Numerical modeling of sedimentation control scenarios in the approach channel of the Nakdong River Estuary Barrage, South Korea

The effects of sedimentation reduction at the Nakdong River Estuary Barrage (NREB) in Korea were quantitatively analyzed with respect to different sediment control methods using the calibrated and validated two-dimensional model. The countermeasures of sediment dredging, sediment flushing, channel geometry change, and a combination of flushing and channel geometry change were examined for the approach channel of the NREB. The flood event and channel geometries of the 3.8 km section upstream of the NREB surveyed before and after dredging in 2007 were used for modeling conditions. As a result, the half of sediments dredged in 2007 could be eliminated naturally by floods without dredging. The numerical simulation of sediment flushing indicated that the deposition height decreased in the entire simulation section with the minimum and maximum reductions from 0.3 m to 1.3 m in deposition height. The channel contraction method produced quantitatively the largest amount of sedimentation reduction and sediment flushing and dredging followed. Sedimentation reduction by a combination of flushing and channel contraction was up 10% compared to the individual method of channel contraction.