Anastamosing channels in the lower Neches River valley,Texas

Active and semi‐active anastomosing Holocene channels upstream of the delta in the lower valley of the meandering Neches River in southeast Texas represent several morphologically distinct and hydrologically independent channel systems. These appear to have a common origin as multi‐thread crevasse channels strongly influenced by antecedent morphology. Levee breaching leads to steeper cross‐valley flows toward floodplain basins associated with Pleistocene meander scars, creating multi‐thread channels that persist due to additional tributary contributions and ground water inputs. Results are consistent with the notion of plural systems where main channels, tributaries, and sub‐channels may have different morphologies and hydrogeomorphic functions. The adjacent Trinity and Sabine Rivers have similar environmental controls, yet the Trinity lacks evidence of extensive anastomosing channels on its floodplain, and those of the Sabine appear to be of different origin. The paper highlights the effects of geographical and historical contingency and hydrological idiosyncrasy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of vegetation on channel morphodynamics: results and insights from laboratory experiments

A series of laboratory experiments demonstrates that riparian vegetation can cause a braided channel to self‐organize to, and maintain, a dynamic, single‐thread channel. The initial condition for the experiments was steady‐state braiding in non‐cohesive sand under uniform discharge. From here, an experiment consisted of repeated cycles alternating a short duration high flow with a long duration low flow, and uniform dispersal of alfalfa seeds over the bed at the end of each high flow. Plants established on freshly deposited bars and areas of braidplain that were unoccupied during low flow. The presence of the plants had the effect of progressively focusing the high flow so that a single dominant channel developed. The single‐thread channel self‐adjusted to carry the high flow. Vegetation also slowed the rate of bank erosion. Matching of deposition along the point bar with erosion along the outer bend enabled the channel to develop sinuosity and migrate laterally while suppressing channel splitting and the creation of new channel width. The experimental channels spontaneously reproduced many of the mechanisms by which natural meandering channels migrate and maintain a single dominant channel, in particular bend growth and channel cutoff. In contrast with the braided system, where channel switching is a nearly continuous process, vegetation maintained a coherent channel until wholesale diversion of flow via cutoff and/or avulsion occurred, by which point the previous channel tended to be highly unfavorable for flow. Thus vegetation discouraged the coexistence of multiple channels. Varying discharge was key to allowing expression of feedbacks between the plants and the flow and promoting the transition from braiding to a single‐thread channel that was then dynamically maintained. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling the effect of vegetation on channel pattern in bedload rivers

We modify a simple numerical stream‐pattern model to examine the effect of sediment stabilization by roots on the channel pattern of bedload rivers. In the model, vegetation enhances bank resistance to erosion, causing the development of a single channel instead of a rapidly changing, multiple channel (braided) pattern. Net aggradation resulting from a high sediment supply, however, causes frequent avulsions that destroy vegetation locally, leading to the development of a multiple‐channel pattern. A stability diagram representing multiple model runs predicts whether a river will exhibit single or multiple channels, based on plant‐enhanced bank strength, and on the time scale of plant development relative to a time scale for change in unvegetated channels. A second stability diagram predicts the way in which the amplitude and period of a fluctuating imposed sediment load influence whether a single or multiple‐channel pattern develops. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surveyed and modelled one‐year morphodynamics in the braided lower Tana River

Field measurements and morphodynamic simulations were carried out along a 5‐km reach of the sandy, braided, lower Tana River in order to detect temporal and spatial variations in river bed modifications and to determine the relative importance of different magnitude discharges on river bed and braid channel evolution during a time span of one year, i.e. 2008–2009. Fulfilling these aims required testing the morphodynamic model's capability to simulate changes in the braided reach. We performed the simulations using a 2‐D morphodynamic model and different transport equations. The survey showed that more deposition than erosion occurred during 2008–2009. Continuous bed‐load transport and bed elevation changes of ±1 m, and a 70–188‐m downstream migration of the thalweg occurred. Simulation results indicated that, during low water periods, modifications occurred in both the main channel and in other braid channels. Thus, unlike some gravel‐bed rivers, the sandy lower Tana River does not behave like a single‐thread channel at low discharge. However, at higher discharge, i.e. exceeding 497 m³/s, the river channel resembled a single‐thread channel when channel banks confined the flow. Although the spring discharge peaks caused more rapid modifications than slower flows, the cumulative volumetric changes of the low water period were greater. The importance of low water period flows for channel modifications is emphasized. Although the 2‐D model requires further improvements, the results were nevertheless promising for the future use of this approach in braided rivers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patch‐scale representation of vegetation within hydraulic models

Submerged aquatic vegetation affects flow, sediment and ecological processes within rivers. Quantifying these effects is key to effective river management. Despite a wealth of research into vegetated flows, the detailed flow characteristics around real plants in natural channels are still poorly understood. Here we present a new methodology for representing vegetation patches within computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of vegetated channels. Vegetation is represented using a Mass Flux Scaling Algorithm (MFSA) and drag term within the Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes Equations, which account for the mass and momentum effects of the vegetation, respectively. The model is applied using three different grid resolutions (0.2, 0.1 and 0.05 m) using time‐averaged solution methods and compared to field data. The results show that the model reproduces the complex spatial flow heterogeneity within the channel and that increasing the resolution leads to enhanced model accuracy. Future applications of the model to the prediction of channel roughness, sedimentation and key eco‐hydraulic variables are presented, likely to be valuable for informing effective river management. © 2016 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Exploring large wood retention and deposition in contrasting river morphologies linking numerical modelling and field observations

Large wood tends to be deposited in specific geomorphic units within rivers. Nevertheless, predicting the spatial distribution of wood deposits once wood enters a river is still difficult because of the inherent complexity of its dynamics. In addition, the lack of long‐term observations or monitored sites has usually resulted in a rather incomplete understanding of the main factors controlling wood deposition under natural conditions. In this study, the deposition of large wood was investigated in the Czarny Dunajec River, Polish Carpathians, by linking numerical modelling and field observations so as to identify the main factors influencing wood retention in rivers. Results show that wood retention capacity is higher in unmanaged multi‐thread channels than in channelized, single‐thread reaches. We also identify preferential sites for wood deposition based on the probability of deposition under different flood scenarios, and observe different deposition patterns depending on the geomorphic configuration of the study reach. In addition, results indicate that wood is not always deposited in the geomorphic units with the highest roughness, except for low‐magnitude floods. We conclude that wood deposition is controlled by flood magnitude and the elevation of flooded surfaces in relation to the low‐flow water surface. In that sense, the elevation at which wood is deposited in rivers will differ between floods of different magnitude. Therefore, together with the morphology, flood magnitude represents the most significant control on wood deposition in mountain rivers wider than the height of riparian trees. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Channelization of a large Alpine river: what is left of its original morphodynamics?

The Adige River drains 12 200 km² of the Eastern Alps and flows for 213 km within this mountain range. Similar to other large rivers in Central Europe, the Adige River was subject to massive channelization works during the 19th century. Thanks to the availability of several historical maps, this river represents a very valuable case study to document the extent to which the morphology of the river changed due to channelization and to understand how much is left of its original morphodynamics. The study was based on the analysis of seven sets of historical maps dating from 1803–1805 to 1915–1927, on geomorphological analysis, on the application of mathematical morphodynamic theories and on the application of bar and channel pattern prediction models. The study concerns 115 km of the main stem and 29 km of its tributaries. In the pre‐channelization conditions, the Adige River presented a prevalence of single‐thread channel planforms. Multi‐thread patterns developed only immediately downstream of the main confluences. During the 19th century, the Adige underwent considerable channel adjustment, consisting of channel narrowing, straightening, and reduction of bars and islands. Multi‐thread and single‐thread reaches evolved through different evolutionary trajectories, considering both the channel width and the bar/vegetation interaction. Bar and channel pattern predictors showed good correspondence with the observed patterns, including the development of multi‐thread morphologies downstream of the confluences. Application of the free‐bar predictor helped to interpret the strong reduction – almost complete loss – of exposed sediment bars after the channelization works, quantifying the riverbed inclination to form alternate bars. This morphological evolution can be observed in other Alpine rivers of similar size and similar massive channelization, therefore, a simplified conceptual model for large rivers subjected to channelization is proposed, showing that a relatively small difference in the engineered channel width may have a strong impact on the river dynamics, specifically on bar formation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

The beaver meadow complex revisited – the role of beavers in post‐glacial floodplain development

We evaluate the validity of the beaver‐meadow complex hypothesis, used to explain the deposition of extensive fine sediment in broad, low‐gradient valleys. Previous work establishes that beaver damming forms wet meadows with multi‐thread channels and enhanced sediment storage, but the long‐term geomorphic effects of beaver are unclear. We focus on two low‐gradient broad valleys, Beaver Meadows and Moraine Park, in Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado, USA). Both valleys experienced a dramatic decrease in beaver population in the past century and provide an ideal setting for determining whether contemporary geomorphic conditions and sedimentation are within the historical range of variability of valley bottom processes. We examine the geomorphic significance of beaver‐pond sediment by determining the rates and types of sedimentation since the middle Holocene and the role of beaver in driving floodplain evolution through increased channel complexity and fine sediment deposition. Sediment analyses from cores and cutbanks indicate that 33–50% of the alluvial sediment in Beaver Meadows is ponded and 28–40% was deposited in‐channel; in Moraine Park 32–41% is ponded sediment and 40–52% was deposited in‐channel. Radiocarbon ages spanning 4300 years indicate long‐term aggradation rates of ~0.05 cm yr^‐1. The observed highly variable short‐term rates indicate temporal heterogeneity in aggradation, which in turn reflects spatial heterogeneity in processes at any point in time. Channel complexity increases directly downstream of beaver dams. The increased complexity forms a positive feedback for beaver‐induced sedimentation; the multi‐thread channel increases potential channel length for further damming, which increases the potential area occupied by beaver ponds and the volume of fine sediment trapped. Channel complexity decreased significantly as surveyed beaver population decreased. Beaver Meadows and Moraine Park represent settings where beaver substantially influence post‐glacial floodplain aggradation. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the historical range of variability of valley bottom processes, and implications for environmental restoration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Self‐adjustment in rivers: Evidence for least action as the primary control of alluvial‐channel form and process

Least action principle (LAP) in rivers is demonstrated by maximum flow efficiency (MFE) and is the foundation of variational mechanics based on energy and work rather than Newtonian force and momentum. Empirical evidence shows it to be the primary control for the adjustment of alluvial channels. Because most rivers flow with imposed water and sediment loads down valley gradients they have largely inherited, they self‐regulate energy expenditure to match the work they are required to do to remain stable. Overpowered systems develop a variety of channel patterns to expend excess energy and remain stable. Australia offers an opportunity to study low‐energy rivers closely adjusted to very low continental gradients. The anabranching Marshall and single‐thread Plenty Rivers flow down nearly straight channels with average H numbers [ratio between excess bed shear and width/depth (W/D) ratio] close to the optimum of 0.3 for stationary equilibrium. Ridge‐form divisions of the original channel width create anabranches that radically alter W/D ratios relative to bed shear, the same being true for short‐wide islands on the large low‐gradient Yangtze River in China. In contrast, Mount Chambers Creek in Australia's tectonically more active Flinders Ranges is accreting an alluvial fan with unstable distributary channels exhibiting H numbers well below the optimum. LAP also explains profound biases in Earth's stratigraphic record. Because meandering is an energy‐shedding mechanism, sinuous rivers sequester relatively little sediment resulting in all sequences being just a few tens of metres thick. In contrast, low‐energy braided disequilibrium systems can sequester sediment piles over a kilometre in thickness and tens of kilometres wide. LAP provides a new paradigm for river research by identifying the attractor state controlling river channel evolution. It links advances in theoretical physics to fluvial geomorphology, stratigraphy and hydraulic engineering and opens opportunities for diverse investigations in Earth system science. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Representing the bed roughness of coarse‐grained streams in computational fluid dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications are increasingly utilized for modelling complex flow patterns in natural streams and rivers. Although CFD has been successfully implemented to model many complex flow situations in natural stream settings, adequately characterizing the effects of gravel and cobble beds on flow hydraulics in CFD is a difficult challenge due to the scale of roughness lengths and the inadequacy of traditional roughness representations to characterize flow profiles in situations with large roughness elements. An alternative method of representing gravel and cobble beds is presented. Appropriate drag forces associated with different grain sizes are computed and included in the momentum equations to account for the influence of a hydraulically rough bed. Comparisons with field measurements reveal reasonable agreement between measured and modelled profiles of spatially averaged velocity and turbulent kinetic energy, and model fidelity to the non‐logarithmic behaviour of the velocity profiles. The novel method of representing coarse beds expands the utility of CFD for investigating physical processes in natural channels with large bed roughness. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling groundwater/surface water interaction in a managed riparian chalk valley wetland

Understanding hydrological processes in wetlands may be complicated by management practices and complex groundwater/surface water interactions. This is especially true for wetlands underlain by permeable geology, such as chalk. In this study, the physically based, distributed model MIKE SHE is used to simulate hydrological processes at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology River Lambourn Observatory, Boxford, Berkshire, UK. This comprises a 10‐ha lowland, chalk valley bottom, riparian wetland designated for its conservation value and scientific interest. Channel management and a compound geology exert important, but to date not completely understood, influences upon hydrological conditions. Model calibration and validation were based upon comparisons of observed and simulated groundwater heads and channel stages over an equally split 20‐month period. Model results are generally consistent with field observations and include short‐term responses to events as well as longer‐term seasonal trends. An intrinsic difficulty in representing compressible, anisotropic soils limited otherwise excellent performance in some areas. Hydrological processes in the wetland are dominated by the interaction between groundwater and surface water. Channel stage provides head boundaries for broad water levels across the wetland, whilst areas of groundwater upwelling control discrete head elevations. A relic surface drainage network confines flooding extents and routes seepage to the main channels. In‐channel macrophyte growth and its management have an acute effect on water levels and the proportional contribution of groundwater and surface water. The implications of model results for management of conservation species and their associated habitats are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment dynamics below retreating cliffs

The retreat of cliffs may constitute the dominant erosional response to base‐level fall in arid settings underlain by horizontally‐bedded sedimentary rock. These vertical cliffs typically loom above a relatively straight bedrock slope (‘plinth’) that is mantled with a thin layer of sediment and perched near the angle of repose. In detail, a plinth consists of a system of quasi‐parallel ridges and channels. We ask how the sediment supplied from a retreating cliff influences the erosion of the plinth hillslopes and channels, and how this affects the rate of cliff retreat. Motivated by field observations and high‐resolution topographic data from two sites in western Colorado, we develop a two‐dimensional (2D), rules‐based numerical model to simulate the erosion of channels draining a plinth and diffusive erosion of the intervening interfluves. In this model, retreat of a cliffband occurs when the height of the vertical cliff exceeds a threshold due to incision by channels on the plinth below. Debris derived from cliff retreat is distributed over the model plinth according to the local topography and distance from the source. This debris then weathers in place, and importantly can act to reduce local bedrock erosion rates, protecting both the plinth and ultimately the cliff from erosion. In this paper, we focus on two sets of numerical model experiments. In one suite, we regulate the rate of rockfall to limit the cliff retreat rate; in most cases, this results in complete loss of the plinth by erosion. In a second suite, we do not impose a limit on the cliff retreat rate, but instead vary the weathering rate of the rockfall debris. These runs result in temporally steady cliff‐plinth forms and retreat rates; both depend on the weathering rate of the debris. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial prediction of river channel topography by kriging

Topographic information is fundamental to geomorphic inquiry, and spatial prediction of bed elevation from irregular survey data is an important component of many reach‐scale studies. Kriging is a geostatistical technique for obtaining these predictions along with measures of their reliability, and this paper outlines a specialized framework intended for application to river channels. Our modular approach includes an algorithm for transforming the coordinates of data and prediction locations to a channel‐centered coordinate system, several different methods of representing the trend component of topographic variation and search strategies that incorporate geomorphic information to determine which survey data are used to make a prediction at a specific location. For example, a relationship between curvature and the lateral position of maximum depth can be used to include cross‐sectional asymmetry in a two‐dimensional trend surface model, and topographic breaklines can be used to restrict which data are retained in a local neighborhood around each prediction location. Using survey data from a restored gravel‐bed river, we demonstrate how transformation to the channel‐centered coordinate system facilitates interpretation of the variogram, a statistical model of reach‐scale spatial structure used in kriging, and how the choice of a trend model affects the variogram of the residuals from that trend. Similarly, we show how decomposing kriging predictions into their trend and residual components can yield useful information on channel morphology. Cross‐validation analyses involving different data configurations and kriging variants indicate that kriging is quite robust and that survey density is the primary control on the accuracy of bed elevation predictions. The root mean‐square error of these predictions is directly proportional to the spacing between surveyed cross‐sections, even in a reconfigured channel with a relatively simple morphology; sophisticated methods of spatial prediction are no substitute for field data. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A low‐dimensional hillslope‐based catchment model for layered groundwater flow

Despite the strong interaction between surface and subsurface waters, groundwater flow representation is often oversimplified in hydrological models. For instance, the interplay between local or shallow aquifers and deeper regional‐scale aquifers is typically neglected. In this work, a novel hillslope‐based catchment model for the simulation of combined shallow and deep groundwater flow is presented. The model consists of the hillslope‐storage Boussinesq (hsB) model representing shallow groundwater flow and an analytic element (AE) model representing deep regional groundwater flow. The component models are iteratively coupled via a leakage term based on Darcy's law, representing delayed recharge to the regional aquifer through a low conductivity layer. Simulations on synthetic single hillslopes and on a two‐hillslope open‐book catchment are presented, and the results are compared against a benchmark three‐dimensional Richards equation model. The impact of hydraulic conductivity, hillslope plan geometry (uniform, convergent, divergent), and hillslope inclination (0.2%, 5%, and 30%) under drainage and recharge conditions are examined. On the single hillslopes, good matches for heads, hydrographs, and exchange fluxes are generally obtained, with the most significant differences in outflows and heads observed for the 30% slope and for hillslopes with convergent geometry. On the open‐book catchment, cumulative outflows are overestimated by 1–4%. Heads in the confined and unconfined aquifers are adequately reproduced throughout the catchment, whereas exchange fluxes are found to be very sensitive to the hillslope drainable porosity. The new model is highly efficient computationally compared to the benchmark model. The coupled hsB/AE model represents an alternative to commonly used groundwater flow representations in hydrological models, of particular appeal when surface–subsurface exchanges, local aquifer–regional aquifer interactions, and low flows play a key role in a watershed's dynamics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating competing hypotheses for the origin and dynamics of river anastomosis

Anastomosing rivers have multiple interconnected channels that enclose flood basins. Various theories potentially explain this pattern, including an increased discharge conveyance and sediment transport capacity of multiple channels, deltaic branching, avulsion forced by base‐level rise, or a tendency to avulse due to upstream sediment overloading. The former two imply a stable anabranching channel pattern, whereas the latter two imply disequilibrium and evolution towards a single‐channel pattern in the absence of avulsion. Our objective is to test these hypotheses on morphodynamic scenario modelling and data of a well‐documented case study: the upper Columbia River. Proportions of channel and floodplain sediments along the river valley were derived from surface mapping. Initial and boundary conditions for the modelling were derived from field data. A 1D network model was built based on gradually varied flow equations, sediment transport prediction, mass conservation, transverse slope and spiral meander flow effects at the bifurcations. The number of channels and crevasse splays decreases in a downstream direction. Also, measured sediment transport is higher at the upstream boundary than downstream. These observations concur with bed sediment overloading from upstream, which can have caused channel aggradation above the surrounding floodplain and subsequent avulsion. The modelling also indicates that avulsion was likely caused by upstream overloading. In the model, multi‐channel systems inevitably evolve towards single‐channel systems within centuries. The reasons are that symmetric channel bifurcations are inherently unstable, while confluenced channels have relatively less friction than two parallel channels, so that more discharge is conveyed through the path with more confluences and less friction. Furthermore, the present longitudinal profile curvature of the valley could only be reproduced in the model by temporary overfeeding. We conclude that this anastomosing pattern is the result of time‐varying sediment overloading and is not an equilibrium pattern feature, and suggest this is valid for many anastomosing rivers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combining historical and process perspectives to infer ranges of geomorphic variability and inform river restoration in a wandering gravel‐bed river

Restoration approaches such as dam removal and channel reconstruction have moved beyond the realm of small streams and are being applied to larger rivers. This development has substantial economic and ecological implications but may test gaps in our understanding of larger river systems and of restoration science. We examine how information about historical ranges of geomorphic variability can inform stream restoration in the context of the Clark Fork River, Montana, focusing on a study reach where one of the largest restoration projects to date was implemented, upstream of the recently removed Milltown Dam. Analysis of historical sources and aerial photographs of the Clark Fork River's pre‐mining, mining, and more recent history suggest that a wandering channel pattern has persisted despite variations in sediment supply and transport capacity. Predictive metrics for channel pattern also suggest a wandering pattern, transitional between braided and meandering, in this geomorphic setting. These analyses suggest that the creation of a single‐thread meandering channel, which incorporates structures to limit erosion and channel movement, is inconsistent with the historical range of variability in this reach. The perils of restoring channels to a condition different than the historical range of variability for their geomorphic setting were illustrated on the Clark Fork by flood‐induced avulsions of the restored channel that occurred soon after project construction. Application of an experimental approach to restoration, founded on the method of multiple working hypotheses, provides a means for embracing uncertainty, can maximize the potential for site‐specific restoration success, and can foster advances in restoration science. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transport and storage of bed material in a gravel‐bed channel during episodes of aggradation and degradation: a field and flume study

The dynamics of sediment transport capacity in gravel‐bed rivers is critical to understanding the formation and preservation of fluvial landforms and formulating sediment‐routing models in drainage systems. We examine transport‐storage relations during cycles of aggradation and degradation by augmenting observations of three events of channel aggradation and degradation in Cuneo Creek, a steep (3%) gravel‐bed channel in northern California, with measurements from a series of flume runs modeling those events. An armored, single‐thread channel was formed before feed rates were increased in each aggradation run. Output rates increased as the channel became finer and later widened, steepened, and braided. After feed rates were cut, output rates remained high or increased in early stages of degradation as the incising channel remained fine‐grained, and later decreased as armoring intensified. If equilibrium was not reached before sediment feed rate was cut, then a rapid transition from a braided channel to a single‐thread channel caused output rates for a given storage volume to be higher during degradation than during aggradation. Variations in channel morphology, and surface bed texture during runs that modeled the three cycles of aggradation and degradation were similar to those observed in Cuneo Creek and provide confidence in interpretations of the history of change: Cuneo Creek aggraded rapidly as it widened, shallowed, and braided, then degraded rapidly before armoring stabilized the channel. Such morphology‐driven changes in transport capacity may explain the formation of flood terraces in proximal channels. Transport‐storage relations can be expected to vary between aggradation and degradation and be influenced by channel conditions at the onset of changes in sediment supply. Published in 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

A method for estimating spatially variable seepage and hydraulic conductivity in channels with very mild slopes

Infiltration along ephemeral channels plays an important role in groundwater recharge in arid regions. A model is presented for estimating spatial variability of seepage due to streambed heterogeneity along channels based on measurements of streamflow‐front velocities in initially dry channels. The diffusion‐wave approximation to the Saint‐Venant equations, coupled with Philip's equation for infiltration, is connected to the groundwater model MODFLOW and is calibrated by adjusting the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the channel bed. The model is applied to portions of two large water delivery canals, which serve as proxies for natural ephemeral streams. Estimated seepage rates compare well with previously published values. Possible sources of error stem from uncertainty in Manning's roughness coefficients, soil hydraulic properties and channel geometry. Model performance would be most improved through more frequent longitudinal estimates of channel geometry and thalweg elevation, and with measurements of stream stage over time to constrain wave timing and shape. This model is a potentially valuable tool for estimating spatial variability in longitudinal seepage along intermittent and ephemeral channels over a wide range of bed slopes and the influence of seepage rates on groundwater levels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regime theories in gravel‐bed rivers: models,controlling variables,and applications in disturbed Italian rivers

Downstream hydraulic geometry relationships describe the shape of alluvial channels in terms of bankfull width, flow depth, flow velocity, and channel slope. Recent investigations have stressed the difference in spatial scales associated with these variables and thus the time span required for their adjustment after a disturbance. The aim of this study is to explore the consequences in regime models considering the hypothesis that while channel width and depth adjust quickly to changes in water and sediment supply, reach slope requires a longer time span. Three theoretical models were applied. One model incorporates an extremal hypothesis (Millar RG. 2005. Theoretical regime equations for mobile gravel‐bed rivers with stable banks. Geomorphology 64 : 207–220), and the other two are fully physically based (Ikeda S, Parker G, Kimura Y. 1988. Stable width and depth of straight gravel rivers with heterogeneous bed materials. Water Resources Research 24 : 713–722; Parker G, Wilcock PR, Paola C, Dietrich W, Pitlick J. 2007. Physical basis for quasi universal relations describing bankfull hydraulic geometry of single‐thread gravel‐bed rivers. Journal of Geophysical Research 112 , DOI: 10.1029/2006JF000549). In order to evaluate the performance of models introducing the slope as an independent variable, we propose two modifications to previous models. The performance of regime models was tested against published data from 142 river reaches and new hydraulic geometry data from gravel‐bed rivers in Patagonia (Argentina) and north‐eastern Italy. Models that assume slope as a control (Ikeda et al., 1988; or Millar, 2005) predict channel depth and width reasonably well. Parker et al.'s (2007) model improved predictions because it filters the scatter in slope data with a relation slope–discharge. The extremal hypothesis model of Millar (2005) predicts comparably to the other physically based models. Millar's model was chosen to describe the recent changes in the Piave and Brenta rivers due to human intervention – mainly in‐channel gravel mining. The change in sediment supply and recovery was estimated for these rivers. This study supports the interpretation that sediment supply is the key factor guiding morphological changes in these rivers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.