Papers Published in the International Journal of Sediment Research Volume 38, No.5, 2023

Pages 629-780 (August 2023)

2. Study of gravitational sedimentation of flexible, permeable circular and planktonic particle applying the immersed boundary method
Rekha Panghal, Sudeshna Ghosh

3. Analysis of the sediment sources of flood driven erosion and deposition in the river channel of the Fu River Basin
Shanghong Zhang, Xujian Hu, Wei Miao, Zan Xu

6. Modeling uncertainties of reservoir flushing simulations
Camila Bergmann Goulart, Tobias Bleninger, Hugo de Oliveira Fagundes, Fernando Mainardi Fan

7. Improving hydrodynamic modeling of river networks by incorporating data assimilation using a particle filter
Chenhui Jiang, Dejun Zhu, Haobo Li, Xiaoqun Liu, Danxun Li

11. Experimental investigation of sediment transport in partially ice-covered channels
Mina Rouzegar, Shawn P. Clark

1. Sand wave migration near the southeastern corner of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA
Vinícius Santos Pessanha, Peter Cheng Chu, Matthew Kenneth Gough, Peter Traykovski, Mara Morgenstern Orescanin
Pages 629-642
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.04.006
Abstract: Sand waves of approximately 2 m in height were observed to migrate nearly 40 m with counterclockwise rotation between two bathymetric surveys performed three months apart near the southeastern corner of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The region is characterized by strong tidal currents, intermittent energetic surface wave events, and shallow water with local depth ranging from 2 to 7 m. This study uses the process-based model, Delft3D, with a three-dimensional approach to examine the sand wave dynamics by incorporating surface waves, winds, currents, and bathymetric observations. The model successfully simulates sand wave migration in comparisons to observations. Model sensitivity analyses show that the sand wave migration reduces by 65% with the absence of the surface waves. The modeled sand wave migration speed is correlated with the tidal current Shields parameter, and sharp increases in migration speed occur when the wave-driven Shields parameter increases in response to energetic surface wave events. The combined effect of tides, surface waves, and bathymetry is the origin of the rotational aspect of the sand wave, using the Shields parameter as an indicator of tidal currents and surface wave influence on sand wave dynamics.

2. Study of gravitational sedimentation of flexible, permeable circular and planktonic particle applying the immersed boundary method
Rekha Panghal, Sudeshna Ghosh
Pages 643-652
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.05.004
Abstract: The gravitational settling of a flexible, permeable circular and planktonic particle drenched in a fluid which is assumed to be Newtonian and incompressible along with being viscous was studied. A mathematical formulation and numerical simulations of the studied problem were done by applying the Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) in a two-dimensional fluid domain. Parametric studies were done for analyzing the impact of varying flexibilities and permeabilities with reference to settling velocity (terminal velocity) and shape deformation of the particle. The terminal velocity and permeability of the particle are directly proportional. It was observed that for fixed permeability, the terminal velocity increases when increasing the flexibility of the particle.

3. Analysis of the sediment sources of flood driven erosion and deposition in the river channel of the Fu River Basin
Shanghong Zhang, Xujian Hu, Wei Miao, Zan Xu
Pages 653-661
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.04.004
Abstract: Studying the characteristics of runoff and sediment processes and revealing the sources of sediment provide key guidance for the scientific formulation of relevant soil erosion protection measures and water conservancy development plans. In the current study, the flow and sediment data of five hydrological stations on the main stream of the Fu River Basin (FRB) from 2007 to 2018 were selected to identify flood events, explore the variation of sediment transport along the FRB, and clarify the sediment sources. The results found that the Jiangyou–Fujiangqiao section is the main source of sediment in the FRB during the flood season. The runoff volume and sediment load during flood events in the Jiangyou–Fujiangqiao section accounted for 35% and 145% respectively of that of Xiaoheba station. These results combined with the change of the sediment load before and after the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake (May 12) show that the sediment in this section mainly comes from the Fu River tributary–the Tongkou River watershed. The calculation results for the sediment carrying capacity of the Fu River show that the main stream was in a state of erosion in theory. However, according to the calculation results for the interval sediment yield during flood events, the sediment load at the Xiaoheba station was smaller than that at the Shehong station upstream. The analysis indicates that this was not because of sediment deposition in the river channel, but because of sand mining in the river channel and sediment interception by water conservancy projects. If heavy rainfall occurs in the FRB, the sediment accumulated upstream will move downstream with the resulting flood, and the sediment yield in the FRB may further increase. These research conclusions can provide reference information for improving the prediction and management ability of soil and water loss in the FRB and scientific regulation of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

4. A framework approach to address the trend and causes of flood stage change in a river reach downstream of a dam influenced by tributaries
Zhaohua Sun, Shanshan An, Xinyue Zhou, Zhiqing Li, Lei Zou
Pages 662-672
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.05.001
Abstract: The evaluation of the trend of flood stage changes in alluvial rivers downstream of dams is important for flood management. However, the flood stage associated with a given discharge generally is nonstationary in river reaches with multiple tributaries. This is not only because of the dam-induced shifting in the cross-sectional area and/or channel roughness but also because of the backwater induced by high flows from the tributaries. To determine the total trend of the flood stage and quantify the separate contributions of hydrological and geomorphic effects, the current study proposed a framework approach consisting of hydrological analysis and multiscenario numerical modeling. By this means, the trend in the flood stage could be distinguished from the stage oscillation driven by varying factors, including extreme hydrologic events. The effects of chronic changes, including channel incision and flow resistance increase, also were quantitatively separated. This framework was applied to the Chenglingji–Datong (CD) reach downstream of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in the Yangtze River, China. The results indicated that the effect of the roughness increase counterbalanced the effect of channel incision when the flow discharge was beyond the bankfull level. The backwater effect induced by tributary inflow was the major cause of the flood stage rise in recent years. The method presented in the current study provides a useful tool for managers and engineers to obtain better insight into the driving mechanisms of flood stage changes in river reaches that are downstream of dams. These findings indicate that the flood stage may not decline or may even occasionally increase, although the cross-sectional area was enlarged by channel incision. Special attention should be given to the flood risk situation in the study reach after the TGD began operation.

5. The Igarapé Weir decelerated transport of contaminated sediment in the Paraopeba River after the failure of the B1 tailings dam (Brumadinho)
Daniela Patrícia Salgado Terêncio, Fernando António Leal Pacheco, Renato Farias do Valle Junior, Maytê Maria Abreu Pires de Melo Silva, Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra , Marília Carvalho de Melo, Carlos Alberto Valera , Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes
Pages 673-697
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.06.004
Abstract: The B1 dam of Córrego do Feij?o Mine, owned by Vale, S.A. mining company and located on the Ferro-Carv?o stream, collapsed and injected 2.8 Mm³ of clayey, silty, and sandy iron- and manganese-rich tailings into the Paraopeba River (Minas Gerais state, Brazil). The accident occurred on 25 January 2019 and the tailings have been co-transported with coarser natural sediment since then, being partly trapped in the Igarapé Weir reservoir located on the Paraopeba River nearly 45 km downstream the injection point. The general purpose of the current study was to model suspended sediment transport in the vicinity of the Igarapé Weir aiming to assess the concomitant barrier effect imposed by this structure. Specifically, the spatial distributions of suspended clay, silt, and very fine-grained sand fractions (CSS) of sediment were mapped around the Igarapé Weir under low-flow (16 m³/s) and high-flow (5 to 10,000 years return period stream discharge; 699–2,699 m³/s) regimes, using RiverFlow2D as the modelling tool. The concentrations of the various grain materials in the upstream and downstream sectors were quantified linking the barrier effect to concentration reductions in the direction of stream flow. It was also a study goal to calculate differences of iron and manganese concentrations in the sediment + tailings mixtures along the Paraopeba River. The study results showed reductions in the CSS between 6.6% and 18%, from upstream to downstream of the Igarapé Weir, related with backwater effects, free and submerged hydraulic jumps, bank sedimentation in periods of high flow, and streambed sedimentation controlled by channel sinuosity and tailings density. These reductions were accompanied by drops in the concentrations of iron and manganese present in the clay and silt fractions, which varied between 6% and 42% under low flows and between 16% and 44% under high flows. Bank sedimentation was viewed as a potential threat to the riparian vegetation in the long-term. Dredging is the potentially most effective mitigation measure to help lead the Paraopeba River to a pre-rupture condition. The retention of sediment + tailings transported in suspension is less effective than the trapping of bedload sediment + tailings behind the Igarapé weir. The efficacy of sediment trapping is expected to be larger for natural sediment because it is much coarser than the tailings. In that context, the simulations revealed for the low-flow period that 33.6% of the sediment deposition comprised suspended transport of natural sediment (thus, was comprised 66.4% of bedload transport), this proportion rose to 86.9% for mixtures of natural sediment + tailings, a result that did not differ much for the high-flow periods.

6. Modeling uncertainties of reservoir flushing simulations
Camila Bergmann Goulart, Tobias Bleninger, Hugo de Oliveira Fagundes, Fernando Mainardi Fan
Pages 698-710
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.04.005
Abstract: Every dam or barrage construction affects the watercourse and the retention of sediment that previously was carried by the river, which can lead to siltation of the reservoir and obstruction of water intakes over time, reducing their capacities. However, the information available regarding the effect of sediment and drawdown parameters, sediment management at reservoirs, as well as different equational approaches, is scarce. The current research aims to evaluate the effect of parameters associated with numerical modeling of sediment management in reservoirs considering scenarios with different drawdowns, transport equations, sediment size distributions, and thickness of the initial sediment layer. The case study of the Aimorés Hydropower Plant (HPP) is used, applying the Delft3D-FLOW model for two-dimensional modeling. All parameters influenced the volume of mobilized sediment, among which the initial layer thickness was the parameter that resulted in the greatest changes in simulated results. In general, the results show that the uncertainties in the input parameters outweigh the uncertainties between the techniques, which found large variations in results when evaluating the use of different transport equations. These results indicate the importance of proper estimation of model parameters for predicting effects with accuracy and the need for such studies before planning and management operations are evaluated to avoid environmental harm and energy waste.

7. Improving hydrodynamic modeling of river networks by incorporating data assimilation using a particle filter
Chenhui Jiang, Dejun Zhu, Haobo Li, Xiaoqun Liu, Danxun Li
Pages 711-723
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.06.001
Abstract: Numerical modeling is a well-recognized method for studying the hydrodynamic processes in river networks. Multi-source measurements also offer abundant information on the patterns and mechanisms within the processes. Therefore, improving hydrodynamic modeling of river networks through the use of data assimilation techniques has become a hot research topic in recent years. The particle filter (PF) is a commonly used data assimilation method and has been proven to be applicable to various nonlinear and non-Gaussian models. In the current study, an improved numerical hydrodynamic model for large-scale river networks is established by incorporating the advanced PF algorithm. Furthermore, the PF method based on the Gaussian likelihood function (GLF) and the method based on the Cauchy likelihood function (CLF) are compared for a complex river network scenario. The feasibility of the PF-based methods was evaluated through application to the Yangtze-Dongting River-lake Network (YDRN) by assimilating water stage data collected at six hydrometric stations during the entire hydrodynamic process in 2003. Additionally, the parameters used in the likelihood function, which affect the assimilation performance, also were explored in the current study. The study results found that the accuracy of the model-derived water stage data was improved when the PF-based methods are utilized, with improvement not only at the data assimilation (calibration) sites but also at three hydrometric stations not used in the data assimilation (i.e., verification sites). The highest average Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency result for the six assimilation sites were 0.98 while the lowest summed root-mean-square-error result was 1.801 m. The comparison results also indicated that the CLF-based PF outperformed the GLF-based PF when high-accuracy observed data are available. Specifically, the CLF can effectively resolve the filtering failure problem and the dispersion problem of PFs, and further improve the accuracy of the filtering results for a river network scenario. In summary, the CLF-based PF method along with high-accuracy observation data shows promise to provide reliable reference and technical support for hydrodynamic modeling of large-scale river networks.

8. Historical fluxes of metal and metalloids in an aquatic ecosystem affected by land-use change and mining activities in northwestern Mexico
Ochoa-Contreras Roberto, Jara-Marini Martín Enrique, Ruiz-Fernández Ana Carolina, Sanchez-Cabeza Joan Albert, Meza-Figueroa Diana, Pérez-Bernal Libia Hascibe
Pages 724-738
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.05.003
Abstract: Freshwater reservoirs are essential owing because of their ecological, economic, and social importance. They are particularly vulnerable to contamination, as of metal and metalloids, derived from anthropogenic activities like mining. The temporal variations in trace element concentrations (arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)), enrichment, fluxes, and possible sources were evaluated by studying two sediment cores from the La Angostura (ANG) Reservoir (northwest Mexico), using 210Pb geochronology. The enrichment factors showed from null to minor enrichment for most elements, but moderate to severe enrichment of mercury (Hg). Most trace element concentrations had a detrital origin, and notable Hg concentration increases since the past decade were associated with severe drought periods, likely resulting from wildfires. The observed sediment concentrations of As and Hg can cause adverse effects on biota in the ecosystem since they are above the probable effect level (PEL). Development of strategies for metal attenuation in this reservoir is recommended and metals should be controlled until specific ecotoxicological studies are performed.

9. Rapid magnetic susceptibility measurement as a tracer to assess the erosion–deposition process using tillage homogenization and simple proportional models: A case study in northern of Morocco
Abdessalam Ouallali , Naima Bouhsane, Saidati Bouhlassa, Mohamed Moukhchane, Shamsollah Ayoubi, Habiba Aassoumi
Pages 739-753
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.06.002
Abstract: Soil erosion is a significant threat in the Rif region in northern Morocco. Hence, accurate cartography of the phenomenon, magnitude, and extent of erosion in the area needs a simple, rapid, and economical method such as magnetic susceptibility (MS). The current study aims to: (i) determine the factors influencing the variation of soil MS, (ii) exploit MS to estimate soil loss using two approaches in different homogenous units characterized by the same climatic conditions with different edaphic characteristics (land use, slope, and lithology), and (iii) highlight the potential for using MS as a cheap and rapid tracer of a long term erosion and deposition processes. Mass-specific magnetic susceptibility at low (χ_lf) and high (χ_hf) frequencies were measured for 182 soil samples collected in the study area. A tillage homogenization (T-H) model and a simple proportional model (SPM) were applied on an undisturbed soil profile to predict the eroded soil depths for given cores. The results confirm that χ_lf is influenced by land use, slope, and soil type. Pedogenesis is the main factor affecting soil MS enhancement, indicated by homogenous magnetic mineralogy with a dominance of super-paramagnetic (SP) and stable single domain (SSD) magnetic grains. The study results show that higher soil losses have occurred in almost all the soil samples when applying the T-H model compared to application of the SPM. The SPM underestimates erosion due to its ignorance of the MS of the plow layers after erosion. The current study implies the high efficacy of magnetic susceptibility as the quick, easily measurable, simple, and cost-effective approach that can be used as an alternative technique for evaluating soil redistribution.

10. Diagenetic signatures in the deltaic and fluvial-estuarine Messinian sandstone reservoirs in the Nile Delta as a tool for high-resolution stratigraphic correlations
Mahmoud Leila, Andrea Moscariello, Dustin Sweet, Branimir ?egvi?
Pages 754-768
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.05.002
Abstract: The current study utilizes a range of diagenetic fingerprints to differentiate between sandstone facies deposited in the Nile Delta before and during the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), which is normally a challenging task considering the complex bio- and lithostratigraphic subdivisions of Messinian rock units. Subaerial exposure of the pre-MSC (Qawasim deltaic sandstone), during drawdown of the Mediterranean Sea at the time of the MSC, triggered pervasive dissolution of unstable rock fragments, kaolinization of feldspar, and meteoric dolomitization of carbonate. This was followed by mesogenetic calcite cementation and kaolinite transformation into dickite in deeply buried Qawasim sandstone. Comparatively, the Abu Madi estuarine facies, deposited during transgression after drawdown related to the MSC, is characterized by eogenetic iron (Fe)-calcite, glauconite, and pyrite (averages of 14.5%, 6%, and 2%, respectively). This facies transition is marked by abundance of mature glauconite (with potassium oxide (K₂O) at about 8%) whose content abates upward from the transgression surface. Moreover, the compositional variability of the Abu Madi sandstone gave rise to multiple diagenetic trajectories that resulted in chlorite formation presumably following smectite and kaolinite. Listed diagenetic variations in the studied Messinian sandstone resulted from a complex interplay between rocks’ compositional, depositional, and burial attributes, ultimately serving as a basis for high-resolution stratigraphic correlation in continental and marginal marine settings with poor biostratigraphic controls.

11. Experimental investigation of sediment transport in partially ice-covered channels
Mina Rouzegar, Shawn P. Clark
Pages 769-779
https:/irtces/doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.06.003
Abstract: It is important to understand the effects of ice cover on sediment transport in cold climates, where sub-freezing temperatures affect water bodies for a significant part of the year. The literature contains many studies on sediment transport in open channel flow, and several studies on sediment transport in completely ice-covered flow. There has been little or no research on sediment transport in partially ice-covered channels. In the current study, laboratory experiments were done in a rectangular flume to quantify the impact of border ice presence on the sediment transport rate. The effects of ice cover extent and changing flow strengths on sediment transport distribution also were investigated, and the results were compared to those for fully ice-covered and open channel flow. The ice coverage ratios considered were 0 (representing the open water condition), 0.25, 0.50, 0.67, and 1 (representing fully ice-covered flow). The partial ice cover was found to impact the sediment transport distribution within the channel. The effect of ice coverage extent on sediment transport distribution was more significant at lower flow strengths and became negligible at higher flow strengths. The conventional equations for sediment transport in open channel flow and fully ice-covered flow that relate the dimensionless bedload transport rate to the flow strength were found to be applicable to estimate the total cross-section-averaged bedload transport for partially ice-covered flow when modified appropriately. Empirical coefficients for these equations were determined using the experimental data.