A cubic foot per second (cfs) is a unit of flow rate that describes the volume of water or other fluids moving past a point every second. It is commonly used in hydrology to measure rivers and streams, providing insight into water availability and flood prediction. To put it in perspective, one cubic foot per second is equivalent to 7.48 gallons per second. Thus, a modest stream might flow at several tens of cfs, while larger rivers, such as the Mississippi, can exceed 500,000 cfs!
Interestingly, this unit has historical significance dating back to the early days of water management, where it played a crucial role in the development of infrastructure for agriculture and urban planning, influencing patterns of settlement and economic development around the world.
The “cubic meter per year” is a unit of volumetric flow rate that quantifies the amount of volume passing through a system in one year. This unit is often employed in contexts such as hydrology, where it measures the flow rates of rivers to assess water management and distribution. Imagine a single cubic meter cube—roughly the size of a dishwasher—passing by you once every year; it’s a stark reminder of the vast scale at which natural water systems operate.
Interestingly, this unit allows for the calculation of a river’s annual discharge, which can influence decisions related to agriculture, urban water supply, and environmental conservation. An understanding of flow rates on this scale contributes significantly to sustainable water resource management in different regions worldwide.
| Cubic feet per second | Cubic meters per year |
|---|---|
0
ft³/s
|
0
m³/a
|
1
ft³/s
|
893611.25749
m³/a
|
2
ft³/s
|
1787222.51497
m³/a
|
3
ft³/s
|
2680833.77246
m³/a
|
4
ft³/s
|
3574445.02994
m³/a
|
5
ft³/s
|
4468056.28743
m³/a
|
6
ft³/s
|
5361667.54491
m³/a
|
7
ft³/s
|
6255278.8024
m³/a
|
8
ft³/s
|
7148890.05989
m³/a
|
9
ft³/s
|
8042501.31737
m³/a
|
10
ft³/s
|
8936112.57486
m³/a
|
11
ft³/s
|
9829723.83234
m³/a
|
12
ft³/s
|
1.07233e+7
m³/a
|
13
ft³/s
|
1.16169e+7
m³/a
|
14
ft³/s
|
1.25106e+7
m³/a
|
15
ft³/s
|
1.34042e+7
m³/a
|
16
ft³/s
|
1.42978e+7
m³/a
|
17
ft³/s
|
1.51914e+7
m³/a
|
18
ft³/s
|
1.6085e+7
m³/a
|
19
ft³/s
|
1.69786e+7
m³/a
|
20
ft³/s
|
1.78722e+7
m³/a
|
21
ft³/s
|
1.87658e+7
m³/a
|
22
ft³/s
|
1.96594e+7
m³/a
|
23
ft³/s
|
2.05531e+7
m³/a
|
24
ft³/s
|
2.14467e+7
m³/a
|
25
ft³/s
|
2.23403e+7
m³/a
|
26
ft³/s
|
2.32339e+7
m³/a
|
27
ft³/s
|
2.41275e+7
m³/a
|
28
ft³/s
|
2.50211e+7
m³/a
|
29
ft³/s
|
2.59147e+7
m³/a
|
30
ft³/s
|
2.68083e+7
m³/a
|
31
ft³/s
|
2.77019e+7
m³/a
|
32
ft³/s
|
2.85956e+7
m³/a
|
33
ft³/s
|
2.94892e+7
m³/a
|
34
ft³/s
|
3.03828e+7
m³/a
|
35
ft³/s
|
3.12764e+7
m³/a
|
36
ft³/s
|
3.217e+7
m³/a
|
37
ft³/s
|
3.30636e+7
m³/a
|
38
ft³/s
|
3.39572e+7
m³/a
|
39
ft³/s
|
3.48508e+7
m³/a
|
40
ft³/s
|
3.57445e+7
m³/a
|
41
ft³/s
|
3.66381e+7
m³/a
|
42
ft³/s
|
3.75317e+7
m³/a
|
43
ft³/s
|
3.84253e+7
m³/a
|
44
ft³/s
|
3.93189e+7
m³/a
|
45
ft³/s
|
4.02125e+7
m³/a
|
46
ft³/s
|
4.11061e+7
m³/a
|
47
ft³/s
|
4.19997e+7
m³/a
|
48
ft³/s
|
4.28933e+7
m³/a
|
49
ft³/s
|
4.3787e+7
m³/a
|
50
ft³/s
|
4.46806e+7
m³/a
|
51
ft³/s
|
4.55742e+7
m³/a
|
52
ft³/s
|
4.64678e+7
m³/a
|
53
ft³/s
|
4.73614e+7
m³/a
|
54
ft³/s
|
4.8255e+7
m³/a
|
55
ft³/s
|
4.91486e+7
m³/a
|
56
ft³/s
|
5.00422e+7
m³/a
|
57
ft³/s
|
5.09358e+7
m³/a
|
58
ft³/s
|
5.18295e+7
m³/a
|
59
ft³/s
|
5.27231e+7
m³/a
|
60
ft³/s
|
5.36167e+7
m³/a
|
61
ft³/s
|
5.45103e+7
m³/a
|
62
ft³/s
|
5.54039e+7
m³/a
|
63
ft³/s
|
5.62975e+7
m³/a
|
64
ft³/s
|
5.71911e+7
m³/a
|
65
ft³/s
|
5.80847e+7
m³/a
|
66
ft³/s
|
5.89783e+7
m³/a
|
67
ft³/s
|
5.9872e+7
m³/a
|
68
ft³/s
|
6.07656e+7
m³/a
|
69
ft³/s
|
6.16592e+7
m³/a
|
70
ft³/s
|
6.25528e+7
m³/a
|
71
ft³/s
|
6.34464e+7
m³/a
|
72
ft³/s
|
6.434e+7
m³/a
|
73
ft³/s
|
6.52336e+7
m³/a
|
74
ft³/s
|
6.61272e+7
m³/a
|
75
ft³/s
|
6.70208e+7
m³/a
|
76
ft³/s
|
6.79145e+7
m³/a
|
77
ft³/s
|
6.88081e+7
m³/a
|
78
ft³/s
|
6.97017e+7
m³/a
|
79
ft³/s
|
7.05953e+7
m³/a
|
80
ft³/s
|
7.14889e+7
m³/a
|
81
ft³/s
|
7.23825e+7
m³/a
|
82
ft³/s
|
7.32761e+7
m³/a
|
83
ft³/s
|
7.41697e+7
m³/a
|
84
ft³/s
|
7.50633e+7
m³/a
|
85
ft³/s
|
7.5957e+7
m³/a
|
86
ft³/s
|
7.68506e+7
m³/a
|
87
ft³/s
|
7.77442e+7
m³/a
|
88
ft³/s
|
7.86378e+7
m³/a
|
89
ft³/s
|
7.95314e+7
m³/a
|
90
ft³/s
|
8.0425e+7
m³/a
|
91
ft³/s
|
8.13186e+7
m³/a
|
92
ft³/s
|
8.22122e+7
m³/a
|
93
ft³/s
|
8.31058e+7
m³/a
|
94
ft³/s
|
8.39995e+7
m³/a
|
95
ft³/s
|
8.48931e+7
m³/a
|
96
ft³/s
|
8.57867e+7
m³/a
|
97
ft³/s
|
8.66803e+7
m³/a
|
98
ft³/s
|
8.75739e+7
m³/a
|
99
ft³/s
|
8.84675e+7
m³/a
|
100
ft³/s
|
8.93611e+7
m³/a
|
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