Influence of storm-related sediment storage on the sediment delivery from tributary catchments in the upper Waipaoa River,New Zealand

Although much is known about overall sediment delivery ratios for catchments as components of sediment production and sediment yield, little is known about the component of temporary sediment storage. Sediment delivery ratios focused on the influence of storm-related sediment storage are measured at Matakonekone and Oil Springs tributaries of the Waipaoa River basin, east coast of New Zealand. The terrace deposits of both tributaries show abundant evidence of storm-related sedimentation, especially sediment delivered from Cyclone Bola, a 50 year return rainfall event which occurred in 1988. The sediment delivery ratio is calculated by dividing the volume of sediment transported from a tributary to the main stream by the volume of sediment generated at erosion sites in the tributary catchment. Because the sediment delivery volume is unknown, it can be calculated as the difference between sediment generation volume and sediment storage volume in the channel reach of the tributary. The volume of sediment generated from erosion sites in each tributary catchment was calculated from measurements made on aerial photographs dating from 1960 (1:44 000) and 1988 (1:27 000). The volume of sediment stored in the tributary can be calculated from measurements of cross-sections located along the tributary channel, which are accompanied by terrace deposits dated by counting annual growth rings of trees on terrace surfaces. Sediment delivery ratios are 0·93 for both Matakonekone catchment and Oil Springs catchment. Results indicate that Oil Springs catchment has contributed more than twice the volume of sediment to the Waipaoa River than the Matakonekone catchment (2·75 × 10⁶ m³ vs 1·22 × 10⁶ m³). Although large volumes of sediment are initially deposited during floods, subsequent smaller flows scour away much of these deposits. The sediment scouring rate from storage is 1·25 × 10⁴ m³ a⁻¹ for Matakonekone stream and 0·83 × 10⁴ m³ a⁻¹ for Oil Springs stream. Matakonekone and Oil Springs channels respond to extreme storms by instantaneously aggrading, then gradually excavating the temporarily stored sediment. Results from Matakonekone and Oil Springs streams suggest a mechanism by which event recurrence interval can strongly influence the magnitude of a geomorphic change. Matakonekone stream with its higher stream power is expected to excavate sediment deposits more rapidly and allow more rapid re-establishment of storage capacity. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment Yield During Late Glacial and Holocene periods in the Lac Chambon Watershed,Massif Central,France

A sediment budget for the Late Glacial and Holocene periods was calculated for the Lac Chambon watershed which is located in a formerly glaciated temperate crystalline mountain area. It appears that over 15 500 years: (1) 69 per cent of eroded particles have been displaced by gravity processes and then stored within the watershed, compared to 31 per cent that have been displaced by running water and evacuated outward; (2) the mean mechanical erosion due to gravity processes on the slopes amounted to 16·1 ±6 m and only developed on a quarter of the watershed surface, whereas the mean mechanical erosion due to running water amounted 1·24 ± 0·37 m and involved the whole watershed surface. The mean sediment yields due to gravity processes on slopes were 2300 ± 1360, 1770 ± 960 and 380 ± 100 m³ km⁻³ a⁻¹, respectively, for basalts, and basic and acidic trachyandesites. Values of sediment yield due to running water were 49±15, 120±36 and 79±24 m³ km⁻² a⁻¹, respectively, during the Bôlling–Allerôd, the Younger Dryas and the Pre-Boreal–Boreal periods. They were 56±17 and 166±50 m³ km⁻² a⁻¹ during the Sub-Atlantic period before and after 1360 a BP , respectively. These values reflect variations in the natural environment and the impact of human-induced deforestation. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully erosion in Mangatu Forest,New Zealand,estimated from digital elevation models

The methodology and errors involved in determining the amount of sediment produced during two (19·5 and 33·2 year) periods by 11 (c. 0·01 − >0·20 km²) gullies within a 4 km² area in the headwaters of the Waipaoa River basin, New Zealand, using sequential digital elevation models are described. Sediment production from all gullies within the study area was 0·99 ± 0·03 × 10⁶ t a⁻¹ (2480 ± 80 t ha⁻¹ a⁻¹) during the period from 1939 to 1958. It declined to 0·62 ± 0·02 × 10⁶ t a⁻¹ (1550 ± 50 t ha⁻¹ a⁻¹) during the period from 1958 to 1992, when many of the smaller gullies were stabilized by a programme of afforestation, which commenced in 1960. Both figures are very high by global standards. The two largest (the Tarndale and Mangatu) gully complexes together generated 73 and 95 per cent of the sediment in the specified time periods, but the latter amount is equivalent to only c. 5 per cent of the total annual sediment load of the Waipaoa River. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rate of sedimentation in Lake Kinneret,Israel: spatial and temporal variations

The rate of sedimentation in Lake Kinneret was measured over several years by means of sediment traps, in up to seven different locations in the lake. Gross sedimentation rates measured in the sediment traps vary from about 1·5 kg m⁻² a⁻¹ in the deepest part of the lake up to 10 kg m⁻² a⁻¹ near the mouth of the upper Jordan river. The rate of sedimentation near the Jordan's inflow is highly correlated to flow discharge in the river, while in the centre of the lake the seasonal sedimentation pattern is mainly correlated to the bloom period of Peridinium gatunense. During the bloom period of Peridinium gatunense sedimentation rates all over the lake are very similar, indicating that the Peridinium is evenly distributed in the lake. The average suspended sediment discharge of the upper Jordan river flowing into the lake is 41 000 ton a⁻¹.Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Runoff and sediment generation on bench‐terraced hillsides: measurements and up‐scaling of a field‐based model

Despite widespread bench‐terracing, stream sediment yields from agricultural hillsides in upland West Java remain high. We studied the causes of this lack of effect by combining measurements at different spatial scales using an erosion process model. Event runoff and sediment yield from two 4‐ha terraced hillside subcatchments were measured and field surveys of land use, bench‐terrace geometry and storage of sediment in the drainage network were conducted for two consecutive years. Runoff was 3·0–3·9% of rainfall and sediment yield was 11–30 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for different years, subcatchments and calculation techniques. Sediment storage changes in the subcatchment drainage network were less than 2 t ha⁻¹, whereas an additional 0·3–1·5 t ha⁻¹ was stored in the gully between the subcatchment flumes and the main stream. This suggests mean annual sediment delivery ratios of 86–125%, or 80–104% if this additional storage is included. The Terrace Erosion and Sediment Transport (TEST) model developed and validated for the studied environment was parameterized using erosion plot studies, land use surveys and digital terrain analysis to simulate runoff and sediment generation on the terraced hillsides. This resulted in over‐estimates of runoff and under‐estimates of runoff sediment concentration. Relatively poor model performance was attributed to sample bias in the six erosion plots used for model calibration and unaccounted covariance between important terrain attributes such as slope, infiltration capacity, soil conservation works and vegetation cover. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of soil losses by ephemeral gully erosion using high-altitude (stereo) aerial photographs

The objective of this study is to explore in a critical way the potential of high-altitude (stereo) aerial photographs for the assessment of ephemeral gully erosion rates. On 28 May 1995, an intensive rainfall event (30 mm h⁻¹ during 30 min, return period = 3 years) occurred in central Belgium. Ephemeral gullies formed within an area of 218 ha (study area 1) were mapped and measured both in the field and by high-altitude aerial photos taken at the same time. Comparison of these two methods shows that if only one of the two surveying techniques had been used, only 75 per cent of the total ephemeral gully length would have been detected, so that the combination of aerial and field data leads, in fact, to the best possible determination of total gully length within the selected area. A correction factor (C) is proposed, so that the results of an ephemeral gully erosion survey based on high-altitude (stereo) aerial photos can be adjusted for the undetected gullies. Next, a sequential series of high-altitude stereo aerial photographs, taken in six different years, was analysed in order to determine ephemeral gully erosion rates in three selected study areas (study areas 2, 3 and 4). Selection criteria were chosen so that these three areas were similar to study area 1 and representative for the cultivated areas in central Belgium where intense soil erosion regularly occurs. Ephemeral gullies were mapped and their total length was measured from the aerial photos. Using a mean gully cross-section of 0·2635 m² (determined in study area 1), the average eroded volume is 1·89 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for study area 1, 0·86 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for area 2, 1·44 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for area 3, and 2·37 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for area 4. According to the correction factor (C), these mean ephemeral gully erosion volumes have to be increased by 44 per cent. The ephemeral gully erosion rates based on high-altitude stereo aerial photos, correspond well with the results of other surveys carried out in the Belgian loess belt. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shift from transport limited to supply limited sediment concentrations with the progression of monsoon rains in the Upper Blue Nile Basin

Long‐term erosion monitoring data in the Ethiopian highlands are only available from the Soil Conservation Research Program (SCRP) watersheds including the Anjeni watershed. The 113 ha Anjeni watershed was established in 1984 and fanya juu terraces were installed in 1986. Runoff and erosion data are available from three different plot sizes and at the watershed outlet. The objective of this study was to investigate how erosion processes and sediment rating parameters vary with plot size and the progression of the rainy monsoon phase. We analyzed runoff and sediment loss data from 40 plots and the watershed outlet. The dataset included erosion data from 24 newly constructed plots (3 m length) during the rainy monsoon phase of 2012 and 2013, and 16 long‐term plots (with 12, 16, 22, and 24% slopes and 3, 15 and 30 m lengths) and the watershed outlet during the period between 1986 to 1990. Sediment concentration (C) was fitted to runoff (Q) using a power regression equation (C = aQ^b). Sediment concentration and yield increased with increasing plot length from 3 m to 15 m, but sediment yield decreased as plot length increased to 30 m.The coefficients (a and b) were affected by plot size and the progression of the rainy monsoon phase. As plot size increases, the a value increased, while the b value decreased. Greater a values were observed during the beginning of the monsoon phase, while values of b were greater towards the end of the monsoon phase. Overall findings suggest that erosion from cultivated fields is primarily controlled by transport limitations at the beginning of the monsoon phase, while towards the end of the monsoon phase, as surface covers emerge, sediment availability will be reduced, and thus sediment source would be a limitation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment yield and storage variations in the Négron River catchment (south western Parisian Basin,France) during the Holocene period

In the Négron River catchment area (162 km²), surface‐sediment stores are composed of periglacial calcareous ‘grèze’ (5 × 10⁶ t) and loess (21 × 10⁶ t), and Holocene alluvium (12·6 × 10⁶ t), peat (0·6 × 10⁶ t) and colluvium (18·5 × 10⁶ t). Seventy‐five per cent of the Holocene sediments is stored along the thalwegs. Present net sediment yield, calculated from solid discharge at the Négron outlet, is low (0·6 t km^?2 a^?1) due to the dominance of carbonate rocks in the catchment. Mean sediment yield during the Holocene period is 7·0 t km^?2 a^?1 from alluvium stores and 7·6 t km^?2 a^?1 from colluvium stores. Thus, the gross sediment yield during the Holocene period is about 18·7 t km^?2 a^?1 and the sediment delivery ratio 3 per cent. The yield considerably varies from one sub‐basin to another (3·9 to 24·5 t km^?2 a^?1) according to lithology: about 25 per cent and 50 per cent of initial stores of periglacial grèze and loess respectively were reworked during the Holocene period. Sediment yield has increased by a factor of 6 in the last 1000 years, due to the development of agriculture. The very high rate of sediment storage on the slope during that period (88 per cent of the yield) can be accounted for by the formation of cultivation steps (‘rideaux’). It is predicted that the current destruction of these steps will result in a sediment wave reaching the valley floors in the coming decades. Subboreal and Subatlantic sediments and pollen assemblages in the Taligny marsh, where one‐third of the alluvium is stored, show the predominant influence of human activity during these periods in the Négron catchment. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Problems of core correlation,sediment source ascription and yield estimation in Ponsonby Tarn,West Cumbria,UK

A suite of 27 short cores, 10 of which have been used for magnetic measurements and four for radiometric dating, provides a framework for reconstructing the processes, patterns and rates of sedimentation in Ponsonby Tarn, a small artificial impoundment created towards the end of the 19th century, close to the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in NW England. Spatial and temporal changes in sedimentation are reconstructed and evidence presented for non-synchroneity in magnetic property changes from core to core in the upper part of the sequence, as a result of sorting and selective deposition at different distances from the inflow to the Tarn. Magnetic measurements alone are therefore not a secure basis upon which to quantify sediment yield for defined time intervals at this site. The chronology, established mainly from ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁴Cs analyses, allows estimates of mean sediment yield per annum for four periods: prior to AD 1940, 1940–1964, 1964–1986 and 1986–1991. The rates of sediment accumulation have increased in recent times, especially since 1964, with evidence for input from both magnetically enhanced soils and gleyed alluvial and/or podsolized subsoil sources. Pre-1940 mean annual deposition within the present area of the lake is calculated as 19·5 t a⁻¹ and for the period since 1986 (the period of maximum sedimentation rates), as 111·3 t a⁻¹. These represent yields of 7·0 t km⁻² a⁻¹ and 39·8 t km⁻² a⁻¹, respectively, for the catchment as a whole. Rock magnetic evidence, based on measurements of both bulk samples and the finest particle size separates, suggests that bacterial magnetite, formed within the lake, contributes to the magnetic properties of the sediments, thus modifying the signatures relating to allochthonous sediment input. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentation in arctic proglacial lakes: Mittivakkat Glacier,south‐east Greenland

Several sediment cores were collected from two proglacial lakes in the vicinity of Mittivakkat Glacier, south‐east Greenland, in order to determine sedimentation rates, estimate sediment yields and identify the dominant sources of the lacustrine sediment. The presence of varves in the ice‐dammed Icefall Lake enabled sedimentation rates to be estimated using a combination of X‐ray photography and down‐core variations in ¹³⁷Cs activity. Sedimentation rates for individual cores ranged between 0·52 and 1·06 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, and the average sedimentation rate was estimated to be 0·79 g cm⁻² year⁻¹. Despite considerable down‐core variability in annual sedimentation rates, there is no significant trend over the period 1970 to 1994. After correcting for autochthonous organic matter content and trap efficiency, the mean fine‐grained minerogenic sediment yield from the 3·8 km² basin contributing to the lake was estimated to be 327 t km⁻² year⁻¹. Cores were also collected from the topset beds of two small deltas in Icefall Lake. The deposition of coarse‐grained sediment on the delta surface was estimated to total in excess of 15 cm over the last c. 40 years. In the larger Lake Kuutuaq, which is located about 5 km from the glacier front and for which the glacier represents a smaller proportion of the contributing catchment, sedimentation rates determined for six cores collected from the centre of the lake, based on their ¹³⁷Cs depth profiles, were estimated to range between 0·05 and 0·11 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, and the average was 0·08 g cm⁻² year⁻¹. The longer‐term (c. 100–150 years) average sedimentation rate for one of the cores, estimated from its unsupported ²¹⁰Pb profile, was 0·10–0·13 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, suggesting that sedimentation rates in this lake have been essentially constant over the last c. 100–150 years. The average fine‐grained sediment yield from the 32·4 km² catchment contributing to the lake was estimated to be 13 t km⁻² year⁻¹. The ¹³⁷Cs depth profiles for cores collected from the topset beds of the delta of Lake Kuutuaq indicate that in excess of 27 cm of coarse‐grained sediment had accumulated on the delta surface over the last approximately 40 years. Caesium‐137 concentrations associated with the most recently deposited (uppermost) fine‐grained sediment in both Icefall Lake and Lake Kuutuaq were similar to those measured in fine‐grained sediment collected from steep slopes in the immediate proglacial zone, suggesting that this material, rather than contemporary glacial debris, is the most likely source of the sediment deposited in the lakes. This finding is confirmed by the ¹³⁷Cs concentrations associated with suspended sediment collected from the Mittivakkat stream, which are very similar to those for proglacial material. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills,Nepal: estimation of sediment production from active ephemeral gullies

A simple field‐based monitoring programme was established in a small catchment (area 4·6 km²) to find the rates of gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills, Nepal. The rates are used to estimate the amount of sediment produced by gully erosion in the catchment. Three large and active gullies were selected with areas ranging from 0·44 to 0·78 ha. Aerial photographs taken in 1964, 1978 and 1992 were ortho‐rectified and used to study the dynamics of gully heads. The same gullies were also monitored manually using an orthogonal reference system fixed by erosion pins around the gully heads. Results from the aerial photos indicated that the gullies expanded remarkably over the period from 1964 to 1992, by 34 to 58 per cent. Head‐retreat rates during that period were 0·48, 0·55 and 0·73 m a^?1 and average annual sediment evacuation was estimated as 2534 ± 171, 959 ± 60 and 2783 ± 118 m³ a^?1 for the three gullies respectively. From the field measurement, estimated volumes were found to vary from 731 ± 57 to 2793 ± 201 m³ a^?1 over the monitoring period of two years. It was also found that the gullies produce sediment which accounts for up to 59 per cent of the sediment produced from surface erosion in the headwater catchment. The findings are useful for planning and executing appropriate control measures and constructing a sediment hazard map at the catchment scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Runoff and road erosion at the plot and road segment scales,St John,US Virgin Islands

Previous studies have identified unpaved roads as the primary source of erosion on St John in the US Virgin Islands, but these studies estimated road erosion rates only as annual averages based primarily on road rill measurements. The goal of this project was to quantify the effect of unpaved roads on runoff and sediment production on St John, and to better understand the key controlling factors. To this end runoff and sediment yields were measured from July 1996 to March 1997 from three plots on naturally vegetated hillslopes, four plots on unpaved road surfaces and two cutslope plots. Sediment yields were also measured from seven road segments with contributing areas ranging from 90 to 700 m². With respect to the vegetated plots, only the two largest storm events generated runoff and there was no measurable sediment yield. Runoff from the road surface plots generally occurred when storm precipitation exceeded 6 mm. Sediment yields from the four road surface plots ranged from 0·9 to 15 kg m⁻² a⁻¹, and sediment concentrations were typically 20–80 kg m⁻³. Differences in runoff between the two cutslope plots were consistent with the difference in upslope contributing area. A sprinkler experiment confirmed that cross‐slope roads intercept shallow subsurface stormflow and convert this into surface runoff. At the road segment scale the estimated sediment yields were 0·1 to 7·4 kg m⁻² a⁻¹. Road surface runoff was best predicted by storm precipitation, while sediment yields for at least three of the four road surface plots were significantly correlated with storm rainfall, storm intensity and storm runoff. Sediment yields at the road segment scale were best predicted by road surface area, and sediment yields per unit area were most strongly correlated with road segment slope. The one road segment subjected to heavy traffic and more frequent regrading produced more than twice as much sediment per unit area than comparable segments with no truck traffic. Particle‐size analyses indicate a preferential erosion of fine particles from the road surface and a rapid surface coarsening of new roads. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

USE OF FALLOUT Pb-210 MEASUREMENTS TO INVESTIGATE LONGER-TERM RATES AND PATTERNS OF OVERBANK SEDIMENT DEPOSITION ON THE FLOODPLAINS OF LOWLAND RIVERS

The potential for using fallout (unsupported) Pb-210 (²¹⁰Pb) measurements to estimate rates of overbank sediment deposition on the floodplains of lowland rivers is explored. A model which distinguishes the contribution from direct atmospheric fallout and the catchment-derived input associated with the deposition of suspended sediment has been developed to interpret the fallout Pb-210 inventories at floodplain sampling sites and to estimate average sediment accumulation rates over the past 100 years. The approach has been successfully used to estimate rates of overbank sedimentation on the floodplains of the Rivers Culm and Exe in Devon, U.K. A detailed investigation of the pattern of longer-term sedimentation rates within a small reach of the floodplain of the River Culm indicated a range of deposition rates between 0.07 and 0.59 g cm⁻² a⁻¹, which was in close agreement with estimates of current sedimentation rates obtained using sedimentation traps.     

Interaction of wind and cold-season hydrologic processes on erosion from complex topography following wildfire in sagebrush steppe

Wildfire is a natural component of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe rangelands that induces temporal shifts in plant community physiognomy, ground surface conditions, and erosion rates. Fire alteration of the vegetation structure and ground cover in these ecosystems commonly amplifies soil losses by wind- and water-driven erosion. Much of the fire-related erosion research for sagebrush steppe has focused on either erosion by wind over gentle terrain or water-driven erosion under high-intensity rainfall on complex topography. However, many sagebrush rangelands are geographically positioned in snow-dominated uplands with complex terrain in which runoff and sediment delivery occur primarily in winter months associated with cold-season hydrology. Current understanding is limited regarding fire effects on the interaction of wind- and cold-season hydrologic-driven erosion processes for these ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated fire impacts on vegetation, ground cover, soils, and erosion across spatial scales at a snow-dominated mountainous sagebrush site over a 2-year period post-fire. Vegetation, ground cover, and soil conditions were assessed at various plot scales (8 m² to 3.42 ha) through standard field measures. Erosion was quantified through a network of silt fences (n = 24) spanning hillslope and side channel or swale areas, ranging from 0.003 to 3.42 ha in size. Sediment delivery at the watershed scale (129 ha) was assessed by suspended sediment samples of streamflow through a drop-box v-notch weir. Wildfire consumed nearly all above-ground live vegetation at the site and resulted in more than 60% bare ground (bare soil, ash, and rock) in the immediate post-fire period. Widespread wind-driven sediment loading of swales was observed over the first month post-fire and extensive snow drifts were formed in these swales each winter season during the study. In the first year, sediment yields from north- and south-facing aspects averaged 0.99–8.62 t ha⁻¹ at the short-hillslope scale (~0.004 ha), 0.02–1.65 t ha⁻¹ at the long-hillslope scale (0.02–0.46 ha), and 0.24–0.71 t ha⁻¹ at the swale scale (0.65–3.42 ha), and watershed scale sediment yield was 2.47 t ha⁻¹. By the second year post fire, foliar cover exceeded 120% across the site, but bare ground remained more than 60%. Sediment yield in the second year was greatly reduced across short- to long-hillslope scales (0.02–0.04 t ha⁻¹), but was similar to first-year measures for swale plots (0.24–0.61 t ha⁻¹) and at the watershed scale (3.05 t ha⁻¹). Nearly all the sediment collected across all spatial scales was delivered during runoff events associated with cold-season hydrologic processes, including rain-on-snow, rain-on-frozen soils, and snowmelt runoff. Approximately 85–99% of annual sediment collected across all silt fence plots each year was from swales. The high levels of sediment delivered across hillslope to watershed scales in this study are attributed to observed preferential loading of fine sediments into swale channels by aeolian processes in the immediate post-fire period and subsequent flushing of these sediments by runoff from cold-season hydrologic processes. Our results suggest that the interaction of aeolian and cold-season hydrologic-driven erosion processes is an important component for consideration in post-fire erosion assessment and prediction and can have profound implications for soil loss from these ecosystems. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measuring bluff erosion part 2: pairing aerial photographs and terrestrial laser scanning to create a watershed scale sediment budget

Effectively managing and reducing high suspended sediment loads in rivers requires an understanding of the magnitude of major sediment sources as well as erosion and transport processes that deliver excess fine sediments to the channel network. The focus of this research is to determine the magnitude of erosion from tall bluffs, a primary sediment source in the 2880 km² Le Sueur watershed, Minnesota, USA. We coupled analyses of seven decades of aerial photographs with four years of repeat terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to determine erosion rates on bluffs. Together, these datasets provide decadal‐scale retreat rates throughout the entire watershed and high‐resolution geomorphic change detection on a subset of bluffs to both constrain erosion rates and document how environmental conditions affect bluff retreat. Erosion rates from aerial photographs and TLS were extrapolated from 243 and 15 measured bluffs, respectively, to all 480 bluffs in the Le Sueur watershed using multiple techniques to obtain estimates of sediment loading from these features at the watershed‐scale. Despite different spatial and temporal measurement scales, the aerial photograph and TLS estimates yielded similar results for bluff retreat rate and total mass of sediment derived from bluffs, with bluffs in the Le Sueur watershed yielding 135 000 ± 39 000 Mg/yr of fine sediment. Comparing this value to the average annual total suspended solids (TSS) load determined from gauging from 2000 to 2010, we determined that bluffs comprise 57 ± 16% of the total TSS load, making bluffs the single most abundant fine sediment source in the basin. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Historic and contemporary sediment transfer in an upland Pennine catchment,UK

A sediment budget for an upland catchment–reservoir system at Burnhope Reservoir, North Pennines, UK has been developed. This provides a framework for quantifying historic and contemporary sediment yields and drainage basin response to disturbance from climate change and human activities in the recent past. Bathymetric survey, core sampling, ¹³⁷Cs dating and aerial photographs have been used to assess sediment accumulation in the reservoir. The average reservoir sedimentation rate is 1·24 cm yr^?1 (annual sediment yield 33·3 t km^?2 yr^?1 ± 10%, trap efficiency 92%). Mean annual reservoir sedimentation over the 67 year period has been estimated at 592 t ± 10%. Inputs of suspended sediment from direct catchwater streams account for 54% of sediment supply to the budget (best estimate yield of 318 t yr^?1 ± 129%), while those from actively eroding reservoir shorelines contribute 328 t yr^?1 ± 92%. Sediment yield estimates from stream monitoring and reservoir sedimentation are an order of magnitude lower than those reported from South Pennine reservoirs of comparable drainage basin area. Analysis of historical rainfall series for the catchment shows fluctuations in winter and summer rainfall patterns over the past 62 years. From 1976 to 1998 there has been a diverging trend between winter and summer rainfall, with a large increase in winter and a gradual decrease in summer totals. Periods of maximum variation occur during the summer drought events of the late 1970s, early 1980s and mid‐1990s. Analysis of the particle size of core sediments highlights abrupt increases in sand‐sized particles in the top 20 cm of the core. Based on the ¹³⁷Cs chronology, these layers were deposited from the late 1970s onwards and relate to these diverging rainfall records and rapidly fluctuating reservoir levels. This provides evidence of potential sediment reworking within the reservoir by rapid water‐level rise after drought. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anthropogenic land-use signals propagate through stream food webs in a California,USA, watershed

Human development of watersheds can change aquatic ecosystems via multiple pathways. For instance, human rural development may add nutrients to ecosystems. We used naturally occurring stable isotopes in stream food webs to investigate how land use affects stream ecosystems across a gradient of land development in the San Lorenzo watershed, California. Road density was used as a proxy for land development. We found that streams in watersheds with higher road densities had elevated concentrations of phosphate and nitrate. Furthermore, algal δ¹⁵N values increased as a function of nitrate concentration, but saturated at approximately 6‰. This saturating pattern was consistent with a two-source mixing model with anthropogenic and watershed sources, fit using Bayesian model fitting. In sites that had >2.6 km roads km⁻², anthropogenic sources of N were estimated to represent >90% of the N pool. This anthropogenic N signal was propagated to stream consumers: rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), signal crayfish (Pacifasticus leniusculus), and benthic invertebrate δ¹⁵N were positively correlated with algal δ¹⁵N. Even relatively low density rural human land use may have substantial impacts on nutrient cycling of stream ecosystems.     

Developing a sediment budget for a small drainage basin in Australia

A sediment budget was developed for the 1.7 km² Maluna Creek drainage basin located in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, for the period 1971-86. the impact of viticulture, which commenced at Maluna in 1971, was studied using erosion plots, with caesium-137 as an indicator of both soil erosion and sedimentation. Two methods were used to estimate vineyard soil losses from caesium-137 measurements. Sediment output from the catchment was measured for three years, and extrapolated from readings taken at a nearby long-term stream flow gauging station for the remaining 13 years. Relative amounts of soil loss from forest (60 per cent basin area), grazing land (30 per cent) and vineyards (10 per cent) were calculated. Soil losses by rain splash detachment were ten times greater from bare/cultivated sufaces than from the forest. Erosion plots of area 2 m² showed no significant differences in soil loss between forest and grassland but, under bare soil, losses were 100 times greater. the ¹³⁷Cs method was employed to calculate net soil loss from all vineyard blocks using both a previously established calibration curve and a proportional model. the latter method gave estimates of soil loss which were 3-9 times greater than by the calibration curve, and indicated that average soil losses from the vineyard were equivalent to 62 t ha^?1 y^?1 (1971-86). It was estimated that the forest contributed 1-8 per cent, the grazing land 1.6 per cent, and the vineyard 96.6 per cent of the total soil loss during that period. Sediment storages within the fluvial system adjacent to the vineyard ws 9460 t for the period, whereas sediment output was equivalent to 215 t km^?1 y^?1. Independent measurements of soil erosion, storage, and output showed that 56 per cent of the eroded sediment remained in the catchment, and 34 per cent was transported out by Maluna Creek. the budget was able to be balanced to within 10 per cent.     

Dynamics in land cover and its effect on stream flow in the Chemoga watershed,Blue Nile basin,Ethiopia

The objective of this study was to analyse changes in stream flow patterns with reference to dynamics in land cover/use in a typical watershed, the Chemoga, in northwestern highland Ethiopia. The results show that, between 1960 and 1999, total annual stream flow decreased at a rate of 1 · 7 mm year⁻¹, whereas the annual rainfall decreased only at a rate of 0 · 29 mm year⁻¹. The decrease in the stream flow was more pronounced during the dry season (October to May), for which a statistically significant decline (0 · 6 mm year⁻¹) was observed while the corresponding rainfall showed no discernible trend. The wet season (June to September) rainfall and stream flow did not show any trends. Extreme low flows analysed at monthly and daily time steps reconfirmed that low flows declined with time, the changes being highly significant statistically. Between 1960 and 1999, the monthly rainfall and stream flow amounts of February (month of lowest long‐term mean flow) declined by 55% and 94% respectively. Similarly, minimum daily flows recorded during the three driest months (December to February) showed statistically highly significant declines over the same period. It declined from 0 · 6 m³ s⁻¹ to 0 · 2 m³ s⁻¹ in December, from 0 · 4 m³ s⁻¹ to 0 · 1 m³ s⁻¹ in January and from 0 · 4 m³ s⁻¹ to 0 · 02 m³ s⁻¹ in February (1 · 0 m³ s⁻¹ = 0 · 24 mm day⁻¹ in the Chemoga watershed). In contrast, extreme high flows analysed at monthly (for August) and daily (July to September) time steps did not reveal discernible trends. The observed adverse changes in the stream flow have partly resulted from changes in land cover/use and/or degradation of the watershed that involved destruction of natural vegetative covers, expansion of croplands, overgrazing and increased area under eucalypt plantations. The other contributory factor has been the increased dry‐season water abstraction to be expected from the increased human and livestock populations in the area. Given the significance of the stream flow as the only source of water to the local people, a set of measures aimed at reducing magnitudes of surface runoff generation and increasing groundwater recharge are required to sustain the water resource and maintain a balanced dry‐season flow in the watershed. Generally, an integrated watershed management approach, whereby the whole of the watershed can be holistically viewed and managed, would be desirable. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variability of dry sediment bulk density between and within retention ponds and its impact on the calculation of sediment yields

Monitoring sediment yields from catchments is important for assessing overall denudation rates and the impact of environmental change. One of the methods used to assess sediment yield is by quantifying sedimentation rates in reservoirs, lakes or small ponds. Before reliable sediment yield values (t ha^?1 a^?1) can be computed from such sedimentation records, the measured sediment volumes need to be converted to sediment masses using representative values of the dry sediment bulk density. In textbooks, simple relations predicting dry sediment bulk density from sediment texture, time since deposition and hydrologic condition are presented. In this study, 13 small flood retention ponds in central Belgium were sampled to reveal the variability in dry sediment bulk density and to test the commonly used relations to predict dry sediment bulk density. Dry sediment bulk density varies not only between the selected ponds (0·78–1·35 t m^?3) but also within individual ponds (coefficient of variation at 95 per cent ranges from 7 to 80 per cent). The observed variability can be attributed primarily to the hydrologic condition of the retention pond and, also, to sediment texture. The existing relations are not a reliable predictor for the observed dry bulk densities, because they are primarily based on sediment texture. Thus, when using volumetric sedimentation data from small ponds with varying hydrologic condition to predict sediment yield, existing relations predicting dry sediment bulk density cannot be applied. Instead, frequent and dense sampling of sediments is necessary to calculate a representative value of the dry sediment bulk density. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.