River Ice Jams: Theory, Case Studies, and Applications

The theory of river ice jams, as developed by several investigators over the past two decades, is reviewed and two methods for analyzing case studies are developed. The first method is based on a dimensionless equation that relates measurable ice jam characteristics. The second method compensates for the lack of measured thickness values for breakup jams by introducing a relationship between the hydraulic roughness and the thickness of a jam, based on data by others with respect to freeze up jams. These two methods of analysis are subsequently applied to several case studies performed in recent years by the writer and others. The results support the theory and at the same time show satisfactory consistency in the respective values of various coefficients obtained by the two methods. Procedures for practical application of the present results are outlined and assessed by means of examples.