Streamflow Cross-Section Important Units for Water
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What is discharge? Streamflow Cross‐Section Cross-Section Area (ft2): • Discharge: The volume of water that flows Width of stream (ft) x depth of stream (ft) past a certain point in a stream over a specific Streamflow velocity (f/s) period of time 3 ⎛ ft ⎞ 2 ⎛ ft ⎞ Q⎜ ⎟ = Area ( ft )× Velocity ⎜ ⎟ • a.k.a FLOW = volume/time ⎝ s ⎠ ⎝ s ⎠ • To solve flow you need: – area (ft2) & velocity (ft/s) or – time (s) & volume (ft3) Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 1 Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 2 Important Units for Water ‐ Flow How do we calculate discharge or flow (aka Q)? • cfs (ft3/s) – cubic feet per second • What we have: – Often used for streamflow 2 • gpcd – gallons per capita per day –area (ft ) & velocity (ft/s) – Residential use of water per person, per day – 3 • gal/min – gallons per minute time (s) & volume (ft ) – Flow rates for household fixtures (showers, faucets, etc.) • How do we use these variables to get Q? • af/year –acre‐feet per year (72,400 af/yr = 100 cfs) – Amounts of water for irrigation, water utilities & many quantified water rights (325,850 gal = 1 af) 3 3 3 3 • cms (m /s) – cubic meters per second (1 cms = 35.3 cfs) ⎛ ft ⎞ 2 ⎛ ft ⎞ ⎛ ft ⎞ Volume ( ft ) Q⎜ ⎟ = Area ( ft )× Velocity ⎜ ⎟ OR ⎜ ⎟ – Also used for streamflow ⎜ ⎟ Q⎜ ⎟ = ⎝ s ⎠ ⎝ s ⎠ ⎝ s ⎠ Time (s) Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 3 Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 4 Calculating Flow (1) Flow variables (1) How long would it take to fill an Olympic • These problems are similar to “rate‐type” swimming pool (~400,000 gal) if all you had problems where velocity is the rate. was a garden hose (~5 gal/min)? • What are our variables? • How long would it take to fill an Olymp ic – Know: Volume swimming pool (~400,000 gal) if all you had – Solve for: Time was a garden hose (~5 gal/min)? • Which equation? 3 3 3 • How do we solve this problem? ⎛ ft ⎞ 2 ft ⎛ ft ⎞ Volume( ft ) Q⎜ ⎟ = Area( ft )×Velocity OR Q⎜ ⎟ = ⎝ s ⎠ s ⎝ s ⎠ Time(s) Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 5 Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 6 1 Flow Example (1) Calculating Flow (2) How long would it take to fill an Olympic swimming pool (~400,000 gal) if all you had was a garden hose • How much water can a ditch carry per month (~5 gal/min)? if its cross‐sectional area is 10 m2 and the flow ⎛ gal ⎞ Volume(gal) Q⎜ ⎟ = rate is 1 m/sec? Calculate the rate in both cms ⎝ min ⎠ Time(min) and cfs. Assume 35 cfs = 1 cms ⎛ 5gal ⎞ 400000(gal) Q⎜ ⎟ = ⎝ min ⎠ time(min) • How do we solve this problem? Time(min) = 80,000 min = 55.5 days (assuming 60 min/hr x 24 hr = 1440 min) Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 7 Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 8 Flow variables (2) Flow Example (2) • How much water can a ditch carry per month How much water can a ditch carry per month if its if its cross‐sectional area is 10 m2 and the flow cross-sectional area is 10 m2 and the flow rate is 1 rate is 1 m/sec? Calculate the rate in both cms and m/sec? Calculate the rate in both cms and cfs. 3 cfs. ⎛ m ⎞ 2 m Q⎜ ⎟ = Area(m )×Velocity ⎝ s ⎠ s • Wha t are our varibl?iables? 3 ⎛ m ⎞ 2 m – Know: Area, rate Q⎜ ⎟ =10(m )×1 ⎝ s ⎠ s – Solve for: flow/mo • Which equation? Flow(cms) = 10 m3/s 3 3 3 ⎛ ⎞ 3 3 ft 2 ft OR ⎛ ft ⎞ Volume( ft ) Conversion: 10 m /s x 35 cfs/cms = 350 ft /s Q⎜ ⎟ = Area( ft )×Velocity Q⎜ ⎟ = ⎝ s ⎠ s ⎝ s ⎠ Time(s) Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 9 Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 10 Flood Freq: What is a 100‐year Flood? 10‐year and 500‐year floods? • The maximum level of flood water or flow that occurs, on average, once every 100 years. • It seems simple, but… 100% % 100% % • What is the probability that a 100‐year flood will =10 = 0.2 occur in any given year? 10years yr 500years yr • 1% chance of a 100‐year flood every year 100% % =1 100years yr What is the problem with this statistical method? Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 11 Arizona Water Issues © 2009 The University of Arizona – HWR203 12 2.