Navigation Conditions on the Lower Cumberland River, Kentucky; Hydraulic Model Investigation.
Abstract
This study is concerned with a short reach of the Cumberland River just downstream of Barkley Lock and Dam. The reach is narrow and of irregular alignment with some very sharp bends and two fixed-span highway bridges, one located just downstream of the lower lock approach and the other located just downstream of a sharp bend. Currents in the reach are affected by continuous changes in powerhouse releases and changes in stages on the Ohio River located about 30 miles downstream of the dam. The model investigation was primarily concerned with navigation conditions in the lower lock approach and in the reach downstream and with the development of plans as required to provide satisfactory navigation conditions for both upbound and downbound traffic. A fixed-bed model reproducing Barkley Dam, the powerhouse, the portion of the lock downstream of the dam, and about 7.3 miles of the Cumberland River to an undistorted scale of 1:120 was used for the investigation. Results of the investigation indicated that with existing conditions navigation conditions are difficult and hazardous for large tows and are affected by changes in powerhouse release, eddy currents, high velocities, and sharp bends. Conditions could be improved by increasing the interval between the increase or decrease of the number of powerhouse units in operation, adding dikes downstream of the powerhouse and lower lock guard wall, and increasing the width of channel and realignment of the banks in the sharp bends.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA068618
Entities
People
- John J. Franco
- Louis J. Shows