TECHNICAL PAPERS
Jul 16, 2011

Uncertainty Model for In Situ Quality Control of Stationary ADCP Open-Channel Discharge Measurement

Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 1

Abstract

This paper presents a relative standard uncertainty (RSU) model for stationary acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) open-channel discharge measurement. The model is a combination of the Type A and Type B evaluation of uncertainty and complies with the latest methodology for evaluating uncertainty in measurements implemented by the International Organization for Standardization. The Type A uncertainty component in the model accounts for the site-specific measurement conditions such as ambient turbulence; ADCP pitch, roll, and heading variations/errors; and the system noise of the ADCP used at the site. It is determined by statistical analysis of ADCP subsection ensemble discharge data. The model provides an in situ tool for quality control of a stationary ADCP discharge measurement.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Acknowledgments

The writer thanks Jeffrey L. Den Herder of Teledyne RD Instruments, who collected the discharge data from the San Diego River on January 29, 2010, and February 10, 2010, and assisted the writer in the field work for the San Diego River discharge measurement on January 4, 2011. He also thanks Svetlana Titova and John Koch of Teledyne RD Instruments, who collected the discharge data in the irrigation canal at the Ben Hulse Highway site in the Imperial Irrigation District, California, and Mike Baron of Manitoba Hydro, Canada, who kindly offered his data for the under-ice discharge measurement. The writer is also grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments that helped improve the paper.

References

Carter, R. W., and Anderson, I. E. (1963). “Accuracy of current meter measurements.” J. Hydraul. Div., 89(HY4), 105–115.
Gonzalez-Castro, J. A., and Muste, M. (2007). “Framework for estimating uncertainty of ADCP measurements from a moving boat by standardized uncertainty analysis.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 133(12), 1390–1410.
Gordon, R. L. (1996). “Acoustic Doppler current profilers, principles of operation: A practical primer.” 2nd Ed. for Broadband ADCPs, RD Instruments, San Diego.
Herschy, R. W. (1975). “The accuracy of existing and new methods of river gauging.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Geography, Univ. of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, U.K.
Huang, H. (2008). “Estimating precision of moving boat ADCP discharge measurement.” Proc., 14th Australian Hydrographers Association Conf.: Water Initiatives 2008 and Beyond, Australian Hydrographers Association, Northcote, Australia.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2005). “Measurement of fluid flow—Procedures for the evaluation of uncertainties.” ISO 5168, Geneva.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2007). “Hydrometry—Measurement of liquid flow in open channels using current meters or floats.” ISO 748, Geneva.
Kiang, J. E., Cohn, T. A., and Mason, R. R., Jr. (2009). “Quantifying uncertainty in discharge measurements: A new approach.” Proc.,World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Oberg, K. A., Morlock, S. E., and Caldwell, W. S. (2005). “Quality-assurance plan for discharge measurements using acoustic Doppler current profilers.” Scientific Investigations Rep. 2005-5183, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Reston, VA.
Oberg, K. A., and Mueller, D. S. (2007). “Validation of streamflow measurements made with acoustic Doppler current profilers.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 133(12), 1421–1432.
Pelletier, P. M. (1988). “Uncertainties in the single determination of river discharge: A literature review.” Can. J. Civ. Eng., 15(5), 834–850.
Rennie, C. D., Millar, R. G., and Church, M. A. (2002). “Measurement of bedload velocity using an acoustic Doppler current profiler.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 128(5), 473–483.
Simpson, M. R. (2001). “Discharge measurements using a broad-band acoustic Doppler current profiler.” Open-File Rep. 01-1, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Reston, VA.
SonTek/YSI. (2007). Discharge uncertainty calculations in the SonTek/YSI Flowtracker and RiverSurvor: Stationary-measurement, SonTek/YSI, San Diego.
Teledyne RD Instruments. (2009a). WinRiver II section-by-section user’s guide, San Diego.
Teledyne RD Instruments. (2009b). WinRiver II user’s guide, San Diego.
Urick, R. J. (1983). Principles of underwater sound, 3rd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
Wadsworth, H. M., Jr. (1989). “Summarization and interpretation of data.” in Handbook of statistical methods for engineers and scientists, M. Harrison and H. M. Wadsworth, Jr., eds., McGraw-Hill, New York.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 138Issue 1January 2012
Pages: 4 - 12

History

Received: Mar 16, 2010
Accepted: Jul 15, 2011
Published online: Jul 16, 2011
Published in print: Jan 1, 2012

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

Hening Huang [email protected]
P.E.
Principal Hydraulic Engineer, Teledyne RD Instruments, 14020 Stowe Dr., Poway, CA 92064. E-mail: [email protected]

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

Cited by

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share