Module 5 Field Observations: Hydraulics

The Assignment

Go to a local stream or river with flowing water (please do not get in the water for safety purposes). Build as web page with the following:

1. Provide a Location Map
2. Provide a Field Map Sketch (Planform) – Denote on it where you record remaining observations ( 3 through 6)
3. Take some oblique photos of the channel and annotate:
   1. Arrows representing flow direction (magnitude by length)
   2. Find examples of:
      1. Convergent flow
      2. Divergent flow
      3. Uniform flow
   3. Flow Separation, Flow Seam, Reattachment Zone, Shear Zone Type (Eddy vs. Wake)
   4. Use Table 5.1 to identify surface flow-types you see present
4. Estimate the discharge in the channel (what is average depth? What is average velocity (use orange peel method)? What is flow width? Q=VA)
5. Draw a rough cross section (use approximate scale, no –need to wade in channel)
6. Find at least one example of a hydraulic jump. Record video and identify :
   1. The upstream subcritical flow
   2. The transition to supercritical flow
   3. The hydraulic jump itself
   4. The downstream subcritical flow

Cool Examples

It is helpful to get inspiration from others and borrow ideas to apply to your observations, websites and reading of your own riverscapes!

From 2021

The 2021 class had some really good assignment. Some of the most inspiring examples are in the table below and some excerpts are stolen from each:

Triton Abeyta

Triton had some great field sketches and annotations in his module 5 assignment.

Jens Ammon

Jens had some nicely annotated aerial images in his module 5 assignment.

Megh Raj K C

Megh had an extremely thorough lab, but one of the cleanest field estimates of discharge with just a stick in his module 5 assignment.

Kat Ann Margretts

Kat takes the prize on some of the most artistically beautiful field sketches in her module 5 assignment.