Scour and flow field around a spur dike in a 90° bend

Spur dike is an important element in river training that creates rapid variations in flow field, sediment transport and bed topography. The mechanism of flow and sediment transport in a channel bend is very complex, especially when a spur dike is constructed in a bend. Most of previous investigations on flow behavior and scour around spur dike were carried out in straight channels. In this paper results of experiments on flow field and scour around a spur dike in a 90 degree channel bend are presented. Sand with uniform grain size was used as the bed material. Experiments were conducted for different locations and different lengths of spur dikes at the bend with different values of discharge. The three dimensional flow fields around a spur dike were investigated. The maximum depth of scour was correlated to the Froude numbers, lengths and the locations of spur dike in the bend.     

Scour and flow field around a spur dike in a 90° bend

Spur dike is an important element in fiver training that creates rapid variations in flow field, sediment transport and bed topography. The mechanism of flow and sediment transport in a channel bend is very complex, especially when a spur dike is constructed in a bend. Most of previous investigations on flow behavior and scour around spur dike were carried out in straight channels. In this paper results of experiments on flow field and scour around a spur dike in a 90 degree channel bend are presented, Sand with uniform grain size was used as the bed material, Experiments were conducted for different locations and different lengths of spur dikes at the bend with different values of discharge, The three dimensional flow fields around a spur dike were investigated, The maximum depth of scour was correlated to the Froude numbers, lengths and the locations of spur dike in the bend.     

Experimental assessment and prediction of temporal scour depth around a spur dike

Spur dikes are river training structures that have been extensively used worldwide for towards enhancing flood control and the stability of embankments and riverbanks.However,scour around spur dikes can be a major problem affecting their stability and hydraulic performance.The precise computation of temporal scour depth at spur dikes is very important for the design of economical and safe spur dikes.This study focuses on experimentally assessing the temporal variation of scour depth around a vertical wall spur dike and identifying the parameters,which mostly influence spur dike performance for a channel bed surface comprised of sand-gravel mixtures.In the current study,the authors did physical experiments in a flume based study to obtain new data,aimed at deriving a new predictive model for spur dike scour and comparing its performance to others found in the literature.It was found that the dimensionless temporal scour depth variation increases with an increase in(i)the threshold velocity ratio,(ii)the densimetric Froude number of the bed surface sediment mixture,(iii)the flow shallowness(defined as the ratio of the approach flow depth,y,to the spur dike’s transverse length,l),and(iv)the flow depth-particle size ratio.It is also concluded that the temporal scour depth variation in the sediment mixture is influenced by the non-uniformity of sediment and decreases with an increase in the non-uniformity of the sediment mixture.A new mathematical model is derived for the estimation of temporal scour depths in sand-gravel sediment mixtures.The proposed equation has been calibrated and validated with the experimental data,demonstrating a good predictive capacity for the estimation of temporal scour depth evolution.     

Three-dimensional modeling of pollutants transportation in the flow field around a spur dyke

Pollutants are carried by sediment-laden flow dissolved in water or adsorbed on sediment particles. A transient three-dimensional model based on a compressible VOF(volume of fluid) method was developed to simulate the transport of dissolved and particulate pollutants.VOF is a numerical technique for acquiring and tracking the free surface of water flow.Local scouring,deposition and re-suspension were simulated and the processes of adsorption and desorption of pollutants on suspended sediment were analyzed.A series of experiments and numerical simulations were performed to study the transportation and dispersion of pollutants in the flow around a non-submerged spur dyke in a straight flume of rectangular shape.The simulation results agreed well with the experimental results.A certain volume of pollutants solution was released into the flow at upstream of the spur dyke.The concentration reduced with time.The concentration reduction was slower in the circumfluence zone than in the main flow.The ratio of adsorption to desorption coefficients was different for pollutants on suspended sediment with different diameter.The peak concentration of dissolved pollutants increased with the ratio of the adsorption to the desorption coefficients.The angle of the spur dyke affected the peak concentration around the dyke.The effect of the angle on dissolved pollutants decreased with the ratio of adsorption to desorption coefficients.The adsorption and desorption coefficients,as well as the saturated adsorption capacity had no effect on the concentration of particulate pollutants.     

Experiment and simulation of turbulent flow in local scour around a spur dyke

The turbulent flow in the local scour hole around a single non-submerged spur dyke is investigated with both experimental and numerical methods. The experiments are conducted under clear-water scour regime with an impermeable spur dyke. The scour geometry and flow velocities are measured in details with a high-resolution laser displacement meter, electro-magnetic velocimetries and PIV （Particle image velocimetry）. A 3D non-linear k-ε model is developed to simulate the complex local flow field around the scour area. The numerical model is formulated using FVM （Finite volume method） on a collocated unstructured mesh, capable of resolving complex geometries and boundaries. It is found that the simulation results are reasonably consistent with those of the experimental measurements. Based on the study results, the nature of the flow structure around a spur dyke with local scour hole is analyzed.     

长江中游沙质河段床沙级配调整过程计算

三峡工程运用后,长江中游荆江河段持续冲刷,床沙与推移质、悬移质泥沙不断交换,从而造成该河段床沙发生不同程度的调整,对长江中下游河床演变及非平衡输沙机理的研究具有重要影响.在新水沙条件下,总结分析了沙波运动特性及床沙交换方式,引入Markov三态转移概率及非均匀沙隐暴系数,得到基于状态转移概率的沙质河段床沙级配调整的计算模型.研究结果表明:(1)20092014年,沙市站年内床沙中值粒径有先增大后减小的趋势,而监利站年内床沙中值粒径则先减小后增大,且荆江河段年际床沙中值粒径总体呈上升趋势,粗化程度约为6.9%~9.3%;(2)20092014年,沙市站床沙组成中粒径d<0.062 mm的泥沙所占比重不变,0.062 mm≤d<0.25 mm的泥沙所占比重逐年减少(累计减少11.4%),d≥0.25 mm的泥沙所占比重逐年增加(累计增加11.4%),而监利站床沙组成均存在波动性变化;(3)荆江河段床沙转换为推移质的概率随着泥沙粒径的增大而增大,床沙转换为悬移质的概率随着泥沙粒径的增大而减小,而推移质和悬移质转换为床沙的概率均随着泥沙粒径的增大而增大,河床发生冲刷粗化时泥沙输移的主要形式为悬移质(概率为81%~87%),而淤积细化时床沙补给主要来源于推移质(概率为8%~12%).通过验证,本文概率模型的计算结果与实测资料符合较好,能够应用于长江中游沙质河段年际床沙粗化及年内床沙级配调整过程预报,为进一步开展三峡工程下游非均匀悬移质泥沙沿程恢复机理的研究提供理论基础.     

PROCESS-BASED MODEL OF GRAIN LIFTING FROM RIVER BED TO ESTIMATE SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION IN A SMALL HEADWATER BASIN

Suspended sediment is supplied from river bed sediment in Hiyamizusawa Brook, Hokkaido, Japan, during the early snowmelt season. The stirring up of fine grains from the river bed is an important control of the time variation of suspended-sediment flux. In this stream, about 10 per cent of the river bed is covered with sand sediment, 80 per cent with cobbles and/or pebbles and the remaining 10 per cent is exposed bedrock. A model previously used to explain the stirring up of fine grains within a cobble and pebble bed is applied to a sand bed, with the modification that fine grains in a sand bed are assumed to be stirred up from the tractive layer formed on the surface, whereas those in a cobble and pebble bed are assumed to be stirred up from the gaps formed by the selective movement of pebbles on the river bed. The lift force acting at the river bed is estimated from the bed shear stress, and the maximum grain size capable of being stirred up was calculated from the lift force. Consequently, the amount of fine material stirred up from the river bed is estimated from the grain size distribution of river bed sediment, and the suspended-sediment flux is thus calculated. All stirred-up fines are assumed to become suspended sediment. The simulated time variation of suspended-sediment concentration was similar to that obtained in the field study. The calculated grain size of suspended sediment was also equivalent to the field data.     

Implications of the saltation–abrasion bedrock incision model for steady‐state river longitudinal profile relief and concavity

The saltation–abrasion model predicts rates of river incision into bedrock as an explicit function of sediment supply, grain size, boundary shear stress and rock strength. Here we use this experimentally calibrated model to explore the controls on river longitudinal profile concavity and relief for the simple but illustrative case of steady‐state topography. Over a wide range of rock uplift rates we find a characteristic downstream trend, in which upstream reaches are close to the threshold of sediment motion with large extents of bedrock exposure in the channel bed, while downstream reaches have higher excess shear stresses and lesser extents of bedrock exposure. Profile concavity is most sensitive to spatial gradients in runoff and the rate of downstream sediment fining. Concavity is also sensitive to the supply rate of coarse sediment, which varies with rock uplift rate and with the fraction of the total sediment load in the bedload size class. Variations in rock strength have little influence on profile concavity. Profile relief is most sensitive to grain size and amount of runoff. Rock uplift rate and rock strength influence relief most strongly for high rates of rock uplift. Analysis of potential covariation of grain size with rock uplift rate and rock strength suggests that the influence of these variables on profile form could occur in large part through their influence on grain size. Similarly, covariation between grain size and the fraction of sediment load in the bedload size class provides another indirect avenue for rock uplift and strength to influence profile form. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of the impact of sediment supply and streamflow variations on channel grain sizes and Chinook salmon habitat in mountain drainage networks

Climatically driven changes in streamflow and hillslope sediment supply could potentially alter stream surface grain size distribution patterns and thereby impact habitat for a number of threatened and endangered in‐stream fish species. Relatively little is known about hydrograph (shape, peak flow) influence or the relative importance of chronic and episodic hillslope inputs on channel conditions. To better understand these external drivers, we calculated sediment routing through a gravel‐bedded river network using a one‐dimensional (1D) bedload transport model. We calculated changes in grain sizes and estimated Chinook salmon habitat suitability caused by a dry year and an extreme flood hydrograph, and chronic (diffusive, overland flow) or pulse (landslide, debris flow) hillslope sediment supplies. To obtain accurate channel conditions, a relatively high reference Shields stress, representative of steep mountain streams, was needed. An extreme event flood without any hillslope sediment inputs caused widespread bed coarsening and a decrease in aquatic habitat. Chronic sediment input combined with this hydrograph eliminated any changes in grain size and habitat, although when combined with a dry year flow, caused systematic bed fining. The influence of a given hydrograph therefore highly depends on the hillslope sediment supply. Regardless of the flow hydrograph or sediment pulse timing, grain size distribution or location, pulse sediment inputs did not cause widespread grain size changes despite being 100 times the total chronic input volume. Widespread and continuous hillslope sediment inputs may influence channel grain sizes and aquatic habitat more than a single discrete sediment pulse. Depending on the magnitudes of flow hydrograph and sediment supply alterations, climate change may induce no differences in grain sizes or very dramatic changes with significant consequences for long‐term sustainability. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A model of equilibrium bed topography for meander bends with erodible banks

Channel curvature produces secondary currents and a transverse sloping channel bed, along which the depth increases towards the outer bank. As a result deep pools tend to form adjacent to the outer bank, promoting bank collapse. The interaction of sediment grains with the primary and secondary flow and the transverse sloping bed also causes meanders to move different grain sizes in different proportions and directions, resulting in a consistent sorting pattern. Several models have been developed to describe this process, but they all have the potential to over‐predict pool depth because they cannot account for the influence of erodible banks. In reality, bank collapse might lead to the development of a wider, shallower cross‐section and any resulting flow depth discrepancy can bias associated predictions of flow, sediment transport, and grain‐size sorting. While bed topography, sediment transport and grain sorting in bends will partly be controlled by the sedimentary characteristics of the bank materials, the magnitude of this effect has not previously been explored. This paper reports the development of a model of flow, sediment transport, grain‐size sorting, and bed topography for river bends with erodible banks. The model is tested via intercomparison of predicted and observed bed topography in one low‐energy (5·3 W m^?2 specific stream power) and one high‐energy (43·4 W m^?2) study reach, namely the River South Esk in Scotland and Goodwin Creek in Mississippi, respectively. Model predictions of bed topography are found to be satisfactory, at least close to the apices of bends. Finally, the model is used in sensitivity analyses that provide insight into the influence of bank erodibility on equilibrium meander morphology and associated patterns of grain‐size sorting. The sensitivity of meander response to bank cohesion is found to increase as a function of the available stream power within the two study bends. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Feedbacks between erosion and sediment transport in experimental bedrock channels

Natural bedrock rivers flow in self‐formed channels and form diverse erosional morphologies. The parameters that collectively define channel morphology (e.g. width, slope, bed roughness, bedrock exposure, sediment size distribution) all influence river incision rates and dynamically adjust in poorly understood ways to imposed fluid and sediment fluxes. To explore the mechanics of river incision, we conducted laboratory experiments in which the complexities of natural bedrock channels were reduced to a homogenous brittle substrate (sand and cement), a single sediment size primarily transported as bedload, a single erosion mechanism (abrasion) and sediment‐starved transport conditions. We find that patterns of erosion both create and are sensitive functions of the evolving bed topography because of feedbacks between the turbulent flow field, sediment transport and bottom roughness. Abrasion only occurs where sediment impacts the bed, and so positive feedback occurs between the sediment preferentially drawn to topographic lows by gravity and the further erosion of these lows. However, the spatial focusing of erosion results in tortuous flow paths and erosional forms (inner channels, scoops, potholes), which dissipate flow energy. This energy dissipation is a negative feedback that reduces sediment transport capacity, inhibiting further incision and ultimately leading to channel morphologies adjusted to just transport the imposed sediment load. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Network‐scale dynamics of grain‐size sorting: implications for downstream fining,stream‐profile concavity,and drainage basin morphology

We explore the link between channel‐bed texture and river basin concavity in equilibrium catchments using a numerical landscape evolution model. Theory from homogeneous sediment transport predicts that river basin concavity directly increases with bed sediment size. If the effective grain size on a river bed governs its concavity, then natural phenomena such as grain‐size sorting and channel armouring should be linked to concavity. We examine this hypothesis by allowing the bed sediment texture to evolve in a transport‐limited regime using a two grain‐size mixture of sand and gravel. Downstream ?ning through selective particle erosion is produced in equilibrium. As the channel‐bed texture adjusts downstream so does the local slope. Our model predicts that it is not the texture of the original sediment mixture that governs basin concavity. Rather, concavity is linked to the texture of the sorted surface layer. Two different textural regimes are produced in the experiments: a transitional regime where the mobility of sand and gravel changes with channel‐bed texture, and a sand‐dominated region where the mobility of sand and gravel is constant. The concavity of these regions varies depending on the median gravel‐ or sand‐grain size, erosion rate, and precipitation rate. The results highlight the importance of adjustments in both surface texture and slope in natural rivers in response to changes in ?uvial and sediment inputs throughout a drainage network. This adjustment can only be captured numerically using multiple grain sizes or empirical downstream ?ning rules. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of lithology on channel geometry and bed sediment organization in mountainous hillslope-coupled streams

Sediment transport and channel morphology in mountainous hillslope-coupled streams reflect a mixture of hillslope and channel processes. However, the influence of lithology on channel form and adjustment and sediment transport remains poorly understood. Patterns of channel form, grain size, and transport capacity were investigated in two gravel-bed streams with contrasting lithology (basalt and sandstone) in the Oregon Coast Range, USA, in a region in which widespread landslides and debris flows occurred in 1996. This information was used to evaluate threshold channel conditions and channel bed adjustment since 1996. Channel geometry, slope, and valley width were measured or extracted from LiDAR and sediment textures were measured in the surface and subsurface. Similar coarsening patterns in the first few kilometres of both streams indicated strong hillslope influences, but subsequent downstream fining was lithology-dependent. Despite these differences, surface grain size was strongly related to shear stress, such that the ratio of available to critical shear stress for motion of the median surface grain size at bankfull stage was around one over most of the surveyed lengths. This indicated hydraulic sorting of supplied sediment, independent of lithology. We infer a cycle of adjustment to sediment delivered during the 1996 flooding, from threshold conditions, to non-alluvial characteristics, to threshold conditions in both basins. The sandstone basin can also experience complete depletion of the gravel-size alluvium to sand size, leading to bedrock exposure because of high diminution rates. Although debris flows being more frequent in a basalt basin, this system will likely display threshold-like characteristics over a longer period, indicating that the lithologic control on channel adjustment is driven by differences in rock competence that control grain size and available gravel for bed load transport. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of wave–bedform feedbacks on the formation of,and grain sorting over shoreface-connected sand ridges

The influence of wave–bedform feedbacks on both the initial formation of shoreface-connected sand ridges (sfcr) and on grain size sorting over these ridges on micro-tidal inner shelves is studied. Also, the effect of sediment sorting on the growth and the migration of sfcr is investigated. This is done by applying a linear stability analysis to an idealized process-based morphodynamic model, which simulates the initial growth of sfcr due to the positive coupling between waves, currents, and an erodible bed. The sediment consists of sand grains with two different sizes. New elements with respect to earlier studies on grain sorting over sfcr are that wave-topography interactions are explicitly accounted for, entrainment of sediment depends on bottom roughness, and transport of suspended sediment involves settling lag effects. The results of the model indicate that sediment sorting causes a reduction of the growth rate and migration speed of sfcr, whereas the wavelength is only slightly affected. In the case where the entrainment of suspended sediment depends on bottom roughness, the coarsest sediment is found in the troughs; otherwise, the finest sediment occurs in the troughs. Compared to previous work, modeled maximum variations in the mean grain size over the topography are in better agreement with field observations. Settling lag effects are important for the damping of high-wavenumber mode instabilities such that a preferred wavelength of the bedforms is obtained.     

筑坝拦截对黑河河道沉积物粒度空间分布的影响

河流沉积物对流域环境变化具有敏感响应,其粒度参数能反映沉积环境中物质来源和水动力环境.本文以黑河流域上中游为研究区域,探究河流沉积物粒度对流域环境变化的响应.从黑河上中游干流22个主要控制断面采集河床沉积物样品,采用筛分法和吸管法对沉积物样品粒度参数进行测定,并分析其空间分布规律对筑坝拦截为主的环境改变响应.研究结果表明：受梯级水库建设影响,黑河上中游泥沙粒径大小差异显著.干流库区泥沙粒径较自然河段明显减小,分选很好,呈正偏或极正偏尖锐分布,而且在库区不同沉积高度上表现出分层沉积特征;坝下游河段因遭受强烈冲刷,较自然河段泥沙粒径粗化显著,分选变差,偏态趋向极正偏,峰态尖锐化;水库回水区受水库壅水及下泄清水的双重制约,泥沙粒度参数介于自然河段和坝下游河段之间,整体分选中等,呈极正偏尖锐分布;沉积环境分析表明,上游支流河段沉积物粒度特征受泥沙供给和物源特征的影响较水动力条件显著,干流河段沉积物粒度特征主要受水动力条件控制.研究结果既符合河流上中游沉积物粒度分布规律,也反映了河流环境变化对沉积物粒度组成的影响.     

Bedform effect on the reorganization of surface and subsurface grain size distribution in gravel bedded channels

Quantification of river bedform variability and complexity is important for sediment transport modeling as well as for characterization of river morphology. Alluvial bedforms are shown to exhibit highly nonlinear dynamics across a range of scales, affect local bed roughness, and vary with local hydraulic, hydrologic, and geomorphic properties. This paper examines sediment sorting on the crest and trough of gravel bedforms and relates it to bed elevation statistics. The data analysed here are the spatial and temporal series of bed elevation, grain size distribution of surface and subsurface bed materials, and sediment transport rates from flume experiments. We describe surface topography through bedform variability in height and wavelength and multiscale analysis of bed elevations as a function of discharge. We further relate bedform migration to preferential distribution of coarse and fine sediments on the troughs and crests, respectively, measuring directly surface and subsurface grain size distributions, and indirectly the small scale roughness variations as estimated from high resolution topographic scans.     

Experimental study of the response of a gravel streambed to increased sediment supply

If increased sediment supply to a river channel exceeds its transport capacity, deposition necessarily occurs as the bed adjusts to accommodate the increased supply. Both the mean and spatial patterns in bed elevation and grain size may change and an ability to understand their relative importance is needed to predict bed response. We report on an experiment in a field‐scale flume in which sediment supply is increased to a gravel bed with alternate bars. Sediment was recirculated in the experiments, but augmented in two steps, after which the bed was allowed to reach a new steady state. The transport rate at the end of the experiment was three times larger than at the start. High‐resolution sediment flux and topographic measurements, grain size derived from photographs, and hydrodynamic modeling allow us to document the topographic and textural response of the bed to increased sediment supply. The spatial patterns of bed topography and texture were forced by the flume setup and the initial and final steady states included long stationary alternate bars with associated grain size sorting. The transient bed contained several scales of shorter wavelength migrating bedforms superimposed on, and temporarily replacing the stationary alternate bars. Bed topography and textural patterns adjusted to increased sediment supply over different timescales. Bed slope and mean stress increased directly with sediment supply rate to produce a new transport steady state in a time about 2.5 times the minimum needed to deposit the required sediment wedge, indicating a trap efficiency of about 40% for the aggrading wedge. Adjustments in local topography and sorting, primarily in the form of smaller, migrating bars, continued for a period approximately equal to that required to initially reach transport steady state. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size sorting of fine-grained sediments during erosion: Results from the western Gulf of Lions

Sediment cores from the western Gulf of Lions France were subject to known bottom shear stresses with the goal of understanding size-specific sediment erodibility. On cruises in October 2004, February and April 2005, cores with an undisturbed sediment–water interface were collected along a transect extending seaward from the Tet river mouth. The cores were exposed to increasing shear stresses (0.01–0.4 Pa) onboard the vessel shortly after collection by using a Gust erosion chamber. Samples of the suspensate were collected during the erosion experiments and analyzed for disaggregated inorganic grain size (DIGS) using a Coulter Multisizer IIe. Size-specific mobility plots were generated by dividing the proportion of each grain size in suspension at each shear stress by its proportion in the sediment before erosion. If all grain sizes that make up the bottom sediment are eroded equally from the bed, then mobility equals one for all grain sizes. Values >1 indicate that the suspended sediment is enriched in the size class and values <1 indicate that the size class is enriched in the bed. Results show that in non-cohesive, sandy silts, fine grains (clays and fine silts) are eroded preferentially from the bed at low shear stresses. With increasing bottom stress progressively larger grains are eroded from the bed. In cohesive silts, preferential erosion of the finer sizes no longer occurs, with all sizes up to medium silts eroding at approximately the same rate. Effectively, a sandy silt can be winnowed of its fine grain fraction during erosion while cohesive silts cannot. This difference in the sortability of cohesive and non-cohesive sediment during erosion may control the position and maintenance of the sand–mud transition and the sequestration of surface-adsorbed contaminants.     

Patterns of bedload entrainment and transport in forested headwater streams of the Columbia Mountains,Canada

We monitor bedload transport and water discharge at six stations in two forested headwater streams of the Columbia Mountains, Canada. The nested monitoring network is designed to examine the effects of channel bed texture, and the influence of alluvial (i.e. step pools and riffle pools) and semialluvial morphologies (i.e. boulder cascades and forced step pools) on bedload entrainment and transport. Results indicate that dynamics of bedload entrainment are influenced by differences in flow resistance attributable to morphology. Scaled fractional analysis shows that in reaches with high form resistance most bedload transport occurs in partial mobility fashion relative to the available bed material, while calibers finer than 16 mm attain full mobility during bankfull flows. Equal mobility transport for a wider range of grain sizes is achieved in reaches exhibiting reduced form resistance. Our findings confirm that the Shields value for mobilization of the median surface grain size depends on channel gradient and relative submergence; however, we also find that these relations vary considerably for cobble and gravel bed channels due to proportionality between dimensionless shear stress and grain size. Exponents of bedload rating curves across sites correlate most with the D_90s of the mobile bed, however, where grain effects are controlled (i.e. along individual streams), differences in form resistance across morphologies exert a primary control on bedload transport dynamics. Application of empirical formulae developed for use in steep alpine channels present variable success in predicting transport rates in forested snowmelt streams. Formulae that explicitly account for reductions in mobile bed area and high morphological resistance associated with woody debris provide the best approximation to observed empirical data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lithology‐controlled evolution of stream bed sediment and basin‐scale sediment yields in adjacent mountain watersheds,Idaho, USA

The composition, grain‐size, and flux of stream sediment evolve downstream in response to variations in basin‐scale sediment delivery, channel network structure, and diminution during transport. Here, we document downstream changes in lithology and grain size within two adjacent ~300 km² catchments in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA, which drain differing mixtures of soft and resistant rock types, and where measured sediment yields differ two‐fold. We use a simple erosion–abrasion mass balance model to predict the downstream evolution of sediment flux and composition using a Monte Carlo approach constrained by measured sediment flux. Results show that the downstream evolution of the bed sediment composition is predictably related to changes in underlying geology, influencing the proportion of sediment carried as bedload or suspended load. In the Big Wood basin, particle abrasion reduces the proportion of fine‐grained sedimentary and volcanic rocks, depressing bedload in favor of suspended load. Reduced bedload transport leads to stronger bed armoring, and coarse granitic rocks are concentrated in the stream bed. By contrast, in the North Fork Big Lost basin, bedload yields are three times higher, the stream bed is less armored, and bed sediment becomes dominated by durable quartzitic sandstones. For both basins, the geology‐based mass balance model can reproduce within ~5% root‐mean‐square error the composition of the bed substrate using realistic erosion and abrasion parameters. As bed sediment evolves downstream, bedload fluxes increase and decrease as a function of the abrasion parameter and the frequency and size of tributary junctions, while suspended load increases steadily. Variable erosion and abrasion rates produce conditions of variable bed‐material transport rates that are sensitive to the distribution of lithologies and channel network structure, and, provided sufficient diversity in bedrock geology, measurements of bed sediment composition allow for an assessment of sediment source areas and yield using a simple modeling approach. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.