Title: ELWHA RESERVOIR SEDIMENT MODELING IN A GIS FRAMEWORK
Abstract: An empirically based, sediment-budget model was developed in a geographic information system (GIS) framework to support an adaptive sediment management program for two dam removals on the Elwha River near Port Angeles, Washington State, USA. This numerical model had the advantages of being able to handle the complex three-dimensional topography of sediment layers in a reservoir, rapidly incorporate new monitoring data, and quickly simulate multiple future scenarios in response to changing conditions. Even though the model did not simulate the detailed hydraulics, it was able to simulate the most important aspects of channel evolution through reservoir sediments during dam removal. Model simulations were used to aid the adaptive management program by predicting the channel evolution in the reservoir and forecast the coarse (sand and gravel) and fine (silt and clay) sediment release to the downstream river channel over time under various hydrologies and dam removal schedules. The simulated three-dimensional reservoir topography could easily be visualized in GIS. The model predictions helped to guide and focus the monitoring activities while the monitoring results helped to revise and calibrate the numerical model. This combined approach of hypotheses, incorporated into the numerical model, and monitoring results increased the rate of learning compared to singular approaches of only monitoring or modeling.
Publication Year: 2015
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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