Author(s): Hendrik Havinga; Rick Van Adrichem
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: River interventions; Dredging; Navigation; Structural measures; Probabilistic approach
Abstract: In the Netherlands currently a large number of river intervention works are planned within the Room for the River Program (RfR) and the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). The measures increase the flood conveyance capacity as well as biodiversity. Popular measures are dike setback, lowering flood plains, reconnecting side channels and removal of bank defences. These river intervention works have a strong impact on flow and sediment transport fields, and will induce larger dynamics of the riverbed. This negatively influences the river’s navigability. Thus, maintenance costs for navigation are expected to rise as a consequence of the increase in the required dredging operations of each individual project. Moreover, the intended dredging operations will hamper inland navigation significantly, resulting in large economical impacts and a lower safety of inland navigation. To prevent this, the lay-out of the Dutch river system should be designed in such a way that it keeps itself navigable. The reduction of dredging amounts can be achieved by structural measures. This paper discusses the results of a study of the increase and uncertainty of maintenance dredging on the Waal River and the changes in navigability, before and after execution of the Room for the River program. A 2D morphological model is used, both a deterministic calculation method and a probabilistic Monte Carlo Simulation method have been applied. The results of the analyses served also to better understand the merits of probabilistic methods and integrated impact assessment.
Year: 2013