Author(s): Sayedreza Jafarzadeh; Joao Pedro Pego; Rodrigo Maia
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Reservoir sedimentation reduces water storage capacity and hydropower efficiency, emphasizing the need for accurate modeling of sediment dynamics. This study develops a two-dimensional model to simulate suspended sediment transport along a reservoir. The case study is the Carrapatelo Reservoir in Portugal, a long run-of-river reservoir approximately 40 km long. Field measurements of Suspended Sediment Concentration (SSC) were conducted along the reservoir's longitudinal profile to provide sediment input data and support model validation. These spatially distributed SSC measurements are essential for capturing longitudinal sediment dynamics and calibrating numerical models in elongated reservoirs. Sensitivity analyses were performed using the Van Rijn, Toffaleti, and Meyer-Peter & Müller sediment transport functions under identical conditions. Results indicate that the Toffaleti formulation provides the best agreement with observed SSC patterns, while the other functions tend to underestimate SSC downstream. The results demonstrate that longitudinal SSC data enhance model calibration and transport function selection in long-run-of-river reservoirs, supporting transferable sediment modeling and morphological predictions.
Year: 2026