2-D bed sediment transport modeling of a reach on the Sagavanirktok River, Alaska

Abstract

Conducting a 2-D sediment transport modeling study on the Sagavanirktok River has offered great insight to bed sediment movement. During the summer of 2017, sediment excavation of two parallel trenches began in the Sagavanirktok River, in an effort to raise the road elevation of the Dalton Highway to remediate against future floods. To predict the time in which the trenches refill with upstream sediment a 2-D numerical model was used. Three scenarios: (1) a normal cumulative volumetric flow, (2) a max discharge event, and (3) a max cumulative volumetric flow, were coupled with three sediment transport equations: Parker, Wilcock-Crowe and Meyer Peter and Müller for a total of 9 simulations. Results indicated that scenario (1) predicted the longest time to fill, ranging from 1-6 years followed by scenario (2), an even shorter time, and scenario (3) showing sustained high flows have the capability to nearly refill the trenches in one year. Because the nature of this research is predictive, limitations exist as a function of assumptions made and the numerical model. Therefore, caution should be taken in analyzing the results. However, it is important to note that this is the first time estimates have been calculated for an extraction site to be refilled on the Sagavanirktok River. Such a model could be transformed into a tool to project filling of future material sites. Ultimately, this could expedite the permitting process, eliminating the need to move to a new site by returning to a site that has been refilled from upstream sediment.