Name: Honey Lyn T. Villamor Instructor: Engr.

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
 Rod, yard or meter stick to measure depth
 Pomelo Fruit (objects buoyant enough that not to be effected by the wind)
 Stakes for anchoring tape measure to stream banks
 Notebook and Ballpen
 Cellphone
 Calculator
 Laptop

IV. Procedure

Step 1.Choose a suitable straight reach with minimum turbulence (ideally at least three channel widths
long).

Step 2.Measure a reach of 60 ft. in length.

Step 3.Mark the start and end point of your reach.

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 6.Measure the depth of each intervals including the width.

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.

Step 9. Repeat the process 5 times.

Step 10. Gather data and proceed for further calculations.

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.

Vsurface = travel distance/ travel time = L/t

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

Where Q is stream discharge (volume/time), A is cross-sectional area, and V is flow velocity

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.

Station Width (ft.) Depth (in.)

D1 D2 D3

0 29.52 9.1 15 15.4

1 29.46 10.4 14.4 21.3

2 28.54 7.9 13.4 16

 3 26.57 11.6 13.8 16.6

4 26.9 14.4 15 16.6

5 25.59 14.4 15 18.5

6 25.26 13.8 14.8 17

7 23.85 15 14.2 23.7

8 26.57 17.4 15.4 17

9 25.92 15.8 15.6 21.5

10 25.59 18 15.7 19.9

11 28.87 16.2 15.6 8.7

12 30.84 14.6 14.4 13

Table 1 Data obtained in the streamflow measurement

Calculate Cross-sectional Area

Multiply the width of the channel by the depth (in feet).

𝑾𝒊𝒅𝒕𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏
(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)
=
𝟏𝟑
= 27.2 ft.

𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉
𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 =
𝟏𝟖
𝟓𝟗𝟔. 𝟏𝒊𝒏
𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 =
𝟑𝟗

= 15.3 inches or 1.3 ft.

Cross Sectional Area = DepthmeanxWidthmean

= 1.3 ft. x 27.2 ft.
= 34.65 ft.2

Calculate the average time

(𝟔𝟏.𝟑𝟔𝐬+ 𝟓𝟐.𝟓𝟕𝐬+𝟓𝟔.𝟓𝟓𝐬+𝟔𝟏.𝟑𝟗𝐬+ 𝟔𝟏.𝟒𝟗𝐬)

Average Time=
𝟓

= 58.672 seconds

Calculate the Surface Velocity and the Mean Velocity

Vsurface = travel distance/ travel time = L/t

 = 60/ 58.672 s

= 1.0226 ft./sec

V mean = k Vsurface

=0.85(1.0226 ft/s)

=0.869 ft./sec

Calculate the discharge in feet per second

Q = AV

= 34.65ft.2 x 0.869 fps

= 30.12 ft.3/sec

Calculate the discharge from feet per second to gallons per minute where 1 ft.3 = 448.83 gpm

Discharge (gpm)= 30.12 cfs x 448.83

= 13,518.37gpm

For the other solution:

Upstream:

𝟏
A1 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒉
𝟏
= 𝟐 (𝟎. 𝟕𝟔𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟑𝟖𝒇𝒕. )
= 2.8044 ft.2

𝟏
A2 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒉 + 𝒃𝒉
𝟏
= (𝟎. 𝟒𝟗𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟑𝟖𝒇𝒕. ) + (𝟎. 𝟕𝟔𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟑𝟖𝒇𝒕. )
𝟐
= 7.4169 ft.2

𝟏
A3 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒉 + 𝒃𝒉
𝟏
= 𝟐 (𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟑𝟖𝒇𝒕. ) + (𝟏. 𝟐𝟖𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟑𝟖𝒇𝒕. )
= 9.5571 ft.2

𝟏
A4 = 𝒃𝒉
𝟐
𝟏
= (𝟏. 𝟐𝟖𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟑𝟖𝒇𝒕. )
𝟐
= 4.7232 ft.2

Total Areaupstream= A1+A2 +A3+A4

= 2.8044 ft.2+7.4169 ft.2+9.5571 ft.2+4.7232 ft.2
= 24.5016 ft.2
Downstream:

𝟏
A1 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒉
𝟏
= 𝟐 (𝟏. 𝟐𝟐𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟕𝟏𝒇𝒕. )
= 4.7031 ft.2
 𝟏
A2 = 𝒃𝒉 + 𝒃𝒉
𝟐
𝟏
= 𝟐
(𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟕𝟏𝒇𝒕. ) + (𝟏. 𝟐𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟕𝟏𝒇𝒕. )
= 9.3291 ft. 2

𝟏
A3 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒉 + 𝒃𝒉
𝟏
= 𝟐 (𝟎. 𝟏𝟏𝟕𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟕𝟏𝒇𝒕. ) + (𝟏. 𝟎𝟖𝟑𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟕𝟏𝒇𝒕. )
= 8.8 ft.2

𝟏
A4 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒉
𝟏
= (𝟏. 𝟎𝟖𝟑𝒇𝒕. )(𝟕. 𝟕𝟏𝒇𝒕. )
𝟐
= 4.175 ft.2

Total Areadownstream= A1+A2 +A3+A4

= 4.7031 ft.2+ 9.3291 ft.2+ 8.8 ft.2+ 4.175 ft.2
= 27.0072 ft.2

𝐓𝐀𝐮𝐩𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦+𝐓𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦
Areamean = 𝟐
𝟐𝟒.𝟓𝟎𝟏𝟔+𝟐𝟕.𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟐
= 𝟐
= 25.7544 ft.2

Calculate the discharge using V=0.869 ft./sec

Q=AV
= (25.7544 ft.2)(0.869 ft./sec)
= 22.38 ft.3/sec

Convert to gallons per minute (gpm) where 1 ft.3 = 448.83 gpm

Discharge (gpm) = 22.38 ft.3/sec x 448.83

= 10, 045.07285 gpm

A1
A2 A4
A3
UPSTREAM DOWNSTREAM

A1 A4
A2 A3
VI. Documentation

Measuring the length and the width of the stream.

Measuring the depths of each points of intervals.

Recording the time travelled by the pomelo from upstream to downstream.

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.