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Downstream Effects of the Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Project on Bedload Transport, Channel Morphology, and Channel-Bed Texture, Lower Deschutes River, Oregon

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Downstream Effects of the Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Project on Bedload Transport, Channel Morphology, and Channel-Bed Texture, Lower Deschutes River, Oregon Downstream Effects of the Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Project on Bedload Transport, Channel Morphology, and Channel-Bed Texture, Lower Deschutes River, Oregon Heidi Fassnacht1 and Ellen M. McClure2 Oregon State University, Dept. of Geosciences and Dept. of Civil, Construction, and Environmental, and Engineering, Corvallis, Oregon Gordon E. Grant U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, Oregon Peter C. Klingeman Oregon State University, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Corvallis, Oregon Field, laboratory, and historical data provide the basis for interpreting the effects of the Pelton-Round Butte dam complex on the surface water hydrology and geomorphology of the lower Deschutes River, Oregon, USA. The river’s response to upstream impoundment and flow regulation is evaluated in terms of changes in predicted bedload transport rates, channel morphology, and channel-bed texture. Using a hydraulic model, we predicted dis- charges between 270 and 460 m3/s would be required to initiate bedload transport. Analysis of morphologic change at a long-term cross-section showed general scour and fill begin- ning at approximately 250 m3/s. Such bed-mobilizing flows have occurred less than 1% of the time during the 70+-year period of record, substantially less frequently than on other alluvial rivers. Historical streamflow records and bedload transport modeling suggest dam operations have had only minimal effects on the frequency and magnitude of streamflow and bedload transport. Analysis of gage data collected just below the dam complex revealed slow, minor degradation of the channel over the entire period of record, indicating the dams have not noticeably accelerated long-term incision rates. The dams also have had only min- imal effect on channel-bed texture, as demonstrated by detailed analysis of longitudinal trends in surface and subsurface grain-sizes and bed armoring. This study presents a coher- ent story of the Deschutes River as a stable alluvial system. This stability appears to be due to a hydrologically uniform flow regime and low rates of sediment supply, neither of which has been substantially altered by the dams or their operation. INTRODUCTION 1Currently at U.S. Peace Corps, Senegal, West Africa. 2Currently at Biohabitats, Inc., Timonium, Maryland. Dams alter the movement of water, sediment, wood, and Geology and Geomorphology of the Deschutes River, Oregon organisms through rivers and can, therefore, have potential- Water Science and Application 7 ly significant effects on alluvial systems. Predicting the Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union magnitude, timing, extent, or duration of dam effects is 10/1029/007WS12 complex, however [e.g., Petts, 1979, 1980; Williams and 175 176 DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS ON BEDLOAD TRANSPORT AND CHANNEL Wolman, 1984]. Physical changes to channels downstream Although we did not calculate a sediment budget, repeat of dams can range from bed degradation and narrowing, to surveys of Project reservoirs provided first-order estimates changes in channel-bed texture or armoring, to bed aggra- of pre-dam sediment supply to the lower river. In addition, dation, bar construction, and channel widening, to no meas- field observations were used to assess relative inputs of bed urable change whatsoever [Petts, 1979; Williams and material from tributaries during high flow events. Wolman, 1984; Chien, 1985; Galay et al., 1985; Gilvear and Effects of the Project on downstream channel morpholo- Winterbottom, 1992; Collier et al., 1996]. The variability in gy and channel-bed texture were examined by using histor- channel responses downstream of dams reflects the complex ical cross-sections to measure channel aggradation or scour interplay between the degree of flow regime alteration, the and using a field program designed to evaluate changes in frequency of flows capable of transporting sediment, and the grain-size distribution of the channel bed. No pre-dam the rate at which new sediment is supplied to the channel grain-size measurements exist for the lower Deschutes relative to the amount trapped by the dam [Williams and River. Prior post-dam studies [Huntington, 1985] did not Wolman, 1984; Grant and Schmidt, this volume]. These retain all particle sizes for measurement, precluding com- complex and interacting factors limit our ability to predict parison of current particle-size distributions with previous the effect of any given dam on the downstream channel. particle-size measurements. It was not possible to obtain Field and modeling studies are typically required to evalu- representative samples of bed material upstream of the ate downstream changes and relate them directly to a dam Project due to the location of major tributary confluences and its operation. Such studies are becoming increasingly and associated fans, and to the large area inundated by the important as the operating rules and licenses for both reservoir created by the Project. Consequently, we substitut- Federal and non-Federal dams are renewed, and in light of ed space for time and examined downstream longitudinal changing societal expectations and objectives for river man- trends in the size of the surface and subsurface bed-materi- agement. al to evaluate the magnitude and extent of channel response. This paper examines the downstream effects of the In addition, due to a large flood event that occurred after our Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Project (hereafter the first field season, we were also able to evaluate channel “Project”) on the lower Deschutes River in north-central response by examining these same longitudinal trends prior Oregon (Figure 1). We report and synthesize the results of to and following a large flood. Taken together, these differ- coordinated studies. Major individual components include a ent lines of evidence present a coherent and consistent story bedload transport study to estimate frequency and magni- of the Deschutes River and Project effects. tude of streamflow and bedload transport prior to and fol- lowing Project construction [Fassnacht, 1998]; a channel STUDY AREA morphology study to identify temporal trends and magni- tudes of changes in channel cross-section; and a channel- The study area is located in the 27,200 km2 Deschutes bed texture study to evaluate longitudinal trends in bed- River basin in north-central Oregon (Figure 1). The Project material properties downstream of the Project [McClure, (FERC No. 2030), a three-dam hydroelectric complex on the 1998]. Results from the channel morphology study comple- mainstem Deschutes River, is located directly downstream ment those from Curran and O’Connor [this volume]. from the confluence of the Crooked, upper Deschutes, and Observed responses of the Deschutes River are interpreted Metolius Rivers (Figure 1). The Project includes Round in light of the geologic and geomorphic setting of the river. Butte Dam, at River Mile1 (RM) 110.1, Pelton Dam (RM In the bedload transport study, the percentage of time that 102.6), and the Reregulating Dam (RM 100.1). The study threshold transport conditions were equaled or exceeded area encompassed the downstream-most 161 km of river was calculated based on field data, hydraulic modeling, and extending from the Reregulating Dam to the confluence of analysis of historical streamflow records. The robustness of the Deschutes and Columbia Rivers (Figure 1). Within this the modeling results was confirmed by a sensitivity analysis and a detailed analysis of long-term cross-section change in 1 Units given are metric except for locations, which are relation to discharge. These results suggested extremely low given as River Miles (RM), or miles upstream from the river bedload transport rates that would be difficult to measure mouth as marked on USGS topographic maps. These values directly in the field. To estimate the frequency and magni- are close to, but not necessarily the same as, actual distances tude of bedload transport prior to and following Project con- along the present channel. Fractional river miles given here- struction, bedload transport modeling was conducted and in are based on interpolations between these published river evaluated in the context of historical streamflow records. miles. FASSNACHT ET AL. 177 Figure 1. The Deschutes River basin. Base map from Aney et al. [1967]. 178 DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS ON BEDLOAD TRANSPORT AND CHANNEL larger study area, a primary study reach, extending 21 km es [Nehlsen, 1995]. Although several macrophytes populate between the Reregulating Dam and Trout Creek tributary portions of the lower Deschutes, coontail (Ceratophyllum (RM 87.3), was chosen based on the premise that the effects demersum, identification, S. Gregory, Oregon State of the Project would be most pronounced in the reach closest University, oral communication, 1998), also known as horn- to the dams. All field data used in the bedload transport study wort, is by far the most abundant, and is concentrated in the were collected within this primary study reach; the channel- reach closest to the Project. This floating macrophyte occupies bed texture study included both the primary study reach and zones of shallow, slow-moving water [Haslam, 1987] and is the entire study area. anchored by shoots penetrating bed material. The lower Deschutes River experiences only small sea- Geomorphic and Hydrologic Setting sonal variations in discharge because of large groundwater contributions [Gannett et al., 1996; Gannett et al., this vol- The lower Deschutes
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