Seasonal scour and siltation induced spatiotemporal variations in riverbed sediment leakage coefficients as measured via the thermal tracer method

Abstract

Riverbed scour and siltation can change the hydraulic conductivity and thickness of sediments, leading to notable spatiotemporal variations of groundwater–surface water interaction. However, correlated quantitative research on the dynamic leakage coefficient (LC) remains lacking under riverbed scour and siltation. Based on dynamic monitoring and analysis of sediment medium properties, river-groundwater levels, and temperature profiles in the section of Liao River, this study compared the applicable conditions of different thermal analytical models and identified spatiotemporal variations in the LC values induced by riverbed scour and siltation. The results showed that: (1) The thermal tracer method combined with river-groundwater level monitoring can effectively quantify spatiotemporal variations in the LCs of riverbed sediment. Based on the sediment temperature presents diurnal fluctuations and gradient characteristics in different seasons, the LCs in summer, spring, and autumn compared to winter in seasonally frozen regions should be calculated using transient and steady-state analytical solution models, respectively. (2) The LCs ranged from 0.47 to 24.90 × 10-6 s−1, showed larger temporal variability than spatial, increased from the river bank to the center, and had larger values in autumn and winter. (3) Distinct from previous findings, the riverbed underwent a scouring process associated with reductions in the incoming sediment coefficient as the river stage shifted from high to low, eroding the surface 4–8 cm of sediment. During this process, the LC increased by 40 to 420%. Further, the influence of riverbed scour and siltation on the LC varied by river section. Near the riverbank, the sediment LC was primarily controlled by hydraulic conductivity related to the coarsening of sediment lithology; however, it was influenced by variations in both sediment thickness and hydraulic conductivity near the riverbed center. Collectively, these results further understand the mechanisms underlying changes in the sediment LC induced by riverbed scour and siltation, as well as provide a scientific basis for ensuring the sustainable development of riverside water sources under such changes.