ADCP's Application in Flood Management of Don River

1. Where is Don River?

The Don River is in Russia. It is one of the major rivers in the European part of the country. It rises in the Central Russian Upland and flows generally southward.

Geographically, it crosses all kinds of landscapes, from the upper parts with rolling hills and forests to the plains and agricultural regions downstream. On its banks are several cities and towns, including Rostov-on-Don. These urban areas rely on the Don River for water supply, transportation, and industrial activities.

In terms of rainfall, the Don River Basin has a temperate climate with a relatively even distribution of precipitation throughout the year. However, there are periods of heavier rainfall, especially during the spring and summer months due to frontal systems and thunderstorms. Snowmelt in the upper regions also contributes to the river's water volume during the spring thaw.

2. What are the Reasons for Floods in Don River?

Heavy Rainfall and Snowmelt: Prolonged heavy rainfall events or a combination of these factors might raise the water level of the Don River. Also, during the spring season, snowmelt from the upper reaches can send a volume of water downstream. If all these factors combine, the inflow of water into the river may exceed its normal carrying capacity and thus flood.

Relief and Drainage: The course of the river includes areas with relatively flat floodplains. These flat regions slow down the flow of water and may cause it to spill over and flood the adjoining areas. In some cases, poor drainage systems in the surrounding areas can also contribute to water accumulation and flooding.

Human Activities: Urban development and agricultural practices have altered the land around the river. The paved surfaces in cities increase surface runoff, and the agricultural activities can alter the water-holding capacity of the soil. Dams and levees, meant for the control of water, on their failure or if mismanaged, can lead to catastrophes. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is a better and more efficient way to measure and manage flood-related parameters compared to traditional methods.

3. How do ADCPs Using the Doppler Principle Work?

The ADCPs work on the principle of the Doppler. They transmit acoustic signals into the water. When these acoustic waves come across moving particles such as sediment, debris, or water parcels of different velocities, the frequency of the reflected signals, compared to the originally emitted signals, is different because of the Doppler effect.

These frequency shifts are measured by the ADCP meter, which, using the speed of sound in water and the angles at which it sends and receives signals, computes the water velocity at each depth. A number of transducers within an ADCP flow meter are oriented to measure different components of velocity. These velocities measured across several depths and over portions of cross-sectional area in the river enable flow determination along with some other important hydrological parameters.

4. What are the Applications of ADCP in Floods of Don River?

Velocity Measurement: ADCP current meter can measure the velocity of water flow in the Don River with high accuracy at various locations and depths. During flood events, this information is critical in understanding the dynamics of the flood. It helps identify areas where the flow is rapid and could endanger riverbanks, bridges, and other infrastructure.

Flow Rate Measurement Application: ADCP current profiler can calculate the flow rate by combining the measured velocity data with the cross-sectional area of the river. This is crucial in predicting the volume of water that will pass through different sections of the river during a flood. It enables anticipation of the flood peak and its impact downstream, which is important for flood management strategies.

Sediment Transport Research: The floods in the Don River may transport a huge amount of sediment. ADCP flow meter can assess the sediment movements by analyzing the scattered echoes of acoustic signals influenced by sediment particles. These help in understanding how floods change the bed morphology of the river and affect deposition and erosion processes.

5. How can the Data Measured by ADCP be Utilized for Flood Warning and Risk Management of Don River?

Flood Warning

Velocity and Flow Rate Data Monitoring: With the ADCP profiler, the continuous monitoring of velocity and flow rate data allows for the early detection of abnormal increases. When these parameters approach or exceed critical values, it serves as an early warning of an impending flood peak. This enables timely alerts to be sent to communities and emergency management agencies along the river.

Water Level Prediction and Warning: By correlating the measured flow rate and velocity data with historical water level records, models can be developed to predict future changes in water levels. This helps in the advance warnings regarding the area to be inundated and the rise of flood waters.

Risk Management

Water Conservancy Project Scheduling Decision Support: ADCP's data will be useful in arriving at decisions regarding the operation of water conservancy projects along the Don River. The determination of when and how much to release from reservoirs should be done to minimize floods in the lower reaches.

Assessment of Flood Disaster and Emergency Response: When the flooding is over, ADCP-measured data can be used to assess the degree of the flood disaster regarding the area of flooded lands, flow characteristics during the time of the flood, among other things. This guides the emergency responses where the relief resources will be allocated and how post-flood recovery work will be planned.

6. What's Required for High-Quality Measurement of the Currents in the Don River?

The equipment used for high-quality measurement of the currents in the Don River should be made from reliable materials. The casing should be able to bear the harsh conditions of the river, including impacts from floating debris, corrosion from water, and changing temperature conditions.

The size of the equipment should be small enough for easy installation and deployment in different locations of the river. A lightweight design has its own merits regarding easy transportation and installation of the equipment. The power consumptions should be low in order to run continuously over long periods of time without frequent change of batteries or highly energetic power sources. It should, above all, be cost-effective to allow for extensive deployments for dense monitoring.

The ADCP flow meter casing is preferably made from titanium alloy. The advantage of using a titanium alloy can be highlighted in several outstanding areas. It has very excellent corrosion resistance, which would be crucial to stand for the long-time exposure in the river water. In addition, it has high strength-to-weight ratio-that is, enough strength can be provided with reasonably low equipment weight. The performance of this durable material has been running smoothly under various conditions in the Don River Basin.

7. How to Choose the Right Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on the Purpose of Measurement: The horizontal cross-section measurement of a river calls for an HADCP since it will correctly measure the flow velocity and other parameters in the horizontal direction across the river section. In the case of vertical cross-section measurement, a Vertical ADCP will be more appropriate to obtain detailed velocity profiles along the vertical axis of the river.

Based on Water Depth: The depth of the water also decides the application of an ADCP profiler of a certain frequency. The 600 kHz frequency ADCPs can give good results in water depth up to 70 meters. For deeper waters up to 110 meters, an ADCP with a frequency of 300 kHz is effective as it covers more depth and extracts reliable data.

There are well-known ADCP brands like Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. Additionally, a cost-effective Chinese brand, China Sonar PandaADCP, is worth considering. It is made of all-titanium alloy material, ensuring excellent performance and durability. You can find more information on its website: (https://china-sonar.com/)

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.