Verification of roughness coefficients for selected natural and constructed stream channels in Arizona

Physical and hydraulic characteristics are presented for 14 river and canal reaches in Arizona for which 37 roughness coefficients have been determined. The verified roughness coefficients which ranged from 0.017 to 0.067, were computed from discharges, channel geometry, and water-surface profiles measured at each of the sites. The information given for each stream segment includes bed and bank descriptions, data tables showing hydraulic components, a plan view, cross-section plots, and color photographs that can be used as a comparison aid in determining roughness coefficients for similarly channeled streams. Relations derived from the data presented relate Manning's roughness coefficient (n) to various hydraulic components. For gravel-bed streams, verified roughness coefficients are related to median grain size of the bed material and hydraulic radius resulting in an equation that can be used to transfer results to similar dry-land channels. The equation developed for base values of n for gravel-bed channels in Arizona is significantly different from similarly derived equations for other regions of the United States and the world.