Fluvial Geomorphology
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Geomorphic Classification of Rivers
9.36 Geomorphic Classification of Rivers JM Buffington, U.S. Forest Service, Boise, ID, USA DR Montgomery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Published by Elsevier Inc. 9.36.1 Introduction 730 9.36.2 Purpose of Classification 730 9.36.3 Types of Channel Classification 731 9.36.3.1 Stream Order 731 9.36.3.2 Process Domains 732 9.36.3.3 Channel Pattern 732 9.36.3.4 Channel–Floodplain Interactions 735 9.36.3.5 Bed Material and Mobility 737 9.36.3.6 Channel Units 739 9.36.3.7 Hierarchical Classifications 739 9.36.3.8 Statistical Classifications 745 9.36.4 Use and Compatibility of Channel Classifications 745 9.36.5 The Rise and Fall of Classifications: Why Are Some Channel Classifications More Used Than Others? 747 9.36.6 Future Needs and Directions 753 9.36.6.1 Standardization and Sample Size 753 9.36.6.2 Remote Sensing 754 9.36.7 Conclusion 755 Acknowledgements 756 References 756 Appendix 762 9.36.1 Introduction 9.36.2 Purpose of Classification Over the last several decades, environmental legislation and a A basic tenet in geomorphology is that ‘form implies process.’As growing awareness of historical human disturbance to rivers such, numerous geomorphic classifications have been de- worldwide (Schumm, 1977; Collins et al., 2003; Surian and veloped for landscapes (Davis, 1899), hillslopes (Varnes, 1958), Rinaldi, 2003; Nilsson et al., 2005; Chin, 2006; Walter and and rivers (Section 9.36.3). The form–process paradigm is a Merritts, 2008) have fostered unprecedented collaboration potentially powerful tool for conducting quantitative geo- among scientists, land managers, and stakeholders to better morphic investigations. -
River Dynamics 101 - Fact Sheet River Management Program Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
River Dynamics 101 - Fact Sheet River Management Program Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Overview In the discussion of river, or fluvial systems, and the strategies that may be used in the management of fluvial systems, it is important to have a basic understanding of the fundamental principals of how river systems work. This fact sheet will illustrate how sediment moves in the river, and the general response of the fluvial system when changes are imposed on or occur in the watershed, river channel, and the sediment supply. The Working River The complex river network that is an integral component of Vermont’s landscape is created as water flows from higher to lower elevations. There is an inherent supply of potential energy in the river systems created by the change in elevation between the beginning and ending points of the river or within any discrete stream reach. This potential energy is expressed in a variety of ways as the river moves through and shapes the landscape, developing a complex fluvial network, with a variety of channel and valley forms and associated aquatic and riparian habitats. Excess energy is dissipated in many ways: contact with vegetation along the banks, in turbulence at steps and riffles in the river profiles, in erosion at meander bends, in irregularities, or roughness of the channel bed and banks, and in sediment, ice and debris transport (Kondolf, 2002). Sediment Production, Transport, and Storage in the Working River Sediment production is influenced by many factors, including soil type, vegetation type and coverage, land use, climate, and weathering/erosion rates. -
Stream Restoration, a Natural Channel Design
Stream Restoration Prep8AICI by the North Carolina Stream Restonltlon Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant INC STATE UNIVERSITY I North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. Contents Introduction to Fluvial Processes 1 Stream Assessment and Survey Procedures 2 Rosgen Stream-Classification Systems/ Channel Assessment and Validation Procedures 3 Bankfull Verification and Gage Station Analyses 4 Priority Options for Restoring Incised Streams 5 Reference Reach Survey 6 Design Procedures 7 Structures 8 Vegetation Stabilization and Riparian-Buffer Re-establishment 9 Erosion and Sediment-Control Plan 10 Flood Studies 11 Restoration Evaluation and Monitoring 12 References and Resources 13 Appendices Preface Streams and rivers serve many purposes, including water supply, The authors would like to thank the following people for reviewing wildlife habitat, energy generation, transportation and recreation. the document: A stream is a dynamic, complex system that includes not only Micky Clemmons the active channel but also the floodplain and the vegetation Rockie English, Ph.D. along its edges. A natural stream system remains stable while Chris Estes transporting a wide range of flows and sediment produced in its Angela Jessup, P.E. watershed, maintaining a state of "dynamic equilibrium." When Joseph Mickey changes to the channel, floodplain, vegetation, flow or sediment David Penrose supply significantly affect this equilibrium, the stream may Todd St. John become unstable and start adjusting toward a new equilibrium state. -
Quantitative Geomorphology of Drainage Basins Related to Fish
INFORMATIONAL LEAFLET NO. 162 QUANTITATIVE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF DRA INAGE BAS INS RELATED TO F ISH PRODUCT ION BY G. L. Ziemer STATE OF ALASKA William A. Egan - Governor DEPARTMENT OF F l SH AND GAME James W. Brooks, Commissioner Subport Building, Juneau 99801 July 1973 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................. 1 INTRODUCTION .......................... 1 GEOMORPHIC ELEMENTS ...................... 2 OBJECTIVES ............................ 4 METHODOLOGY .......................... 4 SUMMARY ............................. 11 CONCLUSIONS ........................... 14 REFERENCES ............................ 18 APPENDIX A . GEOMORPHIC ELEMENTS .............. 19 APPENDIX B . MEASURE OF FISH PRODUCTION .......... 25 QUANTITATIVE GEOMORPHOLOCX OF DRAINAGE BASINS RELATED TO FISH PRODUCTION G.L. Ziemer, P.E. Chief Engineer Alaska Department of Fish and Game Juneau, Alaska ABSTRACT This report covers the results of a study investigating the possibility of developing a classification index system for watersheds which would quan- tify their total composite salmon production potential. The premise was tested that, within a geologically and climatologically homogenous region, the water flow regimen of streams, and the channels that flow builds, is universally related to certain identifiable characteristics of their basins and drainages and that these control or indicate the level of fisheries production. This study shows that a correlation between drainage system geometry and freshwater production factors for anadromous fishes can be shown, and an index expressing that relationship, in the case of pink salmon in Prince William Sound, has been developed. INTRODUCTION As anadromous fisheries management proceeds from the basic position of husbandry of the existing stocks to the addition of programs designed to increase the quantity and to enhance the quality of the freshwater environment for fish production, it becomes desirable to provide to the manager better tools to equate one site against another so his projects return the maximum dividends. -
Determination of Temporal Changes in the Sinuosity and Braiding Characteristics of the Kizilirmak River, Turkey
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. Vol. 24, No. 5 (2015), 2095-2112 DOI: 10.15244/pjoes/58765 Original Research Determination of Temporal Changes in the Sinuosity and Braiding Characteristics of the Kizilirmak River, Turkey Derya Ozturk*, Faik Ahmet Sesli Department of Geomatics Engineering, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139 Samsun, Turkey Received: June 2, 2015 Accepted: July 6, 2015 Abstract In this study, the pattern of the approximately 1,300-km-long Kizilirmak River was recreated in a geo- graphic information system (GIS) environment using data obtained from Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI satellite images from 1987, 2000, and 2013. The temporal changes in the sinuosity and braiding characteristics of the river were determined for the periods 1987-2000 and 2000-13. The right and left shorelines of the Kizilirmak River and the shorelines of islands and bars within the river channel were extracted automatically from the satellite images by integrating the normalized difference water index (NDWI) and modified normalized dif- ference water index (MNDWI). The data required for measuring the sinuosity and braiding characteristics were obtained by evaluating the shorelines in the GIS environment. The braiding index (BI), braid-channel ratio (B), and braiding ratio (BR) were used to determine the braiding of the river, and the sinuosity index was used to determine the sinuosity of the river. The Kizilirmak River was divided into 21 analyzed sections based on the locations of dams. The sinuosity decreased in 15 sections in 1987-2000 and 2000-13. The BI, B, and BR values decreased in 11 sections in 1987-2000 and in 9 sections in 2000-13. -
National Stream Internet Protocol and User Guide
National Stream Internet Protocol and User Guide David Nagel1, Erin Peterson2, Daniel Isaak1, Jay Ver Hoef3, and Dona Horan1 U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station Air, Water, and Aquatic Environments Program 322 E. Front St., Boise, ID 1 Author affiliations: 1 US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, AWAE Program, 322 E. Front St., Suite 401, Boise, ID 83702. 2 Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. 3 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fairbanks, AK. Version 3-22-2017 Abstract The rate at which new information about stream resources is being created has accelerated with the recent development of spatial stream-network models (SSNMs), the growing availability of stream databases, and ongoing advances in geospatial science and computational efficiency. To further enhance information development, the National Stream Internet (NSI) project was developed as a means of providing a consistent, flexible analytical infrastructure that can be applied with many types of stream data anywhere in the country. A key part of that infrastructure is the NSI network, a digital GIS layer which has a specific topological structure that was designed to work effectively with SSNMs. The NSI network was derived from the National Hydrography Dataset Plus, Version 2 (NHDPlusV2) following technical procedures that ensure compatibility with SSNMs. This report describes those procedures and additional steps that are required to prepare datasets for use with SSNMs. 2 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Overview The USGS National Hydrography Dataset Plus, Version 2 (NHDPlusV2) (McKay et al., 2012) is an attribute rich, GIS stream network developed at 1:100,000 scale by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. -
Analyzing Rivers with Google Earth
Name____________________________________Per.______ Analyzing Rivers with Google Earth River systems exist all over the planet. You are going to examine several rivers and landforms created by rivers during this activity using Google Earth. While your iPad can view each location, you will need a laptop to use the ruler function. A B Figure 1: Meandering river terms. Image from: http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/MeanderingRivers.htm Part I: Meandering Rivers: Figure 1 shows several terms used to describe meandering rivers. We are going to focus on wavelength, amplitude, and sinuosity. Sinuosity is the ratio of river length (distance traveled if you floated down the river) divided by straight length line (bird’s flight distance, i.e. from point A to B). The greater the number, the more tortuous (strongly meandering) the path the river takes. 1. Fly to Yakeshi, China. Just north of the city is a beautiful series of scroll bars (former point bars that have been abandoned) formed by the meandering river moving across the landscape. 1a. Describe the features you see. What “age” river is this (young, mature, old)? How are the meanders moving over time? Is the river becoming straighter or more curved? 1b. Find an area where the current river channel and clear meanders are easy to see (i.e. 49o18’30”N, 120o35’45”E). Measure the wavelength, amplitude and sinuosity of the river in this area. To measure straight line paths for wavelength, amplitude, and bird’s flight distance, go to Tools Ruler Line. Use kilometers. Click and drag your cursor across the area of interest. -
Spatial Patterns in CO 2 Evasion from the Global River Network Ronny Lauerwald, Goulven Laruelle, Jens Hartmann, Philippe Ciais, Pierre A.G
Spatial patterns in CO 2 evasion from the global river network Ronny Lauerwald, Goulven Laruelle, Jens Hartmann, Philippe Ciais, Pierre A.G. Regnier To cite this version: Ronny Lauerwald, Goulven Laruelle, Jens Hartmann, Philippe Ciais, Pierre A.G. Regnier. Spatial patterns in CO 2 evasion from the global river network. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, American Geophysical Union, 2015, 29 (5), pp.534 - 554. 10.1002/2014GB004941. hal-01806195 HAL Id: hal-01806195 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01806195 Submitted on 28 Oct 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. PUBLICATIONS Global Biogeochemical Cycles RESEARCH ARTICLE Spatial patterns in CO2 evasion from the global 10.1002/2014GB004941 river network Key Points: Ronny Lauerwald1,2,3, Goulven G. Laruelle1,4, Jens Hartmann3, Philippe Ciais5, and Pierre A. G. Regnier1 • First global maps of river CO2 partial pressures and evasion at 0.5° 1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 2Institut Pierre-Simon resolution Laplace, Paris, France, 3Institute for Geology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, 4Department of Earth Sciences- • Global river CO2 evasion estimated at À 5 650 (483–846) Tg C yr 1 Geochemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands, LSCE IPSL, Gif Sur Yvette, France • Latitudes between 10°N and 10°S contribute half of the global CO2 evasion Abstract CO2 evasion from rivers (FCO2) is an important component of the global carbon budget. -
Stream Order
About Tutorial Glossary Documents Images Maps Google Earth Please provide feedback! Click for details The River Basin You are here: Home>The River Basin >Hydrology>Principles of Hydrology >Surface Water >Stream Order Introduction Geography Climate and Weather Hydrology Stream Order Principles of Hydrology Water Cycle Surface Water Most rivers are considered as reaches with different geomorphological characteristics. Stream Order The most simple divison generally made is to divide the river into Upper and Lower Lakes and Reservoirs River reaches Flooding Groundwater Upper River SW/ GW Interactions Water Balance Explore the sub- basins of the Hydrology of Southern The uppermost portion of a river system includes the river headwaters and low- order Kunene River Africa streams at higher elevation. The upper river basin is usually characterised by steep Hydrology of the Kunene gradients and by erosion that carries sediment downstream. Streams in this upper Basin region are usually steep and torrential, and often include rapids and waterfalls. These Water Quality streams generally have little floodplain, although part of the bank and surrounding Ecology & Biodiversity land may be wetted during periods of high flow. Watersheds References Lower River The lower section of a river system (extending to the mouth), usually exhibits a larger river channel and lower slope – the landscape is usually flat. In the middle portion of the river there is a balance between erosion and deposition of sediment. Further Video Interviews about the downstream, the lower river sees mainly deposition, though localised erosion and integrated and transboundary reworking of sediments may also occur. The main channel of the river often forms a management of the Kunene sinuous (meandering) path across the landscape unless artificially channelled. -
Alluvial Cover Controlling the Width, Slope and Sinuosity of Bedrock Channels
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 29–48, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Alluvial cover controlling the width, slope and sinuosity of bedrock channels Jens Martin Turowski Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam, German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany Correspondence: Jens Martin Turowski ([email protected]) Received: 17 July 2017 – Discussion started: 31 July 2017 Revised: 16 December 2017 – Accepted: 31 December 2017 – Published: 6 February 2018 Abstract. Bedrock channel slope and width are important parameters for setting bedload transport capacity and for stream-profile inversion to obtain tectonics information. Channel width and slope development are closely related to the problem of bedrock channel sinuosity. It is therefore likely that observations on bedrock channel meandering yields insights into the development of channel width and slope. Active meandering occurs when the bedrock channel walls are eroded, which also drives channel widening. Further, for a given drop in elevation, the more sinuous a channel is, the lower is its channel bed slope in comparison to a straight channel. It can thus be expected that studies of bedrock channel meandering give insights into width and slope adjustment and vice versa. The mechanisms by which bedrock channels actively meander have been debated since the beginning of modern geomorphic research in the 19th century, but a final consensus has not been reached. It has long been argued that whether a bedrock channel meanders actively or not is determined by the availability of sediment relative to transport capacity, a notion that has also been demonstrated in laboratory experiments. -
Geomorphic and Sedimentary Response of Rivers to Tectonic
TECTONOPHYSICS ELSEVIER Tectonophysics 305 (1999) 287-306 Geomorphic and sedimentary response of rivers to tectonic deformation: a brief review and critique of a tool for recognizing subtle epeirogenic deformation in modern and ancient settings John Holbrook", S.A. Schunun a Southeast Missouri State University, Department of Geosciences, 1 University Plaza 6500, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA b Colorado State University, Department of Earth Resources, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA Received 28 April 1998; revised version received 30 June 1998; accepted 11 August 1998 Abstract Rivers are extremely sensitive to subtle changes in their grade caused by tectonic tilting. As such, recognition of tectonic tilting effects on rivers, and their resultant sediments, can be a useful tool for identifying the often cryptic warping associated with incipient and smaller-scale epeirogenic deformation in both modern and ancient settings. Tectonic warping may result in either longitudinal (parallel to floodplain orientation) or lateral (normal to floodplain orientation) tilting of alluvial river profiles. Alluvial rivers may respond to deformation of longitudinal profile by: (1) deflection around zones of uplift and into zones of subsidence, (2) aggradation in backtilted and degradation in foretilted reaches, (3) compensation of slope alteration by shifts in channel pattern, (4) increase in frequency of overbank flooding for foretilted and decrease for backtilted reaches, and (5) increased bedload grain size in foretilted reaches and decreased bedload grain size in backtiked reaches. Lateral tilting causes down-tilt avulsion of streams where tilt rates are high, and steady down-tilt migration (combing) where tilt rates are lower. Each of the above effects may have profound impacts on fithofacies geometry and distribution that may potentially be preserved in the rock record. -
Naches River, Washington
Anthropogenic Effects on Floodplain Geomorphology: Naches River, Washington By: Tiffany Bishop Geography Undergraduate Central Washington University 6/11/2009 Floodplains are unique ecosystems, adjusting with greatly varying flows, while still sustaining through periods of drought or flood. The occurrences and disturbances that happen to the rivers inhabiting these floodplains directly affect their geomorphology. Mountain-based rivers, such as the Naches River of Washington’s Southern Cascade Range, historically received higher pulses of runoff during the spring freshet due to snowmelt runoff. This paper examines the possible effects of decreasing or eliminating those pulses through their retention in reservoir lakes, and how these changes may affect floodplain geomorphology. Air photos, topographic maps, climographs, and hydrographs of the Little Naches and Bumping Rivers, which are tributaries to the Naches River, were analyzed in an effort to identify the possible effects of snowmelt retention. Results indicate a relationship between river discharge regulation and channel complexity, sinuosity, and channel frequency, – i.e., the floodplain of the unregulated Little Naches River is has maintained complexity and increased sinuosity while that of the Bumping River has decreased complexity, channel frequency and sinuosity. River restoration is becoming an increasingly important issue as we continue to learn the effects of anthropogenic changes to the riverine ecosystem. In the Pacific Northwest, salmon populations have been severely affected by these many effects on the ecosystem. As we move forward in attempting to recover these areas, floodplain function is one of many factors that must be investigated and rehabilitated if we hope to restore the ecosystem. Introduction: Floodplains are unique ecosystems, adjusting greatly with varying flows, while sustaining through periods of drought or flood.