Purchasing a flume for your water management system is a huge investment. Even when you’re buying a reliable style like a
Parshall flume, you still want to make sure that you are keeping your costs as low as possible. However, like many products, the final cost of your Parshall flume can depend on a variety of factors, making it difficult for inexperienced shoppers to know how much they may spend.
Here is some quick and useful information about the cost of Parshall flumes, and tips for making your purchase from a trustworthy flume manufacturer.
Starting Price
When you’re preparing to purchase a Parshall flume, there are two issues that will have the most impact on your cost: the actual flume and the transitions. Your flume transitions are the pieces that allow flow to enter and exit your flume. Common transition options are piping, end adapters, or a formed channel.
If you’re installing your Parshall flume in an existing channel, or in a location where a channel will later be constructed, your base Parshall flume price can range between $635 to $41,000, depending on the size of the flume you are purchasing. However, if you buy one of the most common flume sizes, you can expect to pay between $2,500 and $3,500.
Make sure that you don’t choose low-quality transitions in an effort to cut costs, as poorly formed transitions can directly impact the accuracy of your Parshall flumes.
Choosing End Adapters
While shopping for your Parshall flume, you may decide that you want your flume to come equipped with an end adapter, which is a special structure that controls flow into and out of your flume. Parshall flume end adapters can be as large as 36 inches, although most adapters will not be above 24 inches.
End adapters are one of the most useful tools that you can add to your flume, as they make transitioning flow into your flume much easier, especially with piped flows. However, you should be aware that adding both outlet and inlet end adapters has the potential to double the overall cost of your flume.
Accessorizing
Another factor to consider when you’re trying to calculate the cost of your Parshall flume is what type of accessories you need. The most common flume accessories, as mentioned, are end adapters and transitions. However, there are a variety of other fittings you could add to your flume, all of which will increase your costs.
For example, you could add tools to help you condition your flow, such as an energy absorber or flow straightener. There are also devices to help you measure flow and level in your system, including bubbler tubes and stilling wells. Depending on the accessories that you choose for your flume, you may pay an additional $100 to $3,000.
Examine the Cost of a Parshall Flume
Clearly, there are several issues that can complicate the final cost of your Parshall flume, which means you may need help determining your price. Learn the cost of a Parshall flume by talking with the professionals at Tracom, FRP.
Tracom manufacturers high-quality fiberglass flumes at an affordable price. Find out more about our product line and request a quote today. 
