Centennial Channel Response to Climate Change in an Engineered River

Ylla Arbos, C.; Blom, A.; Sloff, C.J.; Schielen, R.M.J.

doi:10.1029/2023GL103000

Centennial Channel Response to Climate Change in an Engineered River

Title

Centennial Channel Response to Climate Change in an Engineered River

Author

Ylla Arbos, C. (TU Delft Rivers, Ports, Waterways and Dredging Engineering)
Blom, A. (TU Delft Rivers, Ports, Waterways and Dredging Engineering)
Sloff, C.J. (TU Delft Rivers, Ports, Waterways and Dredging Engineering; Deltares)
Schielen, R.M.J. (TU Delft Rivers, Ports, Waterways and Dredging Engineering; Rijkswaterstaat)

Date

2023

Abstract

Human intervention makes river channels adjust their slope and bed surface grain size as they transition to a new equilibrium state in response to engineering measures. Climate change alters the river controls through hydrograph changes and sea level rise. We assess how channel response to climate change compares to channel response to human intervention over this century (2000–2100), focusing on a 300-km reach of the Rhine River. We set up a schematized numerical model representative of the current (1990–2020), non-graded state of the river, and subject it to scenarios for the hydrograph, sediment flux, and sea level rise. We conclude that the lower Rhine River will continue to adjust to past channelization measures in 2100 through channel bed incision. This response slows down as the river approaches its new equilibrium state. Channel response to climate change is dominated by hydrograph changes, which increasingly enhance incision, rather than sea level rise.

Subject

channel bed incision
channel response
climate change
climate scenarios
gravel-bed rivers
human intervention

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:6f002567-0744-4c28-931c-32b3467f1be1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL103000

ISSN

0094-8276

Source

Geophysical Research Letters, 50 (8)

Part of collection

Institutional Repository