Ogee Spillway Calculator
Compute USBR high-overflow ogee spillway discharge from crest length L, head H, and design head Hd. Runs locally. C is 3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}, not an input. Not a thin-plate weir, not broad-crested, not a sluice, not Manning, and not Q=Av.
Enter values to calculate.
Live graph
Interactive plot
Trust summary CVP VERIFIED · CVP protocol 1.0.0-proposed · Engineering assurance · USBR high-overflow ogee Q_cfs=C L_ft H_ft^{3/2} with C=3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}, + O3 mpmath tabulated Q.
- Input interpretation
- Enter values to calculate.
- Result
- —
- Verified scope
- USBR high-overflow ogee Q_cfs=C L_ft H_ft^{3/2} with C=3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}, + O3 mpmath tabulated Q.
- Assurance
- Engineering
- Declared partition coverage
- PASS · 5/5 declared partitions (flow, alias, awkward, tall, invalid-domain) · Matrix
- Deferred
- Not thin-plate (2/3)Cd, not broad-crested, not sluice, not Manning, not submerged, not Q=Av.
- Numerical scope
- O2: USBR high-overflow ogee vs a separate-module identity (≤2 ULP). Not thin-plate, not broad-crested, not sluice, not Manning, and not Q=Av. ≤2 ULP vs O3 applies only to the published tabulated ogee vectors. Not thin-plate, not broad-crested, not sluice, not Manning, and not Q=Av.
- Known limitations
- Core CVP does not include live graph, viewport, or pointer interaction.
- Model
- USBR high-overflow ogee spillway discharge or head. SI L, H, Hd, Q.
- Scope
- USBR high-overflow ogee: Q_cfs = C L_ft H_ft^{3/2}; C = 3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}; SI L, H, Hd, Q; C is reported, not an input
- Verification
- Engine tested · Source checked · v1.0.0 · CVP VERIFIED · CVP protocol 1.0.0-proposed · Engineering assurance · USBR high-overflow ogee Q_cfs=C L_ft H_ft^{3/2} with C=3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}, + O3 mpmath tabulated Q.· View Manifest · CVP overview · Specification
- Versions
- Calculation 1.0.0 · CVP protocol 1.0.0-proposed · Evidence 2026-09-26.o2-o3
- Verification revision
- 2026-09-26.o2-o3 · 1/1 property · digest c52bed685698
- Legacy regression
- 6/6 tests · Production surface contract 6/6
- Trust layers
- Verification VERIFIED · Production CURRENT · Overall CVP state: VERIFIED under CVP 1.0.0-proposed
- Reference
- O1 model · O3 expected_values · O3 numerical_behavior · O2 expected_values · O2 numerical_behavior
- Interfaces
- PASS · UI (SSR) / REST / MCP
- Supplemental domain review
- Not performed
- Named expert review
- Not performed
- CVP suite
- 4/4 golden · 1/1 CVP boundary · 3/3 invalid · 1/1 property · 1/1 metamorphic · 8/8 O3 · 2/2 cross-interface · 6/6 CVP contract · Manifest
- Sources
- USBR — Design of Small Dams
- ISO 80000-4 — Mechanics
- Evidence
- 1 legacy golden · legacy regression suite · 4/4 oracle-backed golden · 3/3 invalid · Artifact integrity PASS
- Semantic contract
- PASS
Full verification
Formulas
Core equations used by this calculator.
How to use
Enter crest length L
Ogee crest in metres. This is not broad-crested width b.
Enter design head Hd
The head the ogee profile was designed for. Thin-plate weirs have no Hd.
Enter head H or discharge Q
Give one, not both. H is upstream head above the crest, not flume Ha.
Example calculations
Common configurations with formula and result.
Design-head overflow
L=1 m, H=1 m, Hd=1 m
Invert H from that Q
L=1 m, Hd=1 m, Q≈2.19731 m³/s
Ogee Spillway calculator specification
Version 1.0.0 · Engine tested
- Engine tested 6/6 tests · Production surface contract 6/6
- Named expert review Not performed
- Calculation version 1.0.0
- Definition
- USBR high-overflow ogee with vertical upstream face. Q_cfs = C L_ft H_ft^{3/2} with C = 3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}. Inputs and result are SI (L, H, Hd in m, Q in m³/s). C is the reported USBR fps coefficient, not an input. Envelope H/Hd∈[0.2, 1.33]. Optional height P with P/Hd≥1.7. Not thin-plate (2/3) C_d L √(2g) H^{3/2}, not broad-crested (2/3)^{3/2} b √g H^{3/2}, not sluice a b √(2g y1), not Manning n, not Q=Av, not Francis 3.33.
- What it calculates
- USBR high-overflow ogee spillway discharge or head. SI L, H, Hd, Q.
- Inputs
- mode?
- L
- Hd
- H | Q
- P?
- Outputs
- Q
- L
- H
- Hd
- C
- P
- mode
- model
- Formula
Q_cfs = C L_ft H_ft^{3/2}; C = 3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}- Assumptions
- USBR high-overflow ogee: Q_cfs = C L_ft H_ft^{3/2}; C = 3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12}; SI L, H, Hd, Q; C is reported, not an input
- H/Hd∈[0.2, 1.33]; optional P with P/Hd≥1.7; vertical upstream face; free overflow
- Not thin-plate (2/3) C_d L √(2g) H^{3/2}, not broad-crested (2/3)^{3/2} b √g H^{3/2}, not sluice, not Manning n, not Q=Av, not Francis 3.33
- Units
- SI; L, H, and Hd in m; Q in m³/s; C is the USBR fps coefficient
- Boundary conditions
- missing L, Hd, H, or Q when required → MISSING_REQUIRED_INPUT
- Cd, broad-crested b, sluice a/y1, Manning n/R/S, Q=Av v, g, orifice A/d → MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING
- H/Hd outside [0.2, 1.33] or P/Hd < 1.7 → VALUE_OUT_OF_RANGE
- mode=rectangular|thin-plate|broad-crested|sluice or unknown mode → MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING or INVALID_MODE
- Example
- L=1 H=1 Hd=1 → Q≈2.19731
- Validation cases
4 published on this page · 6/6 tests · Production surface contract 6/6 · View evidence
- L=1 H=1 Hd=1 → Q≈2.19731 m³/s
- L=1 H=1 → MISSING_REQUIRED_INPUT (Hd)
- L=1 H=1 Hd=1 Cd=0.62 → MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING
- kind=rectangular L=1 H=1 Hd=1 → MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING
- Sources
- USBR — Design of Small Dams — High overflow ogee, vertical upstream faceSupports: C≈3.98 at design head; compact fit C=3.98 (H/Hd)^{0.12} on the high-overflow chart; P/Hd≥1.7
- ISO 80000-4 — Mechanics — Volume flow rateSupports: Q is volume flow; L, H, and Hd are lengths
- USBR — Design of Small Dams — High overflow ogee, vertical upstream face
- Calculation version
- 1.0.0
Background
Interpretation and common distinctions.
Compute USBR high-overflow ogee spillway discharge from crest length, head, and design head.
Supported and not supported
Supported — USBR high-overflow Q from L, H, and Hd · invert H from Q · API physics.fluid.ogee_spillway
Not supported — thin-plate weir given C_d, broad-crested weir, sluice, Manning n, Q=Av, Francis 3.33, drowned spillway
Agent / API notes
Capability id: physics.fluid.ogee_spillway · tool id: ogee-spillway · pin 1.0.0.
{ "L": 1, "H": 1, "Hd": 1 }
Invert: { "mode": "head", "L": 1, "Hd": 1, "Q": 2.19731 }. Errors: MISSING_REQUIRED_INPUT, INVALID_NUMBER, VALUE_MUST_BE_POSITIVE, VALUE_OUT_OF_RANGE, MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING, INVALID_MODE.
Calculator URL stays /calc/physics/ogee-spillway. There is no /calc/fluid.
Related tools
Other calculators in this family: Alternate Depth Calculator, Bernoulli Equation Calculator, Broad-Crested Weir Calculator, Cavitation Number Calculator, Chezy Formula Calculator, Colebrook Friction Factor Calculator, Concentric Reducer Calculator, Critical Depth Calculator . Explore all Fluid Mechanics.
Frequently asked questions
Key distinctions behind the calculation.
Is this a thin-plate weir?
No. Thin-plate Q=(2/3) C_d L √(2g) H^{3/2} is /calc/physics/weir-discharge. Sending Cd or kind=rectangular here is MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING. At L=1 m and H=1 m this page reports ≈2.19731 m³/s, not thin-plate C_d=0.62 ≈1.83053 m³/s.
Is this a broad-crested weir?
No. Rectangular broad-crested Q=C_d (2/3)^{3/2} b √g H^{3/2} is /calc/physics/broad-crested-weir. Sending b or Cd here is MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING.
Is this a sluice gate?
No. A free-flow undershot sluice with Swamee C_d from a/y1 is /calc/physics/sluice-gate. Sending a or y1 here is MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING.
Is this a side weir?
No. Borghei 1999 lateral overflow from B, y1, p, and Q1 is /calc/physics/side-weir. Sending kind=side here is MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING.
Is this the Manning formula?
No. Manning is uniform open-channel flow from n, A, R, and S at /calc/physics/manning-formula. Sending n, R, or S is MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING.
Is this Q = A·v?
No. Volumetric flow from a given area and velocity is /calc/physics/flow-rate. Sending v is MIXED_INPUT_ENCODING.
Can I send Francis 3.33?
No. Francis 3.33 L H^{3/2} and Kindsvater–Carter contractions are out of scope. C is reported from H/Hd, not an input.
Where does this run?
Locally in the browser by default. REST and MCP call the same fluid-engine ogeeSpillway wrapper.