Arc-Isère site

Scientific issue

Togother with developments made in hydrometry, the team developped a hydro-sedimentary station network in some field sites (Rhône, Arc-Isère). The objective is here to better understand fine sediment fluxes depending on the hydrology and human intervention (flush, works on the river, etc.) but also to better evaluate fine sediment exchange with the bed (over gravel bars and margins) along the river.

Scientific questions

  • Continuous measurement of the Suspended Sediment Matter (SSM) fluxes and associated pollutants, uncertaities in the measurements;
  • Study of the sediment exchange at the water/bed interface,  1D and 2D numerical modelling

Méthodology and results

  • A significant work has been made to collect data continuously based on turbidity measurements including the calibration of the system using water samplers. In particular, we studied the effect of grain size on the turbidity signal and on the calibration  (Thollet et al., 2013). Some methodologies to calculate SSM fluxes and associated pollutants have been suggested and implemented in the BDOH data base. These measurements combined with a 1D hydro-sedimentary numerical modelling alowed us to analyse flood and flushing events . All these data are available via the data base  BDOH. Here are the links to our two main field sites:

Example of calibration curve for a turbidity-meter on the Arvan River at St-Jean-de-Maurienne (Thollet et al., 2013) Example of SSM time series estimated for the Lower-Isère flushing event in May 2015 (Camenen et al., 2018)
  • Also, we develop some 1D numerical modelling with a particular attention on fine sediment exchanges with the bed (erosion and deposition, see section 1D hydro-sedimentary numerical modelling)
  • Experimentaly, we also work on the evaluation of fine sediment deposit extend over gravel bars using image analysis (Camenen et al., 2013)

Example  of deposit analysis based on pixel histogram of a measurement window

Projets

  • 2019-2022: ANR DEAR project:  Deposit and erosion of fine sediment in alpine rivers
  • 2018-2020: Rhône Sediment Observatory (OSR5)
  • 2015-2017: Rhône Sediment Observatory (OSR4)
  • 2011-2013: Rhône Sediment Observatory (OSR2)

Partership

  • OSR: CNR, team LAMA from RiverLy Irstea Lyon, ENTPE
  •  Arc-Isère site (ZABR): IGE team Hydrimz, EDF CIH and EDF LNHE
  • Irstea Grenoble,

PhDs and postdocs

  • 2012-2015 : Guertault L. Évaluation des processus hydro-sédimentaires d’une retenue de forme allongée : application à la retenue de Génissiat sur le Haut-Rhône [Evaluation of the hydro-sedimentary processes of an elongated dam reservoir : Application to the Génissiat reservoir located on the Upper Rhône River]. Doctoral school MEGA, C. Bernard University, Lyon 1. 240 p.
  • 2010-2014: Launay M. Flux de matières en suspension, de mercure et de PCB particulaires dans le Rhône, du Léman à la Méditerranée [Fluxes of suspended particulate matters, particulate mercury and PCBs in the Rhône River from lake Geneva to the Mediterranean sea]. Doctoral school Chemistry, Lyon 1 University.
  • 2010-2013 : Antoine G. Dynamique des matériaux en suspension (MES) le long de rivières aménagées : l’Arc en Maurienne et l’Isère.  [Suspended sediment dynamics along engineered alpine rivers. Exemple of the Arc en Maurienne and Isère  rivers];
    Doctoral school TUE, Grenoble University. 286 p.

Publications

  • Launay, M., Dugué, V., Faure, J.-B., Coquery, M., Camenen, B. & Le Coz J.  Numerical modelling of the suspended particulate matter dynamics in a regulated river network. STOTEN
  • Guertault, L., Camenen B., Peteuil, C., & Paquier, A. (2018). A one-dimensional process-based approach to study reservoir sediment dynamics during management operations. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms, 43(2): 373-386.
  • Camenen B., Jodeau M. & Jaballah M. (2013). Estimate of fine sediment deposit dynamics over a gravel bar using photography analysis. Int. J. of Sediment Res. 28(2): 220-233.
  • Thollet F., Le Coz J., Antoine G., François P. , Saguintaah L., Launay M. & Camenen B. (2013). Influence de la granulométrie des particules sur la mesure par turbidimétrie des flux de matières en suspension dans les cours d’eau, La Houille Blanche, 4:50-56.
  • Antoine G., Jodeau M., Camenen B., Esteves M., Nemery J. & Lauters F. (2013). Estimation des flux de matières en suspension lors des chasses hydrauliques de l’Arc de 2006 à 2011. La Houille Blanche, 4:43-49.