Morphological characteristics of the paleochannel of the Yihe River in the Last Glacial Maximum,Shandong Province,China

The paleochannel of the Wenhekou–Liudaokou reach of the Yihe River was investigated using electrical soundings along the Zhuyong and Chuanliujie cross sections and drilling at the Chuanliujie cross section. Drilling data from the Liuhang Rubber dam and the Jiefang, Taoran, Yihe, and Luocheng road bridges were also used. Seven stratigraphic cross sections of the Yihe River paleochannel were confirmed based on electrical sounding and drilling, and samples were collected for ¹⁴C and optically stimulated luminescence dating near Zhuyang village, Chuanliujie village, Liuhang Rubber dam, south bank of the Benghe River bridge, and the riverbed near the Yihe Road bridge. The dating results suggest that the channels below 76.0, 70.0, 69.5, 55.1, 52.4, 56.5, and 56.4 m near Zhuyang village, Chuanliujie village, Liuhang Rubber dam, Jiefang Road bridge, Taoran Road bridge, Yihe Road bridge, and Luocheng Road bridge are paleochannels of the Yihe River during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Lithology of the riverbed is complex and characterized by fracture zones. This reach of the river was braided with high width–depth ratios and the deep, incised valley at the Jiefang and Taoran road bridges was formed by a regional deep cut during the LGM.