Driftwood Accumulation and Passage at V- and I-Rock Weirs in Mountain Streams

Abstract

The transport and accumulation of driftwood, large wood, or large woody debris (LWD) in mountain streams is a natural part of catchment health and river connectivity. At hydraulic structures, the presence of driftwood has impacts on total discharge and upstream energy. Driftwood has been studied at a variety of spillways and weir types; however, little is known about its interaction at rock weirs. This study seeks to determine what factors affect the transport of driftwood and potential upstream impacts of driftwood accumulations at rock weirs through field-informed scaled model testing. Observations of driftwood at rock weirs located on the Blacksmith Fork River, a mountain stream located in Utah, USA, were used to replicate driftwood dynamics in V- and I-shaped rock weirs in a large flume. The river response to rock weirs on the corresponding section of the Blacksmith Fork River was also investigated using historic aerial imagery and field data. Approaches to driftwood management typically prioritize either natural processes or hydraulic structure safety and flow conveyance. A new hybrid approach should consider both aspects for rock weirs in mountain streams.