Longitudinal profile of rivers

General shape of the longitudinal profile

dW   c W ds

dW W
  c ds en ln   c  s  0 als W  W0 voor s  0
W W0

W  W0 e  c s Sternberg’s law

1  d 2
 d 3

 C D V02  tg  g   s     V02  d
2 4 6
If V0  U, is U2  d

cs
d 3 1 1 
W  g s  d3  W U6 U W 6
 W0 6
e 6
6
 General shape of the longitudinal profile

8g q
U S C S C hS C S
f U

 U3  S at constant discharge
cs
1 1  3
dz 1 1 d cz s 1 
cs
S W 2
 W0 2
e 2
d 2
tg    from which   S  W 2
e 2
and
Uds W  W0 ed s
6 6 6 0

(cfr. Meyer- Peter Müller)

cs

z e 2
C  
cs

z 0  z   1  e 2 

z0   C  
β = total fall; c = material property
Schoklitsch
 Strong tributary
Since S  d 3/2
and S1 > S, is d1 > d
S1, Q1, d1, Gs1
2 2
g 3
S gs 3
S, Q, d, Gs S’, Q’, d’, G’s  17  0.4
d d
S1 > S
Q1 en Q same order of magnitude
17 d 2
S 2
 0.4 C 3

S g 3
S
C = gs / g

3
C S 2
 Strong tributary
Q’ = q’ B’ = q B + q1 B1 = Q + Q1

S1, Q1, d1, Gs1 Qs = q’s B’ = qs B + qs1 B1 = Qs + Qs1

Put B’ = B +  B1 (0 <  < 1)

S, Q, d, Gs S’, Q’, d’, G’s
 q B 
1  1 1 
q B
q'  q 
 B   Qs1 
1   1 
B
1  
 Qs 
q' s q s 
S C’  C
S  q B  q' q  Q1 
1  s1 1  1  
q' s  q s 
qs B 
 Q
 B 
1   1 
 B

Qs1 Qs
 1 en 1
Since Qs Q is C’ > C and S’ > S and d’> d
 Strong tributary
Q’ = q’ B’ = Q B + q1 B1 = Q + Q1

S1, Q1, d1, Gs1 Qs = q’s B’ = qs B + qs1 B1 = Qs + Qs1

Stel B’ = B +  B1 (0 <  < 1)

S, Q, d, Gs S’, Q’, d’, G’s

 Qs1 
1  
q' s q s  Qs 
S C’  C
S q' q  Q1 
1  
 Q

Qs1 Qs
 1 en 1
since Qs Q is C’ > C and S’ > S and d’> d
 Meuse Zwakke bijrivier
LIEGE
S1, Q1, d1, Gs1

NAMEN Ourthe
S, Q, d, G s S’, Q’, d’, G’s (strong)
Lesse
Samber (strong)
(weak)
Semois
S  (strong)
S

0. 00027
0.00046
Semois
(strong) Lesse Ourthe
(strong) Samber (weak) (strong)
 Saône
Ain Rhône
(strong)
(weak)
Lac Léman
Lake Genèva

LYON

VALENCE
Isère Ain (strong)
(strong) 0.30
Ardèche 0.81
(weak) Isère
(strong)
0.50
Saône 0.78
AVIGNON Durance (weak)
(weak) 0.24
Ardèche
(weak)

Mediterranean Durance
(weak)
 Effect of a wear, a dam, a sill

E.g.: river Nile

Lowering water level
Downstream Aswan dam
0.4 à 0.42 m
(depending on discharge)
Esna dam
0.15 à 0.72 m
Naga Hamadi:
0.65 à 0.99 m

Var (France)
fromt M.-P. M: 17 d 2
6 m lowering as a consequence
S  als C at S 2
 0.4 C 3
of the construction of dams
constante g g 3
and gravel/ sandmining
Head 6 instead of 12 m!
Dam colapsed in 1994
 Effect of locally narrowing a river
(endiking, river training works)
q = Q/ B .
At uniform flow
S  and f = cte,
S 

erosion
sedimentatio
n
P f 2 P f
S0  Sf  3 q  U2
A 8g A 8g

Arve (Frankrijk) Erosion!

0.28 → 0.31 % 0.23 % → 0.18 % 0.19 % → 0.21 %

8.3 km 8.4 km 7.2 km

17 d 2
S 2
 0.4 C 3

S  when g =  q and C remain constant g 3

 endiking a river

Q constant
C
B

A D

Bernoulli
CU2 C
Z B  ZC   F
B 2 g B

A B
C
D
 Lower Yellow river
« hanging » or « perched » river 
 River Po

Totale length of dikes: 500 km

1951: 3 dikes (736 m) collapsed
8 109 m3 water flew away
1994, 2000: flooding

1 à 5 km 100 à 1000 m
 Effect of enlarging the river

S 
S

sedimentation

erosion

Example: “restoration of rivers” restore winter bed

• Vlaams Nederlands Grensmaasproject
• Beieren: 2500 km (o.a. Isar), 10 000 ha are returned to the river by 2020
Removing an obstacle

Q constant
C
B

A D

Bernoulli
CU2 C
Z B  ZC   F
B 2 g B

A B
C
D
Consortium Grensmaas B.V.
 Effect of a shortcut
(reduction of hydraulic resistance)

s

B
A C D

s
E

erosie

sedimentatie
z

Example: River Rhine – 14 % (1840 – A C s D E s B

1860)
Rheinweiler: - 6.8 m (90 jaar)
Rhinan: + 0.5 m (id.)
Effect of dredging/ sediment mining
 Effect of a water intake

Water intake
S↓
S

Relatively more water than sediments are withdrawn:

C  downstream, hence sedimentation, slope 
Sill/ under water dam; upstream hS = cte, hence S 
 Invloed van een delta

Mississippi
s

A
D

B Nijl
C

Mississippi 80à 100 m/ jaar

Po 75 m/ jaar (46 km sinds 1000 v.C.)
Rhône 55 m/ jaar
1600

1750
2000

1874
Po delta
 Effect of branching

1
E
V2 erosion
hD  hE 
g 
D
r
ds erosion

D
E' 2
1 V'
hD '  hE ' 
g 
D'
r
ds E
Streamline at
the water
E’ surface

sedimentation
Stroomline
1  V' 2
V 2
 close to
hE  hE '    ds   ds  the bottom
g  r r  B’
B A