Velocity measurements, previously carried out using both a miniature current flowmeter and an acoustic Doppler velocimeter, are used to verify the applicability of the incomplete self-similarity theory to deduce the velocity profile in a gravel bed channel. Then, for the velocity profiles having the maximum value below the free surface and for the S-shaped profiles, the power velocity distribution is corrected using a new divergence function. For each value of the depth sediment ratio the nondimensional friction factor parameter is calculated by integration of the measured velocity distributions in the different verticals of the cross section. Finally, a semilogarithmic flow resistance equation is empirically deduced. ¿ 2000 American Geophysical Union