River Bank Erosion Assessment using 3D Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modeling

Abstract

River bank erosion is one of the most damaging forms of water erosion. It causes loss of agricultural lands, recreational and industrial sites, and damaged hydraulic structures and infrastructure. It is also a major source of sediments entering river channels. A number of factors affect the rate of river bank erosion, including topography, climate, channel geometry, soil properties, type of vegetation, and human-induced changes to the fluvial system and land use. An effective tool in controlling river bank erosion is the planning and installation of erosion control practices. Both structural and vegetative practices and their combinations are applied to river bank stabilization. These practices are aimed at reducing flow velocity, increasing shear stress of the soil, and armoring the affected river bank sections. This chapter describes the application of the three-dimensional (3D) model ECOMSED to the design of river bank protection at a site in Ohio. ECOMSED is a hydrodynamic and sediment transport model designed to simulate time-dependent distributions of water levels, temperature, salinity, tracers, and cohesive and non-cohesive sediments in marine and freshwater systems. The model was chosen because of its capabilities to simulate 3D river flow and sediment transport through complex channel sections containing flow diversions and constrictions.