Photographic guidance for selecting flow resistance coefficients in high-gradient channels

Photographic guidance is presented to assist with the estimation of Manning’s n and Darcy-Weisbach f in high-gradient plane-bed, step-pool, and cascade channels. Reaches both with and without instream wood are included. These coefficients are necessary for the estimation of reachaverage velocity, energy loss, and discharge. Using data collected in 19 stream channels located in the State of Colorado and the Eastern Italian Alps, on slopes ranging from 2.4 to 21 percent, guidance is provided for low through bankfull flows. Guidance for low flow resistance estimation is additionally provided using data collected in 29 channels in the State of Washington, New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina. Bankfull n values range from 0.048 to 0.30 and low flow n values range from 0.057 to 0.96. Discussions of flow resistance mechanisms and quantitative prediction tools are also presented