Please justify your answers, show your calculations and all units. Unjustified a
ID: 290539 • Letter: P
Question
Please justify your answers, show your calculations and all units. Unjustified answers are not enough to get full credit. 1. (4 pts)
Average cross-section area and water velocity were measured in Big Chico Creek and Deer Creek and are given in the table below: Average cross-section area (ft2) Water velocity (ft/s) Big Chico Creek 12.8 0.54 Deer Creek 65.1 12.7
a. Calculate streamflow (discharge) in each creek (show your calculations).
b. Which creek contributes the largest volume of water to the Sacramento River per day? Justify.
c. Which creek is more likely to face contamination issues, assuming that both creeks have similar sources and inputs of pollution? Justify.
Explanation / Answer
a). streamflow of big chico = avg cross section area x velocity = 12.8 ft2 x 0.54 ft/s = 6.912 ft3/s
stream flow of Deer creek = avg cross section area x velocity = 65.1 ft2 x 12.7 ft/s = 826.77ft3/s
b).Rate of flow of Deer creek is more so it will contribute larger volume
We have rate of flow for deer creek = 826.77ft3/.s = 826.77 ft3 / (60x60x24)day = 0.00956 ft3/day
similarly for Big chico flow rate = 6.912ft3/s = 0.00008 ft3/s
c) Deer creek will face less contamination issues due to high rate of flow.
In a moving waterbody suspended solids will settle out at a different points or will be carried to longer distances, depends on the rate of water flow.High rate of flow also affects degree of mixing of water and amount of dioxygen it will carry.