Author(s): J. Schneider; S. Gegenleithner; H. Badura; G. Harb

Linked Author(s): Gabriele Harb, Josef Schneider

Keywords: Sediment management; River Mur; Hydro power plants; EU Water Framework Directive; Telemac-2D

Abstract: Sediment management issues at Austrian rivers are challenging. Besides technical questions concerning sediment handling at local prototype scale, operational considerations for managing several power plants simultaneously will be discussed here. Run-of-river hydro power plants (HPP) cause an interruption of the river continuum and an impounding of water. The reduction of flow velocity leads to the settlement of sediments in the reservoirs, coarse material at the head of the reservoirs and fine sediments near the dams. For achieving the good ecological status regarding the EU Water Framework Directive, the consistency of sediments is essential. Therefore, measures in the close proximity of dams like dredging or flushing have to be performed on one hand; overarching considerations like managing several power plants simultaneously on the other hand are necessary. The present study is located along the alpine gravel bed river Mur in Styria/Austria. The river Mur is characterized by an almost continuous chain of HPPs along the Austrian reach between the villages of Leoben and Spielfeld. 21 HPPs are operating and one is under construction (HPP Graz). VERBUND has been working on a sustainable sediment management for the river Mur since the early 1990ies. Main effort has been given to establish a harmonized sediment management and hence a well-coordinated operational management for the whole chain of the HPPs. Recently, the Styrian government adapted and increased the calculatory flood discharges up to 300 m3/s, resulting in new flood maps and flood risk management plans. Numerical simulations by means of Telemac-2D are the basis for performing such measures.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/978-981-11-2731-1_174-cd

Year: 2018