Estimation of Average Stream Velocity |
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Authors: | Michael G. Waldon |
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Affiliation: | Senior Hydrologist, A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, 10216 Lee Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437. E-mail: waldon@members.asce.org
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Abstract: | Stream tracer studies provide information supporting diverse applications in environmental research and management. Average stream velocity through a reach is often estimated from tracer temporal profiles. This Technical Note addresses the calculation of average reach velocity. It is shown here that, under steady flow, average reach velocity over a fixed distance equals the spatial harmonic mean velocity. Similarly, the average reach velocity from the point of tracer injection to a fixed downstream measurement site is equal to downstream distance divided by the harmonic mean tracer time-of-travel, rather than the commonly used temporal centroid. |
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Keywords: | Mass transport Mathematical models Dispersion Spills Water quality Streams Velocity |
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