An integrated and novel approach to estimating the conveyance capacity of the River Blackwater

This paper presents a number of complex issues associated with the methodology and preliminary analysis of velocity and discharge measurements using various techniques applied to the River Blackwater, UK. An ADCP deployment procedure was adapted in order to take into account the difficulties of using such equipment in small rivers. The velocity profile in the middle of main channel has been measured using both ADCP and ADV, and averaged over a time scale of 800 s and 300 s respectively, to obtain a stable value. A discrepancy of approximately 6.8% was observed in the mean streamwise velocity between both measurements. A good agreement between surface velocity measurements using PIV and ADCP in cross-sections located in straight and meandering reaches of the river was observed. Finally, several numerical models have been benchmarked against a physical scale model of the river.