The effect of channel geometry and check dam location on sediment transport discharge in the Kuranji River

¹ Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
² Graduate Student, Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
³ Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Dharma Andalas, Padang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: darwizaldaoed@gmail.com

Abstract

Rivers as infrastructure carry water from upstream to downstream to meet the water needs of communities along the river and as drainage. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the stability of the river from erosion and sedimentation. Changes in river geometry are mostly caused by the high intensity of rainfall in the upstream section. This causes the geometry to change easily, many bends are found, river embankments collapse, and the slope and flow of the river change suddenly. As a result, water will wash away sediment from upstream to downstream with high sediment discharge. However, the sediment rate/discharge can be reduced by building a check dam, but it needs the right location so that the construction of the check dam is effective and the river flow is stable. Research using HEC-RAS has been carried out at the location of the middle section of the Kuranji River, where simulating three check dam locations shows that the reduction in sediment discharge is very effective, but other places are still the same as without the check dam. Therefore, it is recommended to build check dam series and groundsills at narrowing locations and strengthen river banks at Sta. 16 to Sta. 32.