IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8.

2013

INSTREAM RIVER TRAINING (IRT)

Nature based stream regulation, overview and results

N. Werdenberg1
1
Basler & Hofmann West AG, Ingenieure, Planer und Berater, Industriestrasse 1,
CH-3052 Zollikofen, SWITZERLAND; E-Mail: niels.werdenberg@baslerhofmann.ch

Summary
Most hydraulic engineering methods in rivers focus on bank enhancement for
protecting the banks from erosion. By contrast, a variety of modern installations like
micro groins (dt. = Lenkbuhnen) and meandering ramps (dt.= Pendelrampe) are
effectively guiding eroding currents away from the banks and hence lowering sheer
stress in the bank area. These relatively small installations (i.e. built of natural
boulders) operate from within the river bed, not from the banks. Accordingly these
designs have been combined under the term Instream River Training (IRT). A further
key feature is the generation of a spiral flow which has an effect on both the sediment
transport as well as on the velocity distribution [1]. As opposed to conventional
groins, IRT structures protrude only marginally from the river bed (i.e. 0.15m), yet
they operate efficiently during floods. IRT has effectively been used to adjust the
current and diminish sheer stress in order to reduce or omit bank enhancement
structures [2]. Micro groins also contribute substantially to the formation of aquatic
habitat by deflecting flow energy into the river bed and forming scour pools [3]. The
resulting diverse bed morphology also benefits microbial decomposition processes
[4], and in combination with aerating vortices enhances water quality.

Development of IRT
Most IRT designs used today in Austria, Switzerland and Germany were developed
in the 1990s by Otmar Grober (Baubezirksleitung Bruck a. d. Mur, Styria, Austria).
His developments [5] were inspired by the approach of Austrian forest warden Viktor
Schauberger (1885 - 1958), who focused on adjusting currents for river regulation
already in 1930 [6].
PKS
PKS

Fig. 1. V. Schauberger and his installations for regulating water flow in natural and artificial channels
(ca. 1930)
IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8. 2013

Mende

Bildhauer, Graz
Fig. 2. O. Grober infront of boulders that were used for building a big funnel shaped installation in the
river Mur, Austria (ca. 2005)

Unaware of his counterparts in Austria, hydrologist David Rosgen (Colorado, USA)

developed a variety of installations in the 1990s which operate in a similar way to
micro groins [7]. Since 2004, scientific research (much of it conducted at the TU
Braunschweig and the Technical University of Graz) was able to confirm the effects
in experiments and modeling and greatly improved functional understanding of IRT
(e.g. [8, 9]).

IRT designs
Depending on the rivers curvature, its slope, and the desired effect, different IRT
designs can be used to guide the flow. Some IRT designs used at the Taverna River
in Switzerland [10] are shown in Fig. 3 :
a) Inclined micro groins can be used in curves. The axis of this micro groin type is
pointing against the flow direction, inducing a spiral flow which protects the outer
bank and deflects the main flow towards the center of the channel, where
ecologically valuable scour pools are formed [1, 2].
b) Funnel shaped micro groins can be used in straight channel sections. This
micro groin type is inducing two spiral flows which protect the outer banks and
deflect the main flow towards the center of the channel, where ecologically
valuable scour pools are formed [2].
c) Snail shaped micro groins can be used in curves. This micro groin type induces
spiral flows which protect the outer bank and deflect the main flow towards the
center of the channel, where ecologically valuable scour pools are formed [11].
d) Hook shaped micro groins can be used in straight channel sections. In addition
to the functionality of the inclined micro groin type (a), the hook end will form
pronounced scour pools [12].
e) Meandering ramps can be used in steep slopes. Unlike traditional ramp types,
the alternatingly inclined steps result in a meandering thalweg at low flow and in
spiral flows at high water. At low flow, the prolonged flow path eases migration for
aquatic organisms. At high water, the resulting flow structure deflects the main
flow energy to the center of the ramp, protecting the banks [9, 13].
IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8. 2013

Werdenberg

Fig. 3. IRT designs implemented at Taverna river, Switzerland

IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8. 2013

IRT at work
At Taverna river in Switzerland, IRT was implemented in 2011 in a flood protection
and river rehabilitation project, instead of using traditional bank enhancement
structures [10].
Fig. 4 shows a river bend of the Taverna during low flow (a left) and during a minor
flood (a right and b) circa one year after channel construction. For bank protection a
series of inclined micro groins were installed in the outer curve of the new built
channel. Note the zones of relatively calm currents near the outer banks and the
turbulent fast flows in the center of the channel.
Fig. 5 shows a funnel shaped micro groin installation at Taverna in low flow, during a
minor flood and in winter conditions.
Fig. 6 shows the meandering ramp at low flow and during a minor flood.
Note that all river banks are not yet stabilized by young trees. As the planted trees
grow, they will provide further bank stability and important shading of the channel.

Werdenberg

Sindelar & Mende 2009

Fig. 4. Inclined micro groins at Taverna river

IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8. 2013

Sindelar & Mende 2009

Werdenberg
Fig. 5. Funnel shaped micro groins at Taverna river

Results
Since 2011, the performance of the IRT installations at Taverna river are followed
with a monitoring [10]. Up to the present, the following results were gained:

The study area (roughly 650 m in length) features a broad variety of IRT
installations (approx. 40 inclined micro groins, 6 funnel types, 2 snail types and
one meandering ramp).
Due to the implementation of micro groins at Taverna river, the construction of
cost-intensive bank enhancement structures could be omitted. The use of
micro groins prooved to be 30% to 50% less expensive than bank
enhancement with boulders.
Also it was observed that the heterogeneity of flows and of flow velocity
increased, and that the river bed heterogeneity and sorting of the sediment
according to gravel size was increased (key features of habitat diversity).
During the highest flood up to present (approx. HQ30 in November 2012) no
erosion was detected within the sections protected by IRT. In a control section
(absence of both IRT and bank omittment structures) significant bank erosion
was occurred.
IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8. 2013

Mende & Gassmann (2009)

Low flow

Mende
Flood
Werdenberg

Fig. 6. Meandering ramp at Taverna river

IWONE Conference 6th International Workshop on Natural Energies Malm 9. 11. 8. 2013

Literature

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Pendelrampen. Rutschmann, P., ed. In: Wasserbau in Bewegung - Von der Statik zur
Dynamik, Juli 1-3 2010, Institut fr Wasserbau, TU Mnchen, S. 36 44.
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Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden.
[3] Pinter K., Unfer G., Wiesner C. (2009). Fischbestandserhebung der Mur im
Bereich St. Michael. Studie des Instituts fr Hydrobiologie und
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Landesregierung, unverffentlicht.
[4] Singer G., Besemer K., Schmitt-Kopplin P., Hdl I., Battin T. J. (2010). Physical
Heterogeneity Increases Biofilm Resource Use and Its Molecular Diversity in Stream
Mesocosms. PLoS ONE 5(4): e9988.
[5] Grober O. (1998): kologisch orientierte Gewsserinstandhaltungen mit
naturnaher dynamischer Landschaftseingliederung nach Grundstzen von V.
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Zusammenstellung der Baubezirksleitung Bruck/Mur.
[6] sterreichisches Patentamt (1933). Patentschrift Nr. 134543 Viktor
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[7] Rosgen D. L. (2006). The Cross-Vane, W-Weir and J-Hook Vane
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