Fluvial Geomorphic Analysis of the Tillamook Bay Basin Rivers
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Fluvial Geomorphic Analysis of the Tillamook Bay Basin Rivers Prepared by Monte L. Pearson, Ph.D. BOHICA Ent. Monmouth, Oregon March 2002 Prepared for: Portland District, US Army Corps of Engineers and Tillamook County, Oregon Contract Number: DACW57-99-D-0011-0006 i Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................1 Intent and Scope of the Present Study..................................................................................1 Setting...................................................................................................................................2 Previous Geologic and Geomorphic Work ..........................................................................3 Sediment Problem ................................................................................................................5 Tillamook Bay Sediment..................................................................................................5 Methods and Limitations......................................................................................................6 Map and Aerial Photo Interpretation................................................................................6 Subsurface Investigations.................................................................................................7 Sediment Transport and Sediment Forecast.....................................................................8 Longitudinal Profile Comparison.....................................................................................8 2. Regional Geologic Setting ...............................................................................................9 Geologic Units......................................................................................................................9 Tectonics ..............................................................................................................................9 Engineering Characteristics of Geologic Units....................................................................9 Engineering and Habitat Restoration Sites.........................................................................10 3. Geographic and Physiographic Setting ..........................................................................11 Tillamook Bay Basin..........................................................................................................11 Sediment and Landscape................................................................................................11 Subsurface Geologic Analysis of the Tillamook Bay Alluvial Plain.............................11 Flooding .........................................................................................................................12 Basin Forest Fire History ...................................................................................................12 Sea Level Variations ..........................................................................................................15 Effects of Sea Level Change ..........................................................................................15 Upper Watershed Segment.................................................................................................16 Major Watersheds ..........................................................................................................16 Deltaic – Bay Segment.......................................................................................................17 Deltaic Setting and Processes.........................................................................................17 4. Geomorphic Sedimentation and Transport Concepts.....................................................19 Channel Response ..............................................................................................................19 Channel Changes and Sediment Supply.............................................................................20 5. Landforms and Geomorphic Processes ..........................................................................21 Erosional and Depositional Landscapes.............................................................................21 Fluvial Environments and Processes..................................................................................21 Channel Pattern ..................................................................................................................22 In-channel Features: Form and Function ...........................................................................23 Point Bar-Gravel Bar Types...........................................................................................23 Backswamp/Floodbasin .................................................................................................25 ii 6. Fluvial and Geomorphic Analysis..................................................................................26 Miami River Geomorphology ........................................................................................26 Kilchis River Geomorphology .......................................................................................27 Kilchis River Overlap Analysis......................................................................................32 Wilson River Geomorphology .......................................................................................33 Wilson River Overlap Analysis......................................................................................37 Trask River Geomorphology..........................................................................................38 Trask River Overlap Analysis ........................................................................................42 Tillamook River Geomorphology ..................................................................................43 Sinuosity and Longitudinal Profile ....................................................................................43 Miami River ...................................................................................................................45 Kilchis River ..................................................................................................................45 Wilson River ..................................................................................................................46 Trask River.....................................................................................................................47 Tillamook River .............................................................................................................48 7. Future Geomorphic Landscapes.....................................................................................49 Controlling Geomorphic Processes by River Basin...........................................................49 Future Channel Dynamics..................................................................................................52 8. Conclusions and Recommendations...............................................................................54 References LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A - Fire and Flood Relationships Appendix B - Detailed Gravel Analysis at Selected Sites on the Miami River LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Stream System Erosion and Sediment Production for Agricultural Land .................4 Table 2. Stream System Erosion and Sediment Production for Forest Land...........................4 Table 3. Sediment Delivery from Agricultural Lands in the Tillamook Bay Basin ................4 Table 4. Sediment Delivery from Forest Lands in the Tillamook Bay Basin..........................5 Table 5. Wilson and Trask Rivers Discharge Data During Aerial Photograph Flights ...........7 Table 6. Burn Acreage for the Tillamook Fires in 1933, 1939, 1945, and 1951 ...................14 Table 7. Classification of Gravel Bar Formation and Function .............................................24 Table 8. Kilchis River Channel Features, 1939......................................................................28 Table 9. Kilchis River Channel Features, 1965......................................................................28 Table 10. Kilchis River Channel Features, 2000 ...................................................................29 Table 11. Kilchis River Channel Overlap Analysis, 1939-1965-2000 ..................................32 Table 12. Wilson River Channel Features, 1939 ...................................................................33 Table 13. Wilson River Channel Features, 1965 ...................................................................34 iii Table 14. Wilson River Channel Features, 2000 ...................................................................35 Table 15. Wilson River Channel Overlap Analysis, 1939-1965-2000 ..................................37 Table 16. Trask River Channel Features, 1939......................................................................39 Table 17. Trask River Channel Features, 1965......................................................................40 Table 18. Trask River Channel Features, 2000......................................................................41 Table 19. Trask River Channel Overlap Analysis, 1939-1965-2000.....................................42 Table 20. Sinuosity Indices for the Miami River from 1939 to 2000 ....................................45 Table 21. Sinuosity Indices for the Kilchis River