An improved formula for incipient sediment motion in vegetated open channel flows

Quantifying incipient sediment motion in vegetated open channel flow is pivotal for estimating bed load transport and the aquatic ecological environment in rivers.A new formula is developed to predict the critical flow velocity for incipient sediment motion in the presence of emergent vegetation,by incorporating the influence of vegetation drag that characterizes the effects of mean flow and turbulence on sediment movement.The proposed formula is shown to agree with existing experimental data.Mo...     

Modeling depth-averaged velocity and bed shear stress in compound channels with emergent and submerged vegetation

This paper presents an approach to modeling the depth-averaged velocity and bed shear stress in compound channels with emergent and submerged vegetation. The depth-averaged equation of vegetated compound channel flow is given by considering the drag force and the blockage effect of vegetation, based on the Shiono and Knight method (1991) [40]. The analytical solution to the transverse variation of depth-averaged velocity is presented, including the effects of bed friction, lateral momentum transfer, secondary flows and drag force due to vegetation. The model is then applied to compound channels with completely vegetated floodplains and with one-line vegetation along the floodplain edge. The modeled results agree well with the available experimental data, indicating that the proposed model is capable of accurately predicting the lateral distributions of depth-averaged velocity and bed shear stress in vegetated compound channels with secondary flows. The secondary flow parameter and dimensionless eddy viscosity are also discussed and analyzed. The study shows that the sign of the secondary flow parameter is determined by the rotational direction of secondary current cells and its value is dependent on the flow depth. In the application of the model, ignoring the secondary flow leads to a large computational error, especially in the non-vegetated main channel.     

Studies on emergent flow over vegetative channel bed with downward seepage

Experimental observations in a tilting flume having a bed covered with rice plants (Oryza sativa) are used to analyse the flow characteristics of flexible emergent vegetation with downward seepage. The flow velocity for no-seepage and with seepage is reduced by, on average, 52% and 33%, respectively, as the flow reaches the downstream end with vegetation. Higher Reynolds stress occurs at the start of the vegetation zone; hence, bed material transport occurs in this region. The results indicate that the bed is no longer the primary source of turbulence generation in vegetated flow; rather it is dominated by turbulence generated by the vegetation stems. The local effect of the presence of vegetation causes variations in the hydrodynamic characteristics along the vegetated portion of the channel, which leads to erosion and deposition in the vegetation zone. The experiments show that vegetation can provide considerable stability to channels by reducing channel erosion even with downward seepage.     

Sediment transport under the presence and absence of emergent vegetation in a natural alluvial channel from Brazil

Studies regarding the influence of emergent vegetation on sediment transport are scarce and have mainly focused on flume conditions. To fill this gap and also meet the international need, we aimed to evaluate the influence of emergent vegetation (Echinodorus macrophyllus) on sediment transport of Capibaribe River, Brazil. Bedload and suspended sediment measurements were carried out using the US BLH 84 and US DH 48 samplers, respectively. Measurements of stem diameter, stem spacing and plant density were performed in conjunction with flow and sediment field measurements. Based on our results, 0.45 m s ? 1 was the threshold of mean flow velocity supported by E. macrophyllus under field conditions. This value can be helpful for other rivers with gravel-bed river to armoured layer ratio (AR ? D50-surface)/D50-subsurface ? 12.50) – natural conditions observed in Capibaribe River – or where the vegetation can provide positive effects, such as increase the bed stability, assist water restoration/rehabilitation and decrease water turbidity. Our results can hopefully be used in engineering practice and ecosystem management. In general, both the drag coefficient and drag force varied inversely and directly with the mean flow velocity and vegetation density, respectively. The vegetation resistance force was inversely proportional to the bedload transport owing to the resistance caused by emergent vegetation. This finding was supported by the clear decoupling between nonvegetated and emergent vegetated conditions indicated by cluster analysis. The study results provided a reasonable understanding of the interaction between emergent vegetation, water flow and sediment transport in the Capibaribe River.&2016 International Research and Training Centre on Erosion and Sedimentation/the World Association     

Flow in a tightly curving meander bend: effects of seasonal changes in aquatic macrophyte cover

The effects of aquatic macrophytes on flow and turbulence were studied in a tightly curving meander bend. Three field measurement campaigns were carried out within a one year period to capture effects of seasonal changes in macrophyte cover. They comprised three‐dimensional velocity measurements and mappings of vegetation cover and bathymetry. Flow accelerates and converges over the run into an axial pool in a jet‐like flow pattern bordered by outer and inner bank flow separation zones. The jet and widening of the cross‐section anticipate helical flow until the second half of the bend, where an asymmetric pool developed. Submerged vegetation at the riffles preserves the jet at much lower discharges during the summer period by concentrating high momentum fluid near the surface. Plants locally modify the velocity and stress patterns, reduce bed shear stresses, create zones of fine sediment accumulation and reinforce the bed and banks with roots and rhizomes. Plant patches colonising the banks and the point bar confine secondary flow cells laterally and affect shape and magnitude of the transverse flow profiles near their edges. The morphology of the bend was very stable over the observation period and neither bank erosion nor pool scouring occurred. However, fine sediments accumulate within vegetation patches and in the recirculation zones while the remaining open areas tend to erode slightly. With the decay of macrophytes in winter, sediment accumulations are mobilised again and the bathymetry levels, supporting cyclic models of morphologic change in vegetated bends. In the second part of the paper, semi‐empirical models for the three predominant flow types were tested and discussed; velocity and stress models of vegetated mixing layers and plane turbulent jets, and Rozovskii's model for the transverse flow in bends. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patch‐scale representation of vegetation within hydraulic models

Submerged aquatic vegetation affects flow, sediment and ecological processes within rivers. Quantifying these effects is key to effective river management. Despite a wealth of research into vegetated flows, the detailed flow characteristics around real plants in natural channels are still poorly understood. Here we present a new methodology for representing vegetation patches within computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of vegetated channels. Vegetation is represented using a Mass Flux Scaling Algorithm (MFSA) and drag term within the Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes Equations, which account for the mass and momentum effects of the vegetation, respectively. The model is applied using three different grid resolutions (0.2, 0.1 and 0.05 m) using time‐averaged solution methods and compared to field data. The results show that the model reproduces the complex spatial flow heterogeneity within the channel and that increasing the resolution leads to enhanced model accuracy. Future applications of the model to the prediction of channel roughness, sedimentation and key eco‐hydraulic variables are presented, likely to be valuable for informing effective river management. © 2016 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Vegetation and topographic controls on sediment deposition and storage on gully beds in a degraded mountain area

Active gully systems developed on highly weathered or loose parent material are an important source of runoff and sediment production in degraded areas. However, a decrease of land pressure may lead to a return of a partial vegetation cover, whereby gully beds are preferred recolonization spots. Although the current knowledge on the role of vegetation on reducing sediment production on slopes is well developed, few studies exist on the significance of restoring sediment transport pathways on the total sediment budget of degraded mountainous catchments. This study in the Ecuadorian Andes evaluates the potential of vegetation to stabilize active gully systems by trapping and retaining eroded sediment in the gully bed, and analyses the significance of vegetation restoration in the gully bed in reducing sediment export from degraded catchments. Field measurements on 138 gully segments located in 13 ephemeral steep gullies with different ground vegetation cover indicate that gully bed vegetation is the most important factor in promoting short‐term (1–15 years) sediment deposition and gully stabilization. In well‐vegetated gully systems ( ≥ 30% of ground vegetation cover), 0.035 m³ m^–1 of sediment is deposited yearly in the gully bed. Almost 50 per cent of the observed variance in sediment deposition volumes can be explained by the mean ground vegetation cover of the gully bed. The presence of vegetation in gully beds gives rise to the formation of vegetated buffer zones, which enhance short‐term sediment trapping even in active gully systems in mountainous environments. Vegetation buffer zones are shown to modify the connectivity of sediment fluxes, as they reduce the transport efficiency of gully systems. First calculations on data on sediment deposition patterns in our study area show that gully bed deposition in response to gully bed revegetation can represent more than 25 per cent of the volume of sediment generated within the catchment. Our findings indicate that relatively small changes in landscape connectivity have the potential to create strong (positive) feedback loops between erosion and vegetation dynamics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of vegetation on flow conveyance and sediment transport capacity

In-stream and riparian vegetation may significantly affect flow and sediment transport in vegetated channels. A hydraulic model has been developed in this paper to compute the flow discharge in channels with rigid and flexible vegetation under emergent and submerged conditions. An empirical formula has also been presented to determine the bed-load discharge in vegetated channels. The model has been tested against experimental and field data available in the literature. The computed flow discharge and bed-load transport rate agree well with the measured data.     

The mechanism of energy loss and transition in a flow with submerged vegetation

The mechanism of energy balance in an open-channel flow with submerged vegetation was investigated. The energy borrowed from the local flow, energy spending caused by vegetation drag and flow resistance, and energy transition along the water depth were calculated on the basis of the computational results of velocity and Reynolds stress. Further analysis showed that the energy spending in a cross-section was a maximum around the top of the vegetation, and its value decreased progressively until reaching zero at the flume bed or water surface. The energy borrowed from the local flow in the vegetated region could not provide for spending; therefore, surplus borrowed energy in the non-vegetated region was transmitted to the vegetated region. In addition, the total energy transition in the cross-section was zero; therefore, the total energy borrowed from the flow balanced the energy loss in the whole cross-section. At the same time, we found that there were three effects of vegetation on the flow: turbulence restriction due to vegetation, turbulence source due to vegetation and energy transference due to vegetation, where the second effect was the strongest one.     

The impact of submersed aquatic vegetation on the development of river mouth bars

This work is inspired by the sudden resurgence of the submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) bed in the Chesapeake Bay (USA). Because the SAV bed occurs at the mouth of the Bay's main tributary (Susquehanna River), it plays a significant role in modulating sediment and nutrient inputs from the Susquehanna to the Bay. Previous model studies on the impact of submersed aquatic vegetation on the development of river mouth bars lacked a complete mechanistic understanding. This study takes advantage of new advances in 3D computational models that include explicit physical-sedimentological feedbacks to obtain this understanding. Specifically, we used Delft3D, a state-of-the-art hydrodynamic model that provides fine-scale computations of three-dimensional flow velocity and bed shear stress, which can be linked to sediment deposition and erosion. Vegetation is modeled using a parameterization of hydraulic roughness that depends on vegetation height, stem density, diameter, and drag coefficient. We evaluate the hydrodynamics, bed shear stresses, and sediment dynamics for different vegetation scenarios under conditions of low and high river discharge. Model runs vary the vegetation height, density, river discharge, and suspended-sediment concentration. Numerical results from the idealized model show that dense SAV on river mouth bars substantially diverts river discharge into adjacent channels and promotes sediment deposition at ridge margins, as well as upstream bar migration. Increasing vegetation height and density forms sandier bars closer to the river mouth and alteration of the bar shape. Thus, this study highlights the important role of SAV in shaping estuarine geomorphology, which is especially relevant for coastal management. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subgrid modeling of salt marsh hydrodynamics with effects of vegetation and vegetation zonation

Vegetation plays a critical role in modifying inundation and flow patterns in salt marshes. In this study, the effects of vegetation are derived and implemented in a high‐resolution, subgrid model recently developed for simulating salt marsh hydrodynamics. Vegetation‐induced drag forces are taken into account as momentum sink terms. The model is then applied to simulate the flooding and draining processes in a meso‐tidal salt marsh, both with and without vegetation effects. Marsh inundation and flow patterns are significantly changed with the presence of vegetation. A smaller area of inundation occurs when vegetation is considered. Tides propagate both on the platform and through the channels when vegetation is absent, whereas flows concentrate mainly in channels when vegetation is present. Local inundation on vegetated platforms is caused mainly by water flux spilled from nearby channels, with a flow direction perpendicular to the channel edges, whereas inundation on bare platforms has contributions from both local spilled‐over water flux and remote advection from adjacent platforms. The flooding characteristics predicted by the model showed a significant difference between higher marsh and lower marsh, which is consistent with the wetlands classification by the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). The flooding characteristics and spatial distribution of hydroperiod are also highly correlated with the vegetation zonation patterns observed in Google Earth imagery. Regarding the strong interaction between flow, vegetation and geomorphology, the conclusion highlights the importance of including vegetation in the modeling of salt marsh dynamics. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental investigation on local shear stress and turbulence intensities over a rough non-uniform bed with and without sediment using 2D particle image velocimetry

The current work focuses on locally resolving velocities,turbulence,and shear stresses over a rough bed with locally non-uniform character.A nonporous subsurface layer and fixed interfacial sublayer of gravel and sand were water-worked to a nature-like bed form and additionally sealed in a hydraulic flume.Two-dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry(2 D-PIV) was applied in the vertical plane of the experimental flume axis.Runs with clear water and weak sediment transport were done under slightly supercritical flow to ensure sediment transport conditions without formation of considerable sediment deposits or dunes.The study design included analyzing the double-averaged flow parameters of the entire measurement domain and investigating the flow development at 14 consecutive vertical subsections.Local geometrical variabilities as well the presence of sediment were mainly reflected in the vertical velocity component.Whereas the vertical velocity decreased over the entire depth in presence of sediment transport,the streamwise velocity profile was reduced only within the interfacial sublayer.In the region with decelerating flow conditions,however,the streamwise velocity profile systematically increased along the entire depth extent.The increase in the main velocity(reduction of flow resistance)correlated with a decrease of the turbulent shear and main normal stresses.Therefore,effects of rough bed smoothening and drag force reduction were experimentally documented within the interfacial sublayer due to mobile sediment.Moreover,the current study leads to the conclusion that in nonuniform flows the maximum Reynolds stress values are a better predictor for the bed shear stress than the linearly extrapolated Reynolds stress profile.This is an important finding because,in natural flows,uniform conditions are rare.     

Development and validation of a morphological model for multiple sediment classes

The complexity of sediment dynamics in aquatic systems can be better understood by applying numerical models. The development of a comprehensive morphological model is presented in this paper.The model aims to predict the sediment transport and bed evolution in natural systems composed of different sediment types. The morphological model was implemented in MOHID, a modelling system that solves the three-dimensional hydrodynamics and advection-diffusion transport of suspended sediments. Multiple sediment classes were taken into account(non-cohesive and cohesive) considering the effects of sediment mixtures and bed consolidation on resistance to erosion. To represent bottom stratigraphy, the bottom column can be divided into several layers. The key points of the simulated processes are discussed in this paper. Model results are assessed in six test cases through comparison with analytic solutions or experimental data. The outcomes demonstrate the model's capacity to simulate the transport dynamics of non-cohesive and cohesive sediments. The speed up of morphological changes by an acceleration factor permitted modelling bed evolution for long time periods.Moreover, a test case for the Tagus Estuary demonstrated the model's capacity for generating realistic sediment distribution based on the local hydrodynamic conditions. Limitations in the availability of bed composition data can be overcome by considering a warm-up run to provide realistic initial conditions for further predictions of morphological developments.     

Experimental and analytical studies of solute transport during run‐off over vegetated surfaces

Solute transport in overland flow is considered as one of the main contributors to water pollution. Although many models of pollutant transport mechanism from soil to run‐off water have been proposed, the characteristics of solute transport accompanying the water run‐off over vegetated surface have not been well studied. In this study, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted to study the solute transport over vegetated surfaces. Based on the experimental results, an idea of the “stationary water layer” in run‐off was proposed. Applying the complete mixing theory in the stationary water layer, an analytical solute transport model was developed with the assumption that the upper run‐off completely mixes with the underlying water in the stationary water layer for each site. The results show that the predictions made by the present model are in good agreement with the measured experimental data. For the vegetated surfaces, the depth of stationary water layer is related to the rainfall intensity, bed slope, and vegetation density. The analytical solution shows that the maximum solute transport occurs at the time of concentration. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms of solute transport over vegetated areas.     

Bio‐geomorphic effects on tidal channel evolution: impact of vegetation establishment and tidal prism change

The long‐term (10–100 years) evolution of tidal channels is generally considered to interact with the bio‐geomorphic evolution of the surrounding intertidal platform. Here we studied how the geometric properties of tidal channels (channel drainage density and channel width) change as (1) vegetation establishes on an initially bare intertidal platform and (2) sediment accretion on the intertidal platform leads to a reduction in the tidal prism (i.e. water volume that during a tidal cycle floods to and drains back from the intertidal platform). Based on a time series of aerial photographs and digital elevation models, we derived the channel geometric properties at different time steps during the evolution from an initially low‐elevated bare tidal flat towards a high‐elevated vegetated marsh. We found that vegetation establishment causes a marked increase in channel drainage density. This is explained as the friction exerted by patches of pioneer vegetation concentrates the flow in between the vegetation patches and promotes there the erosion of channels. Once vegetation has established, continued sediment accretion and tidal prism reduction do not result in significant further changes in channel drainage density and in channel widths. We hypothesize that this is explained by a partitioning of the tidal flow between concentrated channel flow, as long as the vegetation is not submerged, and more homogeneous sheet flow as the vegetation is deeply submerged. Hence, a reduction of the tidal prism due to sediment accretion on the intertidal platform, reduces especially the volume of sheet flow (which does not affect channel geometry), while the concentrated channel flow (i.e. the landscape forming volume of water) is not much affected by the tidal prism reduction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parameterization of near-bed processes under collinear wave and current flows from a two-phase sheet flow model

Sediment transport models require appropriate representation of near-bed processes. We aim here to explore the parameterizations of bed shear stress, bed load transport rate and near-bed sediment erosion rate under the sheet flow regime. To that end, we employ a one-dimensional two-phase sheet flow model which is able to resolve the intrawave boundary layer and sediment dynamics at a length scale on the order of the sediment grain. We have conducted 79 numerical simulations to cover a range of collinear wave and current conditions and sediment diameters in the range 210–460 μm$\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{m}$. The numerical results confirm that the intrawave bed shear stress leads the free stream velocity, and we assess an explicit expression relating the phase lead to the maximum velocity, wave period and bed roughness. The numerical sheet flow model is also used to provide estimates for the bed load transport rate and to inspect the near-bed sediment erosion. A common bed load transport rate formulation and two typical reference concentration approaches are assessed. A dependence of the bed load transport rate on the sediment grain diameter is observed and parameterized. Finally, the intrawave near-bed vertical sediment flux is further investigated and related to the time derivative of the bed shear stress.     

Evaluating competing hypotheses for the origin and dynamics of river anastomosis

Anastomosing rivers have multiple interconnected channels that enclose flood basins. Various theories potentially explain this pattern, including an increased discharge conveyance and sediment transport capacity of multiple channels, deltaic branching, avulsion forced by base‐level rise, or a tendency to avulse due to upstream sediment overloading. The former two imply a stable anabranching channel pattern, whereas the latter two imply disequilibrium and evolution towards a single‐channel pattern in the absence of avulsion. Our objective is to test these hypotheses on morphodynamic scenario modelling and data of a well‐documented case study: the upper Columbia River. Proportions of channel and floodplain sediments along the river valley were derived from surface mapping. Initial and boundary conditions for the modelling were derived from field data. A 1D network model was built based on gradually varied flow equations, sediment transport prediction, mass conservation, transverse slope and spiral meander flow effects at the bifurcations. The number of channels and crevasse splays decreases in a downstream direction. Also, measured sediment transport is higher at the upstream boundary than downstream. These observations concur with bed sediment overloading from upstream, which can have caused channel aggradation above the surrounding floodplain and subsequent avulsion. The modelling also indicates that avulsion was likely caused by upstream overloading. In the model, multi‐channel systems inevitably evolve towards single‐channel systems within centuries. The reasons are that symmetric channel bifurcations are inherently unstable, while confluenced channels have relatively less friction than two parallel channels, so that more discharge is conveyed through the path with more confluences and less friction. Furthermore, the present longitudinal profile curvature of the valley could only be reproduced in the model by temporary overfeeding. We conclude that this anastomosing pattern is the result of time‐varying sediment overloading and is not an equilibrium pattern feature, and suggest this is valid for many anastomosing rivers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strong seasonality in sand loading and resulting feedbacks on sediment transport,bed texture,and channel planform at Mount Pinatubo,Philippines

Declining sand inputs to a channel with bimodal bed sediment can lead to degradation, armoring, and reduced bedload transport rates. Where sand loading is episodic, channels may alternate between high‐sand and low‐sand conditions, with ensuing responses in bed texture and bedload transport rates. The effects of episodic sand loading are explored through flow, grain size, and bedload transport measurements on the Pasig‐Potrero River, a sediment‐rich channel draining Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. Sand loading on the Pasig‐Potrero River is highly seasonal, and channel adjustments between seasons are dramatic. In the rainy season, inputs from sand‐rich 1991 eruption deposits lead to active, sand‐bedded, braided channels. In the dry season, many precipitation‐driven sand sources are cut off, leading to incision, armoring, and significantly lower bedload transport rates. This seasonal transition offers an excellent opportunity to examine models of degradation, incision, and armoring as well as the effectiveness of sediment transport models that explicitly encapsulate the importance of sand on transport rates. During the fall 2009 seasonal transition, 7·6 km of channel incised and armored, carving a 2–3 m deep channel on the upper alluvial fan. Bedload transport rates measured in the August 2009 rainy season were over four orders of magnitude greater than gravel‐bedded dry‐season channels surveyed in January 2010, despite having similar shear stress and unit discharge conditions. Within dry‐season incised channels, bed armoring is rapid, leading to an abrupt gravel‐sand transition. Bedload transport rates adjust more slowly, creating a lag between armoring and commensurate reductions in transport. Seasonal channel incision occurred in steps, aided by lateral migration into sand‐rich banks. These lateral sand inputs may increase armor layer mobility, renewing incision, and forming terraces within the incised seasonal channel. The seasonal incised channel is currently being reset by precipitation‐driven sand loading during the next rainy season, and the cycle begins again. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.