CHARACTER and CONTROLS of SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION and DISCHARGE EFFECTIVENESS, FRASEW RIVER, Brftish ZBLUMBIA, CANADA
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Sc., Simon Fraser University, 1986 THESIS SUBMIXED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Department of Geography O Henry Mweempwa Sichingabula 1993 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY August 1993 All rights resewed. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or by other means, without permission of the author. 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Ni la these ni des extraits extracts from it may be printed or substantiels de celie-ci ne otherwise reproduced without doivent 6tre irnprimes ou his/her permission. autrernent reproduits sans son - autorisation. ISBN 0-315-91261-8 APPROVAL Name: Henry Mweempwa Sichingabula Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title of Thesis: Character And Conwols Of Suspended-Sediment Concentration And Discharge Effectiveness, Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada Examining Committee: Chair: Alison M. Gill Associate .Profe@orfi / -, -, Professor Senior Supervisor M.C. Roberts, Professor W.G. Bailey, ~rofehor R.D. Moore, Assistant Professor I. Hutchinson, ~ssociateProfessor, Department of Geography Internal Examiner &m&d ALLKostaschuk, Associate Professor, Department of Geography University of Guelph External Examiner Date Approved: August 17.1993 BAWTTAL COPYRIGHT LICENSE 1hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Lihraq, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that pemzission for multiple copying of this work For scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/RojectiExtended Essay Character And Controls Of S upended-Sedimen t Concentration And Discharge -Effectiveness, Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada Author: - 6' (signature) Henry Mweemuwa Sichingabula @me> Abstract This study investigates the character of seasonal channel scour and fill regime in relation to suspended-sediment transport in the Fraser River. Magnitudelfrequency characteristics of selected flow events are investigated in relation to the roles of effective discharge, threshold discharge for bed scour, and bankfull discharges in transporting suspended-sediment load. The study includes an analysis of the major factors controlling sediment variation for 49 single-valued linear and non- linear (concave and convex) and ? 22 hysteretic sediment rating curves for single hydrological events. Archival data for sediment, discharge and cross-section form collected by Water Survey of Canada from 1960 to 1988 are used for graphical analysis and for linear, nsn-linear and stepwise multiple ragression models of sediment discharge. Results of the analyses reveal that the effective discharge and threshold discharge for bed scour, which can be estimated from bankfull discharge or from drainage area, generally are 0.3 and 0.8 times bankfull discharge, respectively. Seasonal scour and fill regime in Fraser River shows a rapid lowering of the bed, caused largely by spring snowmelt, and progressive adjustment of the bed and suspended-sediment transport. A close relatioriship between scour and filling of the bed and sediment concentration is identified, especially when the threshold discharge and bankfuil discharges are exceeded. Three major factors are shown to control variations of suspended- se~;mUllltent concentration reflected in sediment rating curves; hydiologi.', channel hydraulics and meteorological conditions. Hydrol~gically, variations in linear sedimect curves are controlled by mean rising- discharge and rates of flood intensity (rismg stage) and by mean falling- discharge and rates of flood recession (falling stage). For non-linear sediment rating curves, sediment concentrations are more related to rates af flood recession than to rates of flood intensity. Under high antecedent moisture conditions, quick runoff tends to rapidly increase sediment concentration closely related to discharge, producing linear curves, while under low antecedent moisture conditions, delayed increases in concentration produce non-linear sediment curves. Hydraulically, sediment variation for linear rating curves are controlled by scouring of the bed (rising stage) and by channel filling (falling stages;; concave curves by scouring in the rising stages and filling and re-scouring in the Falling stages; and convex curves by filling and scouring in the rising stages and filling and re-scouring in the falling stages. In winter, timing of scouring and filling approximately coincides with the timing of precipitation, if any, in the rising andlor falling stages under sub-zero and low temperatures (1 IT 2 9 OC) or under moderate (10 5 T I 19 OC) temperature conditions. Concepts of geomorphic and complex response are used to relate factors controlling sediment discharge for single hydrological events in a model predicting forms of sediment rating curves produced under different geomorphologic, hydrologic, hydraulic and meteorologic conditions. Dedication To my wife and chiidren I wish to thank my Senior Supervisor, Dr. E. J. Hickin. far h~smvaiuable support and advise during the tedious process of writing this thes~s. He provided me with inspiration and encouragement at all stages of my degree programme. Special thanks are due to my external examlner Dr. R. A. Kostaschuk for many enlightenmg suggestions and ideas of the character of suspended-sediment transport in the Fraser River basin. Grateful acknowiedgments are also given to other members of my examining committee: Drs. W. G. Bailey, 3. R. Moore, M. C. Roberts and I. Hutchinson for their useful comments, suggestions and ins~ghtswhich contributed to many aspects of this thesis. I thank Mr. B. Tassorie of Water Survey of Canada, Sediment Section, Vancouver, for advise on sediment monitoring procedures and permission of access to departmental station files. The cooperation of all the staff in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University is greatly appreciated. Many thanks to every one who have given me their valued friendship and support in recent years, especially. Drs. G. Brooks, and S. Vanderburgh; Messrs. 0. Lian, J. Sheaff, P. Haje, S. Pehleman. However, I remain solely responsible for any commission or omission In this thesis. This research in Canada was made possible by the offer to me of a study leave by the University of Zambia, the award of a Commonwealth Scholarship by the Canadian Commonwealth and Fellowship Plan now administered by the Canadian Bureau for International Education, the provision of a President's Research Grant Stipend by Simon Fraser University in the duratiort of my programme as well as funding from Dr. E. J. Hickin through the award cr Research