RIVER TRAINING

Compiled by: Dr. Bibhash Sarma

The term river training implies various measures adopted on a river to stabilize the river channel
along a certain alignment with a certain cross-section.

OBJECTIVES OF RIVER TRAINING:

 To provide safe passage to flood discharges without overflowing to the banks.
 To prevent outflanking of a work like bridge, weir or aqueduct constructed across the
river.
 To protect the banks from erosion.
 To provide minimum depth of flow for navigation purpose.
 To efficiently transport the bed and suspended sediment load.

These objectives aim to provide:

• Control of water
– Construction of reservoirs, sluice gates, culverts, etc
• Flood mitigation
– Confinement of flow (embankment)
– Providing escapes or diversion from rivers
– Increasing the discharge capacity of natural channels (straightening, widening or
deepening)
• Stabilizations of river channel (Bank protection)
• Guiding the flow in river (head-works, spurs)
• Navigation
• Sediment Control

CLASSIFICATION OF RIVER TRAINING WORKS:

 Classification Based on Purpose

 Classification Based on Structure Alignment

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON PURPOSE:

High Water Training: River training aimed at flood protection is called high water training or
training for discharge.

Low Water Training: Also termed as training for depth. It envisages providing adequate water
depths during low water periods in the river channel for navigation by concentrating flow in a
desired channel.

Mean Water Training: Also termed as training for sediment. It is by far the most important
type of river training. It envisages rectification of the river bed configuration and efficient
movement of suspended and bed load for maintaining the channel in good condition.
CLASSIFICATION BASED ON STRUCTURE ALIGNMENT:

Longitudinal structure:
Longitudinal training works are preferred to projecting training works in rivers carrying small bed
loads, and with narrow channels having steep sloped and swift currents.

Projecting training works:

Projecting training works aim to protect the bank from which they project into the river by
deflecting the current away from the bank.

RIVER TRAINING WORKS FOR FLOOD MITIGATION:

Marginal Embankments or Levees:

 Constructed in the flood plains of river and run parallel to the river bank along its length.
 Done to confine flood water within the cross section of the embankment.

The floods may be prevented from submerging the country by constructing earth
embankments. They are generally constructed up to a height of 12 m. They are designed and
constructed in the same way as an earth dam. The embankments are generally constructed
parallel to the river channel.

Depending upon the position of the embankments subdivisions made are:

i. Marginal embankments or dykes or levees
The marginal embankments are constructed as close to the banks as possible to restrict the flood
water from submerging the area behind them. Figure shows the position of marginal
embankments.

Fig: Marginal embankment of levees

They are designed to hold up the water up to a maximum anticipated HFL without the
possibility of overtopping and with a view to withstand all external pressures. This condition is
met with by providing sufficient freeboard, bed width, top width and stone protection on
adequate slopes.
ii. Retires embankments:
As the height of the embankment increases it becomes necessary to provide key trench, zoned
section etc., to make the embankment stable. Like earth dams embankments are also likely to
fail due to overtopping, piping, rat holes, seepage and caving in of river side sloping face. It is
therefore necessary to adopt adequate sections for various heights.

The following sections are generally adopted for various heights. (Fig. a, b, c):

Fig Sections of marginal embankments

Advantages of
Embankment:
(i) They are very widely used river training work.
(ii) It is cheaper and quick as well as simple in construction. They can be constructed with
locally available material.
(iii) Maintenance of embankments is similar to canal bank maintenance and does not involve
intricate methods.
(iv) Embankment can be constructed reach by reach to extend extent of protection.
(v) They protect large areas by comparatively small
investment.
(vi) May be used as shelter during flood period

Disadvantages of Embankments:
(i) By restricting the waterway it raises the flood levels.
(ii) Unpredictable flood flows attack the embankment and hence chances of its failure are quite
 high.
(iii) During flood constant vigil is required on the embankments. It increases cost of maintenance.
(iv) They interfere in laying irrigation canal system and also reduce cultivable area.
(v) River beds raises due to confinement of sediments.

Retired embankments are constructed at a distance from the river banks. Thus retired
embankments are the intermediate type between the case of marginal embankments and river
with no embankments. Retired embankments are generally constructed on a lower ground away
from the banks.

Though they are costly due to increased height and risky, they have some mentionable
advantages:
i. They do not interfere in the process of raising of the ground by deposition of silt.
ii. They make it possible to store more water for longer period.
iii. They provide wider waterway in times of high floods.

RIVER TRAINING WORKS FOR BANK PROTECTION:

Factors affecting Bank Erosion

 Hydraulic properties (discharge and water current)

 Bank soil properties
 Stability of slope
 River alignment
 Seepage from aquifer to river

CLASSIFICATION OF BANK PROTECTION WORKS:

Based on work done

 Direct protection
 Works done directly on bank
 Indirect protection
 Works not done directly on bank but in front of it or
 Discontinuous bank work

Based on approach

 Protective
  Pro-active

Direct protection measures:

 Use of Vegetation
 Rip-rap
 Windrows and Trenches
 Sacks
 Geo-bags
 Blocks
 Gabions
 Mattress Gabions
 Articulated Concrete Mattresses
 Retaining Walls
 Drainage filters

Indirect protection measures

 Permeable spurs
 Bamboo screens
 Porcupines
 Impermeable spurs
 Channelisation
 Flow energy dissipation

DIRECT PROTECTION MEASURES

Vegetation -3 Main Types

Shrubs, Grasses and Trees

o Bundles of cuttings tied together

o Placed in shallow trenches parallel to the bank
o Partially buried and staked in place
o Creates log-like structure that will quickly root, grow and provide plant cover
o Holds soil in place to protect stream bank from erosion
 Advantages

o Less expensive
o Improves habitat
o Aesthetically pleasing
Disadvantages

o Does not work well for high discharge or flushy rivers

o On high banks tree roots may not be able to stabilize toe and weight of tree will cause bank
failure when undercut
o May be hard to grow in some areas
o May suffer wildlife or livestock damage
o Only certain plants can withstand varying conditions (wetting/drying, freeze/thaw, etc.)
o Shrubs can result in significant hydraulic resistance during flooding

Pitching of Banks and provision of launching aprons (Rip-rap):

Bank pitching is a direct bank protection measure where work is done on the bank itself.
Sometimes to protect the bed and bank against action of water, protection is provided by laying a
closely packed stone blocks or boulders or even concrete blocks. This permanent revetment and
pitching counteracts the general tendency of the water to notch away the material from bed and
banks.

Process of implementation:

 Gentle side slope is prepared

 Geo-textile is laid on the slope
 Boulder pitching above geo-textile
 Launching apron or falling apron are provided at the toe of the bank to ensure safety from
undercutting by the action of flood.
 Iron mesh to keep the boulders in place (Gabions)
Windrows and Trenches

Windrows involve piling sufficient supply of erosion-resistant material on bank

􀂙 Trenches are constructed and filled with erosion-resistant material

􀂙 When bank erodes further, erosion resistant material slides down and protects bank

Advantages

􀂙 Very little design work needed

􀂙 Easier to install on high banks

Disadvantages

􀂙 Will lose more bank material until intersects erosion-resistant material

􀂙 Inconsistent results and steep side slopes result in high velocity rivers

Sacks

􀂙 Filled with soil or sand-cement mixture

􀂙 Primarily used for emergency work during floods

􀂙 Protects stream banks when proper riprap isn’t available

Advantages compared to stone riprap

􀂙 Allow placement on steep slopes

􀂙 Use locally available materials

􀂙 Creates smooth boundary

􀂙 Cobblestone effect may be more aesthetic

Disadvantages

􀂙 Highly labor intensive (more costly)

􀂙 Susceptible to excess hydrostatic pressure

􀂙 Uniformly sized – may require a filter material

􀂙 Vulnerable to environmental hazards

Blocks

Manufactured with local materials or obtained commercially

􀂙 Cast with openings to provide for drainage

 Openings also allow vegetation to grow so that the root structure can strengthen the
bank
􀂙 Can be used with a filter

Advantages:

􀂙 Durable, less susceptible to freeze/thaw

􀂙 Easy pedestrian access to river

􀂙 Low channel boundary roughness

􀂙 Sufficient flexibility to conform to minor changes in bank shape

Gabions
􀂙 Rectangular wire boxes (baskets) filled with small-sized stones

􀂙 Used where flow velocities are too high for riprap of small stones

􀂙 Made of heavy galvanized steel with PVC coating for corrosive environments

􀂙 Stacked on relatively steep slopes to protect unstable banks

Advantages

􀂙 Record of satisfactory performance

 Several firms market the containers and furnish technical assistance

Disadvantages

􀂙 Labor intensive

􀂙 Expensive

􀂙 Need to be periodically inspected and maintained from damage

 Spacialized equipment or accessories may be required for efficiency, or on jobs requiring

underwater placement

Mattress Gabions

Shaped into shallow, broad baskets

􀂙 Tied together side by side to form continuous blanket of protection

􀂙 Placed on a smoothly graded riverbank slope

􀂙 May still allow some natural vegetation growth

Articulated Concrete Mattresses

Used in Mississippi river

􀂙 Precast concrete blocks held together by steel rods or cables

􀂙 Advantages

 Flexible, strong, and durable

 Completely covers riverbank when properly placed
 Can be placed quickly
  Excellent service record
 Disadvantages
 ~8% of surface area is open, allows fines to pass through
 Open spacing between blocks permits removal of bank material
 Difficult to fit sharp curves
 Yearly inspection/maintenance
 Expensive plant required for placement

Retaining Walls

1) Gravity Walls 2) Cantilever Walls 3) Sheet-Piling Walls

INDIRECT PROTECTION MEASURES

PERMEABLE SPURS:

Research Needs for Porcupine

 Mixed result obtained in field

 Conditions where porcupines work well need to be studied and documented
 Need of a code for design
Factors that may affect porcupine screen design

1. Flow variables:

 Flood depth and discharge.

 The velocity (both magnitude and direction)
 Amount of suspended load in relation to bed load.

2. Channels parameters:

 Slope of the river.

 Character of the bed and bank material.
 Channel width
 High and low water depths.
 Curvature of the river.

IMPERMEABLE SPURS

Groynes or spurs are constructed transverse to the river flow extending from the bank into the
river.
Functions of Spurs

 Guides the river flow.

 Promote scour and sediment deposition where desired.
 Protect the bank by keeping the flow away from it.

Classification of spurs

 Permeable or impermeable
 Submerged or non-submerged
 Attracting, deflecting repelling and sedimenting and
 T-shaped (Denehey), hockey (or Burma) type, kinked type, etc.

Permeable Groynes
 Common type of permeable groynes are tree groynes, bamboo groynes and pile groynes.
 They are temporary in nature and may get washed away during floods. Therefore they are
constructed every time before floods.
 The permeable groynes lower the velocity of flow. As a result sedimentation occurs.
Hence permeable groynes may be said to be of segmenting type according to the function
served.
 The cost of construction of this type is far less than that of impermeable type of same
length. This type of groynes may be constructed even if there is flow in the river. Thus
construction is easy and rapid.

Bandalling- Bamboo framework driven into river bed to confine low water flow in single channel.
Impermeable Groynes
The body of these groynes are constructed with soil and armoured with boulders or geo-bags.

The groynes may be aligned either perpendicular to the bank or inclined, pointing upstream or
downstream. When a groyne points upstream then it is called a repelling groyne. This is
accomplished by creation of a still pond on the upstream. Obviously the river starts following
beyond the still pond and in the process the river flow goes away from the bank.
 Fig.:Rrepelling groyne

On the contrary, when a groyne points downstream it is called an attracting groyne. The groyne
attracts the flow towards the bank.

Fig.: Attracting groyne

When a groyne of short length is taken perpendicular to the bank, it only deflects the flow locally.
Hence, it is called deflecting groyne.

Fig.: Deflecting groyne

Submerged or non-submerged

When the spur is submerged under flood condition, it is called a submerged spur. Sometimes it is
also called a bullhead. When the nose of the spur is above the HFL, it is called a non-submerged
spur or land spur.
Nomenclature of spurs on the basis of shape
Depending on the shape of the spurs, they are also known as:
T-shaped (Denehey),
hockey (or Burma) type,
kinked type, etc.

The factors which influence the choice and design of groynes are:
 i. Results of the model study on the particular reach of river
ii. Fall and velocity of flow in the river.
iii. Character of bed load carried by the river.
iv. Depth of waterway, maximum HFL and nature of flood hydrograph.
v. Width of waterway, at high water, low water, and mean water.
vi. Availability of funds and construction materials.

GUIDE BANKS OR BELL’S BUNDS:

Rivers in flood plains submerge very large areas during flood periods. Naturally when some
structure is to be constructed across such a river (for example, bridge, weir, etc.), it is very
expensive to construct the work spanning whole width of the river. To economies some training
work may be constructed to confine the flow of water within a reasonable waterway.

Guide banks are meant for guiding and confining the flow in a reasonable waterway at the site
of the structure. The design of the guide banks is based on the theory developed by Mr. Bells.
Hence, guide banks are also known as Bell’s bunds. This river training work has been devised
from a study of the natural river channel in alluvial reach.

The river has a tendency to meander over large width of low lying land thereby flooding it
occasionally. But it was observed that the same stream passes through narrow and deep sections
where high and stiff permanent banks are available on either side without appreciable afflux or
abnormal velocity.

The guide banks guide the river flow past a bridge or any other hydraulic structure without
causing damage to the work and its approaches. The guide banks are constructed parallel or
approximately parallel to the direction of flow. They extend both upstream and downstream of
the abutments of the hydraulic structure. The guide banks may be provided on either side of the
hydraulic structure or on one side as required.
The guide banks consist of four parts mainly:
iii. Upstream curved head or impregnable head,
iv. Downstream curved head,
v. Shank or a straight portion which joins the two curved heads, and
vi. Slope and bed protection, it includes apron.

Generally the core of the bund is built with sand. The sloping faces are protected with stones.
An apron is also provided for protecting the bed against scouring. Sufficient freeboard and top
width are also provided. The curved heads are laid with adequate curvature.

Guide banks mainly serve two purposes:

i. They protect the approach embankment for the bridge from attack of the water. Approach
embankments extend from the bank of the river to the guide banks generally in perpendicular
direction to both.
ii. They control the river and induce it to flow through the bridge more or less axially.

Selection of Site and Section of Guide Banks:

The site for guide banks should be selected in such a way that there is no side channel flowing
parallel to the guide banks. The side channel if present may breach the approach embankment.
The guide banks should be so designed that no swirls are produced.
The top width of bank should not be less than 3 m. Side slopes should be 2:1 and free board
1.25 to 1.50 meters. While providing the free board due weightage should be given for heading
up of the water and also for settlement of banks (generally 10 per cent of height). The inside
slope should be protected with stone pitching and outside slope with good earth.

The waterway is given by Lacey’s regime perimeter formula:

Pw = 4.825 Q1/2
Where Pw is waterway in metres and
Q is discharge in cubic metres/sec. The length of upstream part of the guide bank should be 10
per cent more than the length of a bridge or any other structure between the abutments. The
length of downstream part of the guide bank should be 1/5 of the structure.

Fig.: Dimensions of guide banks

The radius of curvature of the upstream curved head should be such as not to cause intense
eddies. The radius of downstream curved head may be kept half that of upstream curved head.
The heads should be curved well round to the back of the guide bank. Upstream curved head
generally subtends an angle from 120° to 145° to the centre and downstream head from 45° to
90°. The upstream curved head is also called “impregnable head”.
To protect the face of the guide bank at the river bed level a thick stone cover is laid on the bed.
It is called an apron. When the scour undermines the river bed the apron comes down or
launches to cover the face of the scour. Hence it is called Launching apron also. The quantity of
stone in the apron should be adequate to insure complete protection of the scoured face. Figure
8 shows the details of a guide bank. After launching, the apron does not remain uniform in
thickness.

Fig 8: Details of guide bank

Generally apron thickness is kept 1.25 times thickness of the pitching. For rivers in which deep
scour is likely to take place thickness of the apron may be increased to 1.5 times.

CUTOFF
Sometimes alluvial river flowing along curves or bends abandons a particular bend and
establishes its main flow along a comparatively straight and short channel which is called
cutoff.
At times, it is advantageous to make an artificial cutoff by excavating a pilot channel of small
cross- section and letting it develop by itself in due course of time so that the river in that region
abandons the curved path and adopts the new course along the artificial cutoff.
Artificial cutoff avoids the chaotic or non-equilibrium condition which prevails during
occurrence of natural cutoff.
Artificial cutoffs shorten the travel distance and increase ease of maneuvering of a navigating
vessel. Artificial cutoff also diverts the river from a curved path which might be endangered
important land area.
Cut-offs as river training works are to be carefully planned and executed in meandering rivers.
The cut-off is artificially induced with a pilot channel to divert the river from a curved flow
which may be endangering valuable land or property or to straighten its approach to a work or
for any other purpose. As the cut-off shortens the length of the river, it is likely to cause
disturbance of regime upstream and downstream till readjustment is made. A pilot cut spreads
out the period of readjustment and makes the process gradual. Model tests come in handy in
finalizing this form of river training works wherever needed.
PITCHED ISLANDS
 Its an artificially created island in river bed.
 Consists of sand core, protected by stone pitching on all sides.
 Causes redistribution of velocity and tractive force.
 It decreases river velocity at the river banks and increase around it.

 There is dormation of deep scours around it.
 Gradually draws main current towards itself, away from the bank.
 To protect it from scouring, a launching apron is also provided.
 It increase river depth.
 The location, size and shape of pitched islands are usually decided on the basis of model
study.
 Particularly suitable in deep channels.
 In shallow channels with flush flood, they are not suitale.
CONCLUSION:

Specific hydraulic and geomorphic process associated with anti-erosion works are quite complex
and challenging.

The type of bank protection work has to be in accordance with the conditions of the specific site.

A method suitable for one location of a river may not be so for another location of the same river
or at another river.

For a proper appreciation of the techniques of bank stabilization, one has to have an awareness
about fluvial geomorphology and channel processes.