ADCP Measurements of Gravity Currents in the Chicago River, Illinois
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 12
Abstract
A unique set of observations of stratified flow phenomena in the Chicago River was made using an upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) during the period November 20, 2003 to February 1, 2004. Water density differences between the Chicago River and its North Branch (NB) seem to be responsible for the development of gravity currents. With the objective of characterizing the occurrence, frequency, and evolution of such currents, the ADCP was configured to continuously collect high-resolution water velocity and echo intensity profiles in the Chicago River at Columbus Drive. During the observation period, 28 gravity current events were identified, lasting a total of 77% of the time. Sixteen of these events were generated by underflows from the NB and 12 of these events were generated by overflows from the NB. On average, the duration of the underflow and overflow events was 52.3 and , respectively. A detailed analysis of one underflow event, which started on January 7, 2004, and lasted about , was performed. This is the first time that ADCP technology has been used to continuously monitor gravity currents in a river.
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Acknowledgments
The research summarized in this paper was supported by both the U.S. Geological Survey (Office of Surface Water) and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). Comments from Jim Best, P. Ryan Jackson, and Claudia Manriquez provided valuable insights for the data analysis.
Disclaimer. The use of trade, product, or firm names in this paper is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 12 • December 2007
Pages: 1356 - 1366
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: May 15, 2006
Accepted: Jun 7, 2007
Published online: Dec 1, 2007
Published in print: Dec 2007
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