CHANNEL EROSION on the MISSOURI RIVER, MONTANA Between FORT PECK DAM and the NORTH DAKOTA BORDER

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CHANNEL EROSION on the MISSOURI RIVER, MONTANA Between FORT PECK DAM and the NORTH DAKOTA BORDER CHANNEL EROSION on the MISSOURI RIVER, MONTANA between FORT PECK DAM and the NORTH DAKOTA BORDER 0 5 F a 10 i lu r F e S S = u 0 r .9 ACE, IN FEET 15 fa 6 c e: F a 20 c to r o f S afe 25 ty = 0.85 30 DEPTH BELOW GROUND SURF 35 40 0105 1520 25 30 3540 45 DISTANCE, IN FEET Prepared By: In Collaboration With: USDA-Agricultural Research Service USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service National Sedimentation Laboratory Lincoln, NE; Bozeman, MT; Culbertson, MT Oxford, Mississippi Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research Prepared For: Coordinated Resource Management Group - Lower Missouri River CRM Culbertson, Montana May 1999 CHANNEL EROSION on the MISSOURI RIVER, MONTANA between FORT PECK DAM and the NORTH DAKOTA BORDER By: Andrew Simon1, F. Douglas Shields1, Robert Ettema2, Carlos Alonso1, Marie Marshall-Garsjo3, Andrea Curini1 and Lyle Steffen4 Submitted to: Coordinated Resource Management Group-Lower Missouri River CRM Culbertson, Montana May, 1999 1 USDA/ARS, National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, MS 2 Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research, Iowa City, IA 3 USDA, NRCS, Bozeman, MT 4 USDA, NRCS, Lincoln, NE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...........................................................................................7 LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................15 PREFACE........................................................................................................................ 18 SUMMARY...................................................................................................................... 19 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 22 Background ................................................................................................................... 22 Concerns of the Lower Missouri River CRM ............................................................... 22 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE .........................................................................................23 GENERAL VALLEY CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................. 24 Study Reach................................................................................................................... 24 Bed-Material Characteristics..................................................................................... 26 GEOLOGIC HISTORY .................................................................................................32 Geologic Units............................................................................................................... 32 HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS.................................................................................... 34 Changes in Flow Regime ..............................................................................................34 Rating-Curve Analysis .................................................................................................. 44 SITE SELECTION AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS ...................................52 Soil-Series Descriptions ................................................................................................ 52 Gerdrum Clay Loam.................................................................................................. 54 Harlem Series ............................................................................................................ 54 Harlem Silty Clay..................................................................................................54 Harlem Silty Clay Loam ....................................................................................... 54 Havre Series .............................................................................................................. 54 Havre Silt Loam .................................................................................................... 55 Havre Silty Clay Loam.......................................................................................... 55 Havrelon Series ......................................................................................................... 55 Havrelon Loam...................................................................................................... 55 Havrelon Silt Loam ............................................................................................... 55 Havrelon Silty Clay Loam..................................................................................... 56 Lohler Series ............................................................................................................. 56 Lohler Silty Clay...................................................................................................56 Lohler Silty Clay Loam.........................................................................................56 Riverwash.................................................................................................................. 56 Shambo Series........................................................................................................... 57 Trembles Series......................................................................................................... 57 Trembles Fine Sandy Loam .................................................................................. 57 Typic Fluvaquents, Frequently Flooded.................................................................... 57 2 Ustic Torrifluvents .................................................................................................... 57 TESTING AND SAMPLING OF BANK MATERIAL............................................... 59 Identification of Geomorphic Surfaces ......................................................................... 59 CONTROLS OF CHANNEL EVOLUTION: THEORY............................................60 Bed-Level Adjustments................................................................................................. 61 Mathematical Model of Bed-Level Changes ............................................................ 61 BED ELEVATION DATA: APPLICATION............................................................... 65 Bed-Level Response...................................................................................................... 65 Bed Profiles............................................................................................................... 75 Total Bed-Level Changes Since Dam Closure...................................................... 78 MEANDERS AND LATERAL-MIGRATION PROCESSES: THEORY ................ 83 Governing Variables ..................................................................................................... 83 Flow-Field Models .................................................................................................... 85 RESERVOR EFFECTS ON MIGRATION RATES: APPLICATION.....................86 Methods of Analysis...................................................................................................... 87 Channel Planform...................................................................................................... 87 Measurement of Channel Activity ........................................................................ 89 Neck cutoffs .......................................................................................................... 91 Gross Channel Planform ....................................................................................... 91 Planform Geometry Relations............................................................................... 93 Comparison of Pre- and Post-Dam Channel Activity ............................................... 93 Predictors of Future Activity: Bend-Average Values ........................................... 99 Predictors of Future Activity: Sub-reach-Average Values ................................... 99 Neck Cutoffs ....................................................................................................... 109 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 109 Effects on Flood plains............................................................................................ 113 Summary of Results ................................................................................................115 SHEAR STRENGTH AND CHANNEL-BANK STABILITY: THEORY..............116 Governing Forces and Processes................................................................................. 116 Obtaining Shear-Strength Data................................................................................. 117 Accounting for Both Unsaturated and Saturated Bank Materials........................... 119 GEOTECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BANK MATERIAL ............122 Negative Pore-Water Pressures................................................................................... 122 Bank-toe materials....................................................................................................... 131 BANK STABILITY ANALYSES ................................................................................139 Type I: Culman Wedge-Type Analysis: Theory......................................................... 139 Determination of Weighted-Mean Parameter Values ............................................. 140 Results of Culman Analysis: Application ................................................................... 159 Effects
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