Abstract
Abstract. Antea Group and KULeuven were awarded a project in Flanders to identify the regions exporting high sediment loads to unnavigable watercourses and the sedimentation zones within them. Two types of models are applied: hydrological sediment export models (SEM) and hydraulic sediment transport models (STM). The influence of erosion control measures on sediment export as well as river engineering measures needs to be taken into account. A concept will be developed to connect the SEM and STM, enabling the sediment to be routed from upstream to the sedimentation zones. Results of the study will be used by the Flemish government to plan erosion control measures, estimate future sedimentation volumes, steer sedimentation and optimize river engineering and dredging works. Finally, model results could also be used to obtain better insights to the re-suspension risks of contaminated sediment in watercourses.
Highlights
The Flemish water courses contain approximately 24 million tonnes of, mostly contaminated, sediment
Results of the study will be used by the Flemish government to plan erosion control measures, estimate future sedimentation volumes, steer sedimentation and optimize river engineering and dredging works
The reduction of sediment supply originating from soil erosion is crucial to combat Flanders’ sediment problems
Summary
The Flemish water courses contain approximately 24 million tonnes of, mostly contaminated, sediment. In order to develop an effective and efficient policy for sediment control in Flanders, a tool is needed that enables an optimal estimation of soil erosion and sediment supply towards the watercourses, and sedimentation and re-suspension within these water courses. The Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) and the Flemish Department of Environment, Nature and Energy (LNE) have awarded Antea Group and KULeuven a project aimed at the development of a suitable (hydrological) sediment export (soil erosion) and (hydraulic) sediment transport model (SEM and STM, respectively) for the unnavigable water courses of Flanders. A simplified SEM and STM need to be developed for the 11 Flemish river basins (ranging from 577 to 1916 km2) The latter must be capable of calculating sediment export and transport for a characteristic annual rainfall based on (sub)basin scale inputs. These will be presented during the ICCE2014 symposium in New Orleans, USA (11–14 December, 2014)
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