1-D Sediment Mathematical Model for Irrigation Canals of the Lower Yellow River

Most irrigation districts along the Lower Yellow River, China, suffer huge sedimentation problems in the head area of irrigation system, including the headrace and settling basins. Thanks to the straight channel way and regular shape of canal cross-section, a 1-D sediment mathematical model was build to simulate and estimate the flow and sediment movement, the volume and distribution of sediment deposition, etc. The irrigation system is complicated with tree-structure network in layout, artificially and disorderly control drainage, high sediment concentration, etc. A novelty practical function derived by analogy to simulate the sediment carrying capacity was adopted. This model was verified by the field data from the year of 1990 to 1999 of the large-scale Weisan irrigation district, and the calculated result meets well with field data of flow, sediment concentration, sediment transportation and sediment deposition. Finally, some schemes of regulating operation for desiltation of the canal are put forward.