5.

River training and flood control

5.1 River training

implies various measures adopted on a river to stabilize the river channel along a
certain alignment with a certain cross section.

adopted because rivers in alluvial plains frequently alter their courses and cause
damage to land and properties adjacent to their banks.

The main objectives of river training are:

To provide a safe passage of flood discharge without overflowing the banks for
protection of developed or inhabited area;

To prevent the river from changing its course and to avoid outflanking of
structures like bridges, weirs, aqueducts, etc.
To protect the banks from erosion and improve the alignment by stabilizing the river channel;
To deflect the river away from the bank which it might be attacking;
To provide minimum depth of flow and a good course for navigation;
To transport efficiently the suspended and bed sediment loads.

5.2 Classification of river training works:

Depending on the purpose for which a river training program is undertaken, the river training
works may be classified as:
a. High water training (training for discharge):
 provide for expeditious / speedy disposal of maximum flood
provide protection against damage due to floods
b. Low water training/ training for depths :
 used for providing sufficient depth for navigation during low water season.
c. Medium water training/training for sediment:
Medium water training is undertaken to provide efficient disposal of bed and suspended
sediment load and thus to preserve river channel in good shape.
5.3 Different methods of river training works

The Various methods of river training including the bank protection are
as follows:
Marginal embankment or levees
Guide banks or guide bunds
Groynes or spurs
Cut offs
Pitching of banks and provision of Launching aprons
Pitched island
Miscellaneous methods such as sills, closing dykes, bundling, etc
a. Marginal embankment or levees
These are earthen embankments provided to confine the flood
water of the river within the cross-section available in between
the embankments.
prevents spreading of flood water beyond the marginal embankment.
Its alignment should follow the normal path of meandering of the river.
The retirement (spacing away from the main channel) of the embankments is
governed by technical (B>4.75Q0.5) .
Effects of marginal embankments on river flow during floods
• The consequence of confining of the flood waters of a river between
marginal embankments or levees is:
1. To increase the rate at which the flood wave travels down the
stream.
2. To increase the water surface elevation at floods.
3. To increase the maximum discharge at all point downstream.
4. To reduce the water surface slope of the stream on the upstream of
the levee portion.
5. To increase the velocity and scouring action through the levee
sections.
Merits of river training by marginal embankments

 prevent spreading of flood water over large areas of flood plain.

Easy Construction as can be done by utilizing local materials and unskilled

labour.

Demerits of embankments

Embankments cause raising of high flood levels

fail by piping due to burrowing by small animals like crabs, worms, and rats
etc.

In event of breach there is a sudden and considerable inflow of water which
may cause damage to the neighbor-hood and may result in the deposition of
Design of levees:

Spacing between levees: B > 4.75*Q0.5

Level of top of levee = HFL + Free Board (= 1m to 1.25m)
Top width of levee > 3m, width is decided as per use
Side slope depends upon:
Nature of material of which levee is composed
Method of construction
Length of the time the levee is likely to be subjected to the wave
action.
Usual slope provided: (a) slope on the river side 3:1 to 5:1
(b) Land side 4:1 to 7:1
b. Guide banks or guide bunds
Definition and functions
Guide banks is artificial embankments meant for guiding the river flow past a
hydraulic structures like weirs, barrage and bridges, without causing damage to
the structures and its approaches.
Alluvial rivers in flood plains spread over a very large area during floods and it
would be very costly to provide bridges or any other structure across the entire
natural spread.
 It is necessary to narrow down and restrict its course to flow axially through
the diversion structure. Guide bunds are provided for this purpose.
They are constructed on either or both on the upstream and downstream of the
 Generally the core is built in sand with stones on the sloping faces and an
apron is provided for protection.
Sufficient freeboard and top width are provided in a good design
Design
principles
i) Top level of guide banks:
 Is governed by HFL, afflux, velocity head, and freeboard
 Is obtained by adding all these four values
ii) Shape of guide banks in plan:
 Guide banks are usually provided in pairs, symmetrical and parallel
iii) Length between guide banks:
 The length of the structure between the abutments (L) or the water
way between two guide bands may be estimated by Lacey’s regime
water way, P = clear water way
p = 4.75Q
iv) Length of guide banks :
The upstream length of the guide bank with the length of the structure
between the abutments (L) is correlated as a function of discharge as:
1.25L for Q unto 2000cumecs
 1.5L for Q> 2000cumecs
Downstream length = 0.25L to 0.4L
It is a guide line; should be tested and modified by model studies.
This is because if the river channel is wide, the length of the guide banks
should ensure the safety of the approach embankments against the worst
embayment (cutting-off and meandering of channel).
v) Radius of curved head of the guide banks:
a) Upstream curved portion (impregnable head)
 The radius of curvature should be sufficient enough not to cause
intense eddies.
 Greater the radius, flatter the curve and lesser the probability of
formation of intense eddies.
 A safe value for the radius, R1 is usually taken as 0.4 to 0.5L.
 The curve is extended to subtend an angle of 120o to 145o at its
center.
b) downstream curved portion (impregnable head)
 on the downstream, the rivers fans out so as to attain its normal width
 the d/s portion should ensure the safety of approach embankments and
prevents the river from attacking them.
 This is possible by providing short guide bund with sharp curved head.
 A radius equal to half the radius (usually 0.3 to 0.5R1) at the u/s side
may be adopted and sweep angle of 45o to 60o may be provided.
vi) The shank portion and section of bund:
The straight portion of the guide bank is called the shank portion
The guide bank should have a minimum top width of 4m (usually4 to
9m so as to provide sufficient carriage-way) (e.g passage of vehicle).
Side slopes generally kept as 2H:1V but may vary from 1.5H:1V
to 3H:1V depending upon the construction material and the
height of the bund.
A free board of 1.0 to 1.5m is generally provided.
vii) Slope pitching:
 The sloping water side of the guide bund and the rear portion of the curved
portions are normally pitched stone or concrete blocks.
 The size and weight of stone for pitching can be determined from graph (see
graph).
 For average velocities up to 2 m/sec, burnt clay brick on edge can be used as
pitching material.
 For an average velocity up to 3.5 m/sec, pitching of stone weighing from 40
to 70 kg (0.3 to 0.4 m in diameter) and
 for higher velocities, cement concrete blocks of depth equal to the thickness
of pitching can be used.
Fig. Graph for determining the
size and weight of the stones for
slope pitching
 Pitching should extend up to 1m higher than HFL.
 The rear side of the shank portion is not pitched but is generally coated with 0.3
to 0.6 m earth for encouraging vegetation growth or turfing of the slope is
normally found to be adequate.
 The thickness of the pitching on the river side may be calculated by:

t = 0.06Q1/3
Where, t = thickness of stone pitching, m
Q = the discharge in cumecs
 However, it should not be less than 0.25m.
 wherever the velocities are high for which the size of stone is greater than 0.4 m,
cement concrete blocks of thickness 0.4 to 0.6 m may be used.
viii) Launching apron:
 The pitching on the sloping side is extended beyond the toe on the bed
in the form of packed stone – launching apron.
 Otherwise, scour will occur at the toe with subsequent undermining and
collapse of the stone pitching.
 The required size of stone for the apron can be obtained from the
curves. In case of non-availability of required size of stones, cement
concrete blocks may be used.
 The apron is generally laid in a width equal to 1.5 times the depth of
the scour below the original bed
The total scour below HFL is taken as xR, where R is the Lacey’s
normal scoured depth given by: R = 0.47(Q/f)1/3
Where, Q is the discharge in cumecs and f is the silt factor.
The total scour depths to be adopted in the calculations for the
launching apron would be different along the length of the guide bund
from upstream to downstream. xR
Location
2.25R
Noses of guide bank
Transitions from noses to 1.50R

straight portions
1.25R
Straight reaches of guide
bunds
The depth of scour below the original river bed, D is then found by:
D = xR – y, where, y is the water depth above bed.
Generally, the slope of the launched apron for calculation of the quantity can
be taken as 2:1 for loose boulders or stones, it may be taken as 1:5:1 for
concrete blocks.
The thickness of the launched apron is 1.25t (normally 25 to 50% more),
where t is the thickness of stone pitching.
The volume of stone required in the launching apron per meter length is
estimated as:
Vs = (22+12)x D x (1.25t) = 2.8tD
If the width of the launched apron is 1.5D, then the thickness of the launched
apron is given as:

T = 2.8tD/ 1.5D = 1.9t (for loose boulders)

Note: The width of apron (1.5D) varies at different portions of the guide
bank.
Example:

The following hydraulic data is collected at a bridge site of a river. Design and sketch
Bell’s bunds including the launching apron to train the river. Assume plentiful availability
of boulders near the site.

Maximum discharge = 6000cumecs

Highest flood level = 104.00m

River bed level = 100.00m

Average diameter of river bed material = 0.10mm

Solution:
The water way between two guide bands,
The Lacey’s regime water way, P = clear water way
= 4.75Q
= 4.75 6000 = 368m
Allowing 20% extra for piers, etc., the net X-sections of the bunds:
spacing between the two HFL = 104.0m (given)
guide bunds at the site, L = 1.2x368 = 440m Assume a free board of 1.5m
The length of the bund u/s of bridge = 1.25L and no afflux condition, and
ignore the velocity head.
= 550m
Therefore,
The length of the bund d/s of bridge = 0.25L
Top level of guide bank =
= 110m
104+1.5 = 105.5m
The radius of the curved head (u/s) = 0.45L = To be more safe and make an
194m allowance for future settlements,
The u/s end of guide may be curved by 130 o etc., let us make top level = 106m
with R1 = 194m Therefore, the height of bund
The d/s end of the bund may be curved to above river bed level = 6m
make an angle of 60o with
 Assume top width of the bund = 5m; side slope = 2:1
Design of stone pitching and apron:
Thickness of stone pitching on the side, t = 0.06Q1/2
= 0.06(6000)1/2
= 1.09m, say 1.1m
The thickness of apron = 1.9t = 1.9x1.1 = 2.09m, say 2.1m
Length of apron = 1.5D
But D = 1.25R-y and R =0.47(Q/f)1/3, and f = 1.76dm
f = 1.76dm = 1.76 0.1 = 0.556
Therefore, R = 0.47(6000/0.556)1/3 = 10.36m
And, y = 104 – 100 = 4m
Therefore, D = 1.25x10.36 -4 = 9m
Length of apron in the straight section = 1.5D = 1.5x9
= 13.5m transition portion, D = 1.5R-y = 1.5x10.36-4= 11.54, say 12m
For the curvilinear
The length of apron in the curved portion = 1.5D = 1.5x12 =18m
D at the noses portion = 2.24R-y = 2.24x10.36-4 = 19.36m
The length of apron at noses =1.5D = 1.5x19.36 = 30m

Fig. Plan of guide bank

 Fig. Section A-A of the straight reach of Bell’s bund

Fig. Section B-B of the curved portions of the Bell’s bund

c. Groynes
Groynes are structures constructed transverse to the river flow
extending from the bank into the river.
Known by several names – spurs, spur dikes, transverse dikes
The most widely used training works
Functions:
Training the river along a desired course by attracting, deflecting or
repelling the flow in a channel
Creating slack flow with the object of silting up the area in the
vicinity.
Protecting the river bank by keeping the flow away from it and
Contracting a wide river channel usually for improvement of depth
for navigation
Fig. Typical groyne arrangement
Classification of Groynes or spurs

 Groynes or spurs are classified according to:

(i) the method and materials of construction
(ii) the height of spur with respect to water level
(iii) function to be performed/alignment
(iv) special types
These are:
(i) Permeable or impermeable
(ii) Submerged or non-submerged
(iii) Attracting, deflecting repelling and sedimenting
(iv) T-shaped, hockey type, kinked type, etc.
Types of groynes based on material of construction:
a) Impermeable groynes
 They are also called solid or embankment groynes
 May be rock fill or earthen embankment armored with stone pitching
 Launching apron provided specially at the head
 Do not allow appreciable flow through them
 Design is the same as that for guide banks

b) Permeable groynes
 Do permit restricted flow through them
 Temporary structures and liable to damage by floating debris
 Best suited for rivers carrying huge sediment as their primary purpose is to
obstruct the flow and cause silt deposition
 usually consist of timber stakes or piles and joined together to form a
framework by other timber pieces and the space in between filled up with
brush wood or branches of trees.
Types of groynes based on alignment of groynes:
Groynes may be aligned either perpendicular to the bank line or at an angle pointing
upstream or downstream.
a) Normal / sedimenting groyne – aligned perpendicular to the bank line
b) Repelling/reflecting groyne – a groyne pointing u/s as it repels flow away from it
c) Deflecting groyne – short in length and its purpose is to change the direction of flow
without repelling it.
d) Attracting groyne – pointing d/s to attract river flow towards it. Not generally used as
scour developed near the bank