Characterization of sedimentation pattern in reservoirs.

The observed sedimentation data from some Iranian large reservoirs were used to characterize sediment distribution patterns within these reservoirs and a modified approach was developed. This new idea is of an empirical nature and is based on some parameters obtained from the minimum stream power principle. The main advantage of this new characterization is that it eliminates the need for classification of the dam based on any extra data and solely depends on the characteristics of the reservoir geometry. It also rectifies some practical difficulties for application of the existing method. The developed technique achieved by this study is recommended for preliminary design stages to interpret long-term cumulative distribution of sediment and is applicable for reservoirs that have sediment particles that are mainly of fine-grained material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]