Velocity distribution in natural streams

Abstract

Velocity profiles were investigated for a natural stream by entropy theory. Flow was measured by Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) at different times and periods during seven site visits on the Sarımsaklı stream, which flows through central Anatolia in Turkey. Entropy parameter M was calculated with two different approaches. One of them is linear distribution between mean and maximum velocities at these stations and the entropy parameter was calculated as M=2.9. Second one is the best entropy parameter which can be calculated by using umax and zmax for measured verticals and found as M=2.83. Both approaches show good harmony with the measured data along the verticals. Errors between measured (um) and calculated (uc) velocities for the whole depths were calculated. The relative mean errors for the seven measurements and each vertical is determined as 5.65% for the SDE (Sarımsaklı Dam Entrance) station.