Journal article
A DTS-based proof-of-concept framework for high-resolution sediment monitoring in water storage systems
Water Practice and Technology, Vol.Advanced access
04-Aug-2026
Abstract
Graphical abstract illustrating the DTS-based sediment monitoring framework, where diurnal temperature signals measured along a fibre-optic cable are analysed using analytical and numerical models to estimate sediment depth and support continuous reservoir sediment assessment. Sedimentation in freshwater storages is an increasing concern under land-use change and climate variability. Conventional assessments often lack the spatiotemporal resolution needed for timely management. This study investigates distributed temperature sensing (DTS) as a method for estimating sediment depth based primarily on passive analysis of diurnal thermal signals, complemented by active heat-pulse testing to confirm the water–sediment interface (WSI). A fibre-optic cable (FOC) was deployed in a pond channel to record diurnal temperatures at two burial depths and the WSI over 2 days. The diurnal data exhibited systematic amplitude damping and phase lag with depth, consistent with diffusive heat conduction linking signal attenuation to burial depth. Analytical and numerical heat-transfer models were developed to relate signal attenuation to sediment depth and to predict thermal behaviour beyond instrumented depths. Modelled sediment depths agreed with independent measurements, with differences of approximately 10–14%. Results demonstrate that DTS can provide reliable, spatially distributed estimates of sedimentation, with accuracy influenced by the length of constant burial depth along the FOC and the strength of the diurnal signal. This DTS-based approach provides a transferable framework for continuous sediment monitoring with potential for scaling to larger systems, supporting targeted dredging, post-event assessment, and proactive management of reservoir storage capacity.
Details
- Title
- A DTS-based proof-of-concept framework for high-resolution sediment monitoring in water storage systems
- Authors
- Laureano Gonzalez Rodriguez (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastDamon Kent - University of the Sunshine CoastCharith Rathnayaka - University of the Sunshine CoastHelen Fairweather - Engineers AustraliaAdrian B. McCallum - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Water Practice and Technology, Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- IWA Publishing
- DOI
- 10.2166/wpt.2026.392
- ISSN
- 1751-231X
- Copyright note
- © 2026 The Authors. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits copying, adaptation and redistribution for non-commercial purposes, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- Temperature datasets and the Ansys project containing the calibrated numerical model and forecast cases developed in this research are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
- Grant note
- This research was sponsored by a Lake Macquarie Environmental Research Grant, which is funded by Lake Macquarie City Council and various sponsors. In the 2021/2022 funding cycle, the sponsors included Hunter Water Corporation, Delta Electricity, and Origin.
- Organisation Unit
- K'gari Research Cluster; Cancer Research Cluster; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991254371602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
1 Record Views