An empirical equation used in open channel flow under the influence of gravity of the form:
where C is the Manning roughness coefficient and is used in the Chézy formula, m is the mean hydraulic depth, and n is a dimensional roughness factor, the magnitude of which depends on the type of surface. It is also known as the Gauckler–Manning formula and was first developed by French engineer Philippe G. Gauckler in 1867 and further developed by Irish engineer Robert Manning (1816–97) in 1890.