HR: 1340h
AN: H13E-1373    [Abstracts]
TI: Combining Field and Laboratory Experiments in Order to Understand Interactions Between Flow, Sediment, Vegetation And Bank Erosion in Riparian Rehabilitation Works
AU: * Rodriguez, J F
EM: Jose.Rodriguez@newcastle.edu.au
AF: School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia
AU: Gorrick, S
EM: Sam.Gorrick@studentmail.newcastle.edu
AF: School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia
AU: Kalma, J
EM: Jetse.Kalma@newcastle.edu.au
AF: School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia
AU: Cook, N
EM: Nick.Cook@dipnr.nsw.gov.au
AF: NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, 464 King Street , Newcastle West, NSW 2302 Australia
AU: Outhet, D
EM: David.Outhet@dipnr.nsw.gov.au
AF: NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, 10 Valentine Ave. , Parramatta, NSW 2124 Australia
AU: Raine, A
EM: Allan.Raine@dipnr.nsw.gov.au
AF: NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, 464 King Street , Newcastle West, NSW 2302 Australia
AB: Riparian lands are important for maintaining viable ecosystems, improving water quality and reducing sediment yields. Yet, riparian lands are frequently neglected, degraded and poorly managed. In many Australian riverine zones clearing or grazing of native riparian vegetation has resulted in varying degrees of erosion, sedimentation and degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Reintroducing riparian vegetation is one of the preferred methods for improving bank stability, reducing bank erosion to natural rates and rehabilitating channels. The present research aims to explore how reintroduced riparian vegetation modifies the flow and sediment transport patterns and at the same time how the vegetation is affected by flow and sediment. Both field experimentation and laboratory studies will lead to basic understanding of the processes involved and will help the efficient design of plantings for riparian rehabilitation. In order to be able to reproduce the most important processes in a laboratory physical model, a field site with a relatively simple geometry has been selected for the study. The site is on a small sand bed stream in the Hunter Valley in NSW. The reach has a large radius bend with no riparian vegetation on the outer bank, where erosion occurs periodically. Reintroduction of vegetation is planned for October 2005, with pre and post monitoring stages running from March 2005 to August 2008. Laboratory physical modelling based on field characteristics and with varying flow discharges and plant arrangement will provide information to help develop, adapt and test quantitative models of flow dynamics, sediment transport and bank erosion incorporating the effects of vegetation. These results can then be used by river managers when they are developing rehabilitation strategies.
DE: 0481 Restoration
DE: 0483 Riparian systems (0744, 1856)
DE: 1813 Eco-hydrology
DE: 1825 Geomorphology: fluvial (1625)
DE: 1862 Sediment transport (4558)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005