Author(s): Celia Fan
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Stream restoration; Flood control channel; Low-flow channel; Sediment transport; Meanders; Deflectors; Pools and riffles
Abstract: Many natural rivers and streams in highly urbanized areas were converted into concrete channels to maximize the efficiency of conveying the floodwaters away from populated areas. These engineering structures disrupt the natural equilibrium and eliminate the living habitats in fluvial systems. The objective of this research is to develop a general stream restoration approach for flood control channels in highly urbanized areas which consists of three phases: 1) modification of low-flow channels to re-establish a natural and self-sustainable river system for selected fish habitats; 2) development of hydraulic and sediment transport relationships for the modified lowflow channel; and 3) confirmation of the original flood control function after stream restoration. Meanders and deflectors will be applied to the low-flow channel in order to achieve the first goal. A physical model representing an actual 2-metre wide meander low-flow channel section is constructed at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's Hydraulics Laboratory to investigate the pools creation.
Year: 2009