Grundlegende Prozesse betreffend Hydraulik, Sedimenttransport und Flussmorphologie an der Donau

Im Rahmen des Pilotprojektes Bad Deutsch-Altenburg wurde vor, während und nach der gleichzeitigen Umsetzung mehrerer Maßnahmen (Buhnenumbau, Granulometrische Sohlverbesserung GSV, Uferrückbau und Gewässervernetzung) ein umfassendes Monitoringprogramm durchgeführt. Ziel war es, neben der Ist-Zustandserfassung, Begleitung und Dokumentation der Bauphase und der Erfassung der Entwicklung nach Bau auch die zugrunde liegenden Prozesse hinsichtlich Hydraulik, Sedimenttransport und Flussmorphologie zu analysieren. Erstmals wurde dabei die zeitliche Schwankung der Sohlschubspannung direkt gemessen. Die auftretenden Sohlschubspannungen folgten dabei in Abhängigkeit von der Turbulenzintensität einer Log-Normal- oder einer Normalverteilung. Diese Schwankungen sind mit ein Grund, weshalb schon bei Niederwasser ein nennenswerter Geschiebetransport gemessen wurde. Der effektive Durchfluss des Geschiebetransportes liegt dabei im Bereich von 2000 und 2200 m3/s. 50% Prozent des Geschiebes wird bei Durchflüssen bis 2300 m3/s transportiert, mit Jahresfrachten von 306.000 bis 594.000 t für die Jahre 2006 bis 2014. Bei Betrachtung des Transportverhaltens einzelner Tracersteine in 3 Größenklassen durchwanderten 74% der Steine die 3 km lange Strecke in einem Jahr, mit Geschwindigkeiten von 6,2 bis 10,6 m/d. Kleine Steine bewegten sich häufiger und weiter als mittlere und große, welche ein ähnliches Transportverhalten aufwiesen. Die erstmalig an der Donau beschriebenen Kiesdünen erreichten im Vergleich wesentlich höhere Geschwindigkeiten mit 2,5 bis 9 m/h. Ein Abgleich mit Fangkorbmessungen zeigte, dass Kiesdünen, wenn sie auftreten, den überwiegenden Teil des Geschiebetransportprozesses bestimmen.In the scope of the Pilotproject Bad Deutsch-Altenburg a comprehensive monitoring program was conducted, prior, during and after the implementation of several measures (groyne reconstruction, granulometric bed improvementGBI, river bank restoration and side arm reconnection). Beside the documentation of the current status, during the construction works and after the implementation of the measures, description and analyses of the underlying processes concerning hydrodynamics, sediment transport and morphology were a main objective. For the first time the instantaneous bed shear stress was measured directly in a gravel bed river. The probability distributions of the occurring bed shear stress, showed a dependency on the turbulence intensity, either following a log-normal or a normal distribution. Those fluctuations seem to be one of the reasons for a notable bed load transport, measured during low flow conditions in the Danube. The effective discharge lies in a discharge range from 2000 to 2200 m3/s, with 50% of the bed load being transported at discharges up to 2300 m3/s and an annual bed load transport between 306,000 and 594,000 tons for the years 2006 to 2014. Regarding the transport behaviour of single tracer stones 74% passed the 3 km long reach within one year, with a virtual velocity between 6,2 and 10,6 m/d. Small stones moved more frequent and farther, compared to the medium and big stones, who showed a comparable transport behaviour. In comparison gravel dunes moving with 2,59 m/h have a substantially higher velocity, and tend to dominate the bed load transport process when occurring.(VLID)136346

A Methodology for Measuring Microplastic Transport in Large or Medium Rivers

Plastic waste as a persistent contaminant of our environment is a matter of increasing concern due to the largely unknown long-term effects on biota. Although freshwater systems are known to be the transport paths of plastic debris to the ocean, most research has been focused on marine environments. In recent years, freshwater studies have advanced rapidly, but they rarely address the spatial distribution of plastic debris in the water column. A methodology for measuring microplastic transport at various depths that is applicable to medium and large rivers is needed. We present a new methodology offering the possibility of measuring microplastic transport at different depths of verticals that are distributed within a profile. The net-based device is robust and can be applied at high flow velocities and discharges. Nets with different sizes (41 µm, 250 µm, and 500 µm) are exposed in three different depths of the water column. The methodology was tested in the Austrian Danube River, showing a high heterogeneity of microplastic concentrations within one cross section. Due to turbulent mixing, the different densities of the polymers, aggregation, and the growth of biofilms, plastic transport cannot be limited to the surface layer of a river, and must be examined within the whole water column as for suspended sediments. These results imply that multipoint measurements are required for obtaining the spatial distribution of plastic concentration and are therefore a prerequisite for calculating the passing transport. The analysis of filtration efficiency and side-by-side measurements with different mesh sizes showed that 500 µm nets led to optimal results

Controlled Reservoir Drawdown—Challenges for Sediment Management and Integrative Monitoring: An Austrian Case Study—Part A: Reach Scale

For Europe, a reduction of 80% of the potential storage volume due to reservoir sedimentation is predicted by 2080. Sedimentation processes trigger the decrease of the storage volume and a related restriction in hydropower production. Further, the artificial downstream flushing of deposited fines has manifold effects on the aquatic ecology, including changes in morphology and sediment quality, as well as increased turbidity and subsequent stress for aquatic species. However, it is common to lower the water surface of reservoirs for technical inspections, which is not comparable to reservoir flushing operations. The presented case study deals with such a controlled drawdown beyond the operational level of the Gepatsch reservoir (Tyrol, Austria). Based on the awareness of possible ecological consequences, an advanced set of measures and an integrative monitoring design, consisting of a detailed event-based quantification of suspended sediments, changes in the morphology, especially with respect to fine sediments, and analyses of the biological quality element fish on the reach scale along the Inn River have been developed

Controlled Reservoir Drawdown—Challenges for Sediment Management and Integrative Monitoring: An Austrian Case Study—Part B: Local Scale

The present case study deals with a controlled drawdown beyond the operational level of the Gepatsch reservoir (Austria). Based on the awareness of potential ecological consequences, an advanced set of measures was conducted and an integrative monitoring design was implemented. This pre- and post-event monitoring included measurements regarding the cross sectional variability and habitat-related turbidity, freeze-core sampling to obtain knowledge on fine sediment infiltration and an evaluation of the macroinvertebrate communities as well as fish egg development (salmonid incubation). The results of the sedimentological as well as biological investigations show a negligible impact on the downstream located aquatic system due to the controlled drawdown of the Gepatsch reservoir. In addition, recommendations based on the findings from this study regarding possible methods for local scale monitoring can be given