Erosion Rates in Dam Catchments in Jordan—Effects of Topography, Geology, and Urbanizations

Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role of soil as a filter for infiltrating water to replenish the groundwater. It also threatens the food supplies. The knowledge of erosion rates of rocks and terrains is important for developing proactive measures to protect soils from erosion and loss. In this study, erosion rates of catchment areas were calculated based on dams’ catchment extensions and the sediment loads transported by flood flows into dams’ lakes. The study results show that the chemically, via floodwater, transported quantities of materials are negligible compared to the solid materials transported by the water. It calculates erosion rates ranging from 0.013 to 0.212 mm/yr (13 - 212 m/106 yr) for the different catchment areas. Erosion rates in Jordan are, generally, higher than those calculated for the different parts of the world ranging from 2.5 to 60 m/106 yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.

Distribution, failure risk and reinforcement necessity of check-dams on the Loess Plateau: a review

Check-dams are the most important measure to control the soil and water loss in highly erodible catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau.Based on the data of check-dams from 1950 to 2014,our study roundly analyzed the regional distribution,function and the problems of check-dams on the Loess Plateau.A total of 17,094 check-dams with a storage capacity of over 100,000 m^(3) and an average density of 0.027 counts km^(-2) were installed on the Loess Plateau.Check-dams’densities varied greatly in the Qinghai Province,Gansu Province,Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,Shaanxi Province,Shanxi Province and Henan Province.The highest density of check-dams reached 0.088 counts km^(-2) in Shaanxi Province,whereas the lowest density of check-dams was only 0.005 counts km^(-2) in Qinghai Province.However,after decades of operation,3025 large check-dams and 2257 medium check dams are dangerous and have security risks,which are seriously threatening downstream safety.The dangerous rate of checkdams is high.Specifically,the check-dams in Shanxi and Qinghai Province have the highest dangerous rates,with both exceeding 53%.Therefore,there is an urgent need for carrying out reinforcement of the dangerous check-dams.The results are helpful to policymakers to extend and develop check-dams.

Dynamic Modeling Framework of Sediment Trapped by Check-Dam Networks:A Case Study of a Typical Watershed on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Check-dam construction is an effective and widely used method for sediment trapping in the Yellow River Basin and other places over the world that are prone to severe soil erosion.Quantitative estimations of the dynamic sediment trapped by check dams are necessary for evaluating the effects of check dams and planning the construction of new ones.In this study,we propose a new framework,named soil and water assessment tool(SWAT)–dynamic check dam(DCDam),for modeling the sediment trapped by check dams dynamically,by integrating the widely utilized SWAT model and a newly developed module called DCDam.We then applied this framework to a typical loess watershed,the Yan River Basin,to assess the time-varying effects of check-dam networks over the past 60 years(1957–2016).The DCDam module generated a specific check-dam network to conceptualize the complex connections at each time step(monthly).In addition,the streamflow and sediment load simulated by using the SWAT model were employed to force the sediment routing in the check-dam network.The evaluation results revealed that the SWAT-DCDam framework performed satisfactorily,with an overestimation of 11.50%,in simulating sediment trapped by check dams,when compared with a field survey of the accumulated sediment deposition.For the Yan River Basin,our results indicated that the designed structural parameters of check dams have evolved over the past 60 years,with higher dams(37.14%and 9.22%increase for large dams and medium dams,respectively)but smaller controlled areas(46.03%and 10.56%decrease for large dams and medium dams,respectively)in recent years.Sediment retained by check dams contributed to approximately 15.00%of the total sediment load reduction in the Yan River during 1970–2016.Thus,our developed framework can be a promising tool for evaluating check-dam effects,and this study can provide valuable information and support to decision-making for soil and water conservation and check-dam planning and management.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Sedimentation Process in Mosul Dam Reservoir Using Trap Efficiency Approaches

Reservoirs are usually exposed to sediment accumulation problems that will lead to reduction in their storage capacity. This problem directly affects the performance of the dams and causes shortage of their useful life. The simplest technique to estimate sediment deposition rate is using sediment rating curve with sediment trapping efficiency (TE) of the reservoir. Many empirical and semi-empirical approaches have been suggested for to determine this term depending on the annual inflow rate, reservoir characteristics and features of the catchments area. In this study six different empirical methods depending on the residence time principle (water retention time) were used. These approaches were reviewed and applied to determine TE of Mosul dam reservoir (MDR) for period 1986 to 2011. The monthly operating data for inflow, outflow and water elevations for MDR were used to determine monthly TE and long-term TE for whole period of MDR using the mentioned methods. Furthermore, the monthly inflow rate for River Tigris upstream MDR, its sediment rating curve and sediment feeding from valleys around MDR were used to estimate the amount sediment coming to the reservoir. The results provided by these methods for TE with sediment coming to MDR were used to compute the amount of sediment deposited in MDR on monthly bases during this period. The results obtained were evaluated using observed bathymetric survey data that had been collected in 2011 after 25 years of the operation of the dam. The results showed all the mentioned methods gave convergent results and they were very close to bathymetric survey results for estimating the volume of sediment deposited especially that proposed by Ward which gave 0.368% percentage error. Furthermore, the result computed using monthly TE gave good agreement if compared with that long-term TE where the percentage error was ranging between –3.229% to 1.674% for monthly adopted data and –4.862% to?–2.477% for whole period data. It is believed that this work will help others to use this procedure on other reservoirs.

Defects in Foundation Design Due to Miss-Interpretation of the Geological Data: A Case Study of Mosul Dam

Existing engineering problems in Mosul Dam and their background are discussed in this paper. A thorough review of the available geological reports was made. These reports covered many decades of investigations from 1953 up to the investigations performed during the construction of the dam. A large volume of geological information was accumulated during these investigations, but it is unfortunate to see that some of the basic facts were not interpreted correctly. This applies to the incorrect correlation of the encountered beds in the exploration boreholes and miss-understanding of the actual stratigraphic succession at the dam site. This misinterpretation contributed to misleading results regarding the true karst zones and the type of rocks and their thicknesses in the foundation zone and surrounding area. As a result, the dam was placed on problematic foundations consisting of brecciated and highly kartsified gypsum/anhydrite rocks and/or conglomerates in which gypsum forms the main constituent as cementing materials. Karstified beds were not recognized in some depths and were described as normal marl and/or breccias. This also added to the use of improper method of foundation treatment by adopting a deep grout curtain as the main anti-seepage measure instead of using a more positive measure by constructing a diaphragm wall. The mentioned misinterpretations are discussed here in details together with their consequences, and a more accurate picture of the geology is presented.

The Calculation Method for the Volume of Landslides and Dammed Lake Sediments Triggered by a Strong Historical Earthquake in the Loess Plateau:A Case Study of Qiuzigou, Gansu Province, Northwest China

The quantitative calculation of the volume of large earthquake-triggered landslides and related dammed lake sediments is of great significance in the study of secondary disasters and focal parameters of strong historical earthquakes.In this study,the dammed lake induced by Qishan M7 earthquake(Lingtai County,Gansu Province,Northwest China)is selected as the research object.Based on the information collected from the 4 boreholes in the dammed lake area,we further take advantage of the lowlevel Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)photogrammetry and the morphology recovery method,to calculate the volume of the dammed lake and landslides,respectively.Finally,major conclusions are obtained as follows:①the AMS-14C age at the bottom of the Qiuzigou Dammed Lake sediments is 2890±30 BP,which coincides with the 780 BC Qishan earthquake;furthermore,the Qiuzigou Landslides seem to have been triggered by the earthquake,forming an enclosed dammed lake deposition environment after the upstream sediments accumulate;②the Qiuzigou landslides are opposite-sliding landslides that have blocked the river valley;in detail,landslide volumes at the right and left banks are 235×104 m3 and 229×104 m3,respectively.The length of the dammed lake is 2.6 km,with a thickness of approximately 43 m near the landslides,and the total sedimentary volume is 573×104 m3;③the erosion rate of Qiuzigou Landslide Dammed Lake is 0.44 mm/a,the accumulation rate is 15.05 mm/a,and the soil erosion modulus is 593 t/(km2/a),characterized as slight erosion.Quantitative research on the formation of landslides and dammed lakes from strong historical earthquakes is vital for increasing our understanding of the vibrational characteristics and surface action processes of these types of earthquakes.

Simulation of the dynamic disturbance characteristics of the soft sediment in the Diexi ancient dammed lake,China

In an earlier study of the Diexi ancient dammed lake along the Minjiang River in Southwest China,10 disturbed layers with envelope and flame structures were found in more than 240 m of lacustrine sediments.In this paper,the soft-sediment disturbances caused by earthquakes in the Diexi ancient dammed lake were studied based on field investigations and laboratory core observations.A two-to three-degree-of-freedom spring-type earthquake simulation vibration table was used to carry out disturbance tests on lacustrine sediments under different dynamic conditions.The results support the following conclusions:(1)The disturbance layers in the lacustrine sediments were caused by strong earthquakes in the region.(2)The characteristics of the disturbance layers are related to the seismic parameters and the degree of sediment consolidation.(3)The greater the earthquake intensity is,the greater the disturbance amplitude is;moreover,the lower the consolidation degree is,the greater the disturbance amplitude.(4)The simulation tests verify that the disturbance layers in the sediments of the Diexi ancient dammed lake correspond to strong earthquakes in the region.These results are valuable for ongoing palaeoseismic research in the region.

Behavior of Surface Sediment from the JoséAntonio Alzate Dam in Mexico as a Deposit of Heavy Metals

The problem of contamination of Lerma River in the State of Mexico, México, has been studied in an integral way, since it is one of the rivers of importance due to its geographical situation in the country. José Antonio Dam is the main receiving body of this river that is being contaminated by, industrial wastewater, of which about 70% is inorganic, as well as discharges municipal and agricultural, driving a lot of material in suspension. This dam acts as a regulator of avenues and its water is used for agricultural irrigation and its sediments are used as sludge to improve agricultural soil in the surroundings. One of the studies that have been carried out is to determine the geochemical distribution of heavy metals in the sediments of this dam, as well as its adsorptive capacity towards different metals. It has been observed that these sediments acts as metal contaminants sequester. Knowing the composition and morphology of these sediments can provide information to understand the mobility of different heavy metals it contains, and potential health risk, which can finally lead to the establishment of purification capacity of this sludge.

Using Hydraulic Engineering Model Experiment to Study the Sediment Trapping Efficiency of Adjustable Check Dam

The construction of fully closed check dam (CD) is a conventional flood prevention mechanism implemented on rivers. Fully closed CDs trap large amounts of sediments in rivers to stabilize the river slopes and control erosion. However, fully closed CDs cannot selectively trap sediment and may easily overflow, causing them to losing their ability to mediate and hold sediments. Previous studies proposed the concept of “breathable CDs”. The researcher introduced metal slit dam (SD) that could be assembled and disassembled quickly and conveniently. Once a CD reaches maximum capacity, operators must ensure that the water channels of the dam are free from blockage. Moreover, they must inspect the internal accumulation conditions of the dam periodically or immediately following heavy typhoon rains. When necessary, either the sediment buildup in the upriver blockage must be cleared, or the transverse structure of the dam must be removed to allow fine particles to be discharged along with a moderate amount of water. These actions can free up the sediment-storing capacity of the dam for the next heavy typhoon rains. In addition, operators should also inspect the damages inflicted on the dam, such as erosion, wear and tear, and deformation conditions. Damaged components should be disassembled and repaired if possible, or recycled and reused. The present study performed channel tests to simulate closed CDs, SDs, steel pipe dam (SPDs), and steel pipe plus slit dam (SPSDs) for 50-year and 100-year frequency floods. Results were then analyzed to determine the sediment trapping (ST) effects of various CDs, the effects of “adjustable CDs”, and the changes of moderated riverbeds.

Prospects for Minimizing the Potential Environmental Impacts of the Hydro-Agricultural Dam of M’Bahiakro(Cote d’Ivoire)

This study aims at characterizing the physical environment and suggesting solutions for a better management of the hydro-agricultural dam of M’Bahiakro which is being constructed over the N’Zi River and is the first inflatable dam in Cote d’Ivoire. In this survey, data related to hydrology, characteristics of the dam and the irrigated rice production area were obtained with the Water Resources Agency and the National Office of Rice Development of Cote d’Ivoire. Physicochemical parameters of the N’Zi River were collected seasonally at three monitoring stations. Results showed that the N’Zi River is characterized by a high water level period from April to November and a low water level period from November to April. The gap between the low flows and the high flows is important (about 206 m3/s on average). The annual average flow is 40 m3/s with a standard deviation of 32.52 m3/s and a variation coefficient of 0.88. The SAR average value (1.63) and the average conductivity (78.44 μS/cm) showed that waters of the N’Zi River are of high quality to be used for irrigation. Suspended sediment concentrations do not present significant difference along the river. But the seasonal variations are important;they are higher during the rainy seasons (45.8 mg/L on average) than in the dry seasons (17.7 mg/L on average). The annual solid flux of the N’Zi River is 41897 tons, i.e. 15810 m3 of sediments. The annual sediment flux is important and can lead to high depositions in the line-shaped reservoir of the dam and that calls for attention to control the silting up of the reservoir. Great efforts concerning interdisciplinary approaches, as well as extensive and intensive field work are needed in order to better manage the hydro-agricultural dam of M’Bahiakro.

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Asian Horseshoe Crab Eggs Are Highly Intermingled with Anthropogenic Structures in Northern Beibu Gulf,China

Identification,protection and restoration of spawning habitats are vital for protecting the depleted species.Asian horseshoe crabs are ecologically important macroinvertebrates in coastal and estuarine ecosystems.However,their spawning habitat studies were limited to several reports in tropical regions,possibly due to the lack of modified survey methods,particularly in habitats with a lower density of spawning adults,and/or intermingled with anthropogenic structures.In this study,the year-round egg distribution and spawning habitat baselines of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda and Tachypleus tridentatus were determined in the northern Beibu Gulf,China.Our findings demonstrated that the peak spawning occurred in June–July and ceased in November–January when the average water temperature dropped below 20℃.Egg aggregations were found<10 cm beneath the sediment surface with regular tidal inundation,regardless of seasonal changes,in the vicinity of natural and artificial structures with elevated,mildly sloping substratum within the high tide zones.The nests were characterized by medium-sized sediment grains(0.5–0.9 mm),high temperatures(31–34℃),low water contents(0.8%–0.9%),and total organic carbon contents(0.5%–0.7%),which might maximize the hatching success.The identified nesting beaches were close to nursery habitats for juveniles,and tidal creeks were present as the possible corridor connecting these two important habitats through the dominant mangrove forests.The findings provide valuable insights in the scope of spawning behavior and nest-site selection of Asian horseshoe crabs under a mixture of natural and artificial structures,which could benefit future management efforts for the exploited spawning populations.

Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Metals in Water, Sediment and Fish from Lower Usuma Dam, Abuja, Nigeria

The study assessed the levels of some toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) with their potential ecological and human health risks in water, African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus), Tilapia (Oreochromis spilurus niger) and sediment samples from the Lower Usuma dam FCT, Nigeria during two major seasons in a year (rainy and dry seasons). Toxic metal concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) and Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry (for As and Hg), and the results obtained were compared with national and international standards. The ecological and human health risk indices of the toxic metals present in the samples from the Dam were evaluated and interpreted. Tilapia from the dam posed the highest but medium ecological and human health risk due to Pb concentration of up to 7.11 mg/kg;ecological risk index of 35.55 and hazard quotient of 50.78. Overall ecological and human health risks were low due to the low concentrations of other toxic metals determined. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Zn concentrations were all below WHO limits in the LUD water;Ni and Pb were above limits in the African Catfish and Tilapia samples. The data obtained were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant differences accepted at p ≤ 0.05. There was no statistical difference in the concentrations of toxic metals in water but there was significant difference between the concentrations of toxic metals in the fish and sediment samples. Correlation was found to exist between toxic metals in the water, fish and sediment analyzed from the dam. The ecological and human health risks of toxic metals in Lower Usuma dam require regular checks and monitoring hence, it was recommended by the researcher, that this and similar research work be carried out annually by NESREA and also, as research work by other students of Environmental and Analytical chemistry.

Channel Evolution of Sandy Reservoir Sediments Following Low-Head Dam Removal, Ottawa River, Northwestern Ohio, U.S.A.

Dozens of low-head dams are removed annually for reasons of obsolescence, financial liability, public safety, or as part of aquatic ecosystem restoration. Prior to removing a dam, hydrologic and sedimentologic studies are used to predict channel changes that would occur after the proposed dam removal. One commonly used predictive approach is a channel evolution model (CEM). However, most CEMs assume that the reservoir has trapped cohesive silts and muds. This study looks at the effects of low-head dam removal on a reservoir in filled with sand-rich sediment. The Secor Dam (2.5 m tall, 17 m wide) was constructed on the Ottawa River in northwestern Ohio (USA) during 1928 and was removed in 2007. High resolution channel cross-sections were measured at 17 locations prior to dam removal and re-measured every approximately 30 days for 6 months following the removal. Sediment sampling, sediment traps, substrate sampling, differential GPS tracking of channel bed forms and sediment coring were also used to characterize the channel sediment response to dam removal. Breaching of the dam produced a diffuse nickzone which was the width of the channel and about 10 m in length. One initial response was downstream migration of a sediment wave at rates up to 0.5 m/hr. The overall effect was erosion of the former reservoir to a distance of 150 m upstream of the former dam. Portions of the former reservoir were incised >1 m. Within the first 6 months after removal, approximately 800 m3 of sand had been mobilized from the former reservoir, transported downstream past the former dam, and had primarily in-filled pre-existing pools within a reach approximately 150 m downstream of the former dam. This behavior significantly differs from the predicted results of current CEMs which anticipate a first flush of suspended sediment and minor deposition of bed load materials in the channel downstream of the former dam.

Levels of Agricultural Pesticides in Sediments and Irrigation Water from Tono and Vea in the Upper East of Ghana

Water and sediment samples were taken from selected irrigation dams located at Tono and Vea in the Upper East Region of Ghana and analyzed for organic pesticides using gas chromatography. Sixteen organic residues were identified of which thirteen had at least some trace concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 25.4 μg/L. It was found in the laboratory that the concentrations of DDT, BHC and heptachlor were above the upper limited recommended by WHO and the concentrations of DDT in both reservoirs were higher than 20 times the recommended limits. High concentrations of DDT were found in the water samples while the other two residues were identified in the sediments. The high DDT concentration in water was due to 1) the initial amount of DDT applied and the period in the reservoirs, 2) a half-life of 350 days suggested that much of the DDT originally used was not destroyed if applied less than this period, 3) its low solubility in water did not allow for dissolution and subsequent dispersal in water;4) the indiscriminate uses of DDT for fishing as confirmed by the local people The high DDT level suggested that the water is not safe for many aquatic organisms and even humans. Generally the levels of these organic residues suggested that the dams have been polluted due to human activities such as farming and the unorthodox method of fishing. Therefore, steps should be taken to reduce the levels of DDT concentrations to preserve the aquatic life in the dams.

Analyzing Factors Affecting Erosion and Sedimentary Deposits Using the Empirical Method of PSIAC

PSIAC empirical method is considered as one of the methods calculating and estimating the amount of erodibility and sedimentation of sedimentary deposits in sedimentary basins and dams’ reservoirs. This method is based on analyzing nine influential factors including: surface geology, solid, weather, runoff, unpaved area, limited plant coverage, land usage, high lands erosion, river erosion and sediment transportation. These factors are rated according to their level of importance. The case study of this research is Lali Water Catchment, Khuzestan, Iran. The amount and intensity of adorability will be ranked as low, moderate and high. This research is based on field work, laboratorial studies and analyzing results obtained from statistics. Results indicated that the unpaved area and high land erosion are identified as the most effective factors, respectively. In contrast, runoff and surface geology are considered as the lowest rate. Other factors reflect moderate effects. Since any significant studies have not been done in this regard, the current research can present a new method to scrutinize the empirical effects of these factors. It is noteworthy to highlight that different methods are compared with each other in order to scrutinize the amount of erodibility in most studies, but the present study has analyzed the influential factors of the sub-methods of one major method. This essay focuses on the affectability of each one of the nine factors, independently. In conclusion, the outcomes of this research can contribute to identify and determine suitable alternatives to stabilize sedimentary basins and increase the life span of dams and watershed management projects and also reduce the destructive effects of floods. Additionally, it contributes civil projects in such lands.

Runoff and Sediment Load from the Right Bank Valleys of Mosul Dam Reservoir

Mosul Dam is a Multipurpose Project on the River Tigris in Iraq with 11.11 billion m3 storage capacity. It is used to store the water for irrigation, hydropower generation, and flood control. As in other dams in the world, this dam also have sedimentation problem. Sediment accumulation in its reservoir can effect the dam operation （pumping station, hydropower plants, and bottom outlets） and it will definitely shorten the life span of the dam. In this study, the SWAT （soil and water assessment tool） under （]IS （Geographical Information System） was applied to simulate the yearly surface rtmoff and sediment load for the main three valleys on the right bank of Mosul Dam Reservoir. The simulation considered for the twenty one years begin from the dam operation in 1988 to 2008. The resultant values of the average annual sediment load are 35.6~ 103, 4.9 ~ 103, and 2.2~ 103 ton, while the average values of sediment concentration are 1.73, 1.65, and 2.73 kg/m3 for the considered valleys one, two and three respectively. This implies that significant sediment load enters the reservoir from these valleys. To minimize the sediment load entering the reservoir, a check dam is to be constructed in suitable sites especially for valley one. The check dam can store the runoff water and trap the sediment load, and then the flow can be released to the reservoir.

Granulometry Assessment of Lom Pangar Dam Sediments (East-Cameroon)

The Lom Pangar dam, the largest reservoir in Cameroon with a storage capacity of 6 km3 and a 30 MW hydropower plant, primarily regulates the hydrologic regime of the Sanaga River to maintain hydropower efficiency during dry seasons and enhance downstream hydropower plant performance. Understanding and managing sediments are crucial for the sustainability of dams, as indicated by numerous studies. This study assessed the granulometry of the sediments transported across the reservoir. For that purpose, 6 samples of fresh sediments were collected in the lacustrine and transitional sections of the reservoir using the standard method. Particles size was assessed using the laser diffusion technic after a 3 mm sieving. Various granulometric parameters were derived from the literature to analyze and characterize those sediments. Results show that silts are more than 70% of particles size and range between 2.19 - 60.26 µm. Size distribution also shows the same trend with D75 less than 51 µm. This is confirmed by the low values of Inman Skewness SkΦ (−0.168 to 0.303). The Sorting index S0 ranges from 0.31 to 0.53 µm, showing a very well-sorted sediments, aligning with low values of Krumbein index (0.906 - 1.683) that express the low heterometry of the particles. The consequence on the dam will be a quick clogging of the bottom of the reservoir. Their pH varies from 7.0 to 7.5. It also appears that the sandy fraction trend is higher in the right bank of the dam and reaches 22% on the right bank of Pangar River due to crystalline geology. Fraction greater than 3000 µm is negligible. The management of the dam has to keep attention to these results as siltation may close the safety outlet of the dam, damage turbines, and provoke recurrent technical and safety issues. Further, the clogging of the bottom of the reservoir may lead to an ecological problem with the limitation of hyporheic flow. Thus, water exchange with the underground water table and the natural purification of water reduce, while increasing sediments deposits change the biogeochemistry processes.

Sediment Delivered in the Upper Part of Mosul Using Physical Model

Mosul dam is the biggest hydraulic structure in Iraq located on the River Tigris 60 km northwest of Mosul city. Its storage capacity is 11. 11 × 109 m3 and it had been in operation since 1986. A physical distorted model with movable bed having a vertical scale 1： 100 and a horizontal scale 1：1000 was used to conduct the experiments relating the water level at the reservoir and water discharge upstream the reservoir with the bed load transport rate. The model represents the first 15 km of most northern part of Mosul dam reservoir. The construction of the model was based on bathymetric survey conducted in 2009. Twenty-four experiments were executed using four different discharges （0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 L/s） which represent the average discharges in the flood period of River Tigris. At each individual discharge six operations were assumed where the reservoir＇s water level was 305, 307, 309, 310, 312, 315 meters above sea level respectively. In all the experiments conducted, bedload transport was measured in the physical model at section representing the River Tigris 1 km upstream the reservoir. The results showed that the bedload rate was decreasing when the water level within the reservoir was increasing. It was also evident that bedload transport rate dramatically decreased at level 310 meters above sea level onward. This is due to the fact that at this level represent the effect of backwater which was noticeable on the river cross section

A porous cell method for the simulation of fluid-solid interactions

There are many ways of describing a solid,porous or fluid region of the computational domain when solving the Navier-Stokes equations(NSE)for flow motions.Amongst these the porous cell method is one of the most flexible approaches.In this method,a parameter is defined as a ratio of the volume open to water and air in a calculation cell to its cell volume.In the calculation,the same numerical procedure is applied to every cell and no explicit boundary conditions are needed at solid boundaries.The method is used to simulate flow through porous media,around solid bodies and over a moving seabed.The results compare well with experimental data and other numerical results.In our future work the porous cell method will be applied to more complex fluid-solid interaction situations.