Omdurman Islamic University

UNESCO Chair in Water Resources

Master Degree Program in
Water Resources Development and Management
A comprehensive Assignment on River Dynamics
Try All Problems

(1) A rectangular channel has a width of 2.0 m and carries a discharge of 4.80 m3 /sec
with a depth of 1.60 m. At a certain cross-section a small, smooth hump with a flat top
and a height 0.10 m is proposed to be built. Calculate the likely change in the water
surface. Neglect the energy loss.
Solution (1)

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(2) In problem (1), if the height of the hump is 0.50 m, estimate the water surface
elevation on the hump and at a section upstream of the hump.

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(3) A rectangular channel 2.50 m wide carries 6.0 m3 /sec of flow at a depth of 0.50
m. Calculate the height of a flat topped hump required to be placed at a section
to cause critical flow. The energy loss due to the obstruction by the hump can be
taken as 0.1 times the upstream velocity head.

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(4) A rectangular channel is 3.50 m wide conveys a discharge of 15.0 m3 /sec at a
depth of 2.0 m. It is proposed to reduce the width of the channel at a hydraulic
structure. Assuming the transition to be horizontal and the flow to be frictionless
determine the water surface elevations upstream and downstream of the
constriction when the constricted width is a) 2.50 m and b) 2.20 m.

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(5) Assuming that the force, F, exerted on the outside of a solid cylinder by a fluid
flowing past it, is dependent on the diameter of the cylinder, d, the density, ρ,
kinematic viscosity, ν, and velocity of the fluid, u.
Determine by the method of dimensional analysis, a relationship between
dimensionless numbers involving these quantities.
Tests performed on a cylinder of diameter 0.25 m in air gave the following forces
per meter length of the cylinder. Calculate the force that will be exerted on a
bridge pier of diameter 0.3 m situated in 3.3 m depth of water flowing with
velocity 4 m/s.

Take ( vw = 1.31x10-6 m2/s, va = 1.48x10-5 m2/s, ρw = 1000 kg/m3, ρa =1.23 kg/m3.

Table of test Results
Speed of air (m/s) 23 36 46 57
Force (N) 23.7 78 152 248

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(6) A model of a river has a horizontal scale of 1 to 600 and a vertical scale of 1 to
100. At a certain station along the river the mean velocity is 3 m/s and the rate of
discharge is 30000 m3/s. Calculate the corresponding mean velocity and the rate
of discharge for the model. The mean grain size of the sand suspended in the river
is 1 mm and its relative density is 2.65. Determine the size and relative density of
the suspended particles in the model in order to produce dynamic similarity of
sedimentation.

Consider by dimensional analysis it can be shown that

μ2 Vd πd3
F= .∫( ) = . (ρs − ρw )
ρw ν 6

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(7) Using the improved Lane balance equation calculate the percentage change in the
longitudinal slope and depth of flow in a river if the discharge is reduced by 30%
and river width changes in proportion to Q0.55. Where Q is the bank-full
discharge of the river.

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(8) A certain river has a width of 300 m, d50 = 1mm, discharge coefficients C = 40,
and average discharge Q = 1400 m3/s. Average annual volume of sediment V =
25x106 m3. Using the following formula for volume of sediment transport (s) per
unit width of river Calculate:
i) The depth of flow (h) and the longitudinal slope (i)
ii) The new depth of flow and the longitudinal slope if the width of the
river changed to 240 m and a new dynamic equilibrium is reached.

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ℎ𝑖 2
𝑠 = 0.52√16.5𝑑50 [ ] . 𝐶2
1.65𝑑50

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(9) A wide river discharges a flow of 100 Mm3/day and it has a longitudinal slope of
0.00018 and Chezy’s coefficients C = 40, and average width of 220 m. at a certain
reach a bend with an average radius of 740 m has been formed. Compute the
maximum expected depth of scour at the bend using two methods.

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(10) Figure below shows two reaches of two rivers DC and BC joined at city C to form the
main river CA. The collected information of the river system is as shown. A dam is
planned to be constructed on branch BC to divert half of its discharge for an irrigation
project.

i) Compute the depths and slopes for the equilibrium state before dam
construction.
ii) Sketch the water surface profile and bed levels of the syste m for (i) above.
iii) Compute the new depths at time t = 0 after dam has just been constructed
and the flow diverted.
iv) Sketch the water surface profile and bed levels of the system for (iii) above

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