Hydro Modeling for Artificial Islands

HYDRODYNAMIC MODELING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL ISLANDSWITHIN THE PEORIA LAKE ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER.
Nani G. Bhowmik, M. Demissie, and Pami Parmar. Illinois State Water Survey, Champaign, IL 61820.

The Peoria Lake is the largest bottomland lake along the Illinois River. Over the years, the lakehas lost more than 80% of its capacity. The lake is now essentially flanked by shallow waterbodies with the navigation channel containing the deep water.

Presently, various alternatives are under consideration to revitalize a portion of the lake as deep water and terrestrial habitats.

One of the alternatives is to dredge the deposited sediment and use the dredged materials to build artificial islands.

Before such artificial islands are built, hydrodynamic modeling work must be completed to determine the hydraulic stability of those islands.

The Illinois State Water Survey has tested about two dozen alternatives within the Upper and Lower Peoria Lake where the artificial island or islands could be built. The two dimensional SMS was used for this purpose.

After a considerable amount of testing, review, and evaluation, about 5 potential island sites were identified within the Lower Peoria Lake where these islands could be built.