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Morphology of High Gradient Streams at Different Spatial Scales, Western Cascades, Oregon

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Morphology of High Gradient Streams at Different Spatial Scales, Western Cascades, Oregon MORPHOLOGY OF HIGH GRADIENT STREAMS AT DIFFERENT SPATIAL SCALES, WESTERN CASCADES, OREGON Gordon E. Grant U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station 3200 Jefferson Way Corvallis, Oregon 97331 U.S.A. Abstract scales is important for understanding longitudinal variations in sediment transport and storage, strati- The channel and valley-floor morphology of fying research sampling, designing effective mea- high-gradient streams is commonly expressed at sures for erosion control, and analyzing the struc- several spatial scales. In this paper, a taxonomy of ture of biological communities. channel and valley floor features is proposed to improve understanding of processes and landforms Introduction in steep streams and to provide a common frame- work for stream descriptions. This taxonomy is Increasing land use in mountainous areas in both based on field studies in two streams draining the developed and undeveloped countries has prompt- western slopes of the Cascade Range in Oregon, ed investigations of high-gradient streams, i.e. lI r- A. At the finest scale (10– - 10° channel those with bed slopes greater than 2%. These step-pool sequences formed by large boul- streams differ from lowland streams in several im- der s oriented transverse to the channel axis domi- portant respects. Hydraulics of high gradient nate channel structure; these features appear to streams are strongly affected by large boulders and form in response to flow perturbations such as an- woody debris which create bed roughness on the tidunes during bedload transport events. An impor- same scale as channel depth or even width, leading tant scale from the standpoint of hydraulics and to high energy losses, upper regime flow, and dis- sediment transport is the channel unit scale rupted velocity profiles. Lowland channels, in con- (10° - 10 1 channel widths). Pool, riffle, rapid, and trast, have roughness due primarily to bedforms cascade channel units (in order of increasing bed and bars, and hydraulics characterized by lower slope) have non-overlapping slope ranges and par- regime flow (Bathurst 1978). Interactions between ticle sizes, and can be distinguished in the field hillslopes and channels in mountain streams influ- based on hydraulic criteria and step structure. ence stream and valley morphology; sediment Channel units display non-random sequence and transport is intimately linked with hillslope proces- spacing in response to both fluvial mechanisms and ses in terms of both supply rate and delivery mecha- exogenous controls, such as bedrock or source ar- nisms. Non-fluvial emplacement of bed material by eas for large boulders along the channel margin. landslides and debris flows results in channels con- Formation of channel units is poorly understood but taining bed particles which resist transport; conse- may be a steep stream analog to bar formation. quently, geomorphically effective events from the standpoint of both sediment transport and channel Distinctive channel and valley floor morphology is structure occur infrequently (Scott and Gravlee, also expressed at the reach scale (102 - 103 channel 1968; Nolan and others, 1987; Hayward, 1980; widths). Reach structure varies in response to the Grant, 1986; Best and Keller, 1986). In contrast, degree of constraint imposed by large-scale land- lowland streams are often separated from valley slides, resistant bedrock, or alluvial fans. The ratio of walls by extensive floodplains and terraces and ge- valley floor width to active channel width is an impor- omorphically effective events occur relatively fre- tant index for distinguishing the organization of quently (Pickup and Warner, 1976; Wolman and channels at this scale. Recognition of these varying Gerson, 1978). 1— There has been comparatively little research on classify streams from an ecological perspective channel morphology of high-gradient mountain (Kani, 1944, 1981; Mizuno and Kawanabe, 1981). streams. In the United States, population centers are generally far removed from mountainous areas In this paper, I present a topographic classification and, until recently, there has been little impetus to system for bed features and valley floor landforms at study erosion processes in steep channels. Over several spatial scales, drawing on field studies from the past twenty years, however, intensive utilization two streams located in the Western Cascade Range of mountain areas for timber, recreation, hydroelec- of Oregon, U.S.A. Recognition of these varying tric power, and municipal water, and concern over scales is important for understanding longitudinal degradation of fisheries and wildlife habitats has variations in sediment transport and storage, strati- focussed the need to analyze structure and pro- fying research sampling, designing effective mea- cesses in high-gradient streams. Researchers in sures for erosion control and analyzing the structure the U.S. have emphasized field measurements of of biological communities. stream morphology in natural channels, as exempli- 12r15 W 127-90 W fied by several recent studies (Bathurst, 1987; Hay- ward, 1980; Grant and others, in review). In Japan, steep boulder-bed streams are common- ly called torrential bed channels. Their proximity to densely populated areas has resulted in loss of life and property when floods and debris flows sweep down these channels. While the need to understand dynamics of steep streams is pressing, extensive modification of channels by sabo engineering and control structures has made it difficult for Japanese scientists to examine morphology of streams in their natural state. Notable exceptions to this are the work of Sawada and others (1983, 1985) and Ashida and others (1981) at Ashiaraidani basin in the Japan Alps and investigations of steep stream processes on Hokkaido by several researchers (Nakamura, 1986; Nakamura and others, 1987; Kishi and others, 1987). Most Japanese researchers have emphasized flume studies (Ashida and others, 1976; 1984; 1985; 1986 a, b; Haseguawa, 1988) while only a few comparable flume studies have been reported in the English literature (Judd and Peterson, 1969; Whittaker and Jaeggi, 1982; Fig. 1. Location of Lookout and French Pete Creer Bathurst and others, 1983). study reaches. Progress in investigating high-gradient streams has been hindered by lack of a sound conceptual Description of streams studied framework for analyzing stream morphology. What is needed in part is a taxonomy of morphologic The two streams studied, Lookout Creek (LOC) and features that can be used to classify stream struc- French Pete Creek (FPC), are located within the ture, characterize changes in stream morphology in western Cascade physiographic province, a response to floods, debris flows, and landslides, deeply-dissected terrain underlain by volcanic and analyze morphogenetic processes in steep rocks of late Oligocene to late Pliocene age (Fig 1). channels. Stream morphology can be viewed as Both streams flow through west-trending, steeply- being hierarchically organized (Frissell and others, walled valleys (hillslope gradients greater than 70% 1986; Kishi and others, 1987; Grant and others, in are common), which are densely vegetated in ma- review) and this concept has been employed to ture (100-200 year old) and old-growth (>200 year —2- old) Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesil) and west- channel width. At the finest scale, the channel is ern hemlock (Tsuga heteropttylla) with scattered dominated by steps composed of the largest boul- western red cedars (Thuja plicata). Mean annual ders in the stream interspersed with pools approxi- precipitation in the study area is approximately 2500 mately 0.4 to 0.8 channel widths in length (Fig 2). mm with most precipitation falling between Novem- Taken together, the steps and intervening pools ber and April. A transient snow zone exists between create step-pool sequences (Whittaker and Jaeggi, 400 and 1500 m elevation and floods generally oc- 1982; Ashida and others 1984, 1986 a,b). Kishi and cur as a consequence of rapid snowpack melting others (1987) refer to this scale of variation as the during rain-on-snow events. rib scale, a term also used by others (McDonald and Bannerjee, 1971; Koster, 1978). This scale also corresponds to the Aa type of channel defined by TABLE 1. DRAINAGE BASIN CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE TWO Kani (1944, 1981). STUDY BASINS French Pete Creek Lookout Creek Step-pool sequences are, in turn, interspersed by Drainage area (cni2) 83.4 67.6 larger pools, generally 1.0 to 4.0 channel widths in Mean basin elevation (m) 1300 1200 length (Fig 2). I have termed this the channel unit Average channel gradient scale of variation; it corresponds to what Kishi and Entire basin (%) 4.3 3.8 others (1987) term swells and is similar to the Bb Study section (%) 3.8 2.2 type of channel described by Kani (1944, 1981). Average unvegetated channel width (m) 18.1 18.1 Four different types of channel units can be distin- Mean annual discharge (m 31s) 3.5 3.6 guished based on their geometry, degree of step Median bed partical size (an) 20 13 development and hydraulic characteristics; these are discussed in the section on channel units. The two basins are comparable in size, elevation, Lengths of stream channel 102 to 103 channel and mean annual discharge; however, the gradient widths long are termed reaches. Reaches can be of the study reach in FPC is 1.7 times that of LOC defined either by their longitudinal profile (steep ver- (Table 1). FPC drains a virtually pristine basin while sus gentle gradient), their planform
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