Wave-movement and water-quality variations during a controlled release from Kielder Reservoir, North Tyne River, U.K.

Data are presented to describe the at-a-station variations and downstream patterns of change, of flow and water quality during the passage of a controlled reservoir release along a short 10 km reach, immediatly below the dam. By removing the effects of runoff from diverse catchment sources, which characterise natural flow variations, reservoir releases are used to focus attention on the effects of channel characteristics. At each of four main sites, measurements were made at 4 min intervals for at least 4 h. The data illustrate the dominant effect of initial flow conditions, especially channel roughness, upon wave movement, suspended solids transport, and hydrochemical lags. Variations in the patterns of change appear to relate to spatially variable in-channel sources which can be particularly influential within such short study reaches.