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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303116

Title: Studies in wave barrier design and levee erosion

Author
item Wren, Daniel
item OZEREN, YAVUZ - UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

Submitted to: Laboratory Publication
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/18/2014
Publication Date: 9/18/2014
Citation: Wren, D.G., Ozeren, Y. 2014. Studies in wave barrier design and levee erosion. Completion report for Natural Resources Conservation Project entitled, "Updating NRCS technical release #56 with floating wave barrier guidance. Laboratory Publication. 76 pp.

Interpretive Summary: Increasing demands on limited groundwater resources have created a growing need for the development of surface water resources for irrigation. Reservoirs can be used for this purpose, but levees can be rapidly eroded by both wind-driven waves and surface runoff if they are not properly protected. Floating wave barriers are cost effective at shallow and varying water depths because they float, this providing wave reduction at all water levels. In order to achieve the maximum wave reduction at a minimum cost, a floating wave barrier must be designed properly with respect to fetch length and expected wind speeds. This report contains simplified methodology for determining the correct size of floating barrier. In addition, field measurements of wind, waves, and erosion of levees are included.

Technical Abstract: Increasing demands on limited groundwater resources have created a growing need for the development of surface water resources for irrigation. On-farm reservoirs, along with tailwater recovery systems, can provide a means for reducing dependence on groundwater supplies. These reservoirs are surrounded by levees to impound water. Levees are typically constructed from local soils that are low in clay content, since producers use their poorest producing fields for reservoir construction. The levees can be rapidly eroded by both wind-driven waves and surface runoff if they are not properly protected. A protective layer of vegetation can be established on the tops and backsides of levees, but fluctuating water levels make it difficult to use vegetation to protect side of the levee that faces water. There are many effective methods that can be used for levee protection, such as covering the levee with rip-rap, but these methods can be prohibitively expensive and require large amounts of material. Floating wave barriers are cost effective at shallow and varying water depths mainly because they require much less material, but the deployment technique is more critical. In order to achieve the maximum wave reduction at a minimum cost, a floating wave barrier must be designed properly with respect to fetch length and expected wind speeds. This project report covers field data collection of wind and wave data, measurements of levee erosion, and simplified methods for predicting waves from wind and determining appropriate size for a floating wave barrier.