What Is The Capacity Of A River?

The capacity of a stream or river is the total amount of sediment a stream is able to transport. This measurement usually corresponds to the stream power and the width-integrated bed shear stress across section along a stream profile.

What is the carrying capacity of a stream?

Literally, the carrying capacity of a stream is the amount of sediment it can transport under the given flow conditions. This is generally a descriptive term not used for quantitative statements of rates and amounts of sediment discharge, and its use is generally discouraged.

What is the difference between capacity and competence for a stream or river?

The competence of a stream refers to the maximum size of the pieces of sediment it can move. Faster-moving water has greater competence and can move larger pieces of sediment. The capacity of a stream is the total amount of sediment it can move.

What is river competency?

River Competence: Rivers and streams carry sediment that ranges in size from clay (smallest) to boulders (biggest). The “competence” of a river or stream refers to the largest particles that a river can transport. Several smaller streams have combined higher in the Sierras to generate this river.

How are competence and capacity in a river system different?

Streams channel water downhill under the influence of gravity. Stream capacity is a measure of the total sediment (material other than water) a stream can carry. Stream competence reflects the ability of a stream to transport a particular size of particle (e.g., boulder, pebble, etc).

What affects river capacity?

All along its course, the river uses energy to carry out erosion, transport and deposition of sediment. This energy is produced when water flows down a slope. At this point we can introduce two types of energy, potential energy and kinetic energy.

What is river velocity?

A river’s velocity refers to the speed at which water moves through its channel. The velocity can change at various points along the course of a river.

What is the difference between capacity and competence?

Capacity is defined as “a functional determination that an individual is or is not capable of making a medical decision within a given situation” [1]. Competency is defined as “the ability of an individual to participate in legal proceedings”.

How does a stream’s capacity compare to its load?

Increased capacity means the stream volume carries greater quantity of sediment. Increased competence means stream load carries greater sedimentary particle sizes. Because of increased competence, the stream may gain enough competence to carry particles as large as “pebbles, cobbles and boulders” (Gale Cengage).

How do you calculate stream capacity?

It is calculated as Q = V * A, where V is the stream velocity and A is the stream’s cross-sectional area. Units of discharge are volume per time (e.g., m³/sec or million gallons per day, mgpd).

What is the term defining the capacity of a river to transport the material?

Explanation: Competence defines the capacity of a river to transport the material and is represented by the largest size of a particle that can be transported at a given velocity. It is a function of cross-sectional area of the channel and flow velocity.

What is the sixth power of law?

A law stating that the size of particles that can be carried by a stream is proportional to the sixth power of its velocity.

What is the capacity of a stream quizlet?

Capacity is the amount of sediment that a stream can carry. Competence refers to the largest particle size that a stream can carry. You just studied 9 terms!

What is flowing water called?

Streamflow, or channel runoff, is the flow of water in streams, rivers, and other channels, and is a major element of the water cycle. The record of flow over time is called a hydrograph. Flooding occurs when the volume of water exceeds the capacity of the channel.

Do rivers stop flowing?

Some rivers get enough water from their headwaters, tributaries, and rain to flow all year round. Others go from cold, raging rivers to small, warm streams as the snowpack runs out, or even stop flowing completely. When we divert water away from a river, we change the river’s natural flow.

How do rivers split?

River bifurcation (from Latin: furca, fork) occurs when a river flowing in a single stream separates into two or more separate streams (called distributaries) which then continue downstream. If the streams eventually merge again or empty into the same body of water, then the bifurcation forms a river island.