Morphological Changes of the Lower Tedori River, Japan, Over 50 Years
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water Article Morphological Changes of the Lower Tedori River, Japan, over 50 Years Dang Minh Hai 1,*, Shinya Umeda 2 and Masatoshi Yuhi 2 1 Faculty of Water Resources Engineering, Thuyloi University, 175 Tay Son, Dong Da, Hanoi 116705, Vietnam 2 Faculty of Geosciences and Civil Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +84-38-699-7676 Received: 30 July 2019; Accepted: 3 September 2019; Published: 5 September 2019 Abstract: Long-term variation in the morphological characteristics of rivers is complicated as a result of temporally and spatially variable natural processes and anthropogenic disturbances. Better understanding of their relationship is therefore important for river basin management. The present study conducted a detailed analysis of a long-term dataset consisting of a 58-year topographic survey and related data on human impact to clarify the long-term variation in the morphological characteristics of the lower Tedori River in Japan. An empirical model was established through the assessment of spatiotemporal variations in nonlinear rates of adjustment. The results indicated that sediment extraction and dam construction profoundly affected the morphological characteristics of the lower Tedori River and that the vertical adjustment of the river channel experienced five phases. Degradation occurred from 7 to 16 km upstream from the river mouth over all phases. Two aggradation phases following two degradation phases were observed from the river mouth to 2 km upstream. Aggradation and degradation phases appeared alternately from 2 to 7 km. The representative nonlinear rates of vertical adjustment in the second phase were the highest compared with those in the other phases in the entire reach. The correlation analysis revealed that the incision phase was mostly coupled with channel narrowing, while widening followed the deposition phase. It was deduced from aerial photo analysis and a comparison between slope and empirical critical slope that the pattern in the lower Tedori River was braided during the period 1950–2000. Keywords: Tedori River; degradation; sand and gravel mining; dam construction 1. Introduction The long-term variation in the morphological characteristics of rivers is complicated as a result of temporally and spatially variable natural processes and anthropogenic disturbances. Natural processes can progress exceedingly slowly and be practically imperceptible by human standards [1]. In contrast, human activities can have a significant and rapid impact on natural processes and trends, resulting in a compressed time scale for river adjustments [2]. Many researchers have made efforts to equate the morphological responses of rivers to associated driving factors. In order to sustainably manage river systems, it is necessary to further investigate the characteristics of variation in river morphology at various temporal and spatial scales. In Japan, the morphology of pristine rivers is due to the combination of steep landforms and frequent storms, and changes are often accelerated by the effects of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions [3]. Japanese rivers differ from most continental rivers in the world because they are short, steep, and exhibit very flashy flow regimes [4]. Since around 1960, when Japan entered a period of high economic growth, a substantial amount of sand and gravel has been extracted from rivers to be used as concrete aggregate. Additionally, many dams have been built to control floods, generate electricity, Water 2019, 11, 1852; doi:10.3390/w11091852 www.mdpi.com/journal/water WaterWater2019 2019, 11, ,11 1852, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of2 17 of 17 electricity, and secure water for various uses. This has seriously affected the morphology of several andJapanese secure waterrivers. for Several various previous uses. This studies has seriouslyon Japanese aff ectedrivers the clarified morphology the long of-term several impacts Japanese of sand rivers. Severaland gravel previous mining studies and/or on Japanese dam construction rivers clarified on riverbed the long-term degradation. impacts The of sand correlation and gravel between mining andvariatio/or damn in construction the riverbed on elevation riverbed, sand degradation. and gravel The extraction correlation, and betweendam construction variation was in the observed riverbed elevation,in the lower sand Tenryu and gravel River extraction, [5]. Sato andet al. dam [6] indicated construction thatwas dueobserved to the dredging in the lower of a sandbar Tenryu Riverin the [ 5]. Satoearly et al.1970s, [6] indicated the longitudinal that due profile to the of dredging the Samegawa of a sandbar River in the region early 1970s, 1 km from the longitudinal the river mouth profile ofdegraded the Samegawa significantly. River in the region 1 km from the river mouth degraded significantly. Recently,Recently, the the Tedori Tedori River, River, located located in the in mid-northernthe mid-northern part ofpart Japan of Japan (Figure (Figure1), has 1), been has seriously been affseriouslyected by affected continuous by continuous anthropogenic anthropogenic activities activities such as such dredging, as dredging, sand sand and and gravel gravel mining, mining, and multipurposeand multipurpose construction. construction. These These activities activities have have disturbed disturbed the previous the previous equilibrium equilibrium condition condition of the river.of the In particular,river. In particular, a significant a significant amount amount of sediment of sedim wasent moved was moved out due out to due mining to mining and was and trapped was intrapped the Tedorigawa in the Tedorigawa Dam. This Dam. induced This intensiveinduced intensive changes changes in the morphological in the morphological characteristics characteristics between 1950between and 2007. 1950 Dangand 2007. et al. Dang [7,8 ]et conducted al. [7,8] conducted a detailed a detailed analysis analysis of temporal of temporal and spatial and spatial trends trends in the verticalin the adjustmentvertical adjustment associated associated with human with human activities activities at the at lower the lower Tedori Tedori River River from from 1950 1950 to 2007.to 2007. However, a mutual relationship among hydromorphological characteristics of the Tedori River However, a mutual relationship among hydromorphological characteristics of the Tedori River has not has not been fully addressed yet. been fully addressed yet. FigureFigure 1. Study area. area. This paper aims to quantify variations in several morphological characteristics of the lower Tedori This paper aims to quantify variations in several morphological characteristics of the lower River.Tedori First, River. magnitude First, magnitude and nonlinear and ratesnonlinear of vertical rates of adjustment vertical adjustment are captured. are Then,captured. variations Then, in bankfullvariations width, in slope,bankfull specific width, stream slope, energy, specific and stream mean energy, sediment and diameter mean aresediment described. diameter Finally, are the intercorrelationdescribed. Finally, among the morphologicintercorrelation characteristics among morphologic is discussed. characteristics The paper is discussed. adds novel The findings paper to prioradds studies novel dealingfindings with to prior similar studies Japanese dealing rivers, with suggesting similar Japanese an empirical rivers, model suggesting of riverbed an empirical elevation changemodel using of riverbed an intercorrelated elevation analysischange ofusing river an morphology intercorrelated characteristics. analysis of river morphology characteristics. 2. Study Area 2. Study Area 2.1. General Setting 2.1.The General Tedori Setting River, which originates at Mt. Hakusan, with the highest elevation of 2702 m, has a 2 catchmentThe areaTedori of 809River, km whichand originates a channel at length Mt. Hakusan, of 72 km with (Figure the1 highest). The main elevation tributary of 2702 of them, has Tedori a Rivercatchment is the Ushikubi area of 809 River, km2 and with a otherchannel tributaries length of being72 km the(Figure Ozo 1). River, The main the Dainichi tributary River, of the and Tedori other smallRiver rivers. is the Ushikubi The lower River, Tedori with River other (LTR)tributaries referred being to the in Ozo the River, remainder the Dainichi of this River, paper and (the other reach downstreamsmall rivers. of The the lower Tedorigawa Tedori Dam)River is(LTR) the portionreferred between to in the the remainder river mouth of this and paper 16 km (the upstream. reach The Tedori River is one of the steepest in Japan, with an average slope of 0.037 and 0.0069 for the entire stretch of the river and the LTR, respectively. The river pattern of the LTR is mainly braided. Based on Water 2019, 11, 1852 3 of 17 homogeneity related to slope, width, and the mean diameter of bed material, the LTR can be divided into four subreaches (SRs) located the following distances from the river mouth: SR 1: 0–2 km: SR 2: 2–7 km; SR 3: 7–13 km; and SR 4: 13–16 km [9]. The climate of the catchment area is dominated by monsoon winds blowing in from the Japan Sea. The mean annual rainfall in the Tedori River catchment is about 2600 mm/yr on the plains and 3300–3600 mm/yr in the mountain ranges. The drainage area is underlaid by various lithologies, including ancient Hida metamorphic rocks and volcanic rocks from eruptions of Mt. Hakusan. Nobi rhyolites (pyroclastic rock) from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic eras are distributed