A study of the scour-fill threshold based on Lane's equilibrium relation: The lower Yellow River

- Lane's equilibrium relation is used to study the scour-fill process.
- A threshold scour-fill relation for lower Yellow River is established.
- The threshold relation may provide reference for sediment management.

The scour-fill threshold in river channels is an expression of scour-fill equilibrium, which may be understood as the balance between the river's sediment carrying capability and the sediment load imposed by the drainage basin. In the present study, the above capability-load relation is quantified using Lane's relation, γQJ-QsD50, wherein Q is water discharge, J is channel slope, Qs is sediment transport rate, D50 is median size of bed material, and γ is the specific weight of water. On this basis, we have established scour-fill thresholds for the lower Yellow River based on data from 141 flood events. The results show that the QsD50-γQJ relation may well distinguish between the scour and fill flood events. The following equation has been established: SDRFE = 0.00099(γQJ)0.90(QsD50)− 0.60, wherein SDRFE is channel sediment delivery ratio. From the equation, the scour-fill threshold is established as: QsD50 = 0.00001(γQJ)1.5. Starting from this formula, four possible options are proposed for sediment management of the lower Yellow River.