Physical modelling of the Akkajaure reservoir

Abstract

This paper describes the seasonal temperature development in the Akkajaure reservoir, one of the largest Swedish reservoirs. It lies in the headwaters of the river Lulealven in northern Sweden; it is 60 km long and 5 km wide with a maximum depth of 92 m. The maximum allowed variation in surface water level is 30 m. The temperature field in the reservoir is important for many biochemical processes. A one-dimensional lake model of the Akkajaure reservoir is developed from a lake model by Sahlberg (1983 and 1988). The dynamic eddy viscosity is calculated by a two equation turbulence model, a k–ε model and the hypolimnic eddy diffusivity formulation which is a function of the stability frequency (Hondzo et al., 1993). A comparison between calculated and measured temperature profiles showed a maximum discrepancy of 0.5–1.0°C over the period 1999-2002. Except for a few days in summer, the water temperature is vertically homogeneous. Over that period of years, a weak stratification of temperature occurred on only one to two weeks a year on different dates in July and August. This will have biological consequences. Keywords: temperature profile,reservoir, 1-D lake model, stratification, Sweden