Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River

Abstract Dunes are important for bedload transport in almost all large river systems and exert an important control flow resistance. Investigating dunes is fundamental for simulating discharge, sediment transport, and flood routing. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of dunes and flow resistance r...

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Main Authors: Yong Hu, Dongfeng Li, Jinyun Deng, Yao Yue, Junxiong Zhou, Chunrui Yang, Ninghui Zheng, Yitian Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-04-01
Series:Water Resources Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036660
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author Yong Hu
Dongfeng Li
Jinyun Deng
Yao Yue
Junxiong Zhou
Chunrui Yang
Ninghui Zheng
Yitian Li
author_facet Yong Hu
Dongfeng Li
Jinyun Deng
Yao Yue
Junxiong Zhou
Chunrui Yang
Ninghui Zheng
Yitian Li
author_sort Yong Hu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Dunes are important for bedload transport in almost all large river systems and exert an important control flow resistance. Investigating dunes is fundamental for simulating discharge, sediment transport, and flood routing. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of dunes and flow resistance remain poorly understood in large alluvial river systems mainly due to the lack of high‐resolution data. Here we analyzed in‐field observed data on annual profiles of 450 cross‐sections, river bathymetry, discharge, water levels, and sediment in the Middle Yangtze River, and found that dunes developed and flow resistance increased (+10%) in the post‐Three Gorges Dam period. We ascertain that the development of dunes plays the dominant role in augmenting flow resistance, as evidenced by roughness height change (+29%) using a modified Van Rijn method. Ultimately, dune development was incorporated into a hydrogeomorphic numerical model of the Yangtze River to improve flow resistance quantification, and thus, the water level simulation. Our findings highlight the potential increase in flow resistance in response to upstream damming in large rivers and have important implications for flood management and riverine ecology.
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institution DOAJ
issn 0043-1397
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language English
publishDate 2024-04-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Water Resources Research
spelling doaj-art-4ff1d71a2d824a04af96c27e6589d6fd2025-08-20T03:22:22ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732024-04-01604n/an/a10.1029/2023WR036660Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed RiverYong Hu0Dongfeng Li1Jinyun Deng2Yao Yue3Junxiong Zhou4Chunrui Yang5Ninghui Zheng6Yitian Li7State Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaKey Laboratory for Water and Sediment Sciences College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaState Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaDepartment of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering University of Minnesota Twin Cities Saint Paul MN USAState Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaChang Jiang Waterway Survey and Design Institute (Wuhan) Co., LTD Wuhan ChinaState Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaAbstract Dunes are important for bedload transport in almost all large river systems and exert an important control flow resistance. Investigating dunes is fundamental for simulating discharge, sediment transport, and flood routing. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of dunes and flow resistance remain poorly understood in large alluvial river systems mainly due to the lack of high‐resolution data. Here we analyzed in‐field observed data on annual profiles of 450 cross‐sections, river bathymetry, discharge, water levels, and sediment in the Middle Yangtze River, and found that dunes developed and flow resistance increased (+10%) in the post‐Three Gorges Dam period. We ascertain that the development of dunes plays the dominant role in augmenting flow resistance, as evidenced by roughness height change (+29%) using a modified Van Rijn method. Ultimately, dune development was incorporated into a hydrogeomorphic numerical model of the Yangtze River to improve flow resistance quantification, and thus, the water level simulation. Our findings highlight the potential increase in flow resistance in response to upstream damming in large rivers and have important implications for flood management and riverine ecology.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036660flow resistancedunesnumerical modeldammingYangtze River
spellingShingle Yong Hu
Dongfeng Li
Jinyun Deng
Yao Yue
Junxiong Zhou
Chunrui Yang
Ninghui Zheng
Yitian Li
Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River
Water Resources Research
flow resistance
dunes
numerical model
damming
Yangtze River
title Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River
title_full Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River
title_fullStr Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River
title_full_unstemmed Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River
title_short Dune Development Dominates Flow Resistance Increase in a Large Dammed River
title_sort dune development dominates flow resistance increase in a large dammed river
topic flow resistance
dunes
numerical model
damming
Yangtze River
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036660
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AT dongfengli dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver
AT jinyundeng dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver
AT yaoyue dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver
AT junxiongzhou dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver
AT chunruiyang dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver
AT ninghuizheng dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver
AT yitianli dunedevelopmentdominatesflowresistanceincreaseinalargedammedriver