Hm Sensitivity of Open-Channel Flow Depth to Channel Depth

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

4-23-2026

Department

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Abstract

With the advent of changing rainfall and the concomitant increase of drought and flooding frequency, river modeling is of increased importance for not only flooding and drought but also sediment transport and erosion. When finding the riverbed bathymetry from existing data, however, the channel depth is often unknown, thereby necessitating its estimation. Cross-section profiles from remotely sensed data show a flat water surface instead of a varying riverbed cross-section due to LIDAR beams reflecting off the water surface, since they are not able to penetrate the water and reach the bed. To aid in the channel depth estimation, a sensitivity analysis was performed here in which the channel depth was altered, and the flow depth calculated using Manning’s equation for multiple channel shapes, both in the main channel and on the floodplain. In addition, numerical modeling was performed using HEC-RAS software on a real river case. Both theory and modeling results were in agreement and showed that the flow depth was more sensitive for low channel depths.

Publication Title

World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2026 Krewe of Innovation Proceedings of World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2026

ISBN

9780784486931

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