Influence of hydropower dams on the composition of the suspended and riverbank sediments in the Danube

Large hydropower dams have major impacts on flow regime, sediment transport and the characteristics of water and sediment in downstream rivers. The Gabcikovo and Iron Gate dams divide the studied Danube transect (rkm 1895–795) into three parts. In the Gabcikovo Reservoir (length of 40 km) only a par...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental pollution (1987) 2007-08, Vol.148 (3), p.718-728
Main Authors: Klaver, Gerard, van Os, Bertil, Negrel, Philippe, Petelet-Giraud, Emmanuelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbonates - analysis
Clay minerals
dams (hydrology)
Danube
Earth Sciences
Environmental Monitoring
Europe
Flux
Freshwater
Geochemistry
Geologic Sediments - analysis
Heavy metals
hydroelectric power
Hydropower reservoir
Major elements
Metals - analysis
Oxides - analysis
Power Plants
reservoirs
rivers
Rivers - chemistry
Sciences of the Universe
sediment deposition
sediment transport
Sodium Compounds - analysis
Strontium Isotopes - analysis
water flow
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
water pollution
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Summary:Large hydropower dams have major impacts on flow regime, sediment transport and the characteristics of water and sediment in downstream rivers. The Gabcikovo and Iron Gate dams divide the studied Danube transect (rkm 1895–795) into three parts. In the Gabcikovo Reservoir (length of 40 km) only a part of the incoming suspended sediments were deposited. Contrary to this, in the much larger Iron Gate backwater zone and reservoir (length of 310 km) all riverine suspended sediments were deposited within the reservoir. Subsequently, suspended sediments were transported by tributaries into the Iron Gate backwater zone. Here they were modified by fractional sedimentation before they transgressed downstream via the dams. Compared with undammed Danube sections, Iron Gate reservoir sediment and suspended matter showed higher clay contents and different K/Ga and Metal/Ga ratios. These findings emphasize the importance of reservoir–river sediment-fractionation. Hydropower dams cause fractionation in the distribution of heavy metals in the bottom and suspended sediments as well as decoupling of the fluxes between these compartments; they have therefore a substantial impact on the transport of heavy metals.
ISSN:0269-7491
1873-6424
DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2007.01.037