12 Sediment Management in River Basins: An Essential Element …
269
of the Sudetes surface to erosion. The Oder river turbidity increases in the middle part
as a result of the supply of post-mining waters from Upper Silesia and the Ostrava
region (in Miedonia 166 mg·l
−1 , Brzeg 109 mg·l
−1 ), however, in the further course
the turbidity is clearly decreasing, and in the lower section in the Gozdowice, the
average value is about 6 mg·l
−1 [61].
The Suspended Sediment Load (SSL) from the Vistula mountain catchment area is
one order of magnitude higher than the upland and lowland basins. In the longitudinal
profile of the upper Vistula, a systematic increase of the suspended load is observed
[29, 61, 63]. In the upper section of the Vistula, from the profile in Skoczow—
upper Vistula (SSL 10.4 thous. tons·year
−1 ) to Pulawy—middle reach (SSL 1.7
million tons·year
−1 ), there is a systematic increase in load associated with the supply
of sediments from the Carpathian tributaries. In the middle part, from Pulawy to
Płock, accumulation of the transported sediments is observed, as the SSL value is
systematically decreasing, so in Płock profile SSL equals 0.7 million tons·year
−1 [30,
64]. In the lower section, below the Włocławek Reservoir, suspended sediment load
is about 0.35 million tons·year
−1 , which is related to the reservoir accumulating about
42% of suspended sediments [27]. The systematic increase of suspended sediment
load is strongly related to the erosion zone below the Włocławek Reservoir. The
suspended sediment deficit in the waters of the Vistula River, which was previously
accumulated in the reservoir, enforces increased erosion and transport. In literature,
this phenomenon functions under the name “hungry water” [39]. However, the load
of the sediments to the estuary of the Vistula is no longer rebuilt to the level which
occurs above the water dam in Włocławek [40].
The Oder River, in terms of sediment transport, is characterized by not great
variation in the suspended sediment load in the longitudinal profile. Despite a 20fold increase in the catchment area and the 12-fold increase in water flow, the SSL
is 0.33 million tons year
−1 in the upper section (Chałupki profile) and 0.35 million
tons year
−1 in the estuary profile of the river [61].
Transport of suspended sediment in rivers of various regions of Poland shows high
variability in the annual cycle, conditioned by climatic, hydrological and vegetative
conditions. The most obvious regularities are observed in mountain rivers, where the
maximum discharged loads of the suspension fall in June and July (50–70% of the
annual sediment’s mass). The second maximum in these rivers appears in March and
April as a result of the thaw (Fig. 12.2). In the longitudinal profile of the Vistula,
there is a large seasonal variation in the transport of the suspension, depending on
the delivery of the sediment from the tributaries. In the upper and middle course, it
dominates in summer, in the lower courses, the maximum can occur every month [61].
Both on the Oder and the Vistula River, the maximum transport of the suspension
takes place during the maximum flood overflow or in the propagation phase of the
flood wave [10]. During floods lasting up to several percents of days a year, over
95% of the annual load is carried, and during catastrophic floods—even 10 times
more than in the average year. In the upland catchment areas, the share of flood in
discharging the sediment reaches 70% of the annual load [65], and in urban basins
exceeds 90% [66].
269
of the Sudetes surface to erosion. The Oder river turbidity increases in the middle part
as a result of the supply of post-mining waters from Upper Silesia and the Ostrava
region (in Miedonia 166 mg·l
−1 , Brzeg 109 mg·l
−1 ), however, in the further course
the turbidity is clearly decreasing, and in the lower section in the Gozdowice, the
average value is about 6 mg·l
−1 [61].
The Suspended Sediment Load (SSL) from the Vistula mountain catchment area is
one order of magnitude higher than the upland and lowland basins. In the longitudinal
profile of the upper Vistula, a systematic increase of the suspended load is observed
[29, 61, 63]. In the upper section of the Vistula, from the profile in Skoczow—
upper Vistula (SSL 10.4 thous. tons·year
−1 ) to Pulawy—middle reach (SSL 1.7
million tons·year
−1 ), there is a systematic increase in load associated with the supply
of sediments from the Carpathian tributaries. In the middle part, from Pulawy to
Płock, accumulation of the transported sediments is observed, as the SSL value is
systematically decreasing, so in Płock profile SSL equals 0.7 million tons·year
−1 [30,
64]. In the lower section, below the Włocławek Reservoir, suspended sediment load
is about 0.35 million tons·year
−1 , which is related to the reservoir accumulating about
42% of suspended sediments [27]. The systematic increase of suspended sediment
load is strongly related to the erosion zone below the Włocławek Reservoir. The
suspended sediment deficit in the waters of the Vistula River, which was previously
accumulated in the reservoir, enforces increased erosion and transport. In literature,
this phenomenon functions under the name “hungry water” [39]. However, the load
of the sediments to the estuary of the Vistula is no longer rebuilt to the level which
occurs above the water dam in Włocławek [40].
The Oder River, in terms of sediment transport, is characterized by not great
variation in the suspended sediment load in the longitudinal profile. Despite a 20fold increase in the catchment area and the 12-fold increase in water flow, the SSL
is 0.33 million tons year
−1 in the upper section (Chałupki profile) and 0.35 million
tons year
−1 in the estuary profile of the river [61].
Transport of suspended sediment in rivers of various regions of Poland shows high
variability in the annual cycle, conditioned by climatic, hydrological and vegetative
conditions. The most obvious regularities are observed in mountain rivers, where the
maximum discharged loads of the suspension fall in June and July (50–70% of the
annual sediment’s mass). The second maximum in these rivers appears in March and
April as a result of the thaw (Fig. 12.2). In the longitudinal profile of the Vistula,
there is a large seasonal variation in the transport of the suspension, depending on
the delivery of the sediment from the tributaries. In the upper and middle course, it
dominates in summer, in the lower courses, the maximum can occur every month [61].
Both on the Oder and the Vistula River, the maximum transport of the suspension
takes place during the maximum flood overflow or in the propagation phase of the
flood wave [10]. During floods lasting up to several percents of days a year, over
95% of the annual load is carried, and during catastrophic floods—even 10 times
more than in the average year. In the upland catchment areas, the share of flood in
discharging the sediment reaches 70% of the annual load [65], and in urban basins
exceeds 90% [66].