SEDIMENT TRANSPORT MODELLING FOR RIVER TANA

FROM TANA BRIIDGE TO MASINGA DAM

KAIGERA DENNIS MWIRIGI E024-1558/2011

&

CORNELIUS RUTTO E024-14451/2011

Abstract.
Increased population has accelerated impact of hydrology and geomorphology on catchment.
The rapid development which takes place along the catchment will result in higher yield of
sediment and affect river channel stability along with river morphology.Erosional issues in the
Tana River is posing increased pressure on the nearby ecosystems and societies. With increasing
anthropogenic disturbance and climate change, predictive models are required to evaluate the
effect on sediment transport.
Inaccuracies of sediment transport models largely originate from our limitation to describe the
process in precise mathematical terms. Machine learning is an alternative approach to reduce the
inaccuracies of sedimentation models. It utilizes available knowledge for selecting the input and
an output variable for the machine learning model and uses model regression techniques to fit the
measured data. Machine learning of HEC-RAS is used in this research.
 1. Introduction
Sediment transport is essential to understanding the way the rivers works as it’s the process that
mediates flow of water and channel boundary.
The size and amount of sediment moving on a river channel is determined by three fundamentals
controls.
Competence –it is the largest size of sediment grain that is capable of flowing. If river is moving
slowly it may not have the power to mobilize and transport sediments.
Capacity-maximum amount of sediment in a given size that a stream can transport in bed load.
Sediment supply-size and amount of sediment available for transport
Use of computational models to solve sediment transport and future problems is mostly used in
the present as compared with the use of physical model.
Choosing between physical and computational models depend on the nature of problem that need
to be solved, available resources and the overall cost associated with the problem solution.
Computational sediment transport model involves numerical solution of the governing
differential equation of momentum, energy and continuity of fluid.
An approximation in transportation of sediments rates in alluvial rivers is important in the
context of erosion, sedimentation, flood control and long-term morphologicalassessment.
The best riverine model ought to have the following capabilities:
1) Provide a layered bed with bed sorting capability
2) Provide fully unsteady and steady or quasi-steady simulation capability
3) Provide analysis of varying flow regimes from subcritical to supercritical flow
4) Provide a selection ofsediment transport relationships for both beds, suspended and total load
transport
5) Provide multiple grain size analysis capability for both non-cohesive and cohesive sediments
6) Provide a selection of turbulence modeling schemes for enhanced hydrodynamic simulation
7) providea suitable interface for mesh generation and visualization of results.
8) Provide amethod for computing the effects of bend way hydrodynamics on sediment transport.

Relevance of the study.

Cohesive sediment related problem in rivers include water pollution and shoaling in navigable
waterway.
Recognition of the hazards associated with large influx of sediment in riverine ecosystem is
critical for a greater understanding of the effect of sediment released and hence future
management sediment within the reservoirs.m3
Sediment transport rates are a function of flow hydraulics, upstream sediment supply and bed
composition of sediments.bed composition may change as particles are eroded from or deposited
on the bed thereby changing flow hydraulics and fractional transport rates
Problem statement.
The volume of Masinga dam has reduced significantly over time due to deposition of sediments
carried by River Tana. This problem is twofold; first the reduced volume of the reservoir affect
long term power generation of the reservoir. Secondly, since the reservoir traps sediments and
releases clear water the resulting downstream geomorphic effects is channel instability (channel
and banks are eroded to satisfy the sediment carrying capacity of the waters). This leads to
flooding downstream during rainy season and power rationing during dry season due to lack of
enough water for power generation.
It is therefore important to establish the amount of sediments transported to Masinga dam by
Tana River since it’s the main contributor. Sediments problem is due increased agricultural
activities upstream in the areas of Mount Kenya and deforestation leading to hasted soil erosion.
With the amount of sediments load by Tana River determined the shrinking volume of the dam
can be determined and appropriate measures taken.

Objectives
Overall objectives:
To develop 1-dimensional sediment transport model for Tana River from Sagana bridge along
Nairobi-Meru highway to Masinga dam.

Specific objectives
1. Provision of main in-stream variables which represent the state of sediment transport in
the identified river section.
2. To determine the amount of sediments deposited in Masinga dam and how they affect its
volume.
LITERATURE REVIEW

Measurement on sediment yields has been carried out throughout the world but few on the
developing nations, the results display influence of land use on sediment produced; there have
been relatively few attempts to quantify the effect of these factors on tropical conditions by
Ongwenyi (1993)
Present review seeks to briefly evaluate some of the modeling of sediment transport in rivers
work that has been done over the world.
Sensitivity analysis on suspended sediment carried out for section of Brahmaputra using Hec-
ras. The simplified approach allowed the results to be easily traced back to input parameters
and enabled interpretation of possible dynamics by Sandra Fischer (2015)
Hassan Shahid Mashriqui (2003), Standard engineering model tool could be used to
quantitatively simulate sediment transport and deposition in river system even though the river
may be complex. The model reproduced formation of sediment deposition and scour within the
channel. Amir Hamseh Haghiabi and Ehsan Zaredehdasht (2012), the advent of new computers
technologies has enabled engineers to resolve equations of sediment transport and hydraulic
issues via computer simulation and modeling. The paper focused upon identifying critical
erodible points and areas with potential sediment aggregation.
Martin m.bunyasi, Simon m.onywere and Mathew k.kigomo (2013), loss of water storage capacity due
to increased dam sedimentation associated with watershed activities, river characteristics and reservoir
design threatens its functionality. Masinga dam has lost about 13.59%of its design storage capacity to
sedimentation by 2011.

Ash Bor (2008), management of soil and water resources is one of the most critical environment issues
facing many countries. Dams, artificial channels and other water structures have been constructed
which are usually faced with sediment transport problems. Numerical model is able to capture effects of
suspended sediment and load sediment while being transported.

Brunner, G. and Gibson, S. (2005) the model calculates sediment transport capacity by number of
available methodologies, the sediment continuity equation is then solved conjunction with sorting and
armoring algorithms to solve for actual volume of deposition of sediments.
METHODOLOGY

HEC-RAS 4.1 model

Sediment transport modelling will be done using HEC-RAS 4.1 model. This model was
developed by Hydrologic Engineering Center, US Army Corps of Engineers and is a single-
dimensional system used in analysis of open channels. This model is programmed to perform
calculations of sediment transport, geometric changes of cross-sections and water quality
analysis. It allows the user to model dynamic changes in riverbeds and geometric changes.
River reach

Data required
Geometry
The model will require river reach on which sediment transport will be carried. To delineate this
area precisely, georeferenced topographical and aerial/satellite images of the area will be needed.
This will be done using GIS tool.
The georeferenced river boundaries will help in finding river cross-section along the identified
distances.
Depth of the river will be needed at various transects which can determined using echo sounder
but in our case due to time and finance constraint we will use the available data to be provided
by KENGEN and TARDA. The river depth will be converted to bed levels by applying readings
from water level along the river.
Hydrodynamics
In this model we will require an upstream discharge boundary conditions and downstream water
level boundary condition. These boundary conditions are the starting and ending points
respectively of our river reach. Discharge data will be required in interior of the model area to
establish right water balance since there is a substantial exchange of flow between the river and
floodplain. Since the data (water level and discharge) required spans for a very long period old
collected data will be used.
Velocity measurements will be required to obtain information about flow distribution across the
river channel and flow patterns in bifurcations and confluences. Cross section of flow velocity is
important for calibration and validation of hydrodynamic model before, middle and after river
bed.
Sediment transport.
Sediment data will contain properties of both bed material and incoming sediment loads.
Sediment grain sizes, grain size distributions, sediment mass density, porosity of deposited
sediment, bed material properties, and sediment loads flowing into the river. The magnitude of
the natural sediment load into the system will specified using a rating curve relating water flow
and sediment load. The augmentation load will be specified as a percent concentration in the
flowing water.
Several equations are available in HEC-RAS to calculate sediment transport, bed sorting, and fall
velocity. The equation to be used in the model will be selected on the sediment input screen.
Bed sorting calculations are required to simulate how the bed material composition may change
over time. For example, if the bed material becomes coarser due to the preferential removal of
fine material it may become armored. Once armored it protects the sub-surface sediments and
limits the amount of sediment that can be removed from the riverbed for transportation. The fall
velocity of the sediment is required to determine its mobility, i.e., how easy is it to settle the
material and to re-entrain it once settled on the riverbed.
For this analysis the Engelund-Hansen sediment transport function, the Exner sorting equation,
and the Rubey fall velocity equation were selected.
The Engelund and Hansen (1967) total load equation was selected because of its simplicity and
suitability to calculate sediment transport in sandy river conditions. The equation is a stream-
power based relationship using commonly available parameters (e.g., grain size, flow velocity
and bed shear stress). It has been identified as one of the most accurate total load sediment
transport equations for a wide range of non-cohesive sand sizes (HEC-RAS 2010).
The Exner sorting equation is effective in predicting armoring of the bed material. For this
reason, it was selected for the Tana River where armoring has already been found to occur in
some river reaches.
The Rubey fall velocity method is suitable for silt, sand, and gravel sizes with specific gravities
of around 2.65, similar to materials found in the Tana River.