Amplification of downstream flood stage due to damming of fine-grained rivers

Hongbo Ma (), Jeffrey A. Nittrouer (), Xudong Fu (), Gary Parker, Yuanfeng Zhang, Yuanjian Wang, Yanjun Wang, Michael P. Lamb, Julia Cisneros, Jim Best, Daniel R. Parsons and Baosheng Wu
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Hongbo Ma: University of California at Irvine
Jeffrey A. Nittrouer: Texas Tech University
Xudong Fu: Tsinghua University
Gary Parker: University of Illinois
Yuanfeng Zhang: Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research
Yuanjian Wang: Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research
Yanjun Wang: Tsinghua University
Michael P. Lamb: California Institute of Technology
Julia Cisneros: University of Illinois
Jim Best: University of Illinois
Daniel R. Parsons: University of Hull
Baosheng Wu: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract River dams provide many benefits, including flood control. However, due to constantly evolving channel morphology, downstream conveyance of floodwaters following dam closure is difficult to predict. Here, we test the hypothesis that the incised, enlarged channel downstream of dams provides enhanced water conveyance, using a case study from the lower Yellow River, China. We find that, although flood stage is lowered for small floods, counterintuitively, flood stage downstream of a dam can be amplified for moderate and large floods. This arises because bed incision is accompanied by sediment coarsening, which facilitates development of large dunes that increase flow resistance and reduce velocity relative to pre-dam conditions. Our findings indicate the underlying mechanism for such flood amplification may occur in >80% of fine-grained rivers, and suggest the need to reconsider flood control strategies in such rivers worldwide.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30730-9

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