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Variation of the Manning roughness coefficient in the river Strymonas in

Northern Greece

Conference Paper · June 2014

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Variation of the Manning roughness coefficient in the river Strymonas
in Northern Greece
E. Hatzigiannakis*, D. Pantelakis, I. Hatzispiroglou, G. Arampatzis, A. Ilias and
A. Panagopoulos
Land Reclamation Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Dimitra, 57400 Sindos Thessaloniki, Greece

*Corresponding author: Email: hatzigiannakis@gmail.com, Tel +302310798790, fax +302310796352

Abstract
The roughness coefficient (n) of the Manning equation varies with time and it does not remain con-
stant throughout the length of an open channel. In order to study the flow in a river, different values
of the Manning roughness coefficient are determined from the literature for various flow conditions
and for the geometric characteristics of sections or different roughness coefficient values derived
from the calibration of the numerical models. The aim of this work is to study the variation of Man-
ning roughness coefficient (n) with the time and also with the distance along the river Strymonas,
which is located in the plain of Serres in Northern Greece. Measurements of the velocity and the
geometric characteristics have been made at three different sections of the river. The measurements
results have showed the variation of Manning roughness coefficient (n) between the three points in
Strymonas river with the discharge and the average flow depth in each section.

Keywords: Manning, roughness, natural river, Strymonas

1. INTRODUCTION

Modeling of a river flow is based on the empirical Manning equation. Manning equation is often
used to determine the water surface elevation for a given flow or to estimate water velocity for a
given water surface elevation. This equation gives the discharge of the river flow (Q) as a function
of the roughness coefficient (n), the depth of the flow (y) and the slope of the river bottom (S). The
roughness factor (n) expresses the roughness of the river channel and the banks and it is a parameter
with main importance in the river modelling. The Manning coefficient (n) generally depends on a
number of factors, including channel size, cross-section shape, channel alignment, channel mean-
dering and curvature, surface roughness, bed forms, obstructions, vegetation, sediment transport,
temperature, and seasonal changes [1]. A good estimation of the roughness factor (n) in a numerical
hydraulic model will lead to a proper simulation of the river flow characteristics with great accu-
racy.

The roughness coefficient (n), in Manning equation, is considered to be a constant for a reach [2].
Its value can be calibrated from flow measurements at one time and then used to predict past or fu-
ture conditions [3]. In other cases, when the roughness coefficient (n) cannot be calibrated, its val-
ues are determined from extensive tables that are found in literature [4]. These values are based on
the geometric characteristics of the river channel. In addition, the photographs that are published in
the literature are excellent sources of reference for the selection of n for natural channels [5].

In natural rivers, the roughness coefficient (n) does not remain constant due to increased vegetation
or the constantly changing riverbed or cross section [6]. It seems that the roughness coefficient (n)
increases with increasing discharge and the flow depth [7, 8]. In order to estimate the river dis-
charge or to simulate the river flow, using values of the manning coefficient (n) from the literature
may lead to incorrect results [9]. Especially, in areas that have problems of floods, it is essential to
simulate the river flow with high accuracy. So, the estimation of the roughness coefficient (n)
should be treated with caution.
Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Protection and Restoration of the Environment 888
Editors: A. Liakopoulos, A. Kungolos, C. Christodoulatos, A. Koutsopsyros
ISBN 978-960-88490-6-8
The aim of this paper is to study the variation of the roughness coefficient (n) in three sections of
Strymonas river, in Northern Greece. Strymonas River is one of the most important rivers in
Greece, from which one of the most productive agricultural areas of Greece is irrigated. Measure-
ments of the velocity and the geometric characteristics have been made at three different sections of
the river. The measurement’s results have showed the variation of Manning roughness coefficient
(n) between the three points in Strymonas river with the discharge, cross section area and velocity
in each section.

2. METHODS

Measurements of the river flow velocity and the flow depth have been made at three bridges (Pro-
maxonas, Peponia, Amfipoli) of Strymonas river, as Figure 1a and Figure 1b show.

Figure 1a: The three measurement locations along the river

Figure 1b: Photo from the bridges where the measurements have been done (Promaxonas, Peponia
and Amfipoli)

In Figure 2, it is given the flow meter (Valeport) that it is used for measurements of the river flow
velocity. The velocity was measured at most three times and the duration of each measurement was
set in 60 seconds. The depth, in which the flow meter was submerged, was 60% of the depth flow
from the surface. In order to calculate the discharge of the river flow, each cross section divided
into smaller trapezoidal sub-sections and the mean velocity of each sub-section was used in Equa-
tion 1.
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 N
Q = ∑ (U i * A i ) (1)
1
where Q is the discharge of the river flow (m3/sec), N is the number of sub-sections, Ui is the mean
velocity of each sub-section (m/sec) and Ai is the each sub-section area (m2).

Figure 2: Valeport flow meter

The cross sections of the river that have been measured in three bridges are different from each
other and also change with the time. Figure 3 shows the cross section that was measured at Amfi-
poli in 13/11/2013 and in 12/02/2014.

Figure 3: Cross section at Amfipoli in 13/11/2013 and 12/02/2014

In order to calculate the roughness coefficient (n), the Manning equation is used. The Manning
equation is an empirical formulation relating flow rate, depth, slope and a channel roughness coeffi-
cient in a river and is written as Equation 2 shows. Manning equation was developed for uniform
flow but it is often used in hydrodynamic model for estimating the flow conditions.

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 1
n= A R 2u / 3 S1o/ 2 (2)
Q
where Q is the discharge (m3/sec), A is the cross-sectional area (m2), Ru is the hydraulic radius (m),
So is the slope of the channel bed (m/m) and n is the roughness coefficient (L1/3/T). The hydraulic
radius is the ratio (A/P) where P is the wetted perimeter (m).

3. RESULTS

The measurements of the flow velocity and the depth flow have been started in 2008 but intensified
in 2013 and will be continued until 2015. The frequency of the measurements is roughly monthly,
because it is expected a significant change in the depth flow and discharge. Measurements are con-
ducted in the framework of the national monitoring network, which is realized in compliance to the
Water Framework Directive under the supervision and coordination of the Hellenic Ministry for the
environment and Climate Change.

Table 1 shows the measurements of the velocity (U), and the dates they have been performed. The
depth flow (Y) is referred to the average flow depth of each section. Also it is given, the discharge
(Q) that was calculated from Equation 1, the area of the tree cross sections (A) and the roughness
coefficient (n) that was calculated using the Manning equation. The slope of the river bed was ap-
proximately estimated in three sections with google earth.

Table 1: Results for the three sections

Promaxonas (So=0.01) Peponia (So=0.008) Amfipoli (So=0.0001)

Time Q 2 U Time Q 2 U Time Q 2 U
3 A(m ) y (m) n 3 A(m ) y (m) n 3 A(m ) y (m) n
(days) (m /sec) (m/sec) (days) (m /sec) (m/sec) (days) (m /sec) (m/sec)
19/4/2008 166.73 114.60 1.38 1.10 0.027 19/4/2008 152.80 160.10 0.91 1.49 0.134 16/4/2008 114.74 202.28 0.54 4.01 0.047
20/6/2008 51.46 54.60 0.73 0.57 0.031 23/4/2009 191.57 196.83 0.96 1.65 0.140 21/6/2008 45.31 186.07 0.24 4.03 0.102
23/4/2009 215.13 149.13 1.28 0.81 0.027 17/7/2009 153.26 172.90 0.87 1.48 0.150 24/4/2009 214.21 240.70 0.86 4.29 0.025
11/7/2013 63.05 70.94 0.83 0.82 0.027 18/9/2013 11.14 95.73 0.13 1.42 0.942 17/7/2009 175.79 201.70 0.83 4.02 0.030
1/8/2013 26.69 41.90 0.69 0.51 0.036 14/10/2013 32.81 122.48 0.25 1.67 0.473 17/6/2013 65.28 191.35 0.33 4.07 0.071
20/9/2013 23.47 37.49 0.69 0.45 0.039 14/11/2013 77.70 132.54 0.53 1.65 0.219 17/7/2013 45.60 195.41 0.22 4.13 0.105
14/10/2013 21.75 37.47 0.58 0.59 0.042 9/12/2013 38.23 122.73 0.30 1.65 0.380 21/8/2013 46.71 188.55 0.23 4.01 0.097
12/11/2013 25.42 44.34 0.57 0.61 0.037 15/1/2014 22.59 102.61 0.20 1.51 0.524 19/9/2013 88.34 193.39 0.39 3.99 0.053
5/12/2013 34.73 51.03 0.71 0.72 0.033 11/2/2014 47.13 119.93 0.33 1.69 0.234 16/10/2013 67.51 188.03 0.33 4.02 0.068
13/1/2014 22.38 31.94 0.74 0.62 0.038 13/11/2013 80.94 204.79 0.40 4.31 0.064
10/2/2014 23.67 37.35 0.66 0.64 0.038 6/12/2013 62.36 181.00 0.31 3.83 0.070
14/1/2014 55.89 185.22 0.28 3.93 0.079
12/2/2014 61.22 190.77 0.29 3.85 0.075

The roughness coefficient (n) ranges from 0.027 to 0.042 in Promaxonas, 0.134 to 0.942 in Peponia
and 0.025 to 0.105 in Amfipoli. The average roughness coefficient (n) in Promaxonas and Amfipoli
is less than the average roughness coefficient (n) in Peponia. In Peponia the river bed is muddy and
the sediment movement is intense. In addition, the roughness coefficient (n) appears not to vary,
considerably, with time in Promaxonas and Amfipoli, while in Peponia this is not observed. This is
probably caused by the surface roughness of the channel perimeter in Peponia that is changing with
891
time and the roughness coefficient (n) is affected by changes in the depth of flow. The flow condi-
tions in Peponia are quite different from the uniform flow conditions.
The average depth flow (y) in Amfipoli is greater than the depth flow (y) at the other sections, while
the larger velocities (U) appear in Promaxonas. In Promaxonas the river bed slope is greater than
the river bed slope of the other sections while the measurement point in Amfipoli is some hundred
meters from the sea.
Figure 4 shows the variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the discharge (Q) while Figure 5
shows the variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the flow velocity (U).

Figure 4: Variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the discharge (Q) in a) Promaxona, b) Pe-
ponia and c) Amfipoli

In Figure 6, it is given the variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the cross section area (A).
The roughness coefficient decreases as the discharge, the velocity and the cross section area in-
creases in all sections.

It is observed from the plots that for the same cross section area, measured at different time, the
roughness coefficient (n) is not identical. This is caused by the different velocity of the flow and the
different flow depth.

Figure 7 shows the variation of the roughness coefficient with time. It is obvious that the roughness
coefficient is not constant with time even in the same reach of the river.

892
Figure 5: Variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the velocity (U) in a) Promaxona, b) Pe-
ponia and c) Amfipoli

Figure 6: Variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the cross section area (A) in a) Promax-
ona, b) Peponia and c) Amfipoli

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Figure 7: Variation of the roughness coefficient (n) with the time (T) in a) Promaxona, b) Peponia
and c) Amfipoli

4. CONCLUSIONS
In this paper are presented the results of the measurements that have been carried in three sections
at Strymonas River. The measurements are related with the flow velocity, the depth of flow, the
discharge and the geometrical characteristic of the river. In order to estimate the roughness coeffi-
cient, the Manning equation was applied and the roughness coefficient variation with the discharge,
the velocity, the cross section area and the time was studied.
The roughness coefficient seems to decrease with increasing water flow rate, velocity and area cross
section. This can be altered, if the flow conditions change with time. The channel irregularity, espe-
cially in Peponia, affects the river flow and as a consequence the roughness coefficient. Also, in or-
der to estimate the roughness coefficient with high accuracy, it could take account the sediment
movement or the presence of obstructions as fallen trees.
The roughness coefficient does not remain constant with time but is always altering. In practice, for
a given channel it is assumed that roughness coefficient does not vary with flow conditions. In order
to simulate the water flow with a numerical model, this parameter should be better evaluated for the
flow model. In addition, the values of Manning coefficient that are used in numerical models and
are taken from the literature, might not correspond to the specific flow condition in a river.
At the end, the river bed slope is a crucial parameter that affects the roughness coefficient. Its varia-
tion influence the flow conditions and more accurate estimation could lead into more accurate re-
sults.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Data used in this paper is collected in the framework of the elaboration of the national water re-
sources monitoring network, supervised by the Special Secretariat for Water – Hellenic Ministry for
894
 the Environment and Climate Change. This project is elaborated in the framework of the opera-
tional program “Environment and Sustainable Development” which is co-funded by the National
Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) and the Public Investment Program (PIP).

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