Predicting Travel Time and Dispersion in Rivers and Streams
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 123, Issue 11
Abstract
The possibility of a contaminant being accidentally or intentionally spilled in a river is a constant concern to those using the water. Methods are developed to estimate: (1) the velocity of a contaminant in a river; (2) the rate of attenuation of the peak concentration of a conservative contaminant; and (3) the time required for a contaminant plume to pass a point. The methods are based on data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in almost a hundred different rivers representing a wide range of sizes, slopes, and geomorphic types. Although the accuracy of the predictions can be greatly increased by performing time-of-travel studies, the emphasis of this paper is on providing methods for making estimates where few data are available. It is shown that the unit-peak concentration is well correlated with travel time and that the travel time of the leading edge averages 89% of the travel time of the peak concentration.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Bailey, T. E., McCullough, C. A., and Gunnerson, C. G.(1966). “Mixing and dispersion studies in San Francisco Bay.”Proc., Sanit. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 92(5), 23–45.
2.
Day, T. J., and Wood, I. R.(1976). “Similarity of mean motion of fluid particles dispersing in a natural channel.”Water Resour. Res., 12(4), 655–666.
3.
Feurstein, D. L., and Selleck, R. E.(1963). “Fluorescent tracers for dispersion measurements.”Proc., Sanit. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 89(4), 1–21.
4.
Fischer, H. B.(1967). “The mechanics of dispersion in natural streams.”J. Hydr. Div., ASCE, 93(6), 187–216.
5.
Graf, J. B. (1986). “Traveltime and longitudinal dispersion in Illinois streams.”Water-Supply Paper 2269, U.S. Geological Survey.
6.
Hetling, L. J., and O'Connell, R. L.(1966). “A study of tidal dispersion in the Potomac River.”Water Resour. Res., 2(4), 825–841.
7.
Jobson, H. E. (1989). “Users manual for an open-channel streamflow model based on the diffusion analogy.”Water-Resources Investigations Rep. 89-4133, U.S. Geological Survey.
8.
Jobson, H. E. (1996). “Prediction of traveltime and longitudinal dispersion in rivers and streams.”Water-Resources Investigations Rep. 96-4013, U.S. Geological Survey.
9.
Kilpatrick, F. A. (1993). “Simulation of soluble waste transport and buildup in surface waters using tracers.” U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 3.
10.
Kilpatrick, F. A., and Taylor, K. R.(1986). “Applications of dispersion data.”Water Resour. Bull., 22(4), 537–548.
11.
Kilpatrick, F. A., and Wilson, J. F. Jr. (1989). “Measurement of time of travel and dispersion in streams by dye tracing.” U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 3.
12.
Martens, L. A. et al. (1974). “Time-of-travel of solutes in the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to Pointe a la Hache, Louisiana.”Water-Resour. Tech. Rep. No. 9, Louisiana Dept. of Public Works.
13.
Nordin, C. F. Jr., and Sabol, G. V. (1974). “Empirical data on longitudinal dispersion in rivers.”Water-Resour. Investigations 20-74, U.S. Geological Survey.
14.
Rutherford, J. C. (1994). “River mixing.” John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, N.Y.
15.
Rutherford, J. C., Taylor, M. E. U., and Davies, J. D.(1980). “Waikato River pollutant flushing rates.”Proc., Envir. Engr. Div., ASCE, 106(6), 1131–1150.
16.
Scott, C. H., Norman, V. W., and Fields, F. K. (1969). “Reduction of fluorescence of two-tracer dyes by contact with a fine sediment.” (1969). Geological Research (1969). U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 650-B, p. B164–B168.
17.
Smart, P. L., and Laidlaw, I. M. S.(1977). “An evaluation of some fluorescent dyes for water tracing.”Water Resour. Res., 13(1), 15–33.
18.
Tai, D. Y., and Rathbun, R. E.(1988). “Photoanalysis of rhodamine-WT dye.”Chemosphere, 17(3), 559–573.
19.
Taylor, K. R., James, R. W. Jr., and Helinsky, B. M. (1986). “Travel-time and dispersion in the Shenandoah River and its tributaries, Waynesboro, Virginia, to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.” Water-Resources Investigations Rep. 86-4065, U.S. Geological Survey.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 123 • Issue 11 • November 1997
Pages: 971 - 978
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Nov 1, 1997
Published in print: Nov 1997
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.