Estimating the optimal velocity measurement time in rivers’ flow measurements: an uncertainty approach

Abstract

The gauging process can be very extensive and time-consuming due to the procedures involved. Since velocity measurement time (VMT) is one of the main variables that would allow gauging times to be reduced, this study seeks to determine the optimal point VMT and, thereby, reduce the overall gauging time. An uncertainty approach based on the USGS area-velocity method and the GLUE methodology applied to eight gauging samples taken in shallow rivers located in South-central Chile was used. The average point velocity was calculated as the average of 1 to 70 randomly selected instant velocity samples (taken every one second). The time at which the uncertainty bands reached a stability criterion (according to both width and slope stability) was considered to be the optimum VMT since the variations were negligible and it does not further contribute to a less uncertain solution. Based on the results, it is concluded that the optimum point VMT is 17 s. Therefore, a point velocity measurement of 20 s is recommended as the optimal time for gauging in shallow rivers.