12 Sediment Management in River Basins: An Essential Element …
271
Oder (in Słubice cross-section in the period 1951–1969) was 137 thous. m
3 (about
0.22 tons per year), in the dry year 48 thous. m
3 , and in the wet one—283.8 thous.
m
3 . Referring these values to the Vistula River in the Warsaw section (regulated) in
the Nadwilanowka profile [69], it gives twice as much bed load sediment in 1 m
3
of water than the Oder in Słubice [70]. It should be added that the Slubice profile
closes the Oder river basin area—53,580 km
2 (584.1 km of the river’s course), and
the Vistula Nadwilanowka 84,884 km
2 (504.1 km), so a comparison of the data is
justified. This diversification of bed load transport results from differences in the
management of the river channels of both rivers, where the Oder channel does not
emerge point bars even at average low water levels, whereas in the Vistula riverbed
they are common already at medium states. Also, data regarding the transport of bed
load of both the Oder and especially Vistula should be considered as understated,
as compared to those provided by Babi´ nski [40], Babi´ nski and Habel [71], which
results from e.g., using different research methods. Because the amount of bed load
sediment is affected, among others, by its feeding area, i.e. basin area and flow (transport capacity), and these parameters are respectively for the Vistula 194,424 km
2 and
1080 m
3 ·s
−1 , and for the Oder 118,861 km
2 and 574 m
3 ·s
−1 . Therefore, it can be
concluded that Oder River has about 57% of the transport potential of the Vistula
River. Assuming that the transport of the bed load sediment at the estuary of the
Vistula is currently about 1.2 million tons per year, then the Oder transports almost
0.7 million tons/year. However, taking into account the fact that Vistula River has
twice as much sediment in 1 m
3 of water than Oder [66], then the latter transports
about 350 thousand tons of sand-gravel formations annually, which makes the Oder,
in terms of morphodynamic conditions of the riverbed, friendlier for navigation.
12.2.3 Human Interference in the Dynamics of River
Sediment Transport
Major changes in clastic sediment transport in the Polish rivers result from the
impact of dams [27]. For example, the reservoir in Solina on the upper part of San
captures as much as 99% of the suspension transported by this river (average from
the dam operating period), and other deep reservoirs located in the Carpathians and
Sudetes over 80% [61]. In shallow reservoirs located in different regions of Poland
(Czaniec, Sromowce, Czchow, Myczkowce, Goczalkowice, Włocławek, Sulejow,
Debe, Jeziorsko), erosion of sediments during rapid floods or quick release of water
from the upper reservoir resulting in increased transport of the suspension in the river
below the dam [18, 61]. Another effect cause by the impact of dams is a reduction
in the variations of the transport of the suspension during the year, which results
from the highest accumulation of material in reservoirs during numerous floods of
low intensity. Significant changes in the sediment load in the longitudinal profiles of
particularly smaller rivers may result from the impact of sewage discharge. Below
the dam in Włocławek, the suspended sediment transport in Vistula is reduced by
271
Oder (in Słubice cross-section in the period 1951–1969) was 137 thous. m
3 (about
0.22 tons per year), in the dry year 48 thous. m
3 , and in the wet one—283.8 thous.
m
3 . Referring these values to the Vistula River in the Warsaw section (regulated) in
the Nadwilanowka profile [69], it gives twice as much bed load sediment in 1 m
3
of water than the Oder in Słubice [70]. It should be added that the Slubice profile
closes the Oder river basin area—53,580 km
2 (584.1 km of the river’s course), and
the Vistula Nadwilanowka 84,884 km
2 (504.1 km), so a comparison of the data is
justified. This diversification of bed load transport results from differences in the
management of the river channels of both rivers, where the Oder channel does not
emerge point bars even at average low water levels, whereas in the Vistula riverbed
they are common already at medium states. Also, data regarding the transport of bed
load of both the Oder and especially Vistula should be considered as understated,
as compared to those provided by Babi´ nski [40], Babi´ nski and Habel [71], which
results from e.g., using different research methods. Because the amount of bed load
sediment is affected, among others, by its feeding area, i.e. basin area and flow (transport capacity), and these parameters are respectively for the Vistula 194,424 km
2 and
1080 m
3 ·s
−1 , and for the Oder 118,861 km
2 and 574 m
3 ·s
−1 . Therefore, it can be
concluded that Oder River has about 57% of the transport potential of the Vistula
River. Assuming that the transport of the bed load sediment at the estuary of the
Vistula is currently about 1.2 million tons per year, then the Oder transports almost
0.7 million tons/year. However, taking into account the fact that Vistula River has
twice as much sediment in 1 m
3 of water than Oder [66], then the latter transports
about 350 thousand tons of sand-gravel formations annually, which makes the Oder,
in terms of morphodynamic conditions of the riverbed, friendlier for navigation.
12.2.3 Human Interference in the Dynamics of River
Sediment Transport
Major changes in clastic sediment transport in the Polish rivers result from the
impact of dams [27]. For example, the reservoir in Solina on the upper part of San
captures as much as 99% of the suspension transported by this river (average from
the dam operating period), and other deep reservoirs located in the Carpathians and
Sudetes over 80% [61]. In shallow reservoirs located in different regions of Poland
(Czaniec, Sromowce, Czchow, Myczkowce, Goczalkowice, Włocławek, Sulejow,
Debe, Jeziorsko), erosion of sediments during rapid floods or quick release of water
from the upper reservoir resulting in increased transport of the suspension in the river
below the dam [18, 61]. Another effect cause by the impact of dams is a reduction
in the variations of the transport of the suspension during the year, which results
from the highest accumulation of material in reservoirs during numerous floods of
low intensity. Significant changes in the sediment load in the longitudinal profiles of
particularly smaller rivers may result from the impact of sewage discharge. Below
the dam in Włocławek, the suspended sediment transport in Vistula is reduced by