Effects of large organic material on channel form and fluvial processes

Stream channel development in forested areas is profoundly influenced by large organic debris (logs, limbs and rootwads greater than 10 cm in diameter) in the channels. In low gradient meandering streams large organic debris enters the channel through bank erosion, mass wasting, blowdown, and collapse of trees due to ice loading. In small streams large organic debris may locally influence channel morphology and sediment transport processes because the stream may not have the competency to redistribute the debris. In larger streams flowing water may move large organic debris, concentrating it into distinct accumulations (debris jams). Organic debris may greatly affect channel form and process by: increasing or decreasing stability of stream banks; influencing development of midchannel bars and short braided reaches; and facilitating, with other favourable circumstances, development of meander cutoffs. In steep gradient mountain streams organic debris may enter the channel by all the processes mentioned for low gradient streams. In addition, considerable debris may also enter the channel by way of debris avalanches or debris torrents. In small to intermediate size mountain streams with steep valley walls and little or no floodplain or flat valley floor, the effects of large organic debris on the fluvial processes and channel form may be very significant. Debris jams may locally accelerate or retard channel bed and bank erosion and/or deposition; create sites for significant sediment storage; and produce a stepped channel profile, herein referred to as ‘organic stepping’, which provides for variable channel morphology and flow conditions. The effect of live or dead trees anchored by rootwads into the stream bank may not only greatly retard bank erosion but also influence channel width and the development of small scour holes along the channel beneath tree roots. Once trees fall into the stream, their influence on the channel form and process may be quite different than when they were defending the banks, and, depending on the size of the debris, size of the stream, and many other factors, their effects range from insignificant to very important.     

Heavy mineral composition and texture of the recently formed fluvial delta sediment of Lake Nasser/Nubia,Egypt and Sudan

Surficial sediment samples collected from the recently formed fluvial delta in Lake Nasser/Nubia (Egypt and Sudan) in conjunction with data on bottom current and depth soundings are examined to interpret hydraulic-sorting processes and transport/depositional patterns.The～500 km long northeastwardtrending lake,lies within Egypt and Sudan,is created as a result of the construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1964.The original grain-size distribution and heavy mineral compositions of these samples hel...     

Observations of offshore bar decay: Sediment budgets and the role of lower shoreface processes

Long-term, net offshore bar migration is a common occurrence on many multiple-barred beaches. The first stage of the process involves the generation of a longshore bar close to the shoreline that oscillates about a mean position for some time, followed by a stage of net offshore migration across the upper shoreface, and finally a stage of decaying bar form through loss of sediment volume at the outer boundary of the upper shoreface. The phenomenon has been previously documented in the Netherlands, the USA, the Canadian Great Lakes, and in New Zealand, but our present understanding of the morphodynamic processes and sediment transport pathways involved in bar decay is limited. In this paper, long-term, net offshore bar migration is investigated at Vejers Beach, located on the North Sea coast of Denmark where offshore bar migration rates are of the order of 45–55 m a⁻¹. A wave height transformation model confirmed that the decay of the outer bar results in increased wave heights and undertow speeds at the more landward bar potentially causing this bar to speed up its offshore migration. The causes for outer bar decay were investigated through field measurements of sediment transport at the decaying bar and at a position further seaward on the lower shoreface. The measurements showed that a cross-shore transport convergence exists between the bar and the lower shoreface and that the loss of sediment involved in bar decay is associated with a longshore directed transport by non-surf zone processes. At Vejers, and possibly elsewhere, the net offshore migration of bars and the subsequent loss of sand during bar decay is an important part of the beach and shoreface sediment budget.     

Mass flows and river response in rapid uplifting regions – A case of lower Yarlung Tsangpo basin,southeast Tibet,China

The fluvial geomorphology in tectonically active (particularly rapid uplift) regions often undergoes continuous change. The rapid uplift is coincident with high erosion rates; consequently, incised valleys are formed. Mass flows (for example, avalanches, landslides, and debris flows) in incised valleys can markedly influence fluvial processes and even reshape valley geomorphology. However, these processes and long-term evolution corresponding to mass flows require further clarification. Field campaigns were carried out in the region near the Yigong Tsangpo and Palong Tsangpo Rivers (hereafter the Yigong and Palong Rivers), the two largest tributaries of the lower Yarlung Tsangpo River, to examine the feedback between fluvial processes and mass flows. Remote sensing images from recent decades were used to compare the channel morphology before and after typical mass flows (particularly catastrophic ones). The morphology of the lower Yigong River has evidently been impacted by landslides, while that of the Palong River has mainly been shaped by glacial processes and debris flows. At present, the morphology of the latter consists of alternating sections of gorges and wide valleys, with a staircase-like longitudinal profile. The gorge sections exhibit single and deeply incised channels with a high-gradient channel bed and terraces. In contrast, the wide valley sections consist of lakes, braided or anabranching channels, gentle bed gradients, and thick alluvial deposits. Debris flows occur more frequently in gullies in the reaches of the gorge sections and rarely in gullies along the wide valley sections. The occurrence of mass flow events has resulted in an imbalance of the previous (quasi-)equilibrium in the river morphology; however, this has triggered negative feedback that is driving the transient river morphology to a new state of (quasi-)equilibrium.     

Three-dimensional modeling of bank erosion and morphological changes in the Shishou bend of the middle Yangtze River

This paper presents a three-dimensional (3-D) numerical model to simulate morphological changes in alluvial channels due to bank erosion. A method for the simulation of bank erosion is established. This is incorporated into a 3-D mathematical model for turbulent flow and non-uniform, non-equilibrium sediment transport. This model is applied to simulate morphological changes in the Shishou bend of the middle Yangtze River in China, where serious bank erosions occurred during the last two decades. The double-layer sediment structure of the riverbank on the middle Yangtze River is taken into account in the bank erosion module. Both cohesive and non-cohesive bank material in the different layers are considered. The bank erosion module also includes other factors affecting the rate of bank erosion, such as the longitudinal length of failed bank, the thickness of each layer in the double-layer structure, and the erosion-resisting effect of cohesive material from the top layer of failed bank. A locally-adaptive grid system is proposed to efficiently simulate the lateral migration of alluvial channel due to bank erosion. The predictive capability of the 3-D model is examined by laboratory data. Simulated processes of bank erosion agree with field observations in the Shishou bend during the period of October 1996–October 1998, and the bank erosion module plays a significant role in simulating morphological changes of the study reach. In addition, the equivalent channel-forming discharge, which is defined as a constant discharge that can create the same amount of bank erosion in an alluvial channel as that created by natural runoff processes during the same period of time, is proposed to improve calculation efficiency for feasibility studies.     

Role of in situ cosmogenic nuclides 10be and 26al in the study of diverse geomorphic processes

The central premises of applications of the in situ cosmogenic dating method for studying specific problems in geomorphology are outlined for simple and complex exposure settings. In the light of these general models, we discuss the information that can be derived about geomorphic processes, utilizing concentrations of in situ produced cosmogenic radionuclides ¹⁰Be (half-life=1·5 ma) and ²⁶A1 (half-life=0·7 ma) in a variety of geomorphic contexts: glacial polish and tills; meteorite impact craters; alluvial fans; paleo-beach ridges; marine terraces; sand dunes; and bedrock slopes. We also compare ¹⁰Be-²⁶Al data with results obtained by other dating methods. We conclude that the technique of measuring in situ cosmic ray produced nuclides holds promise for quantitative studies of processes and time-scales in a wide range of geomorphological problems.     

Effects of coarse woody debris on morphology and sediment storage of a mountain stream system in western Oregon

Effects of coarse woody debris (CWD) on channel morphology and sediment storage were investigated at five sites, representative of first-order to fifth-order streams. In the steep and bedrock-confined stream (first-second order), interaction between the channel and CWD was limited, except where breakage upon falling produced CWD pieces shorter than channel width. Channel widening, steepening and sediment storage associated with CWD were observed predominantly in third- to fifth-order streams. Variation in channel width and gradient was regulated by CWD. In the fifth-order stream, most of the CWD pieces derived from the riparian forest interacted directly with the channel without being suspended by sideslopes. In this system CWD promoted lateral channel migration, but sediment storage was temporary, with annual release and capture.     

Sediment dynamics in the mudbank of the Yangtze River Estuary under regime shift of source and sink

The southeastern portion of the Yangtze River Estuary (or Yangtze Estuary) was considered to be the deposition center and the mudbank of the Yangtze River Delta.As the fluvial sediment supply began to decline in the 1980s and the reduction accelerated after the completion of the Three Gorge Dam in 2003,more fluvial sediment was trapped decreasing the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) environment in the river mouth area.Moreover,the accretion rate of the mudbank has slowed down in recent dec...     

Drifter observations of the Hebrides slope current and nearby circulation patterns

The mean flow at and around the Hebrides and Shetland Shelf slope is measured with ARGOS tracked drifters. Forty-two drifters drogued at 50 m were deployed in three circles over the Hebrides slope at 56.15°N in two releases, one on 5th December, 1995 and the second on 5–9th May, 1996. The circles span a distance of some 20 km from water depths of 200 m to 1200 m. Drifters are initially advected poleward along-slope by the Hebrides slope current at between 0.05 and 0.70 m s^–1 in a laterally constrained (25–50 km wide) jet-like flow. Drifters released in winter remained in the slope current for over 2000 km whilst summer drifters were lost from the slope current beyond the Wyville-Thomson Ridge, a major topographic feature at 60°N. Dispersion from the slope region into deeper waters occurs at bathymetric irregularities, particularly at the Anton Dohrn Seamount close to which the slope current is found to bifurcate, both in summer and winter, and at the Wyville-Thomson Ridge where drifters move into the Faeroe Shetland Channel. Dispersion onto the continental shelf occurs sporadically along the Hebrides slope. The initial dispersion around the Hebrides slope is remarkably sensitive to initial position, most of the drifters released in shallower water moving onto the shelf, whilst those in 1000 m or more are mostly carried away from the slope into deeper water near the Anton Dohrn Seamount. The dispersion coefficients estimated in directions parallel and normal to the local direction of the 500 m contour, approximately the position of the slope current core, are approximately 8.8 × 10³ m² s^–1 and 0.36 × 10³ m² s^–1, respectively, during winter, and 11.4 × 10³ m² s^–1 and 0.36 x 10³ m² s^–1, respectively, during summer. At the slope there is a minimum in across-slope mean velocity, Reynolds stress, and across-slope eddy correlations. The mean across-slope velocity associated with mass flux is about 4 × 10^–3 m s^–1 shelfward across the shelf break during winter and 2 × 10^–3 m s^–1 during summer. The drifters also sampled local patterns of circulation, and indicate that the source of water for the seasonal Fair Isle and East Shetland currents are the same, and drawn from Atlantic overflows at the Hebrides shelf.     

Air circulation in deep fractures and the temperature field of an alpine rock slope

The subsurface temperature field of a rock slope is a key variable influencing both bedrock fracturing and slope stability. However, significant unknowns remain relating to the effect of air and water fracture flow, which can rapidly transmit temperature changes to appreciable depths. In this work, we analyze a unique set of temperature measurements from an alpine rock slope at ~2400 m a.s.l. in southern Switzerland. The monitored area encompasses part of an active slope instability above the village of Randa (VS) and is traversed by a network of open cracks, some of which have been traced to >80 m depth. We first describe distributed temperature measurements and borehole profiles, highlighting deep steady temperatures and different transient effects, and then use these data to approximate the conductive temperature field at the site. In a second step, we analyze the impact of air and water circulation in deep open fractures on the subsurface thermal field. On multiple visits to the study site in winter, we consistently noted the presence of warm air vents in the snowpack following the trace of deep tension cracks. Measurements showed that venting air changed temperature gradually from ~3 to 2 °C between December and May, which is similar to the rock temperature at around 50 m depth. Comparison with ambient air temperature suggests that winter conditions favor buoyancy‐driven convective air flow in these fractures, which acts to cool the deep subsurface as the rock gives up heat to incoming air. The potential impact of this process on the local thermal field is revealed by a disturbed temperature profile in one borehole and transient signals observed at depths well below the thermal active layer. Seasonal water infiltration during snowmelt appears to have little impact on the temperature field in the monitored area. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of slope length on the discharge of sediment by rain impact induced saltation and suspension

Simulations using a mechanistic model of raindrop driven erosion in rain‐impacted flow were performed with particles travelling by suspension, raindrop induced saltation and flow driven saltation. Results generated by both a high intensity storm, and a less intense one, indicate that, because of the effect of flow depth on the delivery of raindrop energy to the bed, there is a decline in sediment concentration, and hence soil loss per unit area, with slope length when particles are transported by raindrop induced saltation. However, that decline is reversed when the critical velocities that lead to flow driven saltation are episodically exceeded during an event. The simulations were performed on smooth surfaces and a single drop size but the general relationships are likely to apply for rain made up of a wide range of drop size. Although runoff is not always produced uniformly, as a general rule, flow velocities increase with slope length so that, typically, the distance particles travel before being discharged during an event increase with slope length. The effect of slope length on soil loss per unit area is often considered to vary with slope length to a power greater than zero and less that 1·0. The simulations show that effect of slope length on sediment discharge is highly dependent on the variations in runoff response resulting from variations in rainfall duration‐intensity‐infiltration conditions rather than plot length per se. Consequently, predicting soil loss per unit area using slope length with positive powers close to zero when sheet erosion occurs may not be as effective as commonly expected. Erosion by rain‐impacted flow is a complex process and that complexity needs to be considered when analysing the results of experiments associated with rain‐impacted flow under both natural and artificial conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of forest harvesting on the occurrence of landslides and debris flows in steep terrain of central Japan

Landslides and debris flows associated with forest harvesting can cause much destruction and the influence of the timing of harvesting on these mass wasting processes therefore needs to be assessed in order to protect aquatic ecosystems and develop improved strategies for disaster prevention. We examined the effects of forest harvesting on the frequency of landslides and debris flows in the Sanko catchment (central Japan) using nine aerial photo periods covering 1964 to 2003. These photographs showed a mosaic of different forest ages attributable to the rotational management in this area since 1912. Geology and slope gradient are rather uniformly distributed in the Sanko catchment, facilitating assessment of forest harvesting effects on mass wasting without complication of other factors. Trends of new landslides and debris flows correspond to changes in slope stability explained by root strength decay and recovery; the direct impact of clearcutting on landslide occurrence was greatest in forest stands that were clearcut 1 to 10 yr earlier with progressively lesser impacts continuing up to 25 yr after harvesting. Sediment supply rate from landslides in forests clearcut 1 to 10 yr earlier was about 10‐fold higher than in control sites. Total landslide volume in forest stands clearcut 0 to 25 yr earlier was 5·8 × 10³ m³ km^?2 compared with 1·3 × 10³ m³ km^?2 in clearcuts >25 yr, indicating a fourfold increase compared with control sites during the period when harvesting affected slope stability. Because landslide scars continue to produce sediment after initial failure, sediment supply from landslides continues for 45 yr in the Sanko catchment. To estimate the effect of forest harvesting and subsequent regeneration on the occurrence of mass wasting in other regions, changes in root strength caused by decay and recovery of roots should be investigated for various species and environmental conditions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identifying the spatial pattern and importance of hydro‐geomorphic drainage impairments on unpaved roads in the northeastern USA

Roads have been widely studied as sources of runoff and sediment and identified as pollutant production sources to receiving waters. Despite the wealth of research on logging roads in forested, upland settings, little work has been conducted to examine the role of extensive networks of rural, low‐volume, unpaved roads on water quality degradation at the catchment scale. We studied a network of municipal unpaved roads in the northeastern US to identify the type and spatial extent of ‘hydro‐geomorphic impairments’ to water quality. We mapped erosional and depositional features on roads to develop an estimate of pollutant production. We also mapped the type and location of design interventions or best management practices (BMPs) used to improve road drainage and mitigate water quality impairment. We used statistical analyses to identify key controls on the frequency and magnitude of erosional features on the road network, and GIS to scale up from the survey results to the catchment scale to identify the likely importance of unpaved roads as a pollutant source in this setting. An average of 21 hydro‐geomorphic impairments were mapped per kilometer of road, averaging 0.3 m³ in volume. Road gradient and slope position were key controls on the occurrence of these features. The presence of BMPs effectively reduced erosion frequency. Scaled up to the watershed and using a conservative estimate of road–stream connectivity, our results for the Winooski River watershed in the northeastern US suggest that roughly 16% and 6% of the average annual sediment and phosphorus flux, respectively, of the Winooski River may be derived from unpaved roads. Our study identifies an under‐appreciated source of water quality degradation in rural watersheds, provides insights into identifying ‘hot spots’ of pollutant production associated with these networks, and points to effectiveness of design interventions in mitigating these adverse impacts on water quality. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (DSGSD) and slow-moving landslides in the southern Tien Shan Mountains: new insights from InSAR,tectonic and geomorphic analysis

We investigated deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (DSGSD) and slow mass movements in the southern Tien Shan Mountains front using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) time-series data obtained by the ALOS/PALSAR satellite. DSGSD evolves with a variety of geomorphological changes (e.g. valley erosion, incision of slope drainage networks) over time that affect earth surfaces and, therefore, often remain unexplored. We analysed 118 interferograms generated from 20 SAR images that covered about 900 km². To understand the spatial pattern of the slope movements and to identify triggering parameters, we correlated surface dynamics with the tectono-geomorphic processes and lithologic conditions of the active front of the Alai Range. We observed spatially continuous, constant hillslope movements with a downslope speed of approximately 71 mm year⁻¹ velocity. Our findings suggest that the lithological and structural framework defined by protracted deformation was the main controlling factor for sustained relief and, consequently, downslope mass movements. The analysed structures revealed integration of a geological/structural setting with the superposition of Cretaceous–Paleogene alternating carbonatic and clastic sedimentary structures as the substratum for younger, less consolidated sediments. This type of structural setting causes the development of large-scale, gravity-driven DSGSD and slow mass movement. Surface deformations with clear scarps and multiple crest lines triggered planes for large-scale deep mass creeps, and these were related directly to active faults and folds in the geologic structures. Our study offers a new combination of InSAR techniques and structural field observations, along with morphometric and seismologic correlations, to identify and quantify slope instability phenomena along a tectonically active mountain front. These results contribute to an improved natural risk assessment in these structures. © 2019 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Berm formation and dynamics on a gently sloping beach; the effect of water level and swash overtopping

Berm formation and morphological development of the beach face have been observed during a neap–neap tidal cycle on the gently sloping and accreting beach at Vejers, Denmark. During the field campaign, an intertidal bar migrated onshore and stabilized as a berm on the foreshore. A new intertidal bar occurred on the lower beach face, migrated onshore on the rising tide and finally merged with the pre‐existing berm. As the tide continued to rise, the new berm translated further onshore as an intertidal bar to the uppermost part of the foreshore. The sediment transport during the berm transition was onshore directed in the upper swash and offshore directed in the lower swash. This berm development can be described through both the neap‐berm, ridge‐and‐runnel and berm‐ridge development concepts proposed by Hine (Sedimentology 1979; 26: 333–351), and all three stages were observed during only three tidal cycles. The main factors controlling this fast transformation were the gentle slope of the cross‐shore profile, rapid water level translation rates, substantial swash overtopping of the berm, and low infiltration rates. Despite the onshore migration of intertidal bars and berm formation, no net foreshore accretion took place during the field campaign. This was largely due to the formation of rip channels with strong rip currents cutting through the intertidal bars and the berm, which acted as a sediment drain in the profile. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Linear and non-linear approaches to predict the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor of overland flow using the extreme learning machine approach

In modeling of overland flow and erosion, the overland flow friction factor (f), is a crucial factor. Due to the importance of a good understanding of f and its variability, the current study aimed to investigate the capability of non-linear approaches to estimate the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor of overland flow and its components (sediment transport, wave, form, and grain friction factors) through the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) approach. Four datasets were used herein which were obtained from flume experiments done by different researchers. In order to investigate the effects of different parameters on the friction factor, numerous models consisting of various parameters were utilized to predict the friction factor using the ELM approach. The modeling procedure was established in two stages; the first stage aimed to model the overland flow friction factor and investigate the effect of the different parameters on the friction factor using non-linear separation via the ELM approach. In the second stage, the friction factor was linearly separated into different types of friction factors and then the separate components were estimated. Sensitivity analysis results confirmed the key role of Froude number (Fr) values for most of the models. On the other hand, the results obtained for estimated values of the friction factor were acceptable and outperformed available empirical approaches.     

Critical erosion profiles in macro-tidal estuary sediments: Implications for the stability of intertidal mud and the slope of mud banks

Vertical profiles of the critical erosion threshold (τ_crit) in sediment have been measured at 11 stations along the axis of the Tamar Estuary and at a single station in a tributary of the Tamar at St. John's Ford. The τ_crit of surface sediment increased from 0.04 Pa in the upper, brackish estuary to 0.09 Pa in the lower estuary. In the upper estuary τ_crit only increased slightly with depth whereas in the marine estuary τ_crit increased rapidly from 0.09 Pa at the surface to 0.25 Pa at 15 cm below the sediment surface. The results showed that the relationship between τ_crit and bulk density (ρ_b) obtained previously for surface sediment was also applicable to sediments from depths of 10–15 cm and probably deeper. Profiles of ρ_b were measured to depths of 70 cm using a corer. In the lower (marine) estuary ρ_b increased with depth in the sediment from 1580 kg m⁻³ at the surface to 1720 kg m⁻³ at 70 cm. In the upper estuary ρ_b values were lower at 1170–1200 kg m⁻³ and profiles were almost homogeneous indicating that consolidation was not occurring. The mid-estuary was transitional between these two situations. These results are consistent with the seasonal accumulation and loss of ‘mobile’ sediment observed previously in the upper estuary with changes in river flow, and with the apparent stability of intertidal mud in the lower marine estuary deduced from historical bathymetric survey records. The slopes of the intertidal mud banks ranged from 1–2% in the lower estuary to 20–25% in mid-estuary but, instead of continuing to increase in steepness towards the head as the estuary became narrower, the measured slopes actually decreased. It is speculated that the lack of consolidation through continual mobilisation and settlement cycles combined with an increase in silt content in the upper estuary resulted in sediment that lacked the mechanical strength to maintain steep slopes.     

Assessment of overland flow variation and blue water production in a farmed semi-arid water harvesting catchment

Upgrading agriculture in semi-arid areas and ensuring its sustainability require an optimal management of rainfall partition between blue and green waters in the farmed water harvesting catchment. The main objective of this study is to analyze the influence of heterogeneous land use on the spatial and temporal variation of rainfall partitioning and blue water production within a typical farmed catchment located in north-eastern Tunisia. The catchment has an area of 2.6 km² and comprises at its outlet a dam, which retains the runoff water in a reservoir. Overland flow and soil water balance components were monitored during two cropping seasons (2000/2001 and 2001/2002) on a network of eleven plots of 2 m² each with different land use and soil characteristics. The hydrological balances of both the catchment and reservoir have been monitored since 1994.Observed data showed a very large temporal and spatial variability of overland flow within the catchment reflecting the great importance of total rainfall as well as land use. During the 2001/2002 season the results showed a large variation of the number of observed runoff events, from 27 to 39, and of the annual overland flow depths, from 8 mm (under vineyard on calcaric cambisols) up to 43 mm (under shrubs-pasture on haplic regosols), between the plots. The annual runoff amounts were moderate; they always corresponded to less than 15% of the annual rainfall amount whatever the observation scale. It was also observed that changes in land use in years with similar rainfall could lead to significant differences in blue water flow. An attempt for predicting the overland flow by the general linear regression approach showed an r² of 31%, the predictors used are the class of soil infiltration capacity, the initial moisture saturation ratio of the soil surface layer and the total rainfall amounts.These experimental results indicate that the variation in land use in a semi-arid catchment is a main factor of variation in soil surface conditions and explain the major role played by the former on hydrological behavior of the upstream area and on rainfall partition between overland flow and infiltration. Therefore, to predict the water harvesting capacities in terms of blue water production of a farmed catchment in semi-arid areas it seems essential to consider precisely its land use and its temporal evolution related to management practices.