The effect of emergent vegetation on flow, bedload transport, and bed morphology in a diffluence-confluence unit on a meandering channel

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A diffluence-confluence unit on a meandering channel, coupled with the broadening of the divergence zone and meander circulation, promotes sediment deposition on the convex bank, forming shoals to stimulate vegetation growth, which results in water level elevation, velocity reduction, and bank stabilization. Despite these significant impacts, current research on the influence of this channel remains limited. This study conducts a series of flume experiments to quantify the influence of vegetation in a such channel on flow hydraulics, bedload transport, and bed morphology, and their inter-links. The results reveal that increased vegetation cover density subtly influences the flow depth in straight inlet reaches, triggers higher flow depth and fluctuations in the left anabranch, and induces uneven velocity distribution, especially below the crest of the curved channel. Centrifugal forces and vegetation-induced water levels shape the transverse water surface slope, resulting in a downward concave trend and unique slopes within each anabranch. The bedload transport capacity rapidly increases until an armoring layer forms, a process expedited by vegetation, particularly in high discharge conditions. This vegetation effect, amplified with higher density, enhances bedload transport rate and size but is lessened by increased discharge, which also reduces fluctuations during armoring layer formation. The statistical parameters of bed morphology at the grain-scale and structure-form-scale indicate that denser vegetation reshapes erosion dynamics across anabranches, intensifying downstream scouring and propelling the sediment deposition zone, especially under high discharge. Furthermore, the flow bifurcation ratio intensifies with escalating vegetation cover density and is assessed by a modified model consider vegetation effects with heightened precision. The apex scour depth downstream of the unit, induced by the confluence of water from both anabranches, can be characterized as a function of the dimensionless discharge and vegetation density. Concurrently, a refined model for bedload transport rate, influenced by the turbulent kinetic energy arising from emergent vegetation in this intricate reach, is proposed with high accuracy.