<p>The forces determining erosion resistance in cohesive channels are not yet completely understood. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the resistance parameters and obtain a flow velocity equation for such channels. Experimental data were obtained from cohesive channels with a 60 % clay proportion and under increasing flow levels. The soil detachment rates were inversely proportional to the applied shear stress, and the obtained critical shear stress and soil erodibility values were as high as 120 Pa and 0.00003 kg N^-1 s^-1, respectively. Under the highest applied flow, the yield stress was significantly influenced by the geometry variation, flow velocity, and sediment concentration. The shear stress generated by the applied flows remained below the critical shear stress of the cohesive bed channels. Using the Buckingham theorem, we developed an equation to predict the permissible flow velocity in cohesive channels. this will help engineers design and manage river structures more effectively.</p>