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Showing papers on "River engineering published in 2015"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine potential changes in river channel and floodplain geomorphological characteristics resulting from altered extreme flooding regimes and consider likely implications for the management of the world's freshwater biota.
Abstract: 1. Climate change is expected to alter the occurrence of extreme climatic events, including major floods. Future shifts in the frequency and intensity of extreme floods will vary by region and could modify the geomorphological character of riverine habitat. 2. The geomorphological structure of rivers determines the quality and quantity of habitat available for resident biota, and thus, changes to morphology from more extreme floods are likely to affect river ecology over and above the direct effects of the flood events themselves. 3. Extreme floods can exacerbate the effect of multiple anthropogenic stressors, with potentially dramatic effects on freshwater ecosystems. For instance, high flows mobilise nutrients, sediment and toxic chemicals, and aid dispersal of invasive species, whereas land-use change and channelisation impair flood refugia and constrain recolonisation pathways. 4. Extreme floods may also benefit riverine and riparian biota, overwhelming current anthropogenic constraints and infrastructure to increase habitat complexity and floodplain area. 5. Management to protect human life and infrastructure from severe river flooding can alter channel geomorphology, habitat quality and ecology. However, flood prevention engineering that incorporates the natural form of rivers could potentially mitigate anthropogenic flood damage, in turn restoring habitat and historical ecosystem functioning. 6. We examine potential changes in river channel and floodplain geomorphological characteristics resulting from altered extreme flooding regimes and consider likely implications for the management of the world’s freshwater biota.

84 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
15 Dec 2015-Water
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated flow-sediment relationships in the Lowermost Mississippi River (LmMR), defined as the 500 km reach from the Old River Control Structure to the river’s Gulf outlet, and found an average annual sand load (SL) of 27.2 megatonnes during 1973 and 2013, varying largely from 3.37 to 52.30 MT.
Abstract: Rapid land loss in the Mississippi River Delta Plain has led to intensive efforts by state and federal agencies for finding solutions in coastal land restoration in the past decade. One of the proposed solutions includes diversion of the Mississippi River water into drowning wetland areas. Although a few recent studies have investigated flow-sediment relationships in the Lowermost Mississippi River (LmMR, defined as the 500 km reach from the Old River Control Structure to the river’s Gulf outlet), it is unclear how individual sediment fractions behave under varying flow conditions of the river. The information can be especially pertinent because the quantity of coarse sands plays a critical role for the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River deltaic development. In this study, we utilized long-term (1973–2013) records on discharge and sediments at Tarbert Landing of the LmMR to assess sand behavior and availability under different river flow regimes, and extreme sand transport events and their recurrence. We found an average annual sand load (SL) of 27.2 megatonnes (MT) during 1973 and 2013, varying largely from 3.37 to 52.30 MT. For the entire 41-year study period, a total of approximately 1115 MT sand were discharged at Tarbert Landing, half of which occurred during the peak 20% flow events. A combination of intermediate, high and peak flow stages (i.e., river discharge was ≥18,000 cubic meter per second) produced about 71% of the total annual SL within approximately 120 days of a year. Based on the long-term sediment assessment, we predict that the LmMR has a high likelihood to transport 4 to 446 thousand tonnes of sand every day over the next 40 years, during which annual sand loads could reach a maximum of 51.68 MT. Currently, no effective plan is in place to utilize this considerably high sand quantity and we suggest that river engineering and sediment management in the LmMR consider practices of hydrograph-based approach for maximally capturing riverine sediments.

33 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the legacy effects of small dams and their removal on bed sediment and channel morphology in two small mixed-load streams in Austria using field mapping and DEM-based geomorphometric channel analyses.

33 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The negative perception of wood in rivers may also reflect hazards, such as damage to infrastructure from mobile wood or wood accumulations at bridges that enhance flood damages, and people are also unused to seeing beavers in river corridors because of a long history of beaver trapping and substantially reduced beaver populations throughout Eurasia and North America as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Wood and beaver dams were historically much more abundant along river corridors from the tropics to the boreal zone. An extensive scientific literature documents the physical and ecological functions created by instream and floodplain wood. By enhancing physical diversity, wood mediates fluxes of water, solutes, organic matter, and sediment; enhances habitat abundance and diversity; promotes retention and biogeochemical uptake of nutrients; and increases biodiversity. Perceptions of wood in rivers, however, remain largely negative and wood is seldom incorporated in river management and restoration plans outside of the U.S. Pacific Northwest. People are unused to seeing wood in river corridors as a result of a long history of deliberate wood removal from rivers, combined with altered land cover and river engineering that reduced quantities of wood in rivers. Negative perceptions of wood in rivers may also reflect hazards, including damage to infrastructure from mobile wood or wood accumulations at bridges that enhance flood damages. People are also unused to seeing beavers in river corridors because of a long history of beaver trapping and substantially reduced beaver populations throughout Eurasia and North America. Extensive and sustained removal of wood and beavers from river corridors has created substantial changes in the appearance and function of rivers. As river restoration increasingly emphasizes re-creation of processes rather than static forms, the river science community has an opportunity to increase public recognition of the vital role played by wood and beavers in sustaining physically and biologically diverse and resilient river ecosystems. WIREs Water 2015, 2:167–176. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1076 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article.

33 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Sep 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, the large-scale morphological behaviour of lowland rivers has been studied and compared with short-term effects of engineering works, such as climate change and sea level rise.
Abstract: Rivers respond to changes in their geometry or their controls in various ways and at a wide range of space and time scales. The response consists of changes in properties such as cross-sectional shape and area, slope, planform pattern, bed roughness and bed sediment composition. Usually, attention for the morphological impact of engineering works focuses on short-term effects. The usually much slower, but also much more persistent large-scale response is often ignored, or countermeasures are ineffective. In many cases this has led to extra maintenance costs, in some even to hazardous situations or disaster. This paper refreshes and extends long-existing but seemingly forgotten knowledge on large-scale river behaviour. It gives examples of impacts of engineering works, climate change and sea level rise, discusses potential countermeasures and gives a number of general conclusions on the large-scale morphological behaviour of lowland rivers.

15 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a wireless tracer for monitoring real-time scour was set up with a numbered-brick column and was employed to collect synchronous data, which was successfully used to observe both real time scour and the maximum depth at flood peak.
Abstract: A critical concern regarding river bed stabilization and river engineering is the short-term general scour that occurs in a field setting far from a river-crossing structure or embankment during a typhoon-induced flood. This study investigated the improvement of existing techniques that have been used to measure river bed scour. One of these techniques is the numbered-brick column or scour chains method, in which only the maximum general scour depth of river bed is observed. A wireless tracer for monitoring real-time scour was set-up with a numbered-brick column and was employed to collect synchronous data. The proposed method was successfully used to observe both real-time scour and the maximum depth at flood peak. This observation was conducted at a steep gravel-bed reach of the Shuideliaw Embankment on the intermittent Choshui River in Central Taiwan during Typhoon Soulik, which occurred in 2013. Future studies must be conducted to complete the development of an automatic real-time scour and flood monitoring system for use in severe weather and flow conditions; this would facilitate the identification of river bed scour during conditions of unstable flow and the improvement of flood prevention engineering, bridge closure detection and emergency evacuation procedures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

14 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented the results of an analysis determining the contribution of natural and anthropogenic factors to the duration of ice phenomena and ice cover on the Vistula River in the city of Torun.
Abstract: Winter season temperatures are becoming warmer. However, the transformation of the ice regime on the Vistula River in Torun has also been affected by river engineering. In particular, the construction and operation of the Wloclawek Dam had a significant impact on ice processes. The article presents the results of an analysis determining the contribution of natural and anthropogenic factors to the duration of ice phenomena and ice cover on the Vistula River in the city of Torun. Compared to the end of the nineteenth century, there has been a reduction in the duration of ice phenomena from 88 to 53 days and of ice cover from 40 to 7 days (in the period of 1882-2011). The article compares the duration of ice cover and winter temperature in three different periods: before the completion of river engineering works (1882-1907); for the controlled river (1908-1969), and for the controlled river with the Wloclawek Dam upstream of Torun (1970-2011). The results showed a significant role of these anthropogenic factors in the changes of the ice cover duration on the Vistula River in Torun.

12 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focused on a 5.5 km long reach of the MoravaRiver in the StrážnickĂ© Po- moravĂs region, Czech Republic, that is characterised by quasi-natural evolution after substantial engineering ad- justments were made in the first decades of the twentieth century.
Abstract: Freely meandering (quasi)natural reaches of lowland rivers represent a rare phenomenon in Central Eu- rope. Increasing attention is currently being paid to the dynamics of quasi-natural (articially inuenced) mean- dering rivers as this attention represents the basic pre- requisite for the development of appropriate restoration strategies on regulated rivers. This study focused on a 5.5 km long reach of the Morava River in the Strážnické Po- moraví region, Czech Republic that is characterised by quasi-natural evolution after substantial engineering ad- justments were made in the rst decades of the twentieth century. Based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis of aerial photographs, the spatio-temporal dy- namics of bank erosion and accretion rates were quantita- tively described and variables that control channel migra- tion rates were identied. High rates of lateral shifts were localised in high sinuosity segments (sinuosity 1.17-2.37), whereas segments with very low rates were straight or formed into slightly curved bends (sinuosity 1.05-1.18). As a key factor, engineering works that inuenced local river bed slope and induced a dramatic increase in bank erosion rates were identied. River engineering works induced a dramatic increase in bank erosion rate (2.19 m/year for 1938-53 and 1.47 m/year for 1953-63). An interval of ap- proximately 25 years was needed before the erosion rates dropped back to values documented before river regula- tion (0.35-1.09 m/year for 1841-1938). Other important con- trolling variables included radius of curvature, frequency and magnitude of oods and, locally, river bank material properties and oodplain land cover.

8 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
03 Mar 2015
TL;DR: In this article, the main cause of land loss in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain (MRDP) is not the decline of riverine sediment, but the disconnection of the sediment sources from the natural flood plains.
Abstract: . Many river deltas in the world are vibrant economic regions, serving as transportation hubs, population centres, and commercial hotspots. However, today, many of these deltaic areas face a tremendous challenge with land loss due to a number of factors, such as reduced riverine sediment supply, coastal land erosion, subsidence, and sea level rise. The development of the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain (MRDP) in southeast Louisiana, USA, over the past century is a good example. Since 1932, approximately 4877 km2 of the coastal land of MRDP has become submerged. The lower Mississippi River main channel entering the Gulf of Mexico has become an isolated waterway with both sides losing land. In contrast, large open water areas in the Mississippi River’s distributary basin, the Atchafalaya River basin, have been silted up over the past century, and the river mouth has developed a prograding delta feature at its two outlets to the Gulf of Mexico. The retrospective analysis of this paper makes it clear that the main cause of the land loss in the MRDP is not the decline of riverine sediment, but the disconnection of the sediment sources from the natural flood plains. Future sediment management efforts in the MRDP should focus on restoring the natural connection of riverine sediment supplies with flood plains, rather than solely using channelized river diversion. This could be achieved through controlled overbank flooding (COF) and artificial floods in conjunction with the use of a hydrograph-based sediment availability assessment.

6 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on assessing the habitats characteristics of endangered Calamagrostis pseudophragmites in selected localities in the Czech Republic with different river engineering measures, which can potentially influence the occurrence of this species.

5 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
09 Nov 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used Monte Carlo type simulations to predict the erodible corridor width of a reach of the River Irwell, UK, taking into account the uncertainty that arises from input parameters such as representative discharge, channel width, sediment and so on.
Abstract: This paper considers the erodible river corridor, which is the area in which the main river channel is free to migrate over a period of time. Due to growing anthropogenic pressure, predicting the corridor width has become increasingly important for the planning of development along rivers. Several approaches can be used to predict the future erodible corridor width but the results possess a large degree of uncertainty in all cases. The work presented here addresses prediction of the erodible corridor width of a reach of the River Irwell, UK, taking into account the uncertainty that arises from input parameters such as representative discharge, channel width, sediment and so on. The work adopts a probabilistic framework for assessment using Monte Carlo type simulations. Future river corridor width predictions, based on a model calibrated on past observations, are presented in a probabilistic manner using confidence levels. The results indicate the necessity of capturing input variability in the modelling process. Furthermore, the understanding gained from a relatively simple model used in a probabilistic framework is greater than a more complex one where only a few runs are feasible.

Journal ArticleDOI
09 Nov 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, a boundary-fitted curvilinear mesh of high resolution was generated, covering the model domain which stretched from Sihao Wharf to Gangchi, and the simulation was calibrated against the field observations and physical model tests for the dry season at some velocity measurement cross-sections and water level gauging stations.
Abstract: The left branch of the Bagua reach of the Yangtze River in China is vital for the regional economy and shipping. This paper describes a numerical modelling study, based on an extensively verified shallow-water solver, to simulate the effects of a diversion dyke on the flow around Bagua Island. A boundary-fitted curvilinear mesh of high resolution was generated, covering the model domain which stretched from Sihao Wharf to Gangchi. The simulation was calibrated against the field observations and physical model tests for the dry season at some velocity measurement cross-sections and water level gauging stations. The results showed that a diversion dyke can modify the water levels, flow fields and the flow rates to the left branch of the river. The water levels on the left side of the upstream channel and in the left branch were mainly affected. The left branch's diversion ratio also varied greatly when the length and the angle of the diversion dyke changed. However, when the angle of the diversion dyke was ...

Patent
02 Sep 2015
TL;DR: In this article, the binjiang way is strideed across to the bridge of rivers more, also can be the tunnel of wearing rivers down, and non-motor and pedestrian connect ground in the form through saying with ladder (slope) promptly after the river surface section, level crossing realize the each side to sensible.
Abstract: The utility model provides an interchange's layout structure on (or wearing down) binjiang way is strideed across to the river engineering more. Wherein, according to river engineering and binjiang way overhead crossing are sensible mutually more to and the requirement that more river engineering river surface section can not the branching ring road, making more the river engineering cross over behind (or wearing down) binjiang way and go out the ring road at thread both sides branching, the ring road links up the binjiang way with the mode of two-way circuitous tune, and the mode with level crossing on the binjiang way realizes leading to mutually of motor-driven wagon flow. The bridge of rivers is strideed across to the river engineering more, also can be the tunnel of wearing rivers down. Non-motor and pedestrian connect ground in the form through saying with ladder (slope) promptly after the river surface section, level crossing realize the each side to sensible. The utility model discloses the solution that realizes, the traffic function is complete, and the traffic conversion is convenient, and the river engineering is succinct more, and engineering cost saves, and it is little to occupy the soil, has very big popularization and application and worth, accords with the theory of the conservation-minded society that advocates now.

Journal ArticleDOI
03 Mar 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, two types of models are applied: hydrological sediment export models (SEM) and hydraulic sediment transport models (STM) to identify the regions exporting high sediment loads to unnavigable watercourses and the sedimentation zones within them.
Abstract: Antea Group and KULeuven were awarded a project in Flanders to identify the regions exporting high sediment loads to unnavigable watercourses and the sedimentation zones within them. Two types of models are applied: hydrological sediment export models (SEM) and hydraulic sediment transport models (STM). The influence of erosion control measures on sediment export as well as river engineering measures needs to be taken into account. A concept will be developed to connect the SEM and STM, enabling the sediment to be routed from upstream to the sedimentation zones. Results of the study will be used by the Flemish government to plan erosion control measures, estimate future sedimentation volumes, steer sedimentation and optimize river engineering and dredging works. Finally, model results could also be used to obtain better insights to the re-suspension risks of contaminated sediment in watercourses.

Journal ArticleDOI
10 Apr 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, a special levy was introduced to compensate for agricultural land in construction and supported the implementation of water management projects, such as the regulation of the Ljubljana Marshes, the Pesnica River and the Vipava River.
Abstract: Watercourses are among the basic natural phenomena that characterize the environment. On the one hand, the water regime limits the anthropogenic use of space; on the other hand, it enriches landscape. The problem of allowing the space that ‘belongs’ to water to be used for intensive anthropogenic uses has been dealt with by the oldest known civilizations. With the growing population, industrialization and urbanization, the inundated areas and wetlands have been consumed and, through river engineering, watercourses have been regulated such that the space belonging to water has been reduced. Since ancient times, and more intensively from the mid-19th century, riverbeds have been shortened and narrowed, and levees have been built for flood protection; this resulted in the serious reduction of flood plains and wetlands. The surfaces ‘taken’ from rivers were intended primarily for agriculture and urban development. The middle of 19th century saw the emergence of such regulation works on the Rhine River, and in the first half of the 20th century, in the United States (de Bruin 2005 and Cassidy 1962). Similar developments occurred worldwide. After World War II, the Netherlands greatly increased its arable land by polder development, land that has been taken from the lakes and rivers (Tol and Langen 2000). A similar situation occurred in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany and France, where such works were developed from the late 19th century. At the end of the 20th century, many rivers in Europe were in highly confined channels. The situation was similar in Slovenia. Major projects and developments on the Mura, Drava, Sava and Ljubljanica rivers were carried out in the first half of the 20th century. In the second half of the 20th century, we dealt mainly with drainage of agricultural land. A special levy was introduced to compensate for agricultural land in construction. The collected funds were available for agricultural land management and supported the implementation of water management projects, such as the regulation of the Ljubljana Marshes, the Pesnica River and the Vipava River. Twenty years ago the maintenance of embankments of regulated natural watercourses was brought to a halt, and the new practice was seen as eco-friendly maintenance of watercourses. Many river banks were overgrown with bushes and the space for water was only further reduced. In some places, the vegetation in the narrow channels completely obscured the surface of the water (Fig. 1). The serious damages due to the recent floods and, last but not least, fatalities, are the price that we pay today; examples are the floods of the Gradascica and Vipava River in 2010. To make matters worse, the pressure on the water land is increasing in urban areas. A particular problem is the culverting of streams for urban purposes. It is ecologically extremely inappropriate; open water disappears from the environment in which it can only be enriched. Channels are diverted and small streams are put in culverts, despite the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. Water land which was often flooded is now occupied by roadways and parking lots.

17 Jun 2015
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of size, position and shape of fluvial islands in the Rio Magdalena on discharge and sediment distribution into the Canal del Dique, Colombia was investigated.
Abstract: Controlling the distribution of water and sediment at river bifurcations is one of the main challenges in river engineering and management. This distribution affects the stability of river bifurcations as well as the distribution of flooding risk, navigability and environmental conditions. The governing factors are the hydrodynamics of the two branches downstream as well as the spatial distribution of sediment transport in the area of the bifurcation. Fluvial islands at the bifurcation may affect both. This thesis focusses on the effect of size, position and shape of fluvial islands in the Rio Magdalena on discharge and sediment distribution into the Canal del Dique, Colombia. Where the high amount of fine sediments in the Rio Magdalena has negative environmental impact on the coastal area downstream of the Canal del Dique, therefore a solution needs to be found to reduce the high amount of sediment entering the Canal del Dique. A model study has been carried out with the use of Sobek-RE and Delft3D-FLOW in order to gain insight in the hydrodynamics and morphodynamics on a respectively one-dimensional and two-dimensional (depth-averaged) scale. It was found that size and position of the islands have an appreciable effect on the discharge and sediment in the Canal del Dique by influencing the water level at the entrance. Whereas, the shape of the islands have small influence, where protrusions and sharp edges both seem to evolve into smooth bank lines along smooth streamlines. Furthermore it was found that bathymetrical differences have an appreciable effect. However, a maximum reduction of discharge into the Canal del Dique of 8% can be obtained when the island is located just in front of the offtake. Furthermore, the amount of coarse sediment can be reduced with a factor 2.5.

01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a method to find a suitable solution to the problem of the lack of a suitable vehicle for the purpose of improving the safety of the users of public transportation.
Abstract: یط رد هک دنتسه یمهم یحطس یبآ عبانم هلمج زا اه هناخدور یگتسباو زا یشان هجوت نیا .دنا هدوب هجوت دروم هراومه رشب یگدنز لیبق زا یتاعوضوم رد یگتسباو نیا هب نداد خساپ و بآ هب ناسنا .تسا یبآ لقن و لمح و اه بلایس راهم ،بآ لاقتنا ،یزرواشک نوچمه یساسا تامادقا هک تشاد دوجو رواب نیا هتشذگ رد طوبرم اهنت ،اه بلایس ربارب رد تظافح و اه هناخدور زا یرادرب هرهب ی هزوح رد تامادقا نیا تقیقح رد یلو ،تسا هناخدور یسدنهم هب یزورما یانعم رد .تسا هتشاد رارق اه هناخدور یهدناماس و ایحا و هدرکن زواجت لاس 50-60 زا هناخدور نیسدنهم تیلاعف ی هقباس هتخانش ام روشک رد بآ نارمع یسدنهم دیدج اًتبسن یاه هتشر زا هتشادرب هناخدور یسدنهم هب یملع کت شرگن نیا یتسیاب .دوش یم تاعلاطا رب هولاع دیاب تقیقح رد ملع نیا ناصصختم اریز ،دوش ،تسیز طیحم ،یسانش نیمز ،یکیژولوردیه یاه ییاناوت ،یکیلوردیه یصخشم یلمع ی هبرجت یاراد ،یسانشراک ثحابم هب دورو زا شیپ توافتم رگید ی هناخدور اب هناخدور ره طیارش هکنآ تلع هب ،دنشاب ی هبرجت و یملع ی هدهاشم کی جیاتن ناوت یمن هاگچیه و هدوب هبرجت هب قیقحت نیا رد .داد میمعت یرگید هب ار هناخدور کی یلمع ی هنیمز رد )USACE( اکیرمآ نارمع ی هرادا نمجنا یاه هیصوت و یارب نمجنا نیا یاهداهنشیپ و هدنیآ رد هناخدور نیسدنهم تیبرت .تسا هدش دانتسا هزوح نیا نیصصختم ءاقترا


Patent
09 Sep 2015
TL;DR: The utility model discloses an ecological merit band structure of three -layer step for river engineering, including three-layer step ecological functions area, three layer step ecological function area comprises the aquatic plant layer of bottom, the shore water pavement layer at middle part and the levee crown road layer on upper portion, an upright wall of building by laying bricks or stones for the ecological geotechnique's bag through high 0.8 -1.2m between aquatic plant layers and the shallow grassed slope links up mutually, be 1 through ecological interlocking brick and side slope between shore water
Abstract: The utility model discloses an ecological merit band structure of three -layer step for river engineering, including three -layer step ecological functions area, three -layer step ecological functions area comprises the aquatic plant layer of bottom, the shore water pavement layer at middle part and the levee crown road layer on upper portion, an upright wall of building by laying bricks or stones for the ecological geotechnique's bag through high 0.8 -1.2m between aquatic plant layer and the shore water pavement layer links up mutually, be 1 through ecological interlocking brick and side slope between shore water pavement layer and the levee crown road layer: 2 or 1: 3 the grassed slope connect mutually. The utility model discloses the advantage mainly embodies and adopts three -layer step ecological functions area in the river engineering, makes the river course after the renovation can satisfy the water drainage demand of river course surrounding area, can form again and go sightseeing to lie fallow the shore hosepipe, holds the difference through this kind of different water level elevation's great groove, has improved surface of water rate, does benefit to the contradictory problem of solving the river course surrounding area and holding the waterlogging and take over the land for use, has slowed down the whole side slope in river course, is favorable to the stability of river course side slope.

01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: The typical hydraulic parameters to be measured in physical hydraulic model studies are water levels, flow speed, direction of flow, salinity or turbidity, temperature, turbulence, wave height and discharge.
Abstract: The typical hydraulic parameters to be measured in physical hydraulic model studies are water levels, flow speed, direction of flow, salinity or turbidity, temperature, turbulence, wave height and discharge. Specialized and appropriate types of sensors are required for the accurate measurements of these parameters based on physical model conditions. Physical models consist of thermal model, dam and spillway model, river model, coastal and offshore model and hydo-mechanical models. The conditionality's of various physical models differ in size, variable discharge levels, quality of water and geophysical layout of models. Careful selection of appropriate sensor is significant for measurement of a particular hydraulic parameter even in diverse and variable conditions of physical models. This research paper highlights the selection of proper sensors and supporting instrumentation as per physical model conditions. 1 . If it exceeds, then scale effects are encountered in the model. Different types of model layout require different flow characteristics. In case of thermal and nuclear power plant model, water is withdrawn from the source for cooling of the plant. Hot water is discharged at a significantly distant location so that the recirculation system of the plant will cool the water to the required temperature as per prescribed guidelines of Environment and Pollution Control Board. All these physical hydraulic models require appropriate and specialized instrumentation for the measurement of various hydraulic parameters as per the requirements of physical hydraulic model studies. This article highlights the selection of proper sensors and supporting instrumentation for the physical hydraulic model studies. II. ROLE OF SENSORS The sensors or transducers play a significant role in measuring vital hydraulic parameters for physical hydraulic model studies. Some popular sensors used for the flow characteristics are :  Water surface follower and Guided wave radar type sensors for the measurement of variation of water level.  Current meter and Anemometer for measurement of flow velocity.  Platinum Temperature Resistor (PTR) and Thermistor for measurement of temperature gradient for cooling pond studies of thermal and nuclear power plants. These hydraulic parameters are used for the sustainable development of ports, coastal structure, approach channel, turning basins, port basins, tranquility studies, alignment of breakwater, and construction of structure in the river reach for Coastal Engineering studies. River training works to improve discharge capability or to reduce the porosity in the river segment; design of gate operating system over a spillway or dam, turbine efficiency on hydroelectric power plant are carried out for River Engineering studies. Schematic Diagram of Sensors is shown in figure 1.