Numerical study on reservoir sediment management through adding excavated sediment downstream of dams in Japan

Abstract

Dam related issues have become preoccupying, with raising concerns about detrimental environmental impacts and sedimentation in reservoirs. Reduction of the Ayu-fish production is due to increasing turbidity and decreasing coarse sediment supply by dams in the Tenryu River, Japan. The paper summarizes various case studies on excavated sediment supply in Japan and a case of numerical study to evaluate the effect of the supplied sediment on the spawning redds of Ayu-fish in the Tenryu River. Results of numerical simulations show that under the present management scheme of non-supplied sediment from the upstream dams, suitable spawning redds are formed on sandbars at the confluence instead of riffles. However, field surveys indicate that riffles with newly deposited sediment are more suitable for fish spawning.