Sediment budget for the upper mississippi river

摘要

A system of locks dams to improve navigation was constructed along the Upper Missippi River (UMR) about 60 years ago. The system has influenced the physical and ecological characteristics of the river in many ways. One of the most significant influences of the system has been its effect on sediment transport along the river. Altered sediment trapsort conditions are evident both as system-wide and localized impacts. A sediment budget encompassing about 670 km of the UMR was developd to quantify the sediment transport conditions within the lock and dam system (Pools 11 to 26). The magnitude to major sources and sinks of sediment within the s ystem were quantified. By comining the results of the sediment budget with data derived from the analysis of historic river plan form information, an estimate of sedimentation rates within the backwater ares of the navigation pools was obtained.