Estimation of transport distance of fine particulate organic matter in relation to channel morphology in tailwaters of the Lake Biwa and reservoir dams

Abstract

Knowledge on transport and deposition of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) from reservoir dams is increasingly required for habitat management and restoration of dam tailwater ecosystems. Variations in the transport distance of FPOM, however, have never been studied well, particularly in relation to channel morphology, due to channel size restrictions of artificial tracers such as corn pollen when applied to larger river channels. This study aims to show the relations between FPOM retention efficiency and channel morphology in dam tailwaters using lentic plankters as tracers. We estimated the mean transport distance, Sp, by calculating downstream reduction ratios of lentic tracer plankters and calculated the deposition velocity, vdep. Suspended FPOM samples were collected in tailwaters of two river channels below reservoir dams and two artificial canals below Lake Biwa in the Yodo River system. The longest Sp (19.2 km) and the shortest one (2.2 km) were recorded in the deep canal and shallow canal, respectively, showing a positive correlation with channel hydraulic radius. The values of vdep were 4.7–6.4 times higher in river channels than in artificial canals. These results indicate that increasing complexity of bed morphology can minimize Sp, whereas bed degradation and armored bed materials may lead to increased Sp. Advantages of lentic plankters as tracers for estimating distance ranges of reservoir dam impact on river ecosystems are also discussed.