i is or head loss due to fiction over the pipe length,
m is or wetted area divided by the wetted perimeter,
and C is where f is the coefficient of friction.
Theory
For the flow of a fluid within a pipe with velocity (v), there will be a reduction in mean pressure with distance, which is usually referred to as "head loss".
Frictional resistance is proportional and the wetted area around the circumference of the pipe. Therefore,
where
P is the perimeter of the pipe ,
L is the length of the pipe section
and f is the coefficient of friction
Rearranging
where:
where m is the hydraulic mean depth
where h is the slope of the hydraulic gradient.
Note:C is not a constant since f is a function of Reynolds number