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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until December 09, 2025

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Analysis of Temporal Variations in River Widths Due to Dam Construction

Regmi, Aakriti
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1704980295229231

Abstract Details

2023, MS, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Environmental Engineering.
The construction of dams and reservoirs is essential for various purposes, such as regulating fresh water supply, generating hydropower, and controlling floods. However, these structures can significantly affect river’s geomorphic processes, leading to various environmental disturbances. While avoiding dam construction is not always possible, it is crucial to document the effects of existing dams on upstream and downstream regions to understand their short term and long-term impact on river channel properties and their subsequent environment. In this study, we analyzed 21 dams constructed between 2000 and 2007 around the world using the Global Reservoir and Dam database (GRanD) and Global LOng-term river Width (GLOW) datasets. The study period was divided into two phases: pre-construction and post-construction, while excluding the dam construction period. This division allowed us to study the natural flow regime before dam construction and the altered flow regime after dam completion. To ensure data consistency and meaningful analysis, we focused on dams with a minimum of 12 years of available data during both pre- and post-construction phases. In our analysis, we examined the temporal variations in river widths before and after dam construction, considering both upstream and downstream reaches. By comparing these changes, we identified three distinct patterns of dam impacts on river widths: narrowing, stable and widening which were furthered termed as consistent or inconsistent based on their temporal nature. These findings enhance our understanding of how human-made physical structures, such as dams, can have dynamic and diverse effects on river morphology.
Dongmei Feng, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Drew McAvoy, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Xi Chen, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
44 p.
Environmental Engineering
dam; river width; temporal change; human regulation; GLOW; GRanD

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Regmi, A. (2023). Analysis of Temporal Variations in River Widths Due to Dam Construction [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1704980295229231

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Regmi, Aakriti. Analysis of Temporal Variations in River Widths Due to Dam Construction. 2023. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1704980295229231.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Regmi, Aakriti. "Analysis of Temporal Variations in River Widths Due to Dam Construction." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1704980295229231

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1704980295229231
© 2023, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.