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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124358
Title: WATER MEASUREMENT WITH FLUMES AND WEIRS

Author
item Clemmens, Albert
item WAHL, T - BOR, DENVER, CO
item BOS, M - ILRI, THE NETHERLANDS
item Replogle, John

Submitted to: Complete Book
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2001
Publication Date: 8/1/2001
Citation: Clemmens, A.J., Wahl, T.L., Bos, M.G., Replogle, J.A. 2001. Water measurement with flumes and weirs. Complete Book. Publication #58. 382 pp.

Interpretive Summary: The total demand for water in the Western United States exceeds the available supply. Our ability to determine the amount of water diverted for various uses is crucial. In many locations in both natural and man-made channels, measurement of water is difficult and expensive. This book provides a class of water measurement structures that can make water measurement simple, accurate, and inexpensive. The book includes theory, design methods, calibration methods, computer software for design and calibration, and many examples of different types of construction. These results should be of use to irrigation districts, consultants, farmers and ranchers, municipalities, and federal agencies dealing with water issues, including the Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Technical Abstract: This manual describes how to design, construct, and operate long- throated flumes to measure and control water flow in open channels. Broad- crested weirs with a streamlined flow contraction are members of the long- throated flume family and can be analyzed with the techniques described herein. Broad-crested weirs are particularly well adapted to irrigation canals, while long-throated flumes are well adapted to natural streams. The range of conditions over which flow can be measured with long-throated flumes and broad-crested weirs is unlimited. A large variety of examples is presented. The manual includes a revised mathematical model to enable designing of a flow-measuring structure in any open channel to satisfy user-specified hydraulic boundary conditions and design requirements. Upon completion of the design, the model will compute the head-versus-discharge relation and the hydraulic energy losses for the flume or weir. The computer program presented in this publication can accommodate a wide variety of structure and channel shapes as well as many different input and output units. This version greatly expands upon the capabilities of previously published programs.