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.

Middle rio grande assessment for maintenance planning

Abstract: The Middle Rio Grande is a complex and changing river system which presents many maintenance challenges. The need was identified for a comprehensive assessment to provide a foundation of information for planning and implementing Middle Rio Grande River Maintenance Program activities. Steps in this appraisal level assessment begin with identifying the current geomorphic trends and important characteristics of each reach. Reach-based strategies were defined to address trends of interest. If a strategy would not meet the trends of concern in a reach, it was screened out from further analysis. The geomorphic effects of strategy implementation were then described. Next, strategies were scored for engineering effectiveness, ecosystem function, and economics (in terms of implementation cost). Effectiveness to cost ratios were developed and strategies with high ratios were recommended for further study at the feasibility level. BACKGROUND The Middle Rio Grande is a complex and changing river system which presents many maintenance challenges. The need was identified for a comprehensive assessment to provide a foundation of information for planning and implementing Middle Rio Grande River Maintenance Program activities. Strong consideration was given to the current and future geomorphic processes and trends occurring in the Middle Rio Grande for the current flow and sediment regimes. Future river maintenance strategy implementation is planned to be as compatible as possible with these geomorphic processes and trends as well as the ecosystem function needs identified. This robust approach seeks to understand and treat the causes of channel instability rather than the trending symptoms as much as is practical. Adaptive management is already a part of river maintenance, and these efforts will continue in the future. River Maintenance Goals have been redefined to reflect the evolution of practices of river engineering and management and the changing river conditions within the context of the Middle Rio Grande Project authorization. The updated goals are Support Channel Sustainability, Protect Riverside Infrastructure and Resources, Be Ecosystem Compatible, and Provide Effective Water Delivery. Data was examined to define a set of geomorphic trends of importance to river maintenance and to examine the reaches based on the observed trends. These trends are Channel Narrowing, Vegetation Encroachment, Degradation, Increased Bank Height, Bank Erosion, Coarsening of Bed Material, Aggradation, Channel Plugging with Sediment, and Perched Channel Conditions. The fundamental cause of the

River Engineering: Past, Present And Future –A Comprehensive Systems Approach

Abstract: River engineering is one of the core competencies of the Army Corps of Engineers In fact, the Corps has traditionally been the leader among federal agencies in this area, having both developed the specialty area and literally having “written the book” in delivering guidance and tools used by others However, the Corps’ superior performance is based in large part on the institutional knowledge of experienced river engineers, many of whom are near retirement age This underlines the need to act quickly to implement an innovative technical transfer process to develop this core competency in younger USACE staff In particular, the comprehensive systems approach used in river engineering must be thoroughly documented and disseminated throughout our organization Several factors make this of paramount importance First, as previously stated, many experienced engineers are nearing retirement Second, this rapidly approaching exit of expertise does not allow for a slow and gradual knowledge transfer, but requires quick and innovative action Third, the comprehensive systems approach used by river engineers is critical to ensuring the success of multi-disciplinary projects such as ecosystem restoration and watershed management projects An accurate understanding of water and sediment process, and river channel changes, is fundamental to the success of most Corps civil works projects There is a need for innovative technology transfer of river engineering expertise to support the comprehensive systems approach endorsed by Corps leadership To respond to the above concerns, a work effort has been initiated under the Corps Actions for Change, Theme 1 (Knowledge Transfer) to perform an initial evaluation of river engineering discipline within the Corps The observations and recommendations in this paper derive from a workshop held in 2009 to discuss the status of river engineering capability within the Army Corps of Engineers

Danube River Sediment Transport and Morphodynamics

Abstract: Hydromorphological alterations of large rivers are evident and have to be related to multiple anthropogenic pressures. The presented results of an integrated study concerning the actual status of the hydromorphology of the Danube River Basin show that in particular, the sediment regime features a heavily disturbed system at various scales. Combined impacts of flood protection, navigation and hydropower measures applied over a long period of time have been identified based on the river-scaling concept (RSC) for being responsible for these specific alterations (lack of bed load and suspended load in the remaining free-flowing sections). Moreover, long sections of the Danube River have been narrowed, channelized, disconnected from floodplains and morphologically degraded over the last 200 years. This has caused increased bottom shear stresses, increased sediment transport capacities and in addition a lack of lateral self-forming processes and corresponding reduced morphodynamics in the non-impounded sections. As a consequence of both longitudinal and lateral disturbances of the sediment supply and additional impacts of the channelization, the remaining free-flowing sections are subject to various forms of river bed degradation. Such degradation or river bed incision leads to a loss of instream structures in general, with a disappearance of gravel bars at the Upper Danube, and changes of sandbars at the Lower Danube. Hence, for river systems and large river basins, it has to be stated that the preservation and restoration of morphodynamics is one of the most relevant issues for river engineering and ecology. This has to be considered especially for the implementation of legal directives and/or future river basin management plans.

Sea level variation from a remote river in the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad

Abstract: Short-term sea level variability is investigated by analytical methods to ascertain whether there is a link between peak tidal residuals in the Gulf of Paria (GoP), Trinidad, and peak river outflow from the Orinoco on the Venezuelan mainland. Analysis of tidal data suggests that although the Orinoco delta fronts the Atlantic ocean, significant volumes of this river runoff enter into the GoP and play a role in seasonal sea level variation on the western coastline of the southernmost Caribbean island of Trinidad. The indications from various statistical analyses including harmonic, spectral and time series analyses of tide gauge data are that mean seasonal variations in water level in the north of the GoP exhibit a positive temporal correlation between the tidal residuals and the peak river discharge associated with the Orinoco's seasonal cycle. The maximal de-tided residuals are strongly correlated with maximal values of the river runoff, as well as the discharge trend, with the residual values at initial ...