Assessing the potential of reservoir outflow management to reduce sedimentation using continuous turbidity monitoring and reservoir modelling

In‐stream sensors are increasingly deployed as part of ambient water quality‐monitoring networks. Temporally dense data from these networks can be used to better understand the transport of constituents through streams, lakes or reservoirs. Data from existing, continuously recording in‐stream flow and water quality monitoring stations were coupled with the two‐dimensional hydrodynamic CE‐QUAL‐W2 model to assess the potential of altered reservoir outflow management to reduce sediment trapping in John Redmond Reservoir, located in east‐central Kansas. Monitoring stations upstream and downstream from the reservoir were used to estimate 5.6 million metric tons of sediment transported to John Redmond Reservoir from 2007 through 2010, 88% of which was trapped within the reservoir. The two‐dimensional model was used to estimate the residence time of 55 equal‐volume releases from the reservoir; sediment trapping for these releases varied from 48% to 97%. Smaller trapping efficiencies were observed when the reservoir was maintained near the normal operating capacity (relative to higher flood pool levels) and when average residence times were relatively short. An idealized, alternative outflow management scenario was constructed, which minimized reservoir elevations and the length of time water was in the reservoir, while continuing to meet downstream flood control end points identified in the reservoir water control manual. The alternative scenario is projected to reduce sediment trapping in the reservoir by approximately 3%, preventing approximately 45 000 metric tons of sediment from being deposited within the reservoir annually. This article presents an approach to quantify the potential of reservoir management using existing in‐stream data; actual management decisions need to consider the effects on other reservoir benefits, such as downstream flood control and aquatic life. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Climate and climate change in western canada as simulated by the Canadian regional climate model

Abstract

A þrst climate simulation performed with the novel Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM) is presented. The CRCM is based on fully elastic non‐hydrostatic þeld equations, which are solved with an efþcient semi‐implicit semi‐Lagrangian (SISL) marching algorithm, and on the parametrization package of subgrid‐scale physical effects of the second‐generation Canadian Global Climate Model (GCMII). Two 5‐year integrations of the CRCM nested with GCMII simulated data as lateral boundary conditions are made for conditions corresponding to current and doubled CO₂ scenarios. For these simulations the CRCM used a grid size of 45 km on a polar‐stereographic projection, 20 scaled‐height levels and a time step of 15 min; the nesting GCMII has a spectral truncation of T32, 10 hybrid‐pressure levels and a time step of 20 min. These simulations serve to document: (1) the suitability of the SISL numerical scheme for regional climate modelling, (2) the use of GCMII physics at much higher resolution than in the nesting model, (3) the ability of the CRCM to add realistic regional‐scale climate information to global model simulations, and (4) the climate of the CRCM compared to that of GCMII under two greenhouse gases (GHG) scenarios.     

Tectonic and eustatic control on deposition and preservation of Upper Cretaceous ooidal ironstone and associated facies: Peace River Arch area, NW Alberta, Canada

The Late Coniacian, shallow-marine Bad Heart Formation of the Western Canada foreland basin is very unusual in that it contains economically significant ooidal ironstone. Deposition of shallow-water and iron-rich facies appears to have been localized over the crest and flanks of a subtle intrabasinal arch, in part interpreted as a forebulge and partly attributed to reactivation of the long-lived Peace River Arch. The formation comprises two upward-shoaling allomembers, typically 5–10 m thick, that are bounded by regionally mappable ravinement surfaces. The lower unit, allomember 1, grades up from laminated mudstone to bioturbated silty sandstone, which is abruptly overlain by bioturbated ooidal silty sandstone grading into an almost clastic-free ooidal ironstone up to 7 m thick. Ooidal ironstone was concentrated into NW- to SE-trending ridges, kilometres wide and tens of kilometres long. Ironstone formation appears to have been promoted by: (a) drowning of the arch, which progressively curtailed sediment supply; and (b) enhanced reworking over the shallowly submerged arch and over a fault-bounded block that underwent episodic vertical movement of 10–20 m during Bad Heart deposition. Allomember 2 also shoals upwards from mudstone to bioturbated and laminated silty sandstone but lacks ooids, apparently reflecting a rejuvenated supply of detrital sediment from the arch. The marine ravinement surface above allomember 2 is a Skolithos firmground, above which is developed a regional blanket of ooidal sediment. In the east, ooids are dispersed in a bioturbated silty sandstone with abundant evidence of repeated reworking and early siderite and phosphate cements. Westwards, this facies grades, over about 40 km, into almost clastic-free ooidal ironstone about 5 m thick; the lateral facies change may reflect progressive clastic starvation distal to a low-relief source area. The two allomembers are interpreted to reflect eustatic oscillations of about 10 m, superimposed on episodic tectonic warping and block-faulting events. The development of ooidal ironstone immediately above initial marine flooding surfaces indicates a close relationship to marine transgression, reflecting sediment-starved conditions. Ironstone does not appear to be related to either sequence boundaries or maximum flooding surfaces. The Bad Heart Formation is blanketed by marine mudstone deposited in response to major flexural subsidence and rejuvenation of clastic sources in the Cordillera to the SW.     

Estimating uncertainty associated with water stages from a single SAR image

It is the goal of remote sensing to infer information about objects or a natural process from a remote location. This invokes that uncertainty in measurement should be viewed as central to remote sensing. In this study, the uncertainty associated with water stages derived from a single SAR image for the Alzette (G.D. of Luxembourg) 2003 flood is assessed using a stepped GLUE procedure. Main uncertain input factors to the SAR processing chain for estimating water stages include geolocation accuracy, spatial filter window size, image thresholding value, DEM vertical precision and the number of river cross sections at which water stages are estimated. Initial results show that even with plausible parameter values uncertainty in water stages over the entire river reach is 2.8 m on average. Adding spatially distributed field water stages to the GLUE analysis following a one-at-a-time approach helps to considerably reduce SAR water stage uncertainty (0.6 m on average) thereby identifying appropriate value ranges for each uncertain SAR water stage processing factor. For the GLUE analysis a Nash-like efficiency criterion adapted to spatial data is proposed whereby acceptable SAR model simulations are required to outperform a simpler regression model based on the field-surveyed average river bed gradient. Weighted CDFs for all factors based on the proposed efficiency criterion allow the generation of reliable uncertainty quantile ranges and 2D maps that show the uncertainty associated with SAR-derived water stages. The stepped GLUE procedure demonstrated that not all field data collected are necessary to achieve maximum constraining. A possible efficient way to decide on relevant locations at which to sample in the field is proposed. It is also suggested that the resulting uncertainty ranges and flood extent or depth maps may be used to evaluate 1D or 2D flood inundation models in terms of water stages, depths or extents. For this, the extended GLUE approach, which copes with the presence of uncertainty in the observed data, may be adopted.     

Physical criteria for distinguishing sandy tsunami and storm deposits using modern examples

Modern subaerial sand beds deposited by major tsunamis and hurricanes were compared at trench, transect, and sub-regional spatial scales to evaluate which attributes are most useful for distinguishing the two types of deposits. Physical criteria that may be diagnostic include: sediment composition, textures and grading, types and organization of stratification, thickness, geometry, and landscape conformity.

Published reports of Pacific Ocean tsunami impacts and our field observations suggest that sandy tsunami deposits are generally < 25 cm thick, extend hundreds of meters inland from the beach, and fill microtopography but generally conform to the antecedent landscape. They commonly are a single homogeneous bed that is normally graded overall, or that consists of only a few thin layers. Mud intraclasts and mud laminae within the deposit are strong evidence of tsunami deposition. Twig orientation or other indicators of return flow during bed aggradation are also diagnostic of tsunami deposits. Sandy storm deposits tend to be > 30 cm thick, generally extend < 300 m from the beach, and will not advance beyond the antecedent macrotopography they are able to fill. They typically are composed of numerous subhorizontal planar laminae organized into multiple laminasets that are normally or inversely graded, they do not contain internal mud laminae and rarely contain mud intraclasts. Application of these distinguishing characteristics depends on their preservation potential and any deposit modifications that accompany burial.

The distinctions between tsunami and storm deposits are related to differences in the hydrodynamics and sediment-sorting processes during transport. Tsunami deposition results from a few high-velocity, long-period waves that entrain sediment from the shoreface, beach, and landward erosion zone. Tsunamis can have flow depths greater than 10 m, transport sediment primarily in suspension, and distribute the load over a broad region where sediment falls out of suspension when flow decelerates. In contrast, storm inundation generally is gradual and prolonged, consisting of many waves that erode beaches and dunes with no significant overland return flow until after the main flooding. Storm flow depths are commonly < 3 m, sediment is transported primarily as bed load by traction, and the load is deposited within a zone relatively close to the beach.     

Elucidation of the Alum Shale kerogen structure using a multi-disciplinary approach

The significance and validity of integrating data obtained from a variety of analytical techniques to understand, elucidate and model kerogen's complex chemical structure is reported here using degradative (open and closed system pyrolysis, chemical oxidation), non-degradative (¹³C CP/MAS NMR) and optical (incident white light and blue light) methods. Seven Cambrian Alum Shale samples, ranging in maturity from immature to post-mature with respect to petroleum generation, were studied and were chosen for their simple geological history, uniform organic matter type and high organic carbon content. The Alum Shale kerogens, which primarily consist of algal organic matter, liberate low molecular weight gaseous and aromatic compounds on pyrolysis and give mostly branched dicarboxylic acids on chemical oxidation. ¹³C NMR spectroscopy shows that the Alum Shale kerogens are anomalously rich in oxygen-bearing functional groups (such as C = O, ArCO, CHO, CH_xO), most of which apparently remain intact within the kerogen macro-molecule (KMM) through the diagenetic and catagenetic stages. Fragments released by different degradative techniques are quantified and the aromaticity (f_a), O/C and relative proportions of various carbon types estimated by ¹³C NMR. A synthesis of these data has allowed us to better understand the chemistry of the Alum Shale kerogen.     

Electron spin resonance optical dating of marine,estuarine, and aeolian sediments in Florida,USA

For the first time, electron spin resonance optical dating (ESROD) has been conducted on littorally transported and aeolian siliciclastic sediments in Florida. ESROD utilizes light-sensitive radiation-sensitive defects at silicon sites that have been replaced by aluminum and titanium atoms to give rise to a time-dependant signal. These defects saturate at higher levels of radiation dose, compared to optically stimulated luminescence, and therefore extend the optical dating range back into the millions of years. Our results show that the Trail Ridge Sequence is a multi-depositional unit that began deposition around 2.2 Ma and continued until 6 ka. The Osceola Cape, of the Effingham Sequence, was deposited around 1.5 Ma, and the Chatham Sequence was a multi-depositional terrace with at least three events preserved.     

IN-SITU observations of irregular ionospheric structure associated with the plasmapause

Additional studies of the ion composition results obtained from the OGO-6 satellite support earlier observations of irregularities in the distribution of H⁺ and He⁺ within the light ion trough near L = 4, which has been associated with the plasmapause. These irregularities are in the form of sub-troughs superimposed upon the major mid latitude decrease of the light ions. In the sub-troughs, ionization depletions and recoveries of as much as an order of magnitude are observed within a few degrees of latitude, usually exhibited in a pattern which changes significantly with longitude as the Earth rotates beneath the relatively fixed satellite orbit. The location and properties exhibited by these sub-troughs appear to be consistent with the concept of a plasmasphere distortion in the form of “plasmatails” resulting from the combined effects of magnetospheric convection plus corotation. Like the light ion trough, the “plasmatail” irregularity in H⁺ may be obscured on the day side by the dominant topside distribution of O⁺. Consequently, these light ion irregularities are seen as an important factor for studies of plasmapause-trough relationships.