hydraulic geometry A description of the adjustments made by a stream in response to changes in discharge at a cross-section and in the downstream direction. Adjustments are made in width, mean depth, mean velocity, slope, frictional resistance, suspended-sediment load, and water-surface gradient. The relationship between discharge and adjustment is expressed as a power function: y = aQ^b, where y is the adjusting variable, Q is discharge, and a and b are coefficients.

hydraulic geometry A description of the adjustments made by a stream in response to changes in discharge, both at a crosssection and in the downstream direction. Adjustments are made in width, mean depth, mean velocity, slope, frictional resistance, suspended-sediment load, and watersurface gradient. The relationship between discharge and adjustment is expressed as a power function: y = aQ^b, where y is the adjusting variable, Q is discharge, and a and b are coefficients.