Experimental analysis of cross‐sectional flow motion in a large amplitude meandering bend

Flow in meandering bends is characterized by the formation of a large cross‐sectional central‐region circulation cell. The width‐to‐depth ratio is one of the most important parameters affecting the entity of the cross‐circulation motion. In steep outside bends, beside the central‐region cell, a counter‐rotating circulation cell often forms in the upper part of the outer‐bank. In spite of its practical importance, the evolving mechanisms of both the circulation cells and their role on boundary shear stress distribution in bends are not yet fully understood. The aim of the present paper is to gain some insight into how cross‐sectional flow motion evolves along meandering bends. Experiments have been carried out in a laboratory meandering channel of large amplitude, over a deformed‐rigid bed, for two values of the width‐to‐depth ratio. The three‐dimensional flow velocity field has been measured in detail at five cross‐sections, almost equally spaced along the channel reach between two consecutive apex sections. The measurements have been carried out on a fine grid by an acoustic Doppler velocity profiler. The distributions of the cross‐sectional flow (e.g. cross‐sectional flow velocity, net transversal flux) and turbulent kinetic energy are analyzed in each investigated section. Measurements show that the counter‐rotating circulation cell is evident only in the case of ‘small’ width‐to‐depth ratio. Such circulation cell begins at the bend entrance and it is fully developed at the bend apex; then it decays. At the bend apex, the core of maximum velocity is found near the bed at about the separation between the central and the outer‐bank circulation cells. Moreover, the presence of the counter‐rotating circulation cell allows the bank shear stress to maintain low values in the outer‐side of the bend. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE RELATION OF BED MORPHOLOGY WITH SURFACE FLOW IN MEANDER CHANNELS

1 INTRODUCTION The plane shape of a river channel is very important for river improvement planning, because it must allow floodwater to flow off safely. Natural rivers wind from side to side, which creates meandering forms. From the history of river impro…     

Three‐dimensional flow structure and patterns of bed shear stress in an evolving compound meander bend

Compound meander bends with multiple lobes of maximum curvature are common in actively evolving lowland rivers. Interaction among spatial patterns of mean flow, turbulence, bed morphology, bank failures and channel migration in compound bends is poorly understood. In this paper, acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements of the three‐dimensional (3D) flow velocities in a compound bend are examined to evaluate the influence of channel curvature and hydrologic variability on the structure of flow within the bend. Flow structure at various flow stages is related to changes in bed morphology over the study timeframe. Increases in local curvature within the upstream lobe of the bend reduce outer bank velocities at morphologically significant flows, creating a region that protects the bank from high momentum flow and high bed shear stresses. The dimensionless radius of curvature in the upstream lobe is one‐third less than that of the downstream lobe, with average bank erosion rates less than half of the erosion rates for the downstream lobe. Higher bank erosion rates within the downstream lobe correspond to the shift in a core of high velocity and bed shear stresses toward the outer bank as flow moves through the two lobes. These erosion patterns provide a mechanism for continued migration of the downstream lobe in the near future. Bed material size distributions within the bend correspond to spatial patterns of bed shear stress magnitudes, indicating that bed material sorting within the bend is governed by bed shear stress. Results suggest that patterns of flow, sediment entrainment, and planform evolution in compound meander bends are more complex than in simple meander bends. Moreover, interactions among local influences on the flow, such as woody debris, local topographic steering, and locally high curvature, tend to cause compound bends to evolve toward increasing planform complexity over time rather than stable configurations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE RELATIONA OF BED MORPHOLOGY WITH SURFACE FLOW IN MEANDER CHANNELS

Alternate bars have the property that they migrate downstream whenever floods occur. However, in meander channels whose bend angles are larger than a critical value, the migration of bars can be suppressed, and the positions of bank erosion and flood attack also will be steady. In this study, the bed morphology in flume channels with bends of various lengths and angles is investigated at various flow discharges, and the relation of bed morphology to surface flow is investigated in detail using fluid measuring software. An effort is made to obtain guidelines for the plane shape design of meander channels. Based on the experimental results of bed topography and measurement of surface flow direction and velocity distribution, from the viewpoint of bank erosion and the concentration and dispersion of flood flow the most suitable plane shape for meandering channels is suggested through which the migration of alternate bars is suppressed.     

Chute channel dynamics in large,sand‐bed meandering rivers

Meander bends of many large, sand‐bed meandering rivers are partitioned by chute channels that convey permanent flow, and co‐exist with the mainstem for decades. As a first step toward understanding the dynamics and morphodynamic implications of these ‘bifurcate meander bends’, this study applied binary logistic regression analysis to determine whether it is possible to predict chute initiation based on attributes of meander bend character and dynamics. Regression models developed for the Strickland River, Papua New Guinea, the lower Paraguay River, Paraguay/Argentina, and the Beni River, Bolivia, revealed that the probability of chute initiation at a meander bend is a function of the bend extension rate (the rate at which a bend elongates in a direction perpendicular to the valley axis trend). Image analyses of all rivers and field observations from the Strickland suggest that the majority of chute channels form during scroll–slough development. Rapid extension is shown to favour chute initiation by breaking the continuity of point bar deposition and vegetation encroachment at the inner bank, resulting in widely‐spaced scrolls with intervening sloughs that are positively aligned with primary over‐bar flow. The rivers plot in order of increasing chute activity on an empirical meandering‐braided pattern continuum defined by potential specific stream power (ω_pv) and bedload calibre (D₅₀). Increasing stream power is considered to result in higher bend extension rates, with implications for chute initiation. In addition, chute stability is shown to depend on river sediment load relative to flow discharge (Qs/Q), such that while the Beni may plot in the region of highly braided rivers by virtue of a high potential specific stream power, the formation of stable chute channels is suppressed by the high sediment load. This tendency is consistent with previous experimental studies, and results in a planform that is transitional between single‐thread meandering and braided. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flow separation at the inner (convex) and outer (concave) banks of constant‐width and widening open‐channel bends

There is a paucity of data and insight in the mechanisms of, and controls on flow separation and recirculation at natural sharply‐curved river bends. Herein we report on successful laboratory experiments that elucidate flow structure in one constant‐width bend and a second bend with an outer‐bank widening. The experiments were performed with both a flat immobile gravel bed and mobile sand bed with dominant bedload sediment transport. In the constant‐width bend with immobile bed, a zone of mainly horizontal flow separation (vertical rotational axis) formed at the inner bank that did not contain detectable flow recirculation, and an outer‐bank cell of secondary flow with streamwise oriented rotational axis. Surprisingly, the bend with widening at the outer bank and immobile bed did not lead to a transverse expansion of the flow. Rather, flow in the outer‐bank widening weakly recirculated around a vertical axis and hardly interacted with the inner part of the bend, which behaved as a constant‐width bend. In the mobile bed experiment, downstream of the bend apex a pronounced depositional bar developed at the inside of the bend and pronounced scour occurred at the outside. Moreover the deformed bed promoted flow separation over the bar, including return currents. In the constant‐width bend, the topographic steering impeded the generation of an outer‐bank cell of secondary flow. In the bend with outer‐bank widening, the topographic steering induced an outward expansion of the flow, whereby the major part of the discharge was conveyed in the central part of the widening section. Flow in the outer‐bank widening was highly three dimensional and included return currents near the bottom. In conclusion, the experiments elucidated three distinct processes of flow separation common in sharp bends: flow separation at the inner bank, an outer‐bank cell of secondary flow, and flow separation and recirculation in an outer‐bank widening. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flow in a tightly curving meander bend: effects of seasonal changes in aquatic macrophyte cover

The effects of aquatic macrophytes on flow and turbulence were studied in a tightly curving meander bend. Three field measurement campaigns were carried out within a one year period to capture effects of seasonal changes in macrophyte cover. They comprised three‐dimensional velocity measurements and mappings of vegetation cover and bathymetry. Flow accelerates and converges over the run into an axial pool in a jet‐like flow pattern bordered by outer and inner bank flow separation zones. The jet and widening of the cross‐section anticipate helical flow until the second half of the bend, where an asymmetric pool developed. Submerged vegetation at the riffles preserves the jet at much lower discharges during the summer period by concentrating high momentum fluid near the surface. Plants locally modify the velocity and stress patterns, reduce bed shear stresses, create zones of fine sediment accumulation and reinforce the bed and banks with roots and rhizomes. Plant patches colonising the banks and the point bar confine secondary flow cells laterally and affect shape and magnitude of the transverse flow profiles near their edges. The morphology of the bend was very stable over the observation period and neither bank erosion nor pool scouring occurred. However, fine sediments accumulate within vegetation patches and in the recirculation zones while the remaining open areas tend to erode slightly. With the decay of macrophytes in winter, sediment accumulations are mobilised again and the bathymetry levels, supporting cyclic models of morphologic change in vegetated bends. In the second part of the paper, semi‐empirical models for the three predominant flow types were tested and discussed; velocity and stress models of vegetated mixing layers and plane turbulent jets, and Rozovskii's model for the transverse flow in bends. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physical explanations of variations in river meander migration rates from model comparison

In meandering rivers, the local channel migration rate increases with increasing bend sharpness until it reaches a maximum at a certain critical value of the bend sharpness. Beyond this critical value, the migration rate decreases if bend sharpness increases. Similarly, reach‐averaged migration rates attain a maximum at a certain river sinuosity. This work investigates the physics of these phenomena by comparing the results of two physics‐based models of different complexity, in which the migration rates are proportional to the near‐bank flow velocity excess. In the computational tests the river was allowed to meander progressively, starting from an almost straight planimetry. Both models reproduced the observed peak in the curve describing the local migration rate as a function of the ratio radius of curvature‐channel width (R/B), with a rising limb at lower R/B values and a falling limb at higher R/B values. The rising limb can be explained by the decrease in relative lag distance between near‐bank flow velocity and forcing curvature as R/B increases. The falling limb results from the decrease in local channel curvature and near‐bank flow velocity excess. Since the models do not include flow separation, the results indicate that this phenomenon is not needed to explain the decrease of channel migration rates in sharp bends. The models reproduced also the peak in the curve describing the reach‐averaged migration rates as a function of river sinuosity The increase and then decrease of reach‐averaged migration rates as sinuosity increases appears to be mainly caused by the variation of the reach‐averaged value of the ratio R/B. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variability of three‐dimensional Reynolds stresses in a developing channel bend

Experimental results of the mean flow field and turbulence characteristics for flow in a model channel bend with a mobile sand bed are presented. Acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADVs) were used to measure the three components of instantaneous velocities at multiple cross sections in a 135° channel bend for two separate experiments at different stages of clear water scour conditions. With measurements at multiple cross sections through the bend it was possible to map the changes in both the spatial distribution of the mean velocity field and the three Reynolds shear stresses. Turbulent stresses are known to contribute to sediment transport and the three‐dimensionality inherent to flow in open channel bends presents a useful case for determining specific relations between three‐dimensional turbulence and sediment entrainment and transport. These measurements will also provide the necessary data for validating numerical simulations of turbulent flow and sediment transport. The results show that the magnitude and distribution of three‐dimensional Reynolds stresses increase through the bend, with streamwise‐cross stream and cross stream‐vertical components exceeding the maximum principal Reynolds stress through the bend. The most intriguing observation is that near‐bed maximum positive streamwise‐cross stream Reynolds stress coincides with the leading edge of the outer bank scour hole (or thalweg), while maximum cross stream‐vertical Reynolds stress (in combination with high negative streamwise‐cross stream Reynolds stress near the bend apex) coincides with the leading edge of the inner bank bar. Maximum Reynolds stress and average turbulent kinetic energy appear to be greater and more localized over the scour hole before final equilibrium scour is reached. This suggests that the turbulent energy in the flow is higher while the channel bed is developing, and both lower turbulent energy and a broader distribution of turbulent stresses near the bed are required for cessation of particle mobilization and transport. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A simple model of river meandering and its comparison to natural channels

We develop a new method for analysis of meandering channels based on planform sinuosity. This analysis objectively identifies three channel‐reach lengths based on sinuosity measured at those lengths: the length of typical, simple bends; the length of long, often compound bends; and the length of several bends in sequence that often evolve from compound bends to form multibend loops. These lengths, when normalized by channel width, tend to fall into distinct and clustered ranges for different natural channels. Mean sinuosity at these lengths also falls into distinct ranges. That range is largest for the third and greatest length, indicating that, for some streams, multibend loops are important for planform sinuosity, whereas for other streams, multibend loops are less important. The role of multibend loops is seldom addressed in the literature, and they are not well predicted by previous modelling efforts. Also neglected by previous modelling efforts is bank–flow interaction and its role in meander evolution. We introduce a simple river meandering model based on topographic steering that has more in common with cellular approaches to channel braiding and landscape evolution modelling than to rigorous, physics‐based analyses of river meandering. The model is sufficient to produce reasonable meandering channel evolution and predicts compound bend and multibend loop formation similar to that observed in nature, in both mechanism and importance for planform sinuosity. In the model, the tendency to form compound bends is sensitive to the relative magnitudes of two lengths governing meander evolution: (i) the distance between the bend cross‐over and the zone of maximum bank shear stress, and (ii) the bank shear stress dissipation length related to bank roughness. In our simple model, the two lengths are independent. This sensitivity implies that the tendency for natural channels to form compound bends may be greater when the banks are smoother. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flow and erosion at a bend in the braided Jamuna River

The braided Jamuna River frequently changes its courses.Sometimes the secondary channel in a braided river acts as a single thread meandering channel.In the present study an attempt has been made to investigate the flow patterns and to estimate the rate of bank erosion in a bend along the Jamuna River.The three dimensional(3D) flow velocities were measured using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP).It is found that the near bank velocity is amplified by 1.1 to 1.3 times as compared with the section averaged velocity.A dominant secondary current is found in the upstream bend.The evolution as well as decay of the secondary current is not as clear as it is found in the laboratory experiments.It is revealed from the analysis of the flow process that the causes of higher rate of erosion at the study bend are the oblique flow near bankline,six times amplified shear velocity than critical shear velocity near bankline and the secondary current which acts as a sediment transporting agent from the outer bank towards the inner bank or the sand bar.Based on the flow processes,a simplified erosion prediction model is developed and applied to estimate the rate of erosion at a selected bend.Finally the predicted results have been compared with the observed data at the bend and all the available data at other bends along the Jamuna River.     

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.     

Controls on the transition from meandering to straight channels in the wetlands of the Okavango Delta,Botswana

Previous studies of alluvial rivers have shown that channel patterns form a continuum controlled by interactions among factors such as gradient, discharge, sediment size, and bank strength. Data from channels in the permanent wetlands of the Okavango Delta add to these ?ndings by focusing on pattern transitions in channels with banks formed by sedges and grasses that are rooted in peat and underlain by unconsolidated sediment. Channels are well de?ned, and transport ?ne–medium sand as bedload between the vertical, vegetation‐lined banks. Water depths, velocities, grain sizes, and bankline vegetation do not vary signi?cantly or systematically downstream, but the permeable banks allow water to leak from the channels, contributing to an overall downstream decrease in discharge and width. In addition, as the Okavango River ?ows from the <12 km wide ‘Panhandle’ and splits into distributaries in the broader ‘Fan’, valley gradient steepens by c. 60 per cent. These downstream changes result in channel pattern adjustments. In the Panhandle, the Okavango River is a relatively wide (c. 30–100 m), actively meandering, sinuous channel (P > 2·0), but further downstream in the Fan, the narrower (<40 m) distributaries follow laterally stable, less sinuous (‘straight’) courses (P < 1·75). Some channel pattern discrimination diagrams based on simple indices of gradient, discharge, sediment size or stream power are inadequate for analysing the meandering–straight transition in the Okavango but Parker's (1976) approach, based on ratios of depth–width and slope–Froude number, accurately characterizes the transition. Our ?eld observations, combined with the results from previous experimental studies, suggest that in relatively wide channels (w/d > 10), thalweg meandering results in scour of the unconsolidated sediment at the bank base, leading to undermining and collapse of the vegetation, and to slow meander migration. However, as channels narrow downstream (w/d < 10) with discharge losses, proportionally increasing sidewall drag exerted by bankline vegetation suppresses thalweg meandering and bank scour, and channels follow stable, less sinuous courses. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Circulation cells topology and their effect on migration pattern of different multi-bend meandering rivers

In meandering rivers, a cross-stream flow, referred to as a secondary current, has important effects on broad spectra of hydraulic/environmental characteristics, running the gamut from river hydrodynamics and geomorphology to stream ecology. The transport equation for vorticity and kinetic energy transfer should be analyzed to specify terms involved in generation of secondary currents. However, there is limited research on scrutinizing these terms in meandering rivers. On the other hand, while rivers are mostly multi-bend, previous studies have been limited to single bends. In the current paper, three physical multi-bend channels representing a strongly curved bend, a mild bend and an elongated symmetrical meander loop are designed in order to unravel mechanisms responsible for forming circulation cells in cross sections. Experiments are carried out in the middle bend of these models. Cross-stream turbulence anisotropy considerably strengthens almost all near bank cells. Moreover, contrary to single sharp bends, multi bend effects hinder the transfer of the kinetic energy in both directions in the entrance section of the strongly curved bend.     

The effects of ice cover on flow characteristics in a subarctic meandering river

The effects of ice cover on flow characteristics in meandering rivers are still not completely understood. Here, we quantify the effects of ice cover on flow velocity, the vertical and spatial flow distribution, and helical flow structure. Comparison with open‐channel low flow conditions is performed. An acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) is used to measure flow from up to three meander bends, depending on the year, in a small sandy meandering subarctic river (Pulmanki River) during two consecutive ice‐covered winters (2014 and 2015). Under ice, flow velocities and discharges were predominantly slower than during the preceding autumn open‐channel conditions. Velocity distribution was almost opposite to theoretical expectations. Under ice, velocities reduced when entering deeper water downstream of the apex in each meander bend. When entering the next bend, velocities increased again together with the shallower depths. The surface velocities were predominantly greater than bottom/riverbed velocities during open‐channel flow. The situation was the opposite in ice‐covered conditions, and the maximum velocities occurred in the middle layers of the water columns. High‐velocity core (HVC) locations varied under ice between consecutive cross‐sections. Whereas in ice‐free conditions the HVC was located next to the inner bank at the upstream cross‐sections, the HVC moved towards the outer bank around the apex and again followed the thalweg in the downstream cross‐sections. Two stacked counter‐rotating helical flow cells occurred under ice around the apex of symmetric and asymmetric bends: next to the outer bank, top‐ and bottom‐layer flows were towards the opposite direction to the middle layer flow. In the following winter, no clear counter‐rotating helical flow cells occurred due to the shallower depths and frictional disturbance by the ice cover. Most probably the flow depth was a limiting factor for the ice‐covered helical flow circulation, similarly, the shallow depths hinder secondary flow in open‐channel conditions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of junction angle on three‐dimensional flow structure and bed morphology at confluent meander bends during different hydrological conditions

Recent field and modeling investigations have examined the fluvial dynamics of confluent meander bends where a straight tributary channel enters a meandering river at the apex of a bend with a 90° junction angle. Past work on confluences with asymmetrical and symmetrical planforms has shown that the angle of tributary entry has a strong influence on mutual deflection of confluent flows and the spatial extent of confluence hydrodynamic and morphodynamic features. This paper examines three‐dimensional flow structure and bed morphology for incoming flows with high and low momentum‐flux ratios at two large, natural confluent meander bends that have different tributary entry angles. At the high‐angle (90°) confluent meander bend, mutual deflection of converging flows abruptly turns fluid from the lateral tributary into the downstream channel and flow in the main river is deflected away from the outer bank of the bend by a bar that extends downstream of the junction corner along the inner bank of the tributary. Two counter‐rotating helical cells inherited from upstream flow curvature flank the mixing interface, which overlies a central pool. A large influx of sediment to the confluence from a meander cutoff immediately upstream has produced substantial morphologic change during large, tributary‐dominant discharge events, resulting in displacement of the pool inward and substantial erosion of the point bar in the main channel. In contrast, flow deflection is less pronounced at the low‐angle (36°) confluent meander bend, where the converging flows are nearly parallel to one another upon entering the confluence. A large helical cell imparted from upstream flow curvature in the main river occupies most of the downstream channel for prevailing low momentum‐flux ratio conditions and a weak counter‐rotating cell forms during infrequent tributary‐dominant flow events. Bed morphology remains relatively stable and does not exhibit extensive scour that often occurs at confluences with concordant beds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modulation of the flow structure by progressive bedforms in the Kinoshita meandering channel

An in‐house fully three‐dimensional general‐purpose finite element model is applied to solve the hydrodynamic structure in a periodic Kinoshita‐generated meandering channel. The numerical model solves the incompressible Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes equations for mass and momentum, while solving the k ? ε equations for turbulence. The free surface is described by the rigid‐lid approximation (using measured water surface data) for flat (smooth‐bed) and self‐formed (rough‐bed) conditions. The model results are compared against experimental measurements in the ‘Kinoshita channel’, where three‐dimensional flow velocities and turbulence parameters were measured. This validation was carried out for the upstream‐valley meander bend orientation under smooth (flat bed) conditions. After validation, several simulations were carried out to predict the hydrodynamics in conditions where either it was not possible to perform measurements (e.g. applicability of the laboratory acoustic instruments) and to extrapolate the model to other planform configurations. For the flat smooth‐bed case, a symmetric (no skewness) planform configuration was modeled and compared to the upstream‐skewed case. For the self‐formed rough‐bed case, prediction of the hydrodynamics during the progression of bedforms was performed. It appears that the presence of bedforms on a bend has the following effects: (i) the natural secondary flow of the bend is disrupted by the presence of the bedforms, thus depending on the location of the dune, secondary flows might differ completely from the traditional orientation; (ii) an increment on both the bed and bank shear stresses is induced, having as much as 50% more fluvial erosion, and thus a potential increment on the migration rate of the bend. Implications on sediment transport and bend morphodynamics are also discussed in the paper. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Decadal changes in distribution and frequency of wood in a free meandering river,the Ain River,France

This study examined the temporal dynamics and longitudinal distribution of wood over a multi‐decadal timescale at the river reach scale (36 km) and a meander bend scale (300–600 m) in the Ain River, a large gravel‐bed river flowing through a forested corridor, and adjusting to regulation and floodplain land‐use change. At the 36 km scale, more wood was recruited by bank erosion in 1991–2000 than since the 1950s. The longitudinal distribution of accumulations was similar between 1989 and 1999, but in both years individual pieces occurred homogeneously throughout the reach, while jam distribution was localized, associated with large concave banks. A relationship between the mean number of pieces and the volume recruited by bank erosion (r² = 0·97) indicated a spatial relationship between areas of wood production and storage. Wood mass stored and produced and channel sinuosity increased from 1993 to 2004 at three meander bends. Sinuosity was related to wood mass recruited by bank erosion during the previous decade (r² = 0·73) and both of these parameters were correlated to the mean mass of wood/plot (r² = 0·98 and 0·69 respectively), appearing to control wood storage and delivery at the bend scale. This suggests a local origin of wood stored in channel, not input from upstream trapped by preferential sites. The increase in wood since 1950 is a response to floodplain afforestation, to a change from braided to meandering channel pattern in response to regulation, and to recent large floods. We observed temporal stability of supply and depositional sectors over a decade (on a reach scale). Meander bends were major storage sites, trapping wood with concave banks, also delivering wood. These results, and the link between sinuosity and wood frequency, establish geomorphology as a dominant wood storage and recruitment control in large gravel‐bed rivers. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling mid‐channel bars in meandering channels

An analytical modelling framework is proposed to reproduce the frequently observed but poorly studied occurrence of mid‐channel bars in meandering channels. Mid‐channel bars occur in meanders and may characterize transitional morphologies between pure meandering and braided rivers. Based on existing field and experimental observations, we propose that two different mechanisms can generate central topographical patterns in meanders. A former mechanism (‘width‐forced’) is related to spatial width oscillations which determine a laterally symmetrical bed shear stress pattern that promotes mid‐channel bars. A second mechanism (‘curvature‐forced’) can take place also in curvilinear equiwidth streams since also longitudinal variations of channel curvature can produce laterally symmetrical alterations of the sediment transport capacity. A perturbation approach is employed to model both mechanisms within a common framework, allowing reproduction, at least qualitatively, of several observed features. While width‐forced mid‐channel bars are a symmetric linear altimetric response, to reproduce curvature‐forced mid‐channel bars requires modelling nonlinear flow‐bed topography interactions at the second order of the perturbation expansion. Hypotheses on how these mechanisms operate are further discussed through an application to field cases. The amplitude of the nonlinear response can be relevant compared to that of the point bar in equiwidth meanders and the location of mid‐channel bars seldom coincides with bend apexes, mainly depending upon the intrinsic meander wavelength. Central bars tend to symmetrically divert the flow against the two banks, a process which is proposed as a possible cause of cross‐sectional overwidening, along with the asymmetry between the rates of bank erosion and of the opposite bank accretion. The outcomes of this first modelling step on the subject allow discussion of the mutual feedback processes that characterize interactions between mid‐channel bars and width variations in river meanders. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Channel bar dynamics on multi‐decadal timescales in an active meandering river

Occurrence and development of channel bars are major components of the morphodynamics of rivers and their relation to river meandering has been much explored through theory and experimentation. However, field and documentary data of characteristics and evolution over timescales from years to several decades are lacking. Four sets of aerial photographs in the period 1984–2007 were used to map and quantify bar numbers and areas in GIS on an active meandering reach. Bar types were classified. Additional temporal resolution was provided by annual ground photography and mapping for 1981–2010. Analysis was extended backward by use of large scale Ordnance Survey maps from 1873 onwards. As expected, point bars are the most common type but ‘free’ bars of several types are major components of bar deposition. Point bars and attached bars are significantly larger in size than mid‐channel and side bars. Spatial distribution of bars varies down the reach and over time but is related to channel sinuosity, gradient and mobility and to bend evolution. Different types of bar occur in distinctive channel locations, with point and concave‐bend bars in zones of high curvature. Bar activity shows a relation with discharge events and phases and possibly with changing riparian conditions, but superimposed on this is a common sequence of bar evolution from incipient gravel mid‐channel bars to full floodplain integration. This life‐cycle is identified as 7–9 years on average. No evidence for mobility of free bars within the course is found. The results are compared with bar and bend theory; the bars are forced and conform in general to bend theory but detailed variation relates to geomorphic factors and to autogenic sequences of bends and bars. Mid‐channel bars are width induced. Variability of bar occurrence needs to be taken into account in river management and ecological evaluation, including for the EU WFD. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.