Interactions entre les structures d'échappement et les structures à grande échelle dans l'écoulement turbulent des rivières à lit de graviers

Dans les rivières graveleuses, il est établi que les structures d'échappement formées dans la zone de recirculation à l'aval d'amas de galets génèrent d'intenses échanges turbulents. Le mécanisme responsable de l'échappement demeure par contre mal connu. Peu d'études sur la dynamique des structures d'échappement ont été réalisées dans des écoulements où le nombre de Reynolds est élevé comme c'est le cas en rivières. De plus, les connaissances actuelles ne tiennent pas compte des découvertes récentes sur la turbulence en rivière à lit de graviers où on a observé des structures de forte et de faible vitesse occupant toute la profondeur de l'écoulement et pouvant durer plusieurs secondes. Ces structures à grande échelle devraient jouer un rôle sur le mécanisme d'échappement étant donné l'influence de la vitesse ambiante sur la dynamique de la zone de recirculation. Nous rapportons les résultats de deux expériences originales sur les liens dynamiques entre les structures à grande échelle et le mécanisme d'échappement en aval d'un amas de galets. La première expérience repose sur l'analyse de corrélations croisées entre des séries de vitesses obtenues au sommet et à l'aval proximal d'un amas de galets. Les résultats montrent que les fortes fluctuations dans le sens de l'écoulement au sommet de l'obstacle sont liées, quelques instants plus tard, à de fortes fluctuations vers l'amont dans la zone de recirculation. La seconde expérience utilise la visualisation des structures d'échappement et la mesure simultanée des vitesses de l'écoulement. L'analyse combinée des images vidéo et de séries de vitesse suggère une relation entre le passage des structures à grande échelle et les manifestations de l'échappement. Ces résultats nous permettent de présenter un modèle où, lors du passage d'un front de haute vitesse, une structure d'échappement se développe et prend de l'expansion vers le lit et vers la surface en se propageant vers l'aval alors que, lors du passage d'un front de faible vitesse, elle s'élève vers la surface de manière plus cohérente. Cette étude propose un nouveau mécanisme d'échappement et révèle le rôle que joue la structure de l'écoulement ambiant sur le développement de structures dans les cours d'eau à lit graveleux.The flow structure in a gravel-bed river is closely related to the presence of protruding clasts and of pebble clusters. It is well known that shedding motions from the lee side of large clasts and clusters are a recurrent process that explains the strong exchanges of momentum in river flows. However, shedding has yet to be fully characterised for high Reynolds number flows such as those found in gravel-bed rivers. Moreover, our current understanding of shedding mechanisms does not include the recent discovery that large-scale flow structures in the form of high- and low-speed wedges occupy the entire flow depth over a gravel-bed river. From two original experiments, this paper investigates the influence of these wedges on the nature of shedding in the lee of a pebble cluster. The interactions between the large-scale wedges and shedding may be a key element for understanding flow organisation at the river reach scale. The first experiment provides an analysis of the space-time correlation of velocity time series obtained downstream from a pebble cluster in a natural river. Two pairs of one-minute time series were sampled. The first series of each pair was located in the region of flow separation downstream from the obstacle whereas the second was located at its crest. Results show that a significant negative correlation occurs with a negative time lag for the downstream velocity component. This reveals that a strong downstream velocity vector at the crest of the obstacle is followed 1 to 4 seconds later by a strong upstream velocity vector in the region of flow separation. The strength of the recirculation motion responds to the velocity fluctuations above the cluster. This is a crucial process in the development of vortex shedding. The second experiment aimed at visualising the shedding motion downstream from an obstacle. An underwater camera was used to obtain images of fluid motion in the lee of a pebble cluster while three electromagnetic current meters measured streamwise and vertical velocity fluctuations along a vertical profile downstream from the obstacle. A white tracer was injected in the region of flow separation to depict the development of flow structures that are shed into the flow. Despite the high Reynolds number of the flow, we have obtained good quality images revealing the presence of different modes of vortex shedding initiated in the region of flow separation. From the velocity records, it was possible to identify the large-scale flow wedges and to show that the type of vortex shedding is controlled by high- and low-speed wedges.Based on these results, we propose a model having two steps: when a high-speed wedge approaches the pebble cluster, the shedding motion develops vertically both towards the water surface and towards the bed as the structures convect downstream; when a low-speed wedge passes, the shedding motion advects mainly towards the surface and it conserves a stronger coherence. This response of the shedding motion to the type of flow wedge is a recurrent and fundamental phenomenon. The results and the model presented herein shed light on the complex nature of vortex shedding in flows at high Reynolds number such as those found in rivers

Analyse d'impacts d'un barrage sur le régime hydrologique de la rivière Matawin (Québec, Canada)

Malgré la présence de nombreux barrages au Québec, peu d'études ont été consacrées à l'analyse des impacts de ces ouvrages sur les régimes hydrologiques des cours d'eau. La présente note a pour but d'analyser les impacts d'un barrage sur le régime hydrologique de la rivière Matawin en comparant le régime hydrologique de la rivière en amont (1390 km2) et en aval (4070 km2) du barrage pendant une période de 60 ans (1930-1990) et sur trois échelles temporelles distinctes. A l'échelle interannuelle, l'influence du barrage se manifeste par une persistance plus marquée des effets des épisodes humides ou secs ainsi qu'une hausse ou une baisse des débits moyens annuels respectivement durant ces périodes. Mais cette succession et cette persistance n'ont pas affecté significativement la stationnarité de la série hydrologique. Aux échelles mensuelles et saisonnière, l'influence du barrage se manifeste par une inversion du régime hydrologique caractérisée par une hausse des débits hivernaux et une baisse des débits printaniers. Cette influence se traduit aussi par une baisse significative du débit maximum mensuel mais une hausse du débit minimum mensuel. Il en résulte une diminution du coefficient d'immodération. A l'échelle journalière, le barrage modifie la période d'occurrence des débits extrêmes minimums et maximums. Il provoque la diminution significative des débits extrêmes minimums et maximums. Mais l'écrêtement des crues est modéré pour les débits de récurrence=10 ans. L'impact le plus significatif du barrage de Matawin est sans nul doute l'inversion du régime hydrologique dont les conséquences morphologiques et biologiques ne sont pas encore documentées dans la littérature scientifique canadienne. Cette inversion résulte du faible écoulement hivernal et d'une forte production de l'énergie électrique pendant la saison froide.Few studies have characterized the effect of dams on the hydrologic regime of rivers in Quebec. This is rather strange given the large number of hydroelectric dams that have been constructed in the province. To shed some light on the environmental impact of these dams, this paper aims at describing and quantifying the effect of the Matawin River dam on the hydrologic regime of the river on an annual, seasonal and daily basis. The Matawin River is located north of the St-Lawrence River and is a tributary of the St-Maurice River. The Matawin dam was built in 1929 by Shawinigan Water and Power Co. mainly to supply the Gabelle hydroelectric dam on the Saint-Maurice River. The dam is 26 m high and the storage capacity of the reservoir is 348,000,000 m3 when full. The catchment area of the dam is 4070 km2.To assess the effect of the dam, we used various statistical methods to compare discharge time series over 60 years as measured at two gauging stations on the river. One of the stations is located upstream whereas the other one is located downstream from the Matawin dam. The upstream drainage basin covers an area of 1390 km2. No major tributaries are found between the two gauging stations, thus allowing us to ascertain the effect of the Matawin dam on the natural hydrologic regime of the river at different time scales.On the annual scale, no difference in the mean annual discharge is observed upstream and downstream from the dam. The specific discharges upstream and downstream from the river's dam are respectively 17.2 and 17.1 l/s/km2. This is to be expected because the reservoir is used neither for irrigation nor for derivation. However, analysis of the interannual variability of mean annual discharges, using the Hanning low pass filter, reveals that wet and dry periods are far more persistent downstream than upstream from the dam. This persistence can be seen to occur within the two dry periods of 1930-1960 and of 1980-1990 and during the wet period from 1965 to 1980. This persistence does not affect the stationarity of the discharge time series downstream from the dam as no significant changes are detected from Mann-Kendall and Pettitt statistical tests.On the monthly and seasonal scale, the comparison of the time of occurrence of maximum and minimum discharges shows a strong inversion within the hydrologic regime. Upstream from the dam, the maximum and minimum discharges are measured respectively during the spring and the winter. Downstream from the dam, the regime is inverted, with the maximum and minimum discharges being measured in winter and spring respectively. This inversion is closely associated with the production of hydroelectricity during the cold winter season when large amounts of water are released from the reservoir. Furthermore, is worth noticing that the monthly and seasonal coefficients of maximum discharge are lowered downstream from the dam whereas those for the minimum discharge remain similar.On a daily basis, the comparison of dates of occurrence for the lowest annual discharge downstream and upstream from the dam shows these are found at different times of the year. Upstream from the dam, most of the minimum daily discharges are measured in August and September whereas downstream from the dam, they largely occur during April. On the other hand, the maximum daily discharges are recorded almost exclusively in April and May upstream from the dam but can occur throughout the year downstream from it, with a marginally larger number in January.These results are relevant for the assessment of the environmental impacts of dams on rivers in the province of Quebec. For example, the inversion of maximum and minimum discharges is likely to have an important impact on the winter habitat characteristics by increasing the area of suitable habitat, but also by increasing the likelihood of sediment being transported during periods where usually only sporadic transport events occur. In the future, it would be crucial to understand the exact effect of the inversion on the morphological and biological components of the river dynamics

Impacts des barrages sur les débits annuels minimums en fonction des régimes hydrologiques artificialisés au Québec (Canada)

Les débits annuels minimums des rivières déterminent le volume d’habitat minimum disponible pour assurer la survie des espèces aquatiques en période d’étiage. Dans cette étude, nous comparons les impacts de barrages sur les caractéristiques (période d’occurrence, magnitude, amplitude de variation et asymétrie) de ces débits dans trois régimes hydrologiques artificialisés d’une part, et les débits annuels minimums mesurés en aval des barrages aux normes de débits réservés pour protéger les habitats du poisson au Québec, d’autre part. Nous avons analysé 72 stations appartenant aux régimes artificialisés d’Inversion (26 stations), d’Homogénéisation (18 stations) et de Type Naturel (28 stations). Toutes ces stations appartiennent au bassin versant du fleuve Saint-Laurent. La présente analyse est fondée sur la comparaison des débits mesurés en rivières naturelles (75 stations) à ceux mesurés en aval des barrages au moyen des méthodes de proportionnalité et graphique. Il ressort de ces comparaisons les principaux résultats suivants.En régime artificialisé d’Inversion caractérisé par les débits mensuels maximums en hiver et les débits mensuels minimums au printemps, les impacts des barrages se traduisent par une hausse significative de fréquence des débits annuels minimums au printemps au moment de la fonte des neiges mais une baisse en été, une diminution significative de la magnitude des débits pour les bassins versants de taille 10 000 km2.Annual minimum discharges represent a crucial hydrologic parameter for the health of aquatic ecosystems. They determine the volume of available habitat for aquatic species and influence the concentration of pollutant within the fluvial system during low flows. They are also of importance for instream infrastructures and for the regulation of fluvial transport. For these reasons, the minimum discharges constitute the main hydrologic parameters for which clear regulation have been defined in several countries. In the province of Québec, albeit the large amount of dams on several important fluvial systems, there seems to exist a lack of studies examining their effects on the annual minimum discharges. This paper is aiming at highlighting the effects of dams (1) by examining their effect on the characteristics of annual minimum discharges for artificialised flow regimes in Québec, and (2) by comparing those discharges with recommended instream flows to protect fish habitats.Firstly, the effect of dams on annual minimum discharges is examined for the three types of artificialised flow regimes found in Québec. From the analysis of seasonal and monthly discharges, ASSANI et al. (2004) documented the three types of artificialised hydrologic regime downstream from dams: the inversion, the homogenization, and the natural type flow regimes. The inversion flow regime presents high monthly discharge values in winter and low monthly discharge values during spring. This type of regime occurs solely on the north shore of the St-Lawrence River and pertains to rivers with large reservoirs feeding in hydropower stations. The homogenization flow regime presents small annual fluctuations of the monthly discharge. The maximum monthly discharges are recorded during spring where- as the minimum monthly discharges frequently occur during fall. This type of regime is often associated with reservoirs created on large streams for which the storage of spring water is less important. This regime is observed mainly on the north shore of the St-Lawrence river. In the natural type flow regime, the maximum monthly discharges take place during spring snowmelt while minimum monthly discharges occur either during summer or winter. The annual natural flow characteristics are thus conserved albeit the existence of the dam. This regime pertains to dams with small reservoirs and it is found on both side of the St-Lawrence River.Secondly, annual mimimum discharges are compared with minimum instream flows recommended by BELZILE et al. (1997). These ones defined the minimum instream flows based on the different species of fish and their life cycle. Downstream from dams, the instream flows (Qr) can be estimated using the following relation:Qr = ek.Sawhere S represents the drainage area upstream from the dam; a and k are respectively regional and seasonal parameters. These parameters are associated to the ecohydrological region, to the season as well as to the critical phases of life cycle for the fish species found within the ecohydrological regions.From the Historical Stream Flow Summary of Environmental Canada, the distribution of discharge from 107 stations were selected and analysed. From those, 72 were located on rivers with dams and 75 on rivers with no regulation. On regulated rivers, 26, 18 and 28 were identified as belonging to the inversed, homogeneous and natural type regimes, respectively. All stations were located in the St-Lawrence drainage area. To highlight the effect of dams, we performed a comparison between the annual minimum discharges for stations on artificialised rivers to those from stations belonging to rivers with no regulation. The comparison is performed according to the size of the drainage basins (proportionality method) and uses a set of parametric and non-parametric statistical tests depending on the type of data. The proportionality method was chosen because of the non-availability of the discharges for the pre-dam periods. According to RICHTER et al. (1996), river flows can be described using several parameters relating to the daily discharges: the magnitude, the frequency, the duration, the timing and the rate of change (amplitude of the variability). The daily discharges required to compute these parameters were not available. The date of occurrence of annual minimum discharges, their magnitude, the interannual variability of the magnitude and the skewness of the distribution could however be obtained from the Historical Stream Flow Summary of Environmental Canada.The analysis of annual minimum discharges for the three types of artificialised flow regimes highlights several key elements associated with the effect of dams. For the inversion flow regime, the presence of dams increases and decreases significantly the occurrence of annual minimum discharges during spring and summer, respectively. For drainage area smaller than 10 000 km2, the magnitude of the annual minimum discharge is decreased significantly. Finally, the between-year variability is increased and the distribution presents a strong skewness. For the natural type flow regime, an increase in annual minimum discharges during the period between November and January can be observed as well as a significant decrease in magnitude for the small fluvial systems (drainage area 10 000 km2

Simple large wood structures promote hydromorphological heterogeneity and benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in low-gradient rivers

This work has been carried out within the SMART Joint Doctorate Programme ‘Science for the MAnagement of Rivers and their Tidal systems’ funded by the Erasmus Mundus programme of the European Union

Turbulence in Rivers

The study of turbulence has always been a challenge for scientists working on geophysical flows. Turbulent flows are common in nature and have an important role in geophysical disciplines such as river morphology, landscape modeling, atmospheric dynamics and ocean currents. At present, new measurement and observation techniques suitable for fieldwork can be combined with laboratory and theoretical work to advance the understanding of river processes. Nevertheless, despite more than a century of attempts to correctly formalize turbulent flows, much still remains to be done by researchers and engineers working in hydraulics and fluid mechanics. In this contribution we introduce a general framework for the analysis of river turbulence. We revisit some findings and theoretical frameworks and provide a critical analysis of where the study of turbulence is important and how to include detailed information of this in the analysis of fluvial processes. We also provide a perspective of some general aspects that are essential for researchers/ practitioners addressing the subject for the first time. Furthermore, we show some results of interest to scientists and engineers working on river flows

Directional movement in response to altered flow in six lowland stream Trichoptera

Understanding the trait adaptations associated with mobility in Trichoptera larvae under different flow conditions would enhance the understanding of survival mechanisms under flow stress induced by spates. In stream mesocosms, we mimicked a lowland stream spate by suddenly increasing current velocity above an organic habitat patch from 10 to 30 or 50 cm/s. Subsequently, we investigated whether short-term, small-scale movements in six Trichoptera species were not random but directional and whether the type of movement was related to the magnitude of flow increase. Main types of response distinguished were as follows: (1) resistance, in which the species remained in the habitat patch, (2) upstream or downstream crawling, and (3) being dislodged from the streambed and drift downstream (vulnerability). The type of response observed was related to the species’ ecological preferences and morphological traits. The experiment showed that movement in Trichoptera larvae was directional and flow-dependent. Drift was the main mechanism observed with an increase in current velocity, but upstream crawling and aggregation in the habitat patch were observed as well. The type and magnitude of the response were highly species specific. It appeared that each combination of morphological and behavioral adaptations developed individually for each species under niche-specific conditions