Check dam effectiveness is related to the sediment deposition slope upstream, sediment transport layer
slope, and the width of the check dam opening. In this study, small-scale channel experiments were conducted to study the variation in the deposit slope behind the check dam, the sediment transport layer’s slope, and the sediment transport layer’s thickness with different degrees of check dam openness and river slope conditions. A new laser cross-sectional measurement was developed to avoid the boundary effect and measure the sediment transport layer. The results suggest that the deposit slope and transport layer are significantly affected by the check dam’s openness. Furthermore, they increase with the river bed slope. In accordance with the experimental results, dimensionless analysis was applied, and a preliminary prediction formula was developed for determining check dam effectiveness.
Key Words: Silt Dam, Dynamic Sediment Transport Layer, Particle Tracking Velocimetry, Small-Scale Flume Experiments