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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #395586
Research Project: Computational Tools and Decision Support System Technologies for Agricultural Watershed Physical Processes, Water Quality and Ground Water Management

Location: Watershed Physical Processes Research

Title: Experimental and numerical investigation of reservoir embankment recession

Author
item OZEREN, YAVUZ - University Of Mississippi
item ROSSELL, WILLIAM - University Of Mississippi
item Wren, Daniel

Submitted to: American Society of Civil Engineers Water Resources Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/22/2021
Publication Date: 6/7/2022
Citation: Ozeren, Y., Rossell, W., Wren, D.G. 2022. Experimental and numerical investigation of reservoir embankment recession. American Society of Civil Engineers Water Resources Conference Proceedings. Atlanta, Georgia. June 5-8, 2022.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract Only

Technical Abstract: Irrigation reservoirs offer an alternative practice for reducing dependence on groundwater supplies in the Lower Mississippi River Basin. The embankments of the reservoirs are typically constructed using local soils with high silt content, and subjected to wind-generated wave erosion. Laboratory experiments were carried out in a wave tank to quantify the rate of wave induced erosion and embankment retreat for three types of embankment materials. The first model embankment was constructed using a natural soil mixture having a 90% silt content. The second embankment model was constructed out of sand with a d50 = 0.5 mm. The third embankment model was constructed using cylindrical shaped PET pellets of uniform size with a median diameter (d50) of 2.87 mm and density of 1.42 kg/m3. In all three cases, the incident waves and the morphological evolution of the beach profiles were monitored. Numerical simulations were also carried out in a one-dimensional numerical wave tank using the non-hydrostatic module of XBeach, a process-based morphological model for short-term beach and dune evolution. The simulation results were compared with the laboratory measurements. Preliminary results show that the numerical model was able to capture the key features of the equilibrium beach profile, but in general underestimated the erosion and retreat rates. A field campaign is currently underway in an irrigation reservoir near Shelby, MS, which includes wind and wave measurements, as well as surveys of the embankment profile. This paper presents the key findings and the comparisons of the laboratory experiments, field measurements and numerical simulations.