The hydraulic geometry of stream channels and some physiographic implications

Abstract

Some hydraulic characteristics of stream channels - depth, width, velocity, and suspended load - are measured quantitatively and vary with discharge as simple power functions at a given river cross section. Similar variations in relation to discharge exist among the cross sections along the length of a river under the condition that discharge at all points is equal in frequency of occurrence. The functions derived for a given cross section and among various cross sections along the river differ only in numerical values of coefficients and exponents.