Table of Contents
- 1 What factors affect stream discharge?
- 2 What happens after a stream discharge increases?
- 3 What is discharge stream?
- 4 What factors increase discharge?
- 5 How is discharge rate calculated?
- 6 What river has the highest discharge?
- 7 What is the difference between discharge velocity and seepage velocity?
- 8 What factors affect peak discharge?
- 9 How do you calculate stream discharge?
- 10 Why does a stream discharge increase?
What factors affect stream discharge?
There are several factors that affect stream discharge. The velocity of the water affects it; faster water means more passes per second so more discharge. The width and depth of the river also affects it; a larger river at the same speed will have higher discharge.
What happens after a stream discharge increases?
In a natural situation, an increase in discharge (cubic feet/second) will result in an increase in all three parameters – the river becomes wider, deeper and flows at a higher velocity. When a stream channel can no longer accommodate increased discharge it overflows its banks and a flood occurs.
Why does river discharge increase downstream?
Discharge increases downstream because of additional water from tributaries. Velocity increases due to the additional water from tributaries and less water is in contact with the bed and banks so there is less friction. Find out more about the long profile of a river.
What is discharge stream?
Discharge is the volume of water moving down a stream or river per unit of time, commonly expressed in cubic feet per second or gallons per day.
What factors increase discharge?
River Discharge and Factors Affecting River Discharge
- 1) Rock and soil type.
- 2) Weather conditions.
- 3) Type and amount of Rainfall.
- 4) Type of land.
What causes peak discharge?
The rising limb of the hydrograph represents the rapid increase in resulting from rainfall causing surface runoff and then later throughflow. Peak discharge occurs when the river reaches its highest level. Prolonged heavy rain causes more overland flow than light drizzly rain.
How is discharge rate calculated?
The flow rate of a stream is equal to the flow velocity (speed) multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the flow. The equation Q=AV (Q=discharge rate, A=area, V=velocity) is sometimes known as the discharge equation.
What river has the highest discharge?
Amazon
List of rivers by discharge
| No | Continent | River |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South America | Amazon |
| 2 | Africa | Congo |
| 3 | Asia | Ganges/Brahmaputra/Meghna |
| 4 | South America | Orinoco |
Why would discharge decrease downstream?
Because river slope generally decreases in a downstream direction, it is generally supposed that velocity of flow also decreases downstream. Near the streambed, shear in the vertical profile of velocity (rate of decrease of velocity with depth) tends to decrease downstream.
What is the difference between discharge velocity and seepage velocity?
Discharge velocity is the volume of water flowing in unit time across the unit cross section perpendicular to the direction of flow. seepage velocity is the real velocity of water through the soil.
What factors affect peak discharge?
1. Large drainage basins catch more precipitation so have a higher peak discharge compared to smaller basins. Smaller basins generally have shorter lag times because precipitation does not have as far to travel. The shape of the drainage basin also affects runoff and discharge.
What happens after a stream discharge increased?
What happens after a stream’s discharge increases? Discharge increases as more water is added through rainfall, tributary streams , or from groundwater seeping into the stream . As discharge increases , generally width, depth, and velocity of the stream also increase .
How do you calculate stream discharge?
The discharge of a stream is the product of its velocity (V – length of travel per unit of time such as feet/second) times depth of the water (D – unit of length) times width (W of the water – units of length). (Make sure all all three lengths are expressed in the same unit.) Discharge = V x D x W
Why does a stream discharge increase?
Discharge increases, as noted above, because water is added to the stream from tributary streams and groundwater. As discharge increases, the width, depth, and average velocity of the stream increase. The gradient of the stream, however, will decrease.
What is stream discharge equation?
Discharge, or the volume of water flowing in a stream over a set interval of time, can be determined with the equation: Q = AV, where Q is discharge (volume/unit time-e.g. m 3/second, also called cumecs ), A is the cross-sectional area of the stream (e.g. m 2), and V is the average velocity (e.g. m/s).