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.