Sediment transport along the Llobregat river. Study promoted by the Catalan Water Agency and SUEZ SA 08/05/2019 - 09/05/2019 Recerca i transferència
Teresa Serra, Jordi Colomer and Marianna Soler participated in a study promoted by the Catalan Water Agency and the Labaqua (SUEZ) company. Reservoirs retain sediment and therefore reduce the regular supply of sediments downstream from their location. This topic is of special concern at global scale, with several negative effects. Sediments are accumulated in the bottom layers of reservoirs and the sediment supply downstream is reduced with a much smaller sediment amount reaching deltas and other coastal zones. In addition, lack of sediments supply have negative effects on structure and function of downstream ecosystems. The aim of the study is to examine sediment transport and mobilization downstream of the Baells reservoir (Berguedà), along the Llobregat River, under different discharges of released water from the reservoir. The first field campaign has been conducted on 9 May 2019. Results of the study will contribute to determine the amount of sediments arriving to the Catalan littoral, and thus, naturally recharging coastal ecosystems (e.g. deltas, beaches, etc.) with autochthon sediments.