Hydrologic Assessment of Water Losses in River

Water loss in a channel is an important component of the hydrologic budget for the design and planning of a water diversion and delivery system. Quantitative assessment of channel losses is required in the calculations of flow components of a river basin or reach and the projections of design flows at the withdrawal and delivery points of the water diversion system. In this study, hydrologic methods are employed to determine water losses along the Sheyenne River and their significance in water delivery from the Missouri River to the Red River via the Sheyenne River, a proposed diversion project. The hydrologic budget approach is considered the most appropriate method for the Sheyenne River and the proposed project. Long-term, monthly average, and annual channel losses and their longitudinal distributions are obtained. The estimated losses can be used as the additional discharge, compensating for the losses in the water delivery and supply system.