Sensitivity analysis of sediment flux derived by laser diffraction and acoustic backscatter within a reservoir

Abstract

A combination of two indirect methods to measure sediment flux is presented in this study to evaluate suspended sediment transport in a hydropower reservoir. The acoustic backscatter signal (ABS) from an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is therefore applied in pre-defined transects within the reservoir in combination with a Laser In-Situ Scattering Transmissometry – stream lined device (LISST-SL). The stationary LISST-SL derived suspended sediment concentration (SSC) measurements are used to calibrate the ABS. From the LISST-SL measurements a time series of SSC is obtained. This enables, in addition, a comprehensive data analysis to evaluate the influence of natural fluctuations of the SSC on the calculated sediment flux, which should be taken into account when assessing sediment transport. Furthermore SSC measurements are done with the LISST-SL close to the reservoir bed. In areas close to the bed no information regarding the ABS is available from the ADCP measurements due to the side-lobe interference. In various studies the information from the last three valid cells is used for extrapolation. However, as result of a comparison of the LISST-SL measurements with extrapolated SSC values from the ADCP measurements it can be seen that, especially in deep reservoirs, this method has to be adapted to the in-situ conditions.