Rating curve modelling with Manning's equation to manage instability and improve extrapolation

Abstract

The rating curve is the most frequently used methodology for continuous river flow measurement. However, to establish a reliable rating curve is difficult, takes time, and is often impossible when the measurement cross-section is unstable. To overcome this difficulty, the use of a modified form of the Manning equation is suggested to express flow rate as a function of hydraulic radius and longitudinal water surface slope rather than of water level alone, as is the case with the classical stage-discharge relationship. This formulation permits one to integrate the development of the river bed geometry and the hydraulic characteristics of the reach explicitly within the rating curve, in a simple way. The procedure is used and evaluated on the Leysse River in Chambery, France. The results demonstrate the validity and potential of this approach, particularly for extrapolation, when the hydraulic and geometric characteristics are evolving.