The effects of ice cover on flow characteristics in a subarctic meandering river

Abstract

AbstractThe effects of ice cover on flow characteristics in meandering rivers are still not completely understood. Here, we quantify the effects of ice cover on flow velocity, the vertical and spatial flow distribution, and helical flow structure. Comparison with open‐channel low flow conditions is performed. An acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) is used to measure flow from up to three meander bends, depending on the year, in a small sandy meandering subarctic river (Pulmanki River) during two consecutive ice‐covered winters (2014 and 2015).Under ice, flow velocities and discharges were predominantly slower than during the preceding autumn open‐channel conditions. Velocity distribution was almost opposite to theoretical expectations. Under ice, velocities reduced when entering deeper water downstream of the apex in each meander bend. When entering the next bend, velocities increased again together with the shallower depths. The surface velocities were predominantly greater than bottom/riverbed velocities during open‐channel flow. The situation was the opposite in ice‐covered conditions, and the maximum velocities occurred in the middle layers of the water columns. High‐velocity core (HVC) locations varied under ice between consecutive cross‐sections. Whereas in ice‐free conditions the HVC was located next to the inner bank at the upstream cross‐sections, the HVC moved towards the outer bank around the apex and again followed the thalweg in the downstream cross‐sections. Two stacked counter‐rotating helical flow cells occurred under ice around the apex of symmetric and asymmetric bends: next to the outer bank, top‐ and bottom‐layer flows were towards the opposite direction to the middle layer flow. In the following winter, no clear counter‐rotating helical flow cells occurred due to the shallower depths and frictional disturbance by the ice cover. Most probably the flow depth was a limiting factor for the ice‐covered helical flow circulation, similarly, the shallow depths hinder secondary flow in open‐channel conditions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.