Researches on the ice jam formation in the upstream of Izvoru Muntelui reservoir

The current work provides a description of the ice jam phenomena along the riverof Bistrita, which has the longest mountainous course in Romania (216km). During the coldseason of the year, in the upstream of the Izvoru Muntelui Reservoir over a length of 25-30km, there are generated with a almost yearly frequency ice blocks accumulations known asice jams. Analysis of the hidroclimatical and morphological conditions of the river bed hasrevealed that they are favorable to formation of ice jam provided there is present a certaincombination of their temporal variations. Hidraulic geometry of the Bistrita river bed isfavorable to flow of frazil slush, frazil pans and ice floes while the air temperature is -7 oC aslong as the level of Izvoru Muntelui Reservoir is below 500 m. Over this level, the river bed isblocked with ice jam during the submerse phase of the lake and this blockage advancesupstream with velocities of several hudreds of meters per day. The most dramatic phenomenahas been recorded during the winter of 2002-2003 when the thickness of the ice was of 6meters and it caused floods that provoked damages and claimed human lives. Aparition in2003 of the Topoliceni Reservoir, placed 6 km upstream of the Izvoru Muntelui Reservoir, hascomplicated the evolution of the phenomena, the lake itself acting as an accumulation poolfor the ices in the upstream.</p