River engineering

About: River engineering is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 435 publications have been published within this topic receiving 10286 citations. The topic is also known as: Channelisation.

Cumulative impacts of river engineering, Mississippi and Lower Missouri rivers

Abstract: The goal of this study was to construct a large, data-rich model to test hydrological responses to engineering modifications on over 3200 km of the Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers. We compiled model explanatory variables from a geospatial database quantifying construction of all bridges, wing dikes, bendway weirs, levees, artificial meander cutoffs, channel constriction and navigational dams over the past 100-150 years. Response variables were derived from 68 rated and un-rated hydrologic stations in the study area, with responses analysed across a range of discharges from within-channel flows up to moderate floods. Correlation analysis, multiple linear regression and stepwise regression analyses document strong and consistent responses to construction history, both in individual reach-scale models and systemwide. Meander cutoffs are associated with degradation and acceleration of flow that has reduced stages across the full discharge range. Navigational dams on the Upper Mississippi River increased low-flow stages and flood levels to a lesser extent, with little or no post-dam change. One of the strongest signals was the hydrologic response to wing-dike construction, which resulted in large back-water increases in stage upstream of wing dikes and mixed effects downstream, including the overlapping effects of incision and velocity losses. Levees were associated with local flow concentration, overbank storage loss and floodplain conveyance loss depending on reach-scale conditions. The results presented here (1) quantify incremental and cumulative hydrologic responses to a range of engineering activities and (2) provide an empirical tool for verifying and assessing hydraulic and other models of river-system change. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Geomorphology in environmental planning

Abstract: Rural Land Use and Soil Erosion: Upland Land Use and Land Management Policy and Research Aspects of the Effects of Water Public Policy and Soil Erosion in Britain. Urban Land Use: Urban Planning Policies for Physical Constraints and Environmental Change. Slope Management: Slope Instability, Planning and Geomorphology in the United Kingdom. River Management: Channelization, River Engineering and Geomorphology Urban River Pollution in the UK - The WRC River Basin Management Programme. Coastal Management: Geomorphology and Public Policy at the Coast Coastal Erosion, Protection and Planning in Relation to Public Policies - A Case Study from Downderry, SE Cornwall. Policy Formulation: Geomorphological Information Needed for Environmental Policy Formulation.

Management challenges related to long-term ecological impacts, complex stressor interactions, and different assessment approaches in the Danube River Basin

Abstract: For centuries, rivers have experienced massive changes of their hydromorphic structures due to human activities. The Danube River, the second largest river in Europe, is a case in point for long‐term societal imprint. Resulting human‐induced pressures are a key issue for river management, aiming to improve the ecological conditions and guarantee the provision of ecosystem services. As the most international river basin in the world, the management of the Danube is particularly challenging and needs a well‐organized cooperation of 19 nations. The recent river basin management plan has identified pollution and hydromorphological alterations as most pressing problems, but it has also acknowledged newly emerging issues. In this article, we present 3 specific examples of highly relevant issues for the future river basin management of the Danube: (a) long‐term impacts in the catchment such as changes in flood patterns and potential ecological consequences; (b) complex feedback loops linking the spread of neozoa with intertwined stressor responses due to river engineering for different purposes; and (c) linkages between different assessment approaches based on European legal frameworks to analyse the specific pressures at different spatial scales. These examples highlight the need for a more integrated approach in future Danube River Basin management schemes. Furthermore, large‐scale effects such as climate change and interactions of multiple pressures need to be addressed in future management to increase resilience of the river system and to allow a sustainable ecosystem‐based management of rivers.

Floodplain Mapping Using Hydraulic Simulation Model in GIS

Abstract: In this research, a methodology was applied to integrate hydraulic simulation model, HEC-RAS and GIS analysis for delineation of flood extents and depths within a selected reach of Zaremroud River in Iran Floodplain modeling is a recently new and applied method in river engineering discipline and is essential for prediction of flood hazards It is necessary to simulate complicated hydraulic behavior of the river in a more simple way, for the purpose of managing and performing all river training practices In this research, steady flow was simulated along 3 km end of Zaremroud River, upstream of the Tajan River in North of Iran Floodplain zonation maps were derived using integrating of HEC-RAS and GIS analysis Delineation of flood extents and depths within the floodplain were conducted in different return periods Critical flooding area along the river was distinguished based on the grid layer of flood depths The results indicated that hydraulic simulation by integrating with GIS analysis could be effective for various kinds of floodplain management and different scenarios for river training practices and flood mitigation planning

Revised equations for Manning's coefficient for Sand‐Bed Rivers

Abstract: The procedure for selecting values of Manning n is subjective and requires judgment and skill which are developed primarily through experience. Government agencies and private sectors in developed nations such as the USA are still doing research on predicting n values for rivers. Since flow and boundary roughness vary with river conditions, such research is therefore pertinent for rivers in Malaysia where floods are one of primary concerns. Research on Manning n value was started by River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) since 2000 at the Kinta River catchment. Further data collections were later made at two other major rivers i.e. Langat River and Kulim River. Two new equations are proposed for determining Manning n for sand‐bed rivers in Malaysia based on 163 data collected from these three rivers. On average, both equations have an error less than 10% in predicting flow discharge for all 163 data.