Nearshore morphological modelling is challenging due to complex feedback between hydrodynamics, sediment transport and morphology bridging scales from seconds to years. Such modelling is, however, needed to assess long-term effects of changing climates on coastal environments, for example. Due to computational efficiency, the sediment transport driven by currents and waves often requires a parameterization of wave orbital velocities. A frequently used parameterization of skewness-only was found to overfeed the coast unrealistically on a timescale of years—decades. To improve this, we implemented a recently developed parameterization accounting for skewness and asymmetry in a morphodynamic model (Delft3D). The objective was to compare the effects of parameterizations on long-term coastal morphodynamics. We performed simulations with default and calibrated sediment transport settings, for idealized coastlines, and compared the results with measured data from analogue natural systems. The skewness-asymmetry parameterization was found to predict overall stable coastlines within the measured envelope with wave-related calibration factors within a factor of 2. In contrast, the original parameterization required stronger calibration, which further affected the alongshore transport rates, and yet predicted erosion in deeper areas and unrealistic accretion near the shoreline. The skewness-asymmetry parameterization opens up the possibility of more realistic long-term morphological modelling of complex coastal systems.

Sediments cause serious problems in irrigation systems, adversely affecting canal performance, driving up maintenance costs and, in extreme cases, threatening system sustainability. Multiple studies were done on the deposition of non-cohesive sediment and implications for canal design, the use of canal operation in handling sedimentation problems is relatively under-studied, particularly for cohesive sediments. In this manuscript, several scenarios regarding weirs and gate operation were tested, using the Delft3D model, applied to a case study from the Gezira scheme in Sudan. Findings show that weirs play a modest role in sedimentation patterns, where their location influences their effectiveness. On the contrary, gate operation plays a significant role in sedimentation patterns. Reduced gate openings may cause canal blockage while intermittently fully opening and closing of gates can reduce sediment deposition in the canal by 54% even under conditions of heavy sediment load. Proper location of weirs and proper adjusting of the branch canal’s gate can substantially reduce sedimentation problems while ensuring sufficient water delivery to crops. The use of 2D/3D models provides useful insights into spatial and temporal patterns of deposition and erosion but has challenges related to running time imposing a rather coarse modelling resolution to keep running times acceptable.

In order to cover the crop water requirements, flow control structures such as gates and weirs are used to transfer the desired amount of water from the canals to the field canals. This paper examines the impact of gate operation and the selection of gates on the deposition of non-cohesive sediment. The Delft3D model is used to simulate the effects of different scenarios regarding gate operation and the location of the gate that is opened. The model results showed that the gate selection affects not only hydraulic parameters but also morphological parameters. It was found that opening the gates closer to the offtake resulted in less sediment deposition at the entrance of the branch canal when compared to opening the gates further away. Gate selection can be used as a tool in sediment management. By alternating the opening of different gates sediments that are already deposited after opening one gate can be eroded when another gate is operated, thus minimizing the additional cost of sediment removal. The use of Delft3D proved beneficial as the selection of different gates leads to asymmetric sediment deposition patterns which would be missed when using a 1D model.