Prediction of Reservoir Shoreline Erosion

Abstract

This paper describes the development and application of a new method for predicting wave-induced shoreline erosion on a reservoir. A method that relates erosion rates to winds, water levels, fetch distances, and a simplified representation of the shape of beach profiles was developed and applied to the shores of Hartwell Lake, South Carolina/Georgia, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) hydropower and flood control reservoir. Historical shoreline change rates were quantified by comparing available digital aerial photos from different years, and the erosion prediction model was calibrated using these computed erosion rates. This paper also discusses the differences between the newly developed method and the existing approaches in the literature. Application of the shoreline erosion methodology to the Western Carolina Sailing Club in Anderson County, SC is also described in this paper.