Simulation of sediment transport during flood events: laboratory work and field experiments

Abstract

This paper aims at initiating a fundamental understanding of the suspended load transport of river sediment in unsteady flow. Laboratory erosion tests as well as artificial flood experiments are used to evaluate the influence of the transient regime on the transport efficiency of the flow. The erosion experiments reveal that the transport capacity is augmented when the unsteadiness of the flow increases. However, the influence of the transient regime is counteracted by the cohesive properties of the river bed. Field experiments with artificial floods released from a reservoir into a small canal confirm these findings and show a relationship between the friction velocity and the suspended load transport. An appropriate parameter β is proposed to evaluate the impact of the transient regime on the transport of suspended sediment.     

Key drivers of changes in the sediment loads of Chinese rivers discharging to the oceans

The magnitude and variation of the sediment loads transported by rivers have important implications for the functioning of river systems and changes in the sediment loads of rivers are driven by numerous factors. In this paper, the key drivers of changes in the sediment loads of the major rivers of China are identified by reviewing recent studies of changes in their sediment loads. Except for the Songhua River, which presents no clear tendency of change in runoff or sediment load, nearly all the major rivers of China are characterized by an apparent decline in annual sediment load. The total annual sediment load of major Chinese rivers transported to the coast decreased from 2.03 billion t/yr during the period 1955–1968 to 0.50 billion t/yr during the period 1997–2010. The primary drivers of changes in the sediment loads of the rivers are dam construction, implementation of soil and water conservation measures, catchment disturbance, agricultural practices, sand mining and climate change. Examples drawn from Chinese rivers are used to demonstrate the importance of these drivers. Construction of a large number of reservoirs in the Yangtze River basin represents the primary driver for the reduced sediment load of the Yangtze River. The implementation of soil and water conservation programmes is one of the key drivers for the sharp decline in the sediment load of the Yellow River. Catchment disturbance explains why the reduction of the sediment load of the Lancang-Mekong River at the Chiang Saen gauging station was much less than that at the Gajiu gauging station upstream. A reduction in sediment load resulting from the expansion of agricultural production may be the main driver for the reduced sediment load of the Huaihe River. The decrease in the sediment load of the Pearl River has been influenced by sand mining activities. Climate change is one of the key drivers responsible for the greatly reduced sediment load of the rivers in the Haihe River Basin.     

Sediment dynamics and temporal variation of runoff in the Yom River,Thailand

The Yom River is one of the four major sediment sources to the Chao Phraya River in Thailand. Human activities and changes in climate over the past six decades may have affected the discharge and sediment load to some extent. In the current study, the river discharge and sediment characteristics in the mainstream of the Yom River were investigated using the field observation data from 2011 to 2013 and the historical river flow and sediment data from 1954 to 2014 at six hydrological stations operated by the Royal Irrigation Department of Thailand (RID). The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and double mass curve were used to analyze the sediment dynamics and temporal changes in the discharge of the Yom River. The results revealed that the sediment was mainly transported in suspension, and the bed-to-suspended sediment loads ratio varied between 0 and 0.05. The daily suspended sediment load (SSL) in the upper and middle basins had a strong correlation with the daily discharge and could be represented by power equations with coefficients of determination higher than 0.8. The daily suspended sediment load in the lower basin did not directly depend on the corresponding discharge because of the reduction in river slope and water diversion by irrigation projects. It also appeared that the river discharges and sediment loads were mainly influenced by climate variation (floods and droughts). Moreover, the average sediment transport of the upper, middle, and lower reaches were 0.57, 0.71, and 0.35 million t/y, respectively. The sediment load in the lower basin decreased more than 50% as a result of changes in the river gradient (from mountainous to floodplain areas). The results from sediment analysis also indicated that the construction of the Mae Yom Barrage, the longest diversion dam in Thailand, and land-use changes did not significantly affect the sediment load along the Yom River.     

筑坝拦截对黑河河道沉积物粒度空间分布的影响

河流沉积物对流域环境变化具有敏感响应,其粒度参数能反映沉积环境中物质来源和水动力环境.本文以黑河流域上中游为研究区域,探究河流沉积物粒度对流域环境变化的响应.从黑河上中游干流22个主要控制断面采集河床沉积物样品,采用筛分法和吸管法对沉积物样品粒度参数进行测定,并分析其空间分布规律对筑坝拦截为主的环境改变响应.研究结果表明：受梯级水库建设影响,黑河上中游泥沙粒径大小差异显著.干流库区泥沙粒径较自然河段明显减小,分选很好,呈正偏或极正偏尖锐分布,而且在库区不同沉积高度上表现出分层沉积特征;坝下游河段因遭受强烈冲刷,较自然河段泥沙粒径粗化显著,分选变差,偏态趋向极正偏,峰态尖锐化;水库回水区受水库壅水及下泄清水的双重制约,泥沙粒度参数介于自然河段和坝下游河段之间,整体分选中等,呈极正偏尖锐分布;沉积环境分析表明,上游支流河段沉积物粒度特征受泥沙供给和物源特征的影响较水动力条件显著,干流河段沉积物粒度特征主要受水动力条件控制.研究结果既符合河流上中游沉积物粒度分布规律,也反映了河流环境变化对沉积物粒度组成的影响.     

Recent changes in the sediment regime of the Pearl River (South China): Causes and implications for the Pearl River Delta

Riverine sediments have played an important role in the morphological evolution of river channels and river deltas. However, the sediment regime in the many world's rivers has been altered in the context of global changes. In this study, temporal changes in the sediment regime of the Pearl River were examined at different time scales, that is, annual, seasonal, and monthly time scales, using the Mann–Kendall test. The results revealed that precipitation variability was responsible for monthly and seasonal distribution patterns of the sediment regime and the long‐term changes in the water discharge; however, dam operation has smoothed the seasonal distribution of water discharge and resulted in decreasing trends in the annual, wet‐season, and dry‐season sediment load series since the 1950s. Due to the different regulation magnitudes of dam operation, differences were observed in sediment regime changes among the three tributaries. In addition, human activities have altered the hysteresis of seasonal rating curves and affected hysteresis differences between increasing and decreasing water discharge stages. Sediment supply is an important factor controlling river channel dynamics, affecting channel morphology. From the 1950s to the 1980s, siltation was dominant in river channels across the West River and North River deltas in response to the sediment increases; however, scouring occurred in the East River deltas due to sediment reduction. Significant erosion occurred in river channels in the 1990s, which was mostly due to downcutting of the river bed caused by sand excavations and partly because of the reduced sediment load from upstream. Although sand excavations have been banned and controlled by authority agencies since 2000, the erosion of cross sections was still observed in the 2000s because of reduced sediment caused by dam construction. Our study examines the different effects of human activities on the sediment regime and downstream channel morphology, which is of substantial scientific importance for river management.     

A one‐dimensional process‐based approach to study reservoir sediment dynamics during management operations

A comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of erosion and sedimentation in reservoirs under different management conditions is required to anticipate sedimentation issues and implement effective sediment management strategies. This paper describes a unique approach combining fluvial geomorphology tools and morphodynamic modeling for analyzing the sediment dynamics of an elongated hydropower reservoir subjected to management operations: the Génissiat Reservoir on the Rhône River. Functional sub‐reaches representative of the reservoir morphodynamics were delineated by adapting natural river segmentation methods to elongated reservoirs. The segmentation revealed the link between the spatial and temporal reservoir changes and the variability of longitudinal flow conditions during reservoir management operations. An innovative modeling strategy, incorporating the reservoir segmentation into two sediment transport codes, was implemented to simulate the dynamics of erosion and sedimentation at the reach scale during historic events. One code used a bedload approach, based on the Exner equation with a transport capacity formula, and the other used a suspended load approach based on the advection–dispersion equation. This strategy provided a fair quantification of the dynamics of erosion and sedimentation at the reach scale during different management operations. This study showed that the reservoir morphodynamics is controlled by bedload transport in upper reaches, graded suspended load transport of sand in middle reaches and suspended load transport of fine sediments in lower reaches. Eventually, it allowed a better understanding of the impact of dam management on sediment dynamics. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of A Gravel - Bed River To Dam Closure: Insights From Sediment Transport Processes And Channel Morphodynamics

This work deals with the impacts of dams on large gravel -bed rivers in terms of altering coarse transport regimes and the relationship with river morphodynamics. Using data collected by a tracer -based monitoring programme carried out in a 4 -km -long study sector of the Parma River (Italy), located downstream from a relatively recently established dam, we applied a virtual velocity approach to estimate the coarse bed material load at four river cross -sections. Monitoring and calculation results provided new insights into the impacts of the dam on streambed material mobility and the sediment regime over the 17 -month calculation period. A longitudinal gradient of effects was observed along the study sector. Sections located closer to the dam are characterized by more evident impacts due to deficits in coarse sediment input from upstream. Sediment mobility here is strongly altered, especially in the highly armoured main channel, and the overall bed material load is extremely low. A partial recovery of sediment dynamics was observed at the sections located further from the dam, where estimates indicate higher sediment yield. The observed longitudinal trend in the coarse sediment transport regime matches the morphology, as the river shifts downstream from a sinuous configuration with alternate bars to a wandering one. The novel insights into alteration of coarse sediment dynamics and the relationship with river morphodynamics are potentially applicable to many other fluvial contexts affected by similar impoundments. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment yield of the lower Tana River,Kenya, is insensitive to dam construction: sediment mobilization processes in a semi‐arid tropical river system

Dam construction in the 1960s to 1980s significantly modified sediment supply from the Kenyan uplands to the lower Tana River. To assess the effect on suspended sediment fluxes of the Tana River, we monitored the sediment load at high temporal resolution for 1 year and complemented our data with historical information. The relationship between sediment concentration and water discharge was complex: at the onset of the wet season, discharge peaks resulted in high sediment concentrations and counterclockwise hysteresis, while towards the end of the wet season, a sediment exhaustion effect led to low concentrations despite the high discharge. The total sediment flux at Garissa (c. 250 km downstream of the lowermost dam) between June 2012 and June 2013 was 8.8 Mt yr^‐1. Comparison of current with historical fluxes indicated that dam construction had not greatly affected the annual sediment flux. We suggest that autogenic processes, namely river bed dynamics and bank erosion, mobilized large quantities of sediments stored in the alluvial plain downstream of the dams. Observations supporting the importance of autogenic processes included the absence of measurable activities of the fall‐out radionuclides ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs in the suspended sediment, the rapid lateral migration of the river course, and the seasonal changes in river cross‐section. Given the large stock of sediment in the alluvial valley of the Tana River, it may take centuries before the effect of damming shows up as a quantitative reduction in the sediment flux at Garissa. Many models relate the sediment load of rivers to catchment characteristics, thereby implicitly assuming that alterations in the catchment induce changes in the sediment load. Our research confirms that the response of an alluvial river to external disturbances such as land use or climate change is often indirect or non‐existent as autogenic processes overwhelm the changes in the input signal. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prediction of Density Flow Plunging Depth in Dam Reservoirs: An Artificial Neural Network Approach

Experimental findings and observations indicate that plunging flow is related to the formation of bed load deposition in dam reservoirs. The sediment delta begins to form in the plunging region where the inflow river water meets the ambient reservoir water. Correct estimation of dam reservoir flow, plunging point, and plunging depth is crucial for dam reservoir sedimentation and water quality issues. In this study, artificial neural network (ANN), multi‐linear regression (MLR), and two‐dimensional hydrodynamic model approaches are used for modeling the plunging point and depth. A multi layer perceptron (MLP) is used as the ANN structure. A two‐dimensional model is adapted to simulate density plunging flow through a reservoir with a sloping bottom. In the model, nonlinear and unsteady continuity, momentum, energy, and k–ε turbulence equations are formulated in the Cartesian coordinates. Density flow parameters such as velocity, plunging points, and plunging depths are determined from the simulation and model results, and these are compared with previous experimental and model works. The results show that the ANN model forecasts are much closer to the experimental data than the MLR and mathematical model forecasts.     

PREDICTING THE DEPTH OF EROSION IN RESERVOIRS FOLLOWING DAM REMOVAL USING BANK STABILITY ANALYSIS

1 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Dam Removal The aging of the more than 75,000 dams in the U.S., coupled with the increasing awareness of their environmental costs, has made dam decommissioning and removal a topic of current interest to the scientific community, management agencies, and the general public. It is estimated that 85% of the dams in the U.S. will be near the end of their operational lives by the year 2020 (FEMA, 1999), necessitating thorough consideration of dam removal or repair for…     

Optimization of the Sefid-Roud Dam desiltation process using a sophisticated one-dimensional numerical model

Although water and soil conservation activities reduce reservoir sedimentation, it is inevitable that reservoirs fed by rivers transporting high amounts of sediment will experience sedimentation. The Ghezel-Ozan and Shah-Roud rivers, which flow to the Sefld-Roud reservoir dam, are both highly sediment-laden and transport significant amounts of sediment in both bed load and suspended load forms to the reservoir. Hence, it seems that the only practical way to remove the sediment from the reservoir is to flush it out using the Chasse method. In the present paper, field measurements of Chasse operation characteristics taken in previous years are presented, and a numerical model that simulates this process is introduced. After calibrating the model using field measured data, the calculated results （for reservoir pressure flushing and released sediment volume） of the numerical model were compared with other measured data for the same Chasse operation and the results agree well. Finally, using the numerical simulation results, the best approaches to ensure highly effective flushing while conserving reservoir water are presented （at least for the Sefid-Roud dam）. The operation of the bottom outlet gates, the shape of the output hydrograph, and the reservoir water level variation during flushing were optimized. In addition, the numerical model and related parameters, which need to be calibrated, are discussed.     

Trends in suspended sediment grain size in the upper Yangtze River and its tributaries,as influenced by human activities

Abstract

Based on data from five hydrometric stations, Pingshan station on the Jinshajiang River, Gaochang station on the Minjiang River, Wulong station on the Wujiang River, Wusheng station on the Jialingjiang River and Yichang station on the Yangtze River, a study has been made of the temporal variation in grain size of suspended sediment load in the upper Yangtze River. The results show that in the past 40 years, the grain size of the suspended sediment load in the main stem and major tributaries of the upper Yangtze River has had a decreasing trend, that can be explained by the effect of reservoir construction and implementation of soil conservation measures. The reservoirs in the upper Yangtze River Basin, all used for water storage for hydro-electric generation and/or irrigation, have trapped coarse sediment from the drainage area above the dam and, thus, the sediment released now is much finer than before the construction of the reservoirs. The downstream channels are all gravel-bedded or even in bedrock, with little fine sediment, and thus, the released flow can hardly get a supply of fine sediment through eroding the bed. Then, after the downstream adjustment, the grain size of suspended sediment is still fine. Large-scale soil conservation measures have significantly reduced sediment yield in some major sediment source areas. The relatively coarse sediment is trapped and, thus, the sediment delivered to the river becomes finer.     

Evolution of river planforms downstream of dams: Effect of dam construction or earlier human‐induced changes?

When studying the evolution of landscape, it is difficult to discriminate the influence of anthropogenic from natural causes, or recognise changes caused by different sources of human action. This is especially challenging when the influence of certain sources is overprinted. For instance, although dam closure is the most common method of altering river courses, dam construction is often preceded by hydro‐technical works such as channel straightening, embankment construction or sediment mining. Both dam construction and the hydro‐technical works that precede dam closure can result in changes in the balance between sediment supply and transport capacity, and often, changes in river planform. The main objective of this study was to verify whether the works preceding dam closure are an important driver of river planform changes on the lower Drava River (Hungary). The case study is based on geological and geophysical surveys, as well as the analysis of historical maps covering an anabranching, 23 km long valley section. We show that channel straightening conducted prior to dam closure resulted in a transition from a meandering to sinuous planform with channel bars. Dam construction itself then caused enhanced incision, exposure of bar surfaces, vegetation encroachment and the formation of an anabranching planform. Based on this study, we developed models of alluvial island and channel planform evolution downstream of dams. Dam construction enhances channel incision, narrowing, and the reduction of flow caused by earlier hydro‐technical works. Many rivers downstream of dams experience episodes of anabranching or wandering, with a multi‐thread pattern replacing sinuous, braided and meandering courses. When incision continues, river patterns evolve from anabranching to sinuous via the attachment of alluvial islands to floodplains. However, the timing and sequence of these changes depend on hydrological and sediment supply regimes, geomorphic settings and anthropogenic actions accompanying dam construction. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

INFLUENCE OF THE UPSTREAM RESERVOIRS ON THE ADJUSTMENT OF DOWNSTREAM ALLUVIAL CHANNEL

I. INTRODUCTIONThe Yellow River is a heavily sediment--laden river. The sediment load of the Yellow River ranks the first in the world while its annual runoff is only of medium size. Toharness the river, it is necessary to build reservoirs for regulating runoff to meet the demands of economic development. Since the founding of PRC in 1949, I S4 large and medium--sized reservoirs have been constructed on the main stem and the tributaries with atotal storage capacity of 84.5 billion m3.…     

Variability of the useful life of reservoirs in tropical locations: A case study from the Burdekin Falls Dam,Australia

Large dam construction for irrigation, hydropower, water supply, and flood control in tropical to sub-tropical areas increased markedly after 1950. Many of the dams built during this period have filled with sediment and no longer perform to their original design specifications; in many cases, forecast dam life was greatly overestimated. This study investigates the useful life of Burdekin Falls Dam (BFD), northeastern Australia and compares the findings with other tropical reservoirs. Using two independent methods it is estimated that between 61 and 65 million m³ of sediment has been deposited in the reservoir over the 24 years of operation through 2011. This sediment volume equates to an average of 0.15% of capacity lost per year since construction was completed. If current sediment loads/climate regimes persist, reservoir capacity will be reduced by 50% after 345 years. However, the useful life of the BFD reduces to just 276 years when drawdown data are considered; these data show reservoir use would be affected once 40% of storage was filled with sediment, with a 60% drawdown return period of 1 in 15 years. When compared to similar large tropical to sub-tropical reservoirs, the BFD has a slightly longer reservoir useful life than dams in India and a much longer half-life than for both similar-sized and larger dams in China, Brazil, and Iran. Properties of the BFD that promote a longer useful life include a lower trap efficiency, relatively low annual sediment load delivered to the reservoir, limited sediment deposition behind the dam wall (and uniform distribution of deposited sediment), and the export of highly turbid annual floodwaters before settling and deposition of any remaining sediment within the reservoir.     

MITIGATION OF SEDIMENTATION HAZARDS DOWNSTREAM FROM RESERVOIRS

1 INTRODUCTION Increasing attention is being given to sedimentation hazards downstream from reservoirs as dams built during the past century accumulate progressively greater volumes of sediment. The sediment storage both decreases reservoir capacity and operating efficiency of the dam, and creates a 搒ediment-shadow?downstream where sediment-starved flows commonly erode channel boundaries and create long-term channel instabilities. Numerous studies have documented downstream channel change…     

A non-reflecting boundary condition for the finite element modeling of infinite reservoir with layered sediment

The design of seismic resistant concrete gravity dam necessitates accurate determination of hydrodynamic pressure developed in the adjacent reservoir. The hydrodynamic pressure developed on structure is dependent on the physical characteristics of the boundaries surrounding the reservoir including reservoir bottom. The sedimentary material in the reservoir bottom absorbs energy at the bottom, which will affect the hydrodynamic pressure at the upstream face of the dam. The fundamental parameter characterizing the effect of absorption of hydrodynamic pressure waves at the reservoir bottom due to sediment is the reflection coefficient. The wave reflection coefficient is determined from parameters based on sediment layer thickness, its material properties and excitation frequencies. An analytical or a closed-form solution cannot account for the arbitrary geometry of the dam or reservoir bed profile. This problem can be efficiently tackled with finite element technique. The need for an accurate truncation boundary is felt to reduce the computational domain of the unbounded reservoir system. An efficient truncation boundary condition (TBC) which accounts for the reservoir bottom effect is proposed for the finite element analysis of infinite reservoir. The results show the efficiency of the proposed truncation boundary condition.     

金沙江下游梯级水库泥沙淤积和坝下河道冲刷规律

金沙江下游4个梯级水电站总装机容量相当于两座三峡水库,是“西电东送”中部地区的源头工程,工程效益发挥对经济社会发展意义重大。2012年以来,向家坝、溪洛渡、乌东德和白鹤滩电站等陆续蓄水运行,层层拦截金沙江的泥沙,2013—2020年向家坝出库年输沙量均值下降至152万t,减幅超过99%。大量泥沙淤积在梯级水库内,同时向家坝以下河道发生长距离冲刷。本文以自金沙江下游工程筹建以来的观测资料为基础,针对梯级水库的泥沙淤积和坝下游河道冲刷规律开展研究,结果表明:金沙江下游四个梯级电站自建成运行至2020年底,累计淤积泥沙约5.98亿m³,其中溪洛渡库区淤积量占比达92.5%,2013-2020年溪洛渡和向家坝水库排沙比分别为2.64%和22.2%,其水库泥沙主要淤积在常年回水区的干流河道内,以死库容内淤积为主,侵占有效库容的比例小于1.3%。金沙江下游库区干流河道的峡谷特征明显,淤积多表现为主河槽的平铺式淤高。溪洛渡和向家坝库区淤积的泥沙沿程分选特征明显,越靠近坝前,中数粒径减小、细颗粒泥沙沙量百分数增加,极细颗粒泥沙会在库区一定范围内大量沉积。向家坝下游河床普遍冲刷,但...     

Morphological responses and sediment processes following a typhoon‐induced dam failure,Dahan River,Taiwan

The rates and styles of channel adjustments following an abrupt and voluminous sediment pulse are investigated in the context of site and valley characteristics and time‐varying sediment transport regimes. Approximately 10.5 x 10⁶ m³ of stored gravel and sand was exposed when Barlin Dam failed during Typhoon WeiPa in 2007. The dam was located on the Dahan River, Taiwan, a system characterized by steep river gradients, typhoon‐ and monsoon‐driven hydrology, high, episodic sediment supply, and highly variable hydraulic conditions. Topography, bulk sediment samples, aerial photos, and simulated hydraulic conditions are analyzed to investigate temporal and spatial patterns in morphology and likely sediment transport regimes. Results document the rapid response of the reservoir and downstream channel, which occurred primarily through incision and adjustment of channel gradient. Hydraulic simulations illustrate how the dominant sediment transport regime likely varies between study periods with sediment yield and caliber and with the frequency and duration of high flows. Collectively, results indicate that information on variability in sediment transport regime, valley configuration, and distance from the dam is needed to explain the rate and pattern of morphological changes across study periods. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SEDIMENT LOAD AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CHANNEL PROCESSES OF SOME LARGE RIVERS IN RUSSIA AND CHINA~1

I INTRODUCTIONThe volume and regime of sediment load are the most important factors, which are responsible for theformation, direction and deformation rate of the river channels. Despite the long history of study anddevelopment of sediment load calculation methodology, there are still numerous problems that remain tobe solved such as river pattern and sediment movement and so on (Wang et al, 1997).In this respect, the comparative analysis of sediment load and river channel processes of la…