• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.601-610
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• 2021

The tidal current patterns at Keum River Estuary before and after the construction of coastal structures were compared according to the CASES. The depth-integrated and tidal difference treatment applied FLOW2DH numerical model was used for the tidal current predictions. The test conditions consisted of before construction of coastal structures (CASE1), after construction of coastal structures (CASE2), and the addition of watergate operation(CASE1Q and CASE2Q), and present (CASE3). CASE1 showed a stable tidal current pattern, such as a natural estuary. In CASE2, the tidal current velocities and directions of the Keum River Estuary were changed due to the installed coastal structures. In particular, the tidal current velocities of the Gaeya open channel sections (P5~P9) in CASE2 were calculated to be 10~30% larger than that of CASE1. In the case of the Gunsan Inner Harbor (P4), which is closest to the Geum River Estuary, the ebb flow rate was approximately 250~300% faster than that of other CASEs due to the discharge of the watergate operation for 2.7 hours during the ebb of CASE1Q and CASE2Q. This will affect sediment transport, and it is predicted to lead to seabed changes. CASE3 is considered to be entering the stabilization stage according to the simulation of the tidal current velocities and directions of the Keum River Estuary and the surrounding coastal area.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.194-205
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• 2022

Sandbars formed by sediment transportation and sedimentation are some of the most important habitats for specific wildlife and they provide an aesthetic landscape in streams. The purpose of this study was to understand the successional process of the colonization and development of early vegetation over time on sandbars exposed by the opening of a gate at a downstream weir. We selected the following four study sites in the Geumgang River, South Korea: three weir-upstream sites with different gate-opening times and a control site that was not affected by weir operation. Changes in the structural characteristics and spatial distribution of the riparian vegetation on the sandbars exposed after opening the gate at the weir were surveyed according to the different exposure periods of the sandbars at the study sites. The newly formed sandbars accounted for more than 33% of the area of the existing floodplain in the three weir-upstream sites of the Geumgang River after opening the gate at the weir. Nine main plant communities were distributed on the exposed sandbars. These communities were classified as annual mesophytic, perennial hydrophytic, perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree vegetation based on their species traits. As the duration of exposure of the sandbar increased, the area of the bare sandbar and the annual herbaceous and perennial hydrophytic communities decreased, and the areas occupied by perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree communities increased. Changes in vegetation on the sandbar were classified into three types of succession according to the condition of the aquatic habitat before the gate-opening and the degree of physical disturbance caused by the water flow after the gate-opening. The types of succession were: 1) succession starting from hydrophytes in the lentic aquatic zone, 2) succession starting from annual herbaceous hygrophytes in the lotic aquatic zone, and 3) willow-dominated succession in the disturbed channel side. Our results suggested that the dynamics of successional changes in vegetation should be considered during weir operation to ecologically manage the habitats and landscape of the fluvial landforms, including sandbars in streams.