Fine Sediment Modeling During Storm-Based Events in the River Bandon, Ireland

Authors

Juan T. Garcia, Mining and Civil Engineering Department, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain
Joseph R. Harrington, School of Building & Civil Engineering, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown Campus, Cork, IrelandFollow

Abstract

The River Bandon located in County Cork (Ireland) has been time-continuously monitored by turbidity probes, as well as automatic and manual suspended sediment sampling. The current work evaluates three different models used to estimate the fine sediment concentration during storm-based events over a period of one year. The modeled suspended sediment concentration is compared with that measured at an event scale. Uncertainty indices are calculated and compared with those presented in the bibliography. An empirically-based model was used as a reference, as this model has been previously applied to evaluate sediment behavior over the same time period in the River Bandon. Three other models have been applied to the gathered data. First is an empirically-based storm events model, based on an exponential function for calculation of the sediment output from the bed. A statistically-based approach first developed for sewers was also evaluated. The third model evaluated was a shear stress erosion-based model based on one parameter. The importance of considering the fine sediment volume stored in the bed and its consolidation to predict the suspended sediment concentration during storm events is clearly evident. Taking into account dry weather periods and the bed erosion in previous events, knowledge on the eroded volume for each storm event is necessary to adjust the parameters for each model.

Disciplines

Civil and Environmental Engineering | Engineering

DOI

10.3390/w11071523

Full Publication Date

23-7-2019

Publication Details

Water

Publisher

MDPI

Funder Name 1

Technical University of Cartagena UPCT, Spain

Funder Name 2

Higher Education Authority

Funder Name 3

Irish Environmental Protection Agency

Funder Name 4

Irish Office of Public Works

Resource Type

journal article

Access Rights

open access

Open Access Route

Gold Open Access

License Condition

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Alternative Identifier

https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071523

Recommended Citation

García, J.T.; Harrington, J.R. Fine Sediment Modeling During Storm-Based Events in the River Bandon, Ireland. Water 2019, 11, 1523. 10.3390/w11071523