Discharge (hydrology)
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In hydrology, the discharge of a river is the volume of water transported by it in a certain amount of time. The unit used is usually m³/s (cubic meters per second). For example, the average discharge of the Rhine river is 2200 m³/s.
The discharge of a river can be estimated by taking the area of a cross-section of the river and multiplying it by the river's average velocity.
In absolute terms, the greater the discharge of a river, the more sediment it may carry. In relative terms the ability to carry sediments depends on the settling velocity, the speed of the flow.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- USDA NRCS National Engineering Handbook, Stage Discharge Relationships, Ch. 14
- USDA NRCS National Engineering Handbook
