E. & F. N. SPON, LTD., LONDON

RIVER AND CANAL
ENGINEERING
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OPEN FLOWING STREAMS, AND THE PRINCIPLES AND METHODS TO BE FOLLOWED IN DEALING WITH THEM
BY
E. S. BELLASIS, M.Inst.C.E.
RECENTLY SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER IN THE IRRIGATION BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OF INDIA
72 ILLUSTRATIONS

London
E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, S.W.
New York
SPON & CHAMBERLAIN, 123 LIBERTY STREET
1913

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION]
ARTICLEPAGE
1.[Preliminary Remarks]1
2.[Résumé of the Subject]1
3.[Design and Execution of Works]3
4.[The Hydraulics of Open Streams]4
[CHAPTER II
RAINFALL]
1.[Rainfall Statistics]6
2.[Available Rainfall]9
3.[Measurement of Rainfall]13
4.[Influence of Forests and Vegetation]14
5.[Heavy Falls in Short Periods]15
[CHAPTER III
COLLECTION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING STREAMS]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]18
2.[Stream Gauges]19
3.[Plan and Sections]21
4.[Discharge Observations]21
5.[Discharge Curves and Tables]23
6.[Small Streams]24
7.[Intermittent Streams]25
8.[Remarks]26
[CHAPTER IV
THE SILTING AND SCOURING ACTION OF STREAMS]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]27
2.[Rolled Material]29
3.[Materials carried in Suspension]31
4.[Methods of Investigation]33
5.[Quantity and Distribution of Silt]35
6.[Practical Formulæ and Figures]37
7.[Action on the Sides of a Channel]40
8.[Action at Bends]42
9.[General Tendencies of Streams]45
[CHAPTER V
METHODS OF INCREASING OR REDUCING SILTING OR SCOUR]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]48
2.[Increase of Scour or Reduction of Silting]48
3.[Production of Silt Deposit]51
4.[Arrangements at Bifurcations]53
5.[A Canal with Headworks in a River]54
6.[Protection of the Bed]58
[CHAPTER VI
WORKS FOR THE PROTECTION OF BANKS]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]60
2.[Spurs]61
3.[Continuous Lining of the Bank]64
4.[Heavy Stone Pitching with Apron]71
[CHAPTER VII
DIVERSIONS AND CLOSURES OF STREAMS]
1.[Diversions]73
2.[Closure of a Flowing Stream]75
3.[Instances of Closures of Streams]80
[CHAPTER VIII
THE TRAINING AND CANALISATION OF RIVERS]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]84
2.[Dredging and Excavating]84
3.[Reduction of Width]85
4.[Alteration of Depth or Water-Level]88
5.[Training and Canalising]89
[CHAPTER IX
CANALS AND CONDUITS]
1.[Banks]92
2.[Navigation Canals]93
3.[Locks]96
4.[Other Artificial Channels]100
[CHAPTER X
WEIRS AND SLUICES]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]102
2.[General Design of a Weir]105
3.[Weirs on Sandy or Porous Soil]106
4.[Various Types of Weirs]111
5.[Weirs with Sluices]115
6.[Falling Shutters]121
7.[Adjustable Weirs]126
8.[Remarks on Sluices]128
[CHAPTER XI
BRIDGES AND SYPHONS]
1.[Bridges]132
2.[Syphons and Culverts]135
3.[Training Works]136
[CHAPTER XII
DRAINAGE AND FLOODS]
1.[Preliminary Remarks]141
2.[Small Streams]141
3.[Rivers]146
4.[Prediction of Floods]150
5.[Prevention of Floods]153
6.[Lowering the Water-Level]154
7.[Flood Embankments]156
[CHAPTER XIII
RESERVOIRS AND DAMS]
1.[Reservoirs]162
2.[Capacity of Reservoirs]167
3.[Earthen Dams]174
4.[Masonry Dams]181
[CHAPTER XIV
TIDAL WATERS AND WORKS]
1.[Tides]190
2.[Tidal Rivers]192
3.[Works in Tidal Rivers]196
4.[Tidal Estuaries]197
5.[Works in Tidal Estuaries]198
[CHAPTER XV
RIVER BARS]
1.[Deltaic Rivers]203
2.[Other Rivers]205
[Appendix A. Fallacies in the Hydraulics of Streams]209
[Appendix B. Pitching and Bed Protection]212
[Index]213

PREFACE

The object of this book is to describe the principles and practice adopted in the Engineering of Open Streams. If the book seems to be somewhat small for its object, it will, it is hoped, be found that this is due to care in the arrangement and wording.

Sources of information have been acknowledged in the text, but special mention may be made of lectures given by Professor Unwin at Coopers Hill College, of Harcourt’s large work on Rivers and Canals, of the papers[1] by Binnie on rainfall, by Shaw on the closing of the river Tista, by Harcourt on movable weirs and on estuaries, by Strange on reservoirs, and by Ottley and Brightmore, Gore and Wilson, and Hill on the stresses in masonry dams; of the articles by Bligh[2] on weirs with porous foundations and by Deacon[3] on reservoir capacity, of the Indian Government paper by Spring on “River Control on the Guide Bank System,” and of the Punjab Government paper containing Kennedy’s remarks on silting and scour in the Sirhind Canal. The two papers last mentioned are not easily accessible, and they contain matter of great interest. The important points, often obscured by masses of detail or figures, have been extracted.[4]

Silting and scour ([Chap. IV.]) had already been dealt with in Hydraulics,[5] but some further information has since come to light and the subject has been treated afresh and the matter re-written.

E. S. B.