The Challenges of Dam Removal and River Restoration
River restoration is a societal goal in the United States. This collection of 14 research papers focuses on our current understanding of the impacts of removing dams and the role of dam removal in the larger context of river restoration. The chapters are grouped by topic: (1) assessment of existing dams, strategies to determine impounded legacy sediments, and evaluating whether or not to remove the dams; (2) case studies of the hydrologic, sediment, and ecosystem impacts of recent dam removals; (3) assessment of river restoration by modifying flows or removing dams; and (4) the concept of river restoration in the context of historic changes in river systems.
Assessing sedimentation issues within aging flood-control reservoirs
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Published:January 01, 2013
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CiteCitation
Sean J. Bennett, John A. Dunbar, Fred E. Rhoton, Peter M. Allen, Jerry M. Bigham, Gregg R. Davidson, Daniel G. Wren, 2013. "Assessing sedimentation issues within aging flood-control reservoirs", The Challenges of Dam Removal and River Restoration, Jerome V. De Graff, James E. Evans
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Abstract
Flood-control reservoirs designed and built by federal agencies have been extremely effective in reducing the ravages of floods nationwide. Yet some structures are being removed for a variety of reasons, while others are aging rapidly and require either rehabilitation or decommissioning. The focus of the paper is to summarize collaborative research activities to assess sedimentation issues within aging flood-control reservoirs and to provide guidance on such tools and technologies. Ten flood-control reservoirs located in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Wisconsin have been examined using vibracoring, stratigraphic, geochronologic, geophysical, chemical, and geochemical techniques and analyses. These techniques and analyses facilitated: (1) the demarcation of the pre-reservoir sediment horizon within the deposited reservoir sediment, (2) definition of the textural and stratigraphic characteristics of the sediment over time and space, (3) the accurate determination of the remaining reservoir storage capacity, (4) the quantification of sediment quality with respect to agrichemicals and environmentally important trace elements over both time and space, and (5) the determination of geochemical conditions within the deposited sediment and the potential mobility of associated elements. The techniques employed and discussed here have proven to be successful in the assessment of sediment deposited within aging flood-control reservoirs, and it is envisioned that these same approaches could be adopted by federal agencies as part of their national reservoir management programs.
- acoustical methods
- acoustical profiles
- agrochemicals
- arsenic
- chlorinated hydrocarbons
- chromium
- copper
- dams
- DDD
- DDE
- DDT
- flood control
- geophysical methods
- geophysical profiles
- geophysical surveys
- halogenated hydrocarbons
- heavy metals
- hydraulics
- insecticides
- lead
- mapping
- mercury
- metals
- Mississippi
- mitigation
- Oklahoma
- organic compounds
- organochlorine pesticides
- pesticides
- physicochemical properties
- pollutants
- pollution
- reclamation
- reservoirs
- risk assessment
- risk management
- sedimentation
- sedimentation rates
- siltation
- site exploration
- surveys
- United States
- Wisconsin
- zinc
- vibrocoring