Contents

2. RIVER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

2.1Introduction
2.2Objective and Purpose of River Training
2.3Different Types River Training Works
2.3.1 Guide Bank
2.3.2 Groynes or spurs
2.3.3 Pitched Island
2.3.4 Bank erosion protection
2.3.5 Marginal Embankment (levee)
2.3.6 Artificial cutoff
2.4 River navigation
 2. 1 Introduction

River training – all engineering structures constructed

across or along a river.
 To guide and confine the flow to the river channel
 To control and regulate the river bed configuration.
 Ensuring safe and effective disposal of floods & sediment
loads.
 Most of the time, due to over flooding and weak bed
material, banks of a river are eroded away and
destruction happened.
2.2 Objective and Purpose of River Training

The main objectives of river training are as follows:

To provide safe passage for flood discharge
To prevent the river from changing its course
To avoid outflanking of flood structures like bridges,
weirs, conduits, etc.
To protect the banks from erosion and to improve the
alignment by stabilizing the river channel.
 2.2.1 Classification of river training works

Depending on their purpose, river training works may be

classified in to the following three categories:
1.High water training or Training for discharge
2.Low water training or Training for depth
3.Mean water training or Training for sediment.
 2.2.1 Classification of river training (Cont…)

1. High water training also called training for discharge.

o To provide speedy disposal of maximum flood
o To provide protection against damage due to floods.
2. Low water training also called “training for depths”
o Is used for providing sufficient depth for navigation
during low water season.
2.2.1 Classification of river training (Cont.)

3. Mean water training also called training for

sediment.
 To provide efficient disposal of bed and
suspended sediment load
 To preserve river channel in good shape.
2.2 Different types of river training work

The general adopted methods for river channel stabilization

are:
• Guide banks
• Groynes or spurs
• Riprap, or Retaining structures
• Back filling or reshaping the bank
• Check dams/drop structures
• Pitching of banks and provision of launching aprons
• Applying erosion controls on the catchment
 2.2.1 Guide banks

• Guide banks, is an artificial embankments for

guiding the river flow without causing damage to
the structures and its approaches.

• It is necessary to narrow down and restrict its course

to flow.

• They are constructed on either or both on the U/S

and D/S
• One or both the flanks/margins as required.
Stream bank protection works

Stream bank Protection

Guide Banks
General (cont’d …)
Bank protection may be for:
 Protection of adjacent land and valuable property
 Protection of hydraulic structures
e.g. banks u/s and d/s structures like weirs, barrages,
bridges have to be protected.
 Protection of flood embankments
 Affording facilities for water transportation
Chapter 2-2
Stream bank protection works

Stream bank Protection

 2.2.2 Groynes or Spurs

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 deflecting the
flow in a channel
• Protecting the river bank by keeping the flow away from it
2.2.2 Groynes or Spurs

Sitges, Spain
 2.2.2 Groynes or Spurs - classification

Groynes or spurs are classified according to

(i) the method and materials of construction
(ii) its height 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.
Permeable groyne

Waal River, The Netherlands

 Impermeable groyne

Timber Groyne, East coast of England

 2.2.2 Groynes or Spurs - classification

Based on the function to be performed/alignment:

Groynes/Dikes may be aligned either perpendicular to the
bank line or at an angle
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.
Groyne alignment
Special groynes
 Bank stabilization –Direct techniques

• Banks of a river can be directly protected by:

 Self-adjusting armour made of stone or other
materials
Riprap, Trench fill
 Rigid armour
Asphalt, concrete
 Flexible mattress
Concrete blocks;
Fabric and Gabions
 Stone (Riprap)

Stone (Riprap)
 Usually Used in Transport Zone
Can also be used in the Collection Zone
Hard Protection
Strengthens the banks of the stream
A Stone (riprap)
What is Riprap and why do we use it?

Answer: Riprap is the use of large stone to protect a stream or

river bank
 Advantages of
Riprap

• Stops streambank erosion

• High level of confidence
• Low chance of failure if
designed correctly
 Riprap Design Considerations

Design recommendations for riprap installation:

 Gradation. A well-graded mixture of rock sizes should

be used instead of one uniform size.
 Quality of stone. Riprap must be durable/ do not
decompose it in a short time.
 Riprap depth. The thickness of riprap layers should be
at least 2 times the maximum stone diameter.
 Filter material. Filter material is usually required
between riprap and the underlying soil surface to prevent
soil from moving through the riprap
 Be sure to use rock that will
stay the size that you want it
to be

Rock Durability
 Filter

•Place a filter material between the

riprap stone and soil
•The opening in the fabric must
allow water to flow but not the
sand
 Disadvantages of Riprap Hard Armour
– Usually very expensive
– Can fail dramatically
– Can cause negative downstream impacts
– Can have low aesthetic quality
 Rip Rap Maintenance Considerations

 Riprap should be checked annually and after major

storms.

 If riprap has been damaged, repairs should be made

punctually to prevent a progressive failure.

 Channel obstructions such as trees and sediment bars can

change flow patterns and cause erosive forces that may
damage riprap.
 Control of weed and brush growth may be needed in
some locations.
Here is an example of stream bank stabilization in an urban
stream confined by development on either side. Rock was
used to stabilize the lower section of the bank with trees
planted to stabilize the upper section.

Incorporate
plantings of
vegetation into
hardscape design

Attempt to limit
For size, placement, hardscape protection to
and use of hardscape below the ordinary high
materials –see rip rap water mark
End of chapter
Thank you