Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Teresa Lumansoc
Year and Course: IV-BSAE Rating:
Laboratory No. 4
Measuring Stream Discharge using the Float Method
I. Introduction
What is float method? Float method is to measure the time that it takes a floating object to travel a
specified distance downstream. The process involved in the float method of measuring velocity is by observing
the time for a floating body to traverse a known length and noting its position in the channel. The floating
body may be specially designed surface float, subsurface float, or any selected piece of drift floating with the
current.
The surface float moves with the same velocity as the surface of the water. A subsurface float consists
of a submerged float attached to a surface float by an adjustable line and it measures directly the mean
velocity. In the absence of a fabricated type of float, a distinct floating body such as a water lily may be used
as float during observation. It will observed along the activity we have.
II. Objectives
The following are the objectives of this laboratory:
To measure the stream discharge on a given area using the float method.
To measure the volumetric flow rate and mean velocity of a stream.
To know the surface velocity.
III. Materials
Tape measure
Stopwatch
Pomelo Fruit (objects buoyant enough that not to be effected by the wind)
IV. Procedure
Step 1.Choose a suitable straight reach with minimum turbulence (ideally at least three channel widths
long).
Step 4.Divide the length into 12 intervals and use flaglets as markers.
Step 5.Measure the width of the stream on each intervals and use markers.
Step 7.Drop the pomelo into the stream upstream of your upstream marker.
Step 8. Start the watch when the pomelo crosses the upstream marker and stop the watch when it crosses
the downstream marker.
V. Computation
Float method – inexpensive and simple. This method measures surface velocity. Mean velocity is obtained
using a correction factor. The basic idea is to measure the time that it takes the object to float a specified
distance downstream.
Because surface velocities are typically higher than mean or average velocities
V mean = k Vsurface where k is a coefficient that generally ranges from 0.8 for rough beds to 0.9 for
smooth beds (0.85 is a commonly used value)
The amount of water passing a point on the stream channel during a given time is a function of velocity
and cross-sectional area of the flowing water.
Q = AV
For a 60 feet long section divided by 12 intervals and the depths and widths were obtained with 5 ft. allocation
for each of the interval. The time traveled from one end to another were 61.36s, 52.57s, 56.55s, 61.39s, and
61.49s for 5 trials. The table below are the values obtained.
( 29 . 5+29 .5+ 28. 5+26 . 6+26 .9+ 25. 6+ 25. 3+23 . 9+26 . 6+25 . 9+25 . 6+28 . 9+30 . 8 )
Widthmean=
13
= 27.2 ft.
TotalDepth
Depthmean=
18
596 . 1∈ ¿
39
Depthmean=¿
= 58.672 seconds
= 60/ 58.672 s
= 1.0226 ft./sec
V mean = k Vsurface
=0.85(1.0226 ft/s)
=0.869 ft./sec
Q = AV
Calculate the discharge from feet per second to gallons per minute where 1 ft. 3 = 448.83 gpm
Upstream:
1
A1 = bh
2
1
= (0 . 76 ft .)(7 . 38 ft .)
2
= 2.8044 ft.2
1
A2 = bh+bh
2
1
= ( 0 . 49 ft . ) ( 7 .38 ft . ) +(0 . 76 ft .)( 7 .38 ft .)
2
= 7.4169 ft.2
1
A3 = bh+bh
2
1
= ( 0 . 03 ft . )( 7 . 38 ft . ) +(1. 28 ft .)(7 . 38 ft .)
2
= 9.5571 ft.2
1
A4 = bh
2
1
= (1 . 28 ft .)(7 . 38 ft .)
2
= 4.7232 ft.2
1
A1 = bh
2
1
= (1 . 22 ft .)(7 . 71 ft .)
2
= 4.7031 ft.2
1
A2 = bh+bh
2
1
= ( 0 . 02 ft . )( 7 . 71 ft . )+(1 . 2 ft .)(7 . 71 ft .)
2
= 9.3291 ft.2
1
A3 = bh+bh
2
1
= ( 0 .117 ft . ) ( 7 .71 ft . ) +(1. 083 ft .)(7 . 71 ft .)
2
= 8.8 ft.2
1
A4 = bh
2
1
= (1 . 083 ft .)(7 .71 ft .)
2
= 4.175 ft.2
TAupsteam+TAdownstream
Areamean =
2
24 .5016+ 27 .0072
=
2
= 25.7544 ft.2
Q=AV
= (25.7544 ft.2)(0.869 ft./sec)
= 22.38 ft.3/sec
A1 A4
A2 A3
VI. Documentation
VII. Generalization
In general with this activity, it help to improve accuracy in very wide channels you
can take more velocity readings by dropping the float in different locations across the
width of the channel, as long as all of your readings are away from the bank. Take a few
measurements, and then average those measurements. It really helps us in future plan
when it comes to measuring float objects. And we learn the amount of water passing a
point on the stream channel during a given time is a function of velocity and cross-
sectional area of the flowing water.