 2015 Sep 17. https://www.fondriest.com/environmental...In hydrology, discharge is the volumetric flow rate (volume per time, in units of m 3 /h or ft 3 /h) of a stream. It equals the product of average flow velocity (with dimension of length per time, in m/h or ft/h) and the cross-sectional area (in m 2 or ft 2 ). [1]
The determination of stream discharges is known as gauging and the choice of a particular method is one for the hydrologist or engineer. The four methods of stream gauging to be considered are (i) the Area Velocity Method, (ii) the Slope Area Method, (iii) the Weir Method and (iv) the Volumetric Method. AREA VELOCITY METHOD.
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What is Stream Discharge? Stream discharge is also referred to as flow. It measures the volume of water flowing past a given point in a given period of time. Stream discharge is expressed as a rate with two components: • Volume of water, expressed in cubic feet. • Time, expressed in seconds.
Nov 24, 2023 · The water flowing in a stream and its tributaries comes from two main sources: overland flow (water flowing over the surface of the ground during and following heavy rain or very rapid snow melt), and discharge from groundwater (which is happening most of the time in many cases).
Stream discharge is the volume of water that passes through a given cross section per unit time: Q = V * A, where. Q = stream discharge (for example, cubic feet per second or cubic meters per second) V = velocity, feet per second or meters per second. A = cross-sectional area, square feet or square meters.
