Case Studies in River Management

Pierre Y. JulienColorado State University

1) Case Studies of River Management in the US

2) Interesting River Management Issues in South Korea

Middle Rio Grande, USA

The Rio Grande‐ Length : 1,890mi (3,040km)

‐ Basin    : 182,200 mi2 (471,900km2)

‐ Rainfall : N 640 ~ S 250mm/year   ‐ Discharge 

average : 1,475ft3/s    (40m3/s)

max        : 31,700 ft3/s (900m3/s)

min         : 0ft3/s (0m3/s)* Mississippi : 1,151,000 mi2 (6.3 times)

3,065,000 ft3/s(97 times)

N 2,000~ S1100mm/year

The Middle Rio Grande‐ Length : 170mi (272km)

(Cochiti Dam – Elephant Butte Dam)

‐ Basin    : 28,120 mi2(72,000km2)

‐ Average flow‐rate : 123 ft3/s (3.5m3/s) 

‐ Sediment (at Elephant Butte Dam) : 

3,719 acre‐ft (12,160,000 m.tons)/yr

The Middle Rio Grande

Camby Mountain

Hydraulic Geometry of the Rio Grande

Richard et al. ASCE-JHE 131(11), 2005

River Dynamics Rio Grande below Cochiti Dam, NM

Braiding Transition Meandering

1935 1972 1992

Richard et al. ASCE-JHE 131(11), 2005

Site Description and Background

--History of the Middle Rio Grande

--Discharge Analysis--Reservoir Level Analysis

Site Description and Background

--History of the Middle Rio Grande

--Discharge Analysis--Reservoir Level Analysis

Aggradation/Degradation--Rangeline Analysis

Aggradation/Degradation--Rangeline Analysis

Channel Classification

--Slope Discharge Methods--Channel Morphology Methods

--Stream Power Methods

Channel Classification

--Slope Discharge Methods--Channel Morphology Methods

--Stream Power Methods

Equilibrium State Predictors

--Hydraulic Geometry Methods--Width Regression Models

Equilibrium State Predictors

--Hydraulic Geometry Methods--Width Regression Models

Subreach Definition--Channel Width Analysis--Channel Slope Analysis

Subreach Definition--Channel Width Analysis--Channel Slope Analysis

Geomorphology--Planform Analysis

--Sinuosity

Geomorphology--Planform Analysis

--Sinuosity

Sediment Parameters-- Bed Material

--Suspended Sediment Analysis

Sediment Parameters-- Bed Material

--Suspended Sediment Analysis

Hydraulic Parameters--Channel Forming Discharge

Analysis-- HEC-RAS Analysis

Hydraulic Parameters--Channel Forming Discharge

Analysis-- HEC-RAS Analysis

River Analysis Flow Chart

6Rio Grande Example from Julien et al. (2011)

Hydraulic Analysis

7Owen et al. (2011)

River Sedimentation Rio Grande near the Bosque del Apache, NM

From Baird, USBR

Sediment Analysis

• Purpose: To determine suspended sediment trends.

• Analysis includes plotting total suspended sediment load and double mass curves (cumulative sediment vs.

cumulative water discharge)

9Owen et al. (2011)

River Management

10

Problems and Issues

Flood Control and Dam SafetyNavigation

TransportationWater Supply

Irrigation and DrainagePublic SafetyWater Quality

Aquatic Habitat

Laws and Regulations

International TreatiesWater Delivery Compacts

Water RightsClean Water Act

Endangered Species Act

Major Stakeholders

Federal AgenciesState Agencies

Counties and DistrictsCities and Towns

Private Sector/CompaniesNGO’sPublic

1) Alluvial rivers are dynamic systems changing mostly during floods

2) River management requires monitoring of hydraulics and sedimentation

3) River management involves stakeholders and requires laws and regulations

Things remembered fromCase Studies in the US

1) Case Studies of River Management in the US

2) Interesting River Management Issues in South Korea

Restoration of Abandoned ChannelsCheongmi Stream and Mangyeong River

Cheongmi Stream

South Korea

In Collaboration with KICT – ECORIVER21 – Kim Jaehoon et al. (2011)

Changes in Active Channel WidthHwang River below Hapcheon Dam

1983 2007

Shin Youngho and Julien, ASCE- JHE, 137(1), 2011

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

051015202530354045

Distance from the confluence with the Nakdong River (km )

Active channel width (m)

1982199320041982_avg.1993_avg.2004 avg.

Hapcheon Main Dam

1982

200737

39

41

43

45

47

49

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Width (m)

Bed

ele

vati

on

(m

)

1983

2003

1983

2003

Kim Jaehoon (2011)

Soil Erosion Modeling using RUSLE and GISSoil Erosion Modeling using RUSLE and GIS

Kim Hyeon Sik and Julien, (2006)

Imha Watershed

Duksan Stream

Typhoon Maemi, 2003

Water Quality IssuesImha Dam, South Korea

An, Sangdo, CSU and K-Water, 2011

Inlet point0 km 4 km

Unit : kg/m3

Water Quality ModelingInterflow turbidity currents at Imha Dam, SK

An Sangdo, CSU & K-Water, 2011

Retrofitting Bridge Piers after Riverbank Shifting

Park Sang-Kil et al. ASCE-JHE, 134(11), 2008

Before

After

Nakdong River Estuary Barrage

Ji Un et al. ASCE-JHE, 137(11), 2011

Nakdong River Estuary BarrageSediment Flushing Curves

Things remembered from Interesting Issues in South Korea

1) Impact of typhoon on upland erosion

2) Changes in river geometry and river restoration

3) Reservoir sedimentation, density currents and water quality modeling

Thank You!pierre@engr.colostate.edu

• Woo, Hyoseop, KICT • Park, Sang-Kil PNU• Ji, Un, Myongji U• An Sangdo, CSU and K-Water• Kim, Hyeonsik, K-Water• Shin, Youngho, K-Water• Park, Kiyoung, CSU and K-Water• Kim, Jaehoon, CSU• Choi, Gye Woon, Incheon U.• M. Velleux, Hydroqual• J. England, USBR• D.C. Baird, USBR• So many others…

Acknowledgments