Evaluation of Pool-Riffle Maintenance Processes

in an Incised Urban Channel

Using a 3D Hydrodynamic Model:
Implications for Stream Restoration
John S. Schwartz, PhD, PE
Keil J. Neff, PhD Candidate
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of Tennessee Knoxville

Frank E. Dworak
GEI Consultants, Inc., Centennial, Colorado
2008 NCSU Stream Restoration Conference

Biological Significance of the Pool-Riffle Structure

Fish species and other
aquatic organisms have
evolved to exploit
resources differentially
between pool and riffle
mesohabitats

pool

riffle
Ordination results from:
Schwartz JS & EE Herricks. 2008.

Fish use of ecohydraulic-based

mesohabitat units in a low-gradient
Illinois stream: implications for stream
restoration. Aquat Conserv: Marine &
Freshw Ecosystems 18: 852-866.

fish species grouped

Embarras River, Champaign County, Illinois, August 2001

Degradation of Pool-Riffle Structure

in Incised Channels
riffle-glide sequence dominated pre-restoration
Longitudinal Profile, Water Surface Elevations, and Habitat Type Delineations
WF of NB of the Chicago River (Northbrook, IL) - June 1999

Pre-project
monitoring

195
Bed Elevation (m)

Northbrook
Restoration
Project

194
193
192
191
190
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Longitudinal Stream Distance (m)

Bed Elevation

WSL

POOL

RIFFLE

GLIDE

Schwartz JS & EE Herricks. 2007. Evaluation of pool-riffle naturalization

structures on habitat complexity and the fish community in an urban Illinois
stream. River Research and Applications 23: 451-466.

MacRae (1996)
identifies poolriffle sequence
degradation in
urban channels.

195.0
RR Bridge

194.0

Business
Shermer City
District
Road
Park

Walters
Road

193.0
192.0
191.0
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Stream Distance (m)

Plan view of unit

8

Single unit: 35 m length and 7.5 m width

1:3 transverse slope in pool area
1:10 longitudinal slopes
1.0

y (m)

Bed Elevation (m)

Stream Restoration:
A Focus on Maintenance of Pool-Riffle Structure

0.8

0.2

0.4

0.6
0.8

2
1.0

0
0

10

20

30

x (m)

40

50

a)

Fish Density (#/100m2)

Stream Restoration:
A Focus on Maintenance of Pool-Riffle Structure
30
Within Project Reach

25
20
15

Fish Biomass (g/m2)

black = pre-construction
gray = post-construction
Biodiversity increased from 0.49 to 1.29
Species Richness increased from 4 to 11

10
5
0

**

**

RR Bridge Business
Dist.

b)

Downstream

12
10

Shermer
Rd.

City Park

Walters
Rd.

Within Project Reach

**

***

Elm Street Oak Street

Downstream

8
6
4
2
0

**

**

RR Bridge Business
Dist.

Shermer
Rd.

1999

2000

City Park

2001

*
Walters
Rd.

2002

**

***

Elm Street Oak Street

2003

Schwartz JS & EE Herricks. 2007. Evaluation of pool-riffle

naturalization structures on habitat complexity and the fish community

in an urban Illinois stream. River Research and Applications 23: 451-466.

Pool-Riffle Maintenance:
Geomorphological Principles and Theory
Pool-riffle sequences observed in both sinuous and straight channels,
associated with alternating bar morphology
Pool spacing occurs on average 5 to 7 channel widths;
however pool spacing range is from 1.5 to 23 (Keller and Melhorn 1978)
Hydraulic patterns of flow acceleration-deceleration.

Rhoads and Welford. (1991). Morphology of single-row alternate bars in straight channels.
Shaded areas are below reach-averaged bed elevation, arrows indicate patterns of flow, and
heavy arrows (red line) mark position of the thalweg.

Pool-Riffle Maintenance:
Geomorphological Principles and Theory
Riffle-Pool Sequence:
Theoretical models of flow

structure in a straight channel for:

A) twin periodically reversing
surface-convergent helical flow cells
(Einstein & Shen 1964); and

B) surface-convergent flow produced

by interactions between the flow and
a mobile bed, creating riffle-pool
sequences (Thompson 1986).

Helical flow patterns observed

in meanders by Dietrich (1987).

Figure from Knighton (1998)

Pool-Riffle Maintenance:
Geomorphological Principles and Theory
Yalin (1992) defines burst cycles as alternating regions of high-speed and lowspeed, associated with bed erosion and deposition (pool-riffle maintenance).

Coherent macro-turbulent structures scale to

channel depth, approximately 6 flow depths

Reach-scale Morphological Adjustments:

Channel Evolution Model

Figure from Simon and Hupp (1986); Simon (2004).

Research Questions
Do helical flow patterns occur in incised channels with woody
vegetated banks?
How are hydraulic patterns impacted by increased large
roughness elements on the banks?
Can flow acceleration-deceleration patterns be induced by
modifying bank vegetation to promote pool-riffle
development, theoretically?

Planform Constrained Channel due to

Urban Development
Beaver Creek, Knox County, Tennessee
Cohesive soils bed and bank; mixed bed
substrates gravels to fines; channel width
approximately 6.5 m, bankfull depth 2.1 m;
channel slope 0.0001 m/m.

Study Site:
Beaver Creek, Knox County, Tennessee
near bankfull flows

Ridge and Valley

Geology

3D Hydrodynamic Modeling:
FLOW3D Model used for 3 Channel Structures
Modeled discharge near bankfull depth ,
Q = 1.68 m3/s; Reach Length = 105 m

1. Channel with Trees

-- present state of the
research site.

3. Channel: Proposed
Restoration Design

2. Channel with the

Trees Absent
-- used as for experimental
comparison with trees

Tecplot Image

Flow3D Model utilized full expression of Navier-Stokes Equation.

Model Results: Velocity Vectors at y-z Cross-sections

(m/s)
Maximum Velocity Vector for each cross-section

Channel With Trees

97m

Restoration Design

With No Trees

97m

97m

93m

93m

93m

90m

90m

90m

Model Results: Velocity Vectors

Channel With Trees

Restoration Design

With No Trees

82m

82m

82m

79m

79m

79m

55m

55m

55m

(m/s)

Model Results: Velocity Vectors

Channel With Trees

45m

Restoration Design

With No Trees

45m

45m

42m

42m

42m

25m

25m

25m

(m/s)

Model Results: Near-surface Macro-Turbulence

Channel with Trees Present

Channel with no Trees Present

Channel with Restoration Design

High turbulent kinetic energy around trees

Kinetic energy dissipated near boundary
roughness, bank morphologic heterogeneity
Rsistance from bank morphology and trees
influence macro-turbulent structures.
TKE
(m2/s2)

Summary Points
Helical Flow Reach-scale Patterns:
1.) Some evidence of helical flow in channel with no tress, however
difficult to detect from cross-sectional figures, in part due to influences
from bank morphological heterogeneity; and
2.) helical flow patterns not evident in channel with banks trees.

Additional analysis planned:

1.) FLOW3D model verification of ADV measurements taken during an
April 2007 flood; and
2) model output analysis of helical patterns.
Restoration Design: Pool-riffle maintenance may be promoted by
considering enhancing hydraulic flow acceleration-deceleration patterns,
modifying bank morphology, instead of using bed weir structures.

Biological Integrity: Restoration designs need to promote pool-riffle

development and maintenance by considering 3D hydraulics .

Proposed Restoration Design Concept

Remove trees on banks except for clusters spaced

at approximately 6 channel unit widths -- promote
flow acceleration and pool maintenance.

Increase channel width immediately downstream

of tree cluster -- promote flow deceleration and riffle
maintenance.

Use FLOW3D for final proposed design -- examine

hydraulic vectors over the reach for helical flow
patterns, and local bank/bed shear stress.

Flow deceleration:
widen bank and
promote riffle
maintenance

Cohesive soil banks -- critical shear stress = 2 to 3 Pa

with submerged jet tester; ~ 11 Pa from flume tests.

Riffles may be augmented with gravel -- current

bedload sampling is in progress for development of
bedload rating curve.
Flow acceleration at trees:
promote bed scour and
pool maintenance