Spatial distribution of sediments in Suchedniów reservoir / Rozkład osadów w zbiorniku Suchedniów

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents measurements of the amount, spatial distribution, grain size structure, density and the content of organic matter in sediments of Suchedniów reservoir. After 33 years of exploitation, the primary volume of the reservoir decreased by 78 thousand m3. Catchment area covered in 45% by forests is 83 km2. Mean annual water flow is estimated at 0.63 m3·s-1. Primary volume of the reservoir was 303 thousand m3 and its surface area - 21.4 ha. The greatest width of the reservoir is 490 m, distance from the river inlet to the dam is 655 m and the length along assumed water course is 740 m. Mean and maximum depths are 1.42 and 4 m, respectively. The analyses of vertical and horizontal distribution of sediments revealed that in the deepest parts of the water body, where depth exceed 2.6 m, only 16% of sediment volume were deposited. In the inlet part of a relative volume of 0.2, 32% of sediment volume were deposited and in the outlet part - 16%. The reservoir accumulates material of a grain size <1.0 mm whose density varies between 2586 and 2758 kg·m-3. Percent of organic parts in sediments ranged from 0.24 to 18.97%. The existing methods of description of sediment distribution in retention reservoirs do not allow for accurate predicting of this distribution. They do not account for many factors affecting the distribution of sediments in reservoirs and for the time of exploitation. None of the dimensionless curves of the Annandale’s nomograph [ANNANDALE 1984] describes the distribution of sediments in Suchedniów Reservoir. The curve closest to the actual distribution curve corresponds to the value dP/dx = 1.2 while for Suchedniów Reservoir dP/dx is 0.0014 (P - wetted perimeter of the reservoir’s cross section, x - distance from the dam). Sediments in vertical profiles have laminar structure and bottom material in layers largely differs in grain size and colour which is an evidence of different conditions of sedimentation in different hydrological periods and exploita