mann

Channel Manning's n value

The table below lists values of Manning’s roughness coefficient for channel flow (Chow, 1959).

Characteristics of Channel	Minimum	Normal	Maximum
Main channels
a. clean, straight, full stage, no rifts or deep pools	0.025	0.030	0.033
b. same as above, but more stones and weeds	0.030	0.035	0.040
c. clean, winding, some pools and shoals	0.033	0.040	0.045
d. same as above, but some weeds and stones	0.035	0.045	0.050
e. same as above, lower stages, more ineffective slopes and sections	0.040	0.048	0.055
f. same as "d" with more stones	0.045	0.050	0.060
g. sluggish reaches, weedy, deep pools	0.050	0.070	0.080
h. very weedy reaches, deep pools, or floodways with heavy stand of timber and underbrush	0.075	0.100	0.150
Mountain streams, no vegetation in channel, banks usually steep, trees and brush along banks submerged at high stages
a. bottom: gravels, cobbles, and few boulders	0.030	0.040	0.050
b. bottom: cobbles with large boulders	0.040	0.050	0.070
Excavated or dredged channels
a. Earth, straight, and uniform
1. clean, recently completed	0.016	0.018	0.020
2. clean, after weathering	0.018	0.022	0.025
3. gravel, uniform section, clean	0.022	0.025	0.030
4. with short grass, few weeds	0.022	0.027	0.033
b. Earth winding and sluggish
1. no vegetation	0.023	0.025	0.030
2. grass, some weeds	0.025	0.030	0.033
3. dense weeds or aquatic plants in deep channels	0.030	0.035	0.040
4. earth bottom and rubble sides	0.028	0.030	0.035
5. stony bottom and weedy banks	0.025	0.035	0.040
6. cobble bottom and clean sides	0.030	0.040	0.050
c. Dragline-excavated or dredged
1. no vegetation	0.025	0.028	0.033
2. light brush on banks	0.035	0.050	0.060
d. Rock cuts
1. smooth and uniform	0.025	0.035	0.040
2. jagged and irregular	0.035	0.040	0.050
e. Channels not maintained, weeds and brush uncut
1. dense weeds, high as flow depth	0.050	0.080	0.120
2. clean bottom, brush on sides	0.040	0.050	0.080
3. same as above, highest stage of flow	0.045	0.070	0.110
4. dense brush, high stage	0.080	0.100	0.140
Lined or constructed channels
a. Cement
1. neat surface	0.010	0.011	0.013
2. mortar	0.011	0.013	0.015
b. Wood
1. planed, untreated	0.010	0.012	0.014
2. planed, creosoted	0.011	0.012	0.015
3. unplaned	0.011	0.013	0.015
4. plank with battens	0.012	0.015	0.018
5. lined with roofing paper	0.010	0.014	0.017
c. Concrete
1. trowel finish	0.011	0.013	0.015
2. float finish	0.013	0.015	0.016
3. finished, with gravel on bottom	0.015	0.017	0.020
4. unfinished	0.014	0.017	0.020
5. gunite, good section	0.016	0.019	0.023
6. gunite, wavy section	0.018	0.022	0.025
7. on good excavated rock	0.017	0.020
8. on irregular excavated rock	0.022	0.027
d. Concrete bottom float finish with sides of
1. dressed stone in mortar	0.015	0.017	0.020
2. random stone in mortar	0.017	0.020	0.024
3. cement rubble masonry, plastered	0.016	0.020	0.024
4. cement rubble masonry	0.020	0.025	0.030
5. dry rubble or riprap	0.020	0.030	0.035
e. Gravel bottom with sides of
1. formed concrete	0.017	0.020	0.025
2. random stone mortar	0.020	0.023	0.026
3. dry rubble or riprap	0.023	0.033	0.036
f. Brick
1. glazed	0.011	0.013	0.015
2. in cement mortar	0.012	0.015	0.018
g. Masonry
1. cemented rubble	0.017	0.025	0.030
2. dry rubble	0.023	0.032	0.035
h. Dressed ashlar/stone paving	0.013	0.015	0.017
i. Asphalt
1. smooth	0.013	0.013
2. rough	0.016	0.016
j. Vegetal lining	0.030		0.500

References

Chow, V.T., 1959, Open-channel hydraulics: New York, McGraw-Hill, 680 pp.