Spreading of Stratified Currents in Lowland Reservoirs

The results of comprehensive hydrophysical studies of gradient and density-induced gravitational currents with thermal stratification in valley reservoirs are considered. The lengthwise and vertical development of currents as well as their evolution is considered. Local swells are detected in the near-bed nepheloid layer and clouds of suspended materials are found to be ejected from the density-induced current near abrupt changes in the bed relief. The near-bed density-induced current is found to strongly interact with the drift current in the presence of inner wave and variable-direction wind. The measured vertical profiles of velocity in the sections along the axis of the current and the longitudinal distributions of the average flow velocity and suspended material concentration are found to agree with model calculations.