ACEER Conference: Mechanism of Sediment Transport by Flood and Longitudinal Peak Discharge Amplifications in the Yellow River

The 2019 International Conference on Advances in Civil and Ecological Engineering Research (ACEER 2019) was held successfully in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, from July 1st - 4th, 2019. It was organized by I-Shou University, co-organized by National Sun Yat-Sen University, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, and Taiwan Society of Microbial Ecology. The technical program comprised one plenary session with 2 keynote speeches, seven parallel sessions including 22 invited speeches and 37 regular oral presentations, and 23 poster presentations. ACEER 2019 aimed to provide a high-level international forum for researchers and engineers to present and discuss recent advances, new techniques and applications in the field of Civil Engineering, Environmental and Ecological Engineering. This conference has attracted around 120 participants from 15 countries and areas. The subjects of the conference included many disciplines or inter disciplines of civil engineering, ecology and environment.

Abstract of my presentation: As a general principle of river bed evolution during the fluvial process, the channel is formed by river flows, while the movement of river flows is contained by channels. When the hyperconcentrated flood propagates along the wandering reach of the Yellow River, the peak discharge of the flood can increase along the reach. Due to the recurrence of this abnormal phenomenon, attentions have been drawn from various stakeholders, since the amplifications of flood peak can jeopardize flood control works. By analyzing the field observed data, we present our research findings of "scour during rising” and “deposit during falling” of a flood event, as well as the sediment transport mechanism with constant discharge. The bedform affects the characteristics of sediment transport and the resistance force. When the bedform is in the dynamic equilibrium state, sediment transport characteristics can be described as “the more sediment input, the more sediment output”. When the shear stress created by flow acting on bed is increasing, scour is observed on the channel bed. On the contrary, when shear stress is decreasing, deposition is observed. When the shear stress remains the same, sediment transport is in the equilibrium state. After the operation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir, due to coarsen of the bed material, the bedform resistance increased. When the flow condition changes and the bed roughness decreases abruptly, the increasing flow velocity can result in the reduction of channel storage volume. This is the main reason for the longitudinal amplifications of peak discharge in the wandering reach of the Yellow River.

The full paper can be found here:

 

Google Earth Engine (GEE) Produced March 2019 Omaha Flooding Map

I used Google Earth Engine to produce a map of Omaha NE flooding of March 2019 based on the EU's Sentinel-2 image. Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based platform for planetary-scale environmental data analysis. The main components of the Earth Engine are: Datasets: A petabyte-scale archive of publicly available remotely sensed imagery and other data. As a cloud-based geospatial analysis platform,  the powerful tool of GEE enables users to visualize and analyze satellite images of our planet. Scientists and non-profits use Earth Engine for remote sensing research, predicting disease outbreaks, natural resource management, and more. Also students can access this information to join the discussion and become data scientists themselves.

Some background of this flooding event: the Midwestern United States experienced major floods in the Spring of 2019, primarily along the Missouri River and its tributaries in Nebraska, Missouri, South Dakota, Iowa, and Kansas. The Mississippi River also saw flooding, although starting later and ending earlier. The 2019 January-to-May period was the wettest on record for the U.S., with multiple severe weather outbreaks through May in the Midwest, High Plains, and South exacerbating the flooding and causing additional damage. Throughout late May and early June, rain in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri caused every site on the Mississippi River to record a top-five crest. At least three people in Iowa and Nebraska have died. Nearly 14 million people in the midwestern and southern states have been affected by the flooding, which the New York Times has called "The Great Flood of 2019". New record river levels were set in 42 different locations. Although $12 billion in aid was made "available to farmers who lost money due to the trade war" the previous year, Reuters reported that the USDA had "no program to cover the catastrophic and largely uninsured stored-crop losses from the widespread flooding." At least 1 million acres of U.S. farmland, in nine major grain-producing states, have flooded.

 

USGS R Packages for Stream Gauge Analysis

This is a very nice collection of the USGS R training curriculum, and materials that correspond to specific workshops. The current courses are Introduction to R, Introduction to USGS R Packages, and R Package Development.

 
Introduction to R Languages can be found here:
https://owi.usgs.gov/R/training-curriculum/intro-curriculum/.

I also developed a sample R program to analyze the flood recurrence interval based on annual peak discharge (cfs), and Log-Pearson Type III distribution at USGS 01463500 Delaware River at Trenton NJ:

### STEP 1
### Removing all previously generated datasets and plots 
cat("\014")
rm(list = ls())
dev.off()

### STEP 2
### Loading two specific packages into Program
library(dataRetrieval) 
library(xts)

### STEP 3
### Get the Peak Annual Discharge at USGS Delaware River at Trenton, NJ
mysite<-'01463500'
annualpeak<-readNWISpeak(mysite)

### STEP 4
### Perform Flood Frequency Analysis 
Q_peak = as.numeric(annualpeak$peak_va)
Q <- na.exclude(Q_peak)
graphlab = "(1897-2019)"

#Generate plotting positions
n = length(Q)
r = n + 1 - rank(Q)  # highest Q has rank r = 1
T = (n + 1)/r

# Set up x-axis tick positions and labels
Ttick = c(1.001,1.01,1.1,1.5,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,60,70,80,90,100)
xtlab = c(1.001,1.01,1.1,1.5,2,NA,NA,5,NA,NA,NA,NA,10,NA,NA,NA,NA,15,NA,NA,NA,NA,20,NA,30,NA,NA,NA,50,NA,NA,NA,NA,100)
y = -log(-log(1 - 1/T))
ytick = -log(-log(1 - 1/Ttick))
xmin = min(min(y),min(ytick))
xmax = max(ytick)

# Fit a line by method of moments, along with 95% confidence intervals
KTtick = -(sqrt(6)/pi)*(0.5772 + log(log(Ttick/(Ttick-1))))
QTtick = mean(Q) + KTtick*sd(Q) 
nQ = length(Q)
se = (sd(Q)*sqrt((1+1.14*KTtick + 1.1*KTtick^2)))/sqrt(nQ) 
LB = QTtick - qt(0.975, nQ - 1)*se
UB = QTtick + qt(0.975, nQ - 1)*se
max = max(UB)
Qmax = max(QTtick)

# Plot peak flow series with Gumbel axis
plot(y, Q,
     ylab = expression( "Annual Peak Flow (cfs)" ) ,
     xaxt = "n", xlab = "Return Period, T (year)",
     ylim = c(0, Qmax),
     xlim = c(xmin, xmax),
     pch = 21, bg = "red",
     main = paste( "USGS 01463500",graphlab )
)  
par(cex = 0.65)
axis(1, at = ytick, labels = as.character(xtlab))

# Add fitted line and confidence limits
lines(ytick, QTtick, col = "black", lty=1, lwd=2)  
lines(ytick, LB, col = "blue", lty = 1, lwd=1.5)
lines(ytick, UB, col = "red", lty = 1, lwd=1.5)  

# Draw grid lines
abline(v = ytick, lty = 3, col="light gray")             
abline(h = seq(500, floor(Qmax), 5000), lty = 3,col="light gray") 
par(cex = 1)

### STEP 5
# Also show regression equations for Q~T
model <- lm(QTtick~ytick)
paste('Q =', coef(model)[[2]], '* ln(T)', '+', coef(model)[[1]])
paste('T =', 'EXP ( (Q  - ', coef(model)[[1]], ') / ', coef(model)[[2]], ')')

Prof. Qi Pu Invited to Popular TV Show of "Only You" (Tianjin TV)

Professor Qi Pu participated in the silver-hair section of the popular TV show, "Only You" of Tianjin Satellite TV in May 2018. Professor Qi Pu, 76 years old, is from the Lower Yellow River, near Zhengzhou, Henan Province in Central China. Since the 1960s, he has been committed to the research and governance of the Yellow River. He has presided over the Yellow River related Science-Technology Project of the National '8th Five-Year-Plan' of China, and won the second prize of scientific and technological progress in Henan Province. As the role model in his position, he was warmly received by the national and provincial leaders. During the show, Professor Qi Pu said: "The Yellow River has changed dramatically, and it's my sincere life-long wish that this river will no longer flood in the future."

Xiaolangdi Hydropower Project on the Lower Yellow River

The 1,836MW Xiaolangdi Project was completed in 2000, one year ahead of schedule, and is now generating 5.1 billion kWh of electricity a year. The World Bank reports that a total cost was $3.5 billion ($700 million lower than projected), with $1 billion on resettlement costs for about 200,000 people. Xiaolangdi Project, a key Chinese national project, is located 40km north of the ancient city of Luoyang in central China’s Henan Province. The project is the largest of its kind on the Yellow River and is second only to the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze. It consists of underground generating units, silt-discharge channels, and a 1,317m-long, 154m-high dam.

Multipurpose Dam Project

Xiaolangdi is a multi-purpose project for flood control, ice control, dredging, industrial and municipal water supply and hydroelectric power. The region surrounding the lower reaches of China’s second longest river is densely populated and a major agricultural area. It has been subjected to devastating Yellow River floods, which China is determined to end. Xiaolangdi is one of 27 dams planned for the river. Yellow River projects are especially challenging because of local conditions. Rapid loss soil erosion upstream builds up into high sediment levels downstream. This raises the river bed and causes floods. The project’s 12.8km³ reservoir extends for 130km. It is designed to trap sediment for the first 20 years of operation and then reach equilibrium. A complex system of 15 large tunnels with an underground powerhouse makes it possible to flush sediments by creating controlled floods in the main river channel. Three silt-discharge tunnels were completed ahead of schedule in spring 1999 to ensure the project could cope during the summer flood season.

Hydro Turbines, Governors and Gates

Voith supplied the six hydro turbines, governors and gates for Xiaolangdi. During the flood season, the units will operate with sediment-laden flow under extremely hostile conditions. Pioneering coating techniques have been employed to protect the components from erosion in the heavily silt-laden water.

“China plans to increase its electric power capacity by between 8% and 9% per year to meet growing demand from both industry and private consumers.”

The plant will only be utilized at full capacity at periods of peak demand and during the flood season. At most times only two of the six generators will be online to limit water discharge to 400m³/s. While much of the Voith equipment was manufactured at the company’s plant in York, USA, the group’s new Chinese joint venture, Shanghai High-Technology Equipment Company (SHEC), also produced equipment for the project. (Voith and Siemens both support SHEC). Harbin Electric Machinery Co Ltd supplied the six 333MVA generators and Dongfang Electrical Machinery also supplied electrical equipment. Elin Energieversorgung of Austria engineered and supplied control and monitoring equipment.

Xiaolangdi Project Layout

Because the Xiaolangdi project had to meet a number of objectives the layout of the scheme is very complicated and rather different from straightforward hydropower plant.

The underground power room and all water conveyance tunnels are located in the left bank, which resulted in a complex layout and closely spaced underground excavations. The underground powerhouse complex consists of a 251.5m-long, 26.2m-wide and 61.44m-high powerhouse, a 150m-long, 15.2m-wide and 18.3m-high transformer chamber and a 15m-long, 15m-wide draft tube gate chamber. Six draft tube tunnels discharge into the draft tube gate chamber and three 12m-wide, 19m-high tailrace tunnels exit from the gate chamber.

Hydropower Project Costs

The total projected cost was $4.2 billion. The World Bank approved debt finance for the project in 1994, covering around 44% of the value of contracts with foreign construction groups. The $570 million Xiaolangdi loan is the Bank’s most important Chinese commitment. The US Export-Import Bank provided $58 million to cover US exports of turbines. Chinese state and provincial bodies funded the remainder of the project.

The power plant’s capacity is 1,836MW (six 306MW Francis turbines), generating 5.1 billion kWh of electricity a year. Preparatory work began in 1991. Main orders were placed in 1993 and 1994. One of the landmark events of the project involved diverting the Yellow River. This took place on 28 October 1997 and became a national occasion. The dam received state approval and started storing water in October 1999. The project was completed in 2000.

Yellow River Water and Hydroelectric Power Development Corporation

The Yellow River Water and Hydroelectric Power Development Corporation (YRWHDC) is responsible for the project, which was designed by the Reconnaissance, Planning, Design and Research Institute (RPDRI) in Zhengzhou, Henan. The Xiaolangdi Engineering Consulting Company (XECC) has been set up to manage the overall project and to provide site supervision. These three companies are all responsible to the Ministry of Water Resources of China. The Canadian International Project Managers (CIPM) Ltd are acting as consultants to the employer.

Construction Contracts

Three European-led international joint venture companies split the construction contracts. The contracts, worth a total of $883 million according to World Bank estimates, were let in 1994. Yellow River Contractors, formed by Impregilo, Hochtief, Italstrada and Bureau 14, won the construction contract for the river closure works, the 51.8m x 106m main dam and associated structures. Xiaolangdi Joint Venture, comprising Dumez, Philip Holzman and Construction Bureau 5, won work related to the underground power structures. CGIC, a joint venture of Ed Zublin, Strabag, Wayss & Freytag, Del Favero, Salini and Bureaux 7 and 11, won the contract for intake and outlet works, the tunnels which discharge water and sediment and the flood overflow. Spie Batignolles has since replaced Del Favero. Early problems and disputes for the Zublin group, which initially delayed progress, have now been resolved.

Hydropower in China

China plans to increase its electric power capacity by between 8% and 9% per year to meet growing demand from both industry and private consumers. More than 17% of China’s total electricity production is supplied by hydropower, but only about 15% of the country’s technically feasible hydropower potential has been developed to date. 24 hydropower-generating units with a combined capacity of 5,300MW came on stream in China in 1999. This increased the installed hydropower capacity by 8.3% to almost 70,000MW at the start of 2000.

Source: https://www.power-technology.com/projects/xiaolangdi/

Part II: 5th International Conference on Hydraulic and Civil Engineering (ICHCE 2019) in Nanjing, China

Professor Qi Pu was invited to give a talk on the recent flood risk of the lower Yellow River after Xiaolangdi Reservoir was operated in 2000. The abstract of my paper is: Great Changes on Flood Control of Lower Yellow River after Operation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir.

Representing the most important influence on the land-ocean sediment fluxes in the world, dams and reservoirs alter the continuity of sediment transport and decrease the supply of sediment to downstream reaches. After the operation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir, channel bed of the lower Yellow River has been strongly eroded, and the discharge capacity increased gradually. In recent decades, the trend of flow and sediment alters due to the massive harnessing projects on the upper and middle reaches. The amount of sediment entering the lower reach has been gradually reduced significantly, and there are no big flood events. There are no floods exceeding the warning water stage, thus the flood control situation of the downstream reach has changed dramatically. In addition, the volume of sediment which is transported to the estuary has also been greatly reduced, so as the siltation and extension at the river mouth, thus its impact on the upper reaches can be ignored. With the multi-year sediment regulation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir, we can take full advantage of sediment discharge by flood to further scour the riverbed of the lower reach. The current downstream reach becomes one of the most secure rivers in the world, which will inevitably affect the future prospects of governing the Yellow River basin. In order to prevent situations similar to the excessive river management in North China, which can cause the environment of the lower Yellow River to deteriorate, we should maintain the healthy life of the river, and it is necessary to adjust the scale of harnessing projects on the upper and middle reaches, as well as to construct Taohuayu Project in the lower reach for better control of floods.

The presentation was well-received by the audience, and the participants from the conference joined in-depth discussion after my talk. Everyone was very interested in the reasons for the great changes in the flooding of the lower Yellow River after the completion of Xiaolangdi Reservoir. This is also a good learning opportunity and communication effect for young hydraulic workers and researchers. 

Part I: 5th International Conference on Hydraulic and Civil Engineering (ICHCE 2019) in Nanjing, China

The 5th International Conference on Hydraulic and Civil Engineering (ICHCE 2019) was held from May 10th to 12th, 2019 at Hohai University, Nanjing, China. It was hosted by Hohai University, co-organized by the Hydraulic Structures Committee of Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society, Tsinghua University, the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research and some other societies, universities and research institutes.  The theme of the conference is ‘One Belt and One Road’ and Innovation and Cooperation in Hydraulic and Civil Engineering. It mainly focuses on the research fields of water conservancy and civil engineering and is dedicated to provide the experts, scholars, engineers, etc. from different colleges and universities, research institutes, enterprises and institutions from home and abroad, with an academic platform for sharing of academic research findings, exploration of the cutting-edge engineering issues and discussion on the current opportunities and challenges, in a concerted effort to promote international cooperation and communication and the industrialization of scientific research results. 

Agenda and the keynote speakers of this conference include:

Schedule
May 10	10:00-22:00	Registration
May 11	08:00-12:00	Speeches of Keynote Speakers
	12:00-14:00	Lunch
	14:00-17:30	Oral Presentations
	18:00-19:30	Banquet
May 12	08:30-12:00	Oral Presentations
	12:00-14:00	Lunch
	14:00-17:30	Academic Investigation
	18:00-19:30	Banquet

Chen Houqun (China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Academician)-陈厚群（中国水利水电科学研究院，院士）

Lin Gao (Dalian University of Technology, Academician)-林  皋（大连理工大学，院士）

Zhang Chuhan (Tsinghua University, Academician)-张楚汉（清华大学，院士）

Wu Zhongru (Hohai University,Academician)-吴中如（河海大学，院士)

Zheng Shouren (Changjiang Water Resources of the Ministry of Water Resources , Academician)-郑守仁（长江水利委员会，院士）

Ma Hongqi (Haneng Lancang River Hydropower INC., Academician)-马洪琪（华能澜沧江水电有限公司，院士）

Zhang Chaoran (China Three Gorges Corporation, Academician)-张超然（中国长江三峡集团公司，院士）

Wang Hao(China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research,Academician)-王  浩（中国水利水电科学研究院，院士）

Zhong Denghua (Tianjin University,Academician)-钟登华（天津大学，院士）

Wang Chao (Hohai University,Academician)-王  超（河海大学，院士）

Zhang Jianyun (Dean of Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute,Academician)-张建云（南京水利科学研究院院长，院士）

Niu Xinqiang (Dean of Changjiang Institute of Survey,Planning,Design and Research,Academician)-钮新强（长江勘测规划设计研究院院长，院士）

Hu Chunhong (China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research,Academician)-胡春宏（中国水利水电科学研究院，院士）Nie Jianguo (Tsinghua University,Academician)-聂建国（清华大学，院士）

Wang Jianguo (Southeast University,Academician)-王建国（东南大学，院士）

Kong Xianjing (Dalian University of Technology,Academician)-孔宪京（大连理工大学，院士）

Zhang Jianmin,（Tsinghua University,Academician)-张建民（清华大学，院士）

Deng Mingjiang (Bureau of Xinjiang Ertix River Construction Administration,Academician)-邓铭江（新疆额河建管局局长，院士）

Li Huajun (Vice-principal of Ocean University of China,Academician)-李华军（中国海洋大学副校长，院士）

Martine Wieland（Chairman of Seismic Commission of ICOLD)-Martine Wieland（国际大坝委员会ICOLD抗震专委会主席）

Tang Hongwu (Secretary of the Party Committee of Hohai University, the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Professor)-唐洪武（河海大学党委书记，杰青，教授）

Xu Hui (Principal of Hohai University,Professor)-徐  辉（河海大学校长，教授）