Modelling artificial channel and land‐use changes and their impact on floods and sediment yield to the Ishikari basin

The potential for flooding and sediment transport is greatly affected by river channel form and changes in land use. Therefore the modelling of channel morphology prior to canalization and of land‐use change is important with respect to the prediction of floods and sediment yield and their consequences. A combination of land‐use transformation maps and soil properties shows certain decision rules for the conversion of forest into arable or vice versa. The model proposed, from this study, was used to simulate possible past and/or future channel and land‐use patterns. Subsequently, the outcome of this simulation was used to assess the risk of flooding, sediment transport and soil‐erosion under different conditions. In this study, channel morphology prior to canalization and land‐use change in the Ishikari basin, Hokkaido, Japan, were analysed by comparing three scenarios using a physical based channel and slope model. The results indicate that pre‐canalization channel morphology has a significant impact on flood peak, but no significant effect on sediment yield. In contrast, land‐use change has a significant effect on soil eroded from hillslopes, but no significant effect on flooding for Ishikari basin. This study also illustrates the challenges that a simple model, such as a physical based channel and slope model, can simulate large‐scale river basin processes using fewer hydrological data resources. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The contribution of aeolian processes to fluvial sediment yield from a desert watershed in the Ordos Plateau,China

In arid zones, many active aeolian dunes terminate at ephemeral and perennial desert rivers. The desert rivers show very high rates of sediment transport that cause deleterious downstream effects on the river system and ecology. High sediment loading has been attributed to severe water erosion of sparsely covered watersheds during infrequent but heavy rainfall. Although aeolian erosion is known to lead to high rates of wind‐blown sand transport, direct confirmation of whether the aeolian processes accelerate or inhibit fluvial sediment loss is lacking. Here, we show that an aeolian‐fluvial cycling process is responsible for the high rate of suspended sediment transport in a Sudalaer ephemeral desert channel in the Ordos Plateau of China. Frequent aeolian processes, but low frequency (once every 3 years on average) flooding, occur in this region. Wind‐blown saltating grains appeared to be unable to cross the desert channel because of interruption of channel‐induced recirculating air flow, and therefore tended to settle in the channel during the windy seasons, leading to channel narrowing. During flooding, this narrowed channel was found to yield a threefold increase in suspended sediment loading and a 3.4‐fold increase in the weight percentage of the 0.08–0.2 mm sediment fraction on 18 July 2012. Loss of stored aeolian sand due to channel erosion accounted for about half of the total sediment yield in this watershed. These findings show that aeolian processes play an essential role in accelerating the sediment yield from a watershed characterized by aeolian‐fluvial interplay and also suggest that the drier the region and the greater the aeolian process, the more the aeolian process contributes to fluvial sediment yield. Copyright © 2013 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.     

Highly conservative behaviour of bed sediment‐associated metals following extreme flooding

On December 26, 2015 (Boxing Day), an exceptional flood event occurred in the Irwell catchment, United Kingdom, when the neighbouring Mersey catchment experienced a much more typical winter run‐off event. This provided an opportunity to examine the influence of high‐magnitude hydrological processes on the behaviour of fine‐grained metal‐contaminated bed sediments. Forty sites across the two catchments were sampled for channel bed fine sediment storage and sediment‐associated metal(loid) concentrations prior to, and following, the flooding. Sediments were analysed for total As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn and then subjected to a five‐step sequential extraction procedure. Despite a significant reorganisation of fine‐grained (<63 μm) sediment storage, metal(loid) concentrations demonstrated markedly conservative behaviour with no significant difference observed between pre‐flooding and post‐flooding values across both catchments. Estimates of the channel bed storage of sediment‐associated metal(loid)s also showed minimal change as a result of the flooding. The metal partitioning data reveal only minor changes in the mobility of bed sediment‐associated metal(loid)s, indicating that such flood events do not increase the availability of sorbed contaminants in these catchments. Post‐flooding bed sediment metal(loid) loadings remain high, indicating persistent and long‐lasting sources of contamination within the Irwell and upper Mersey fluvial network.     

To what extent have changes in channel capacity contributed to flood hazard trends in England and Wales?

The frequency of floods has been projected to increase across Europe in the coming decades due to extreme weather events. However, our understanding of how flood frequency is affected by geomorphic changes in river channel capacity remains limited. This paper seeks to quantify the influence of trends in channel capacity on flood hazards. Measuring and predicting the effect of geomorphic changes on freshwater flooding is essential to mitigate the potential effects of major floods through informed planning and response. Hydrometric records from 41 stream gauging stations were used to measure trends in the flood stage (i.e. water surface elevation) frequency above the 1% annual exceedance threshold. The hydrologic and geomorphic components of flood hazard were quantified separately to determine their contribution to the total trend in flood stage frequency. Trends in cross‐sectional flow area and mean flow velocity were also investigated at the same flood stage threshold. Results showed that a 10% decrease (or increase) in the channel capacity would result in an increase (or decrease) in the flood frequency of approximately 1.5 days per year on average across these 41 sites. Widespread increases in the flood hazard frequency were amplified through both hydrologic and geomorphic effects. These findings suggest that overlooking the potential influence of changing channel capacity on flooding may be hazardous. Better understanding and quantifying the influence of geomorphic trends on flood hazard will provide key insight for managers and engineers into the driving mechanisms of fluvial flooding over relatively short timescales. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flood‐driven topographic changes in a gravel‐cobble river over segment,reach, and morphological unit scales

Regulated rivers generally incise below dams that cut off sediment supply, but how that happens and what the consequences are at different spatial scales is poorly understood. Modern topographic mapping at meter‐scale resolution now enables investigation of the details of spatial processes. In this study, spatial segregation was applied to a meter‐scale raster map of topographic change from 1999 to 2008 on the gravel‐cobble, regulated lower Yuba River in California to answer specific scientific questions about how a decadal hydrograph that included a flood peak of 22 times bankfull discharge affected the river at segment, reach, and morphological unit scales. The results show that the river preferentially eroded sediment from floodplains compared to the channel, and this not only promoted valley‐wide sediment evacuation, but also facilitated the renewal and differentiation of morphological units, especially in the channel. At the reach scale, area of fill and mean net rate of elevational change were directly correlated with better connectivity between the channel and floodplain, while the mean rate of scour in scour areas was influenced by the ratio of slope to bankfull Froude number, a ratio indicative of lateral migration versus vertical downcutting. Hierarchical segregation of topographic change rasters proved useful for understanding multi‐scalar geomorphic dynamics. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geomorphic imprint of landslides on alpine river systems,southwest New Zealand

An inventory of 846 mass movements, mainly landslides, in two alpine regions of southwest New Zealand was created to explore the geomorphic impacts of slope‐failure processes on river channels and valley floors. In total, 213 (i.e. 27 per cent) of the slope failures descended to valley floors, affecting the geomorphology of trunk channels (catchment area A_C > 10 km²) and valley floors in recurring patterns. A nominal classification system is introduced for characterizing (a) the physical contact nature between landslides and river channels, and (b) the resulting geomorphic consequences for drainage. Although landslide area A is useful for estimating the length of channel directly impacted by debris, it does not necessarily predict the direction of fluvial response or type of impact. Dominant persistent geomorphic imprints of bedrock landslides include channel occlusions and landslide dams in South Westland and Fiordland, respectively. Differences in size distribution and geomorphic effects on river systems between the two study regions are attributed to bedrock geology, tectonics and sediment flux. Although South Westland rivers are more frequently affected by landslides, disrupting long‐term effects such as blockage are more persistent in Fiordland. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling the impact of dam removal on channel evolution and sediment delivery in a multiple dam setting

Dam removal can generate geomorphic disturbances, including channel bed and bank erosion and associated abrupt/pulsed release and downstream transfer of reservoir sediment, but the type and rate of geomorphic response often are hard to predict. The situation gets even more complex in systems which have been impacted by multiple dams and a long and complex engineering history. In previous studies one-dimensional (1-D) models were used to predict aspects of post-removal channel change. However, these models do not consider two-dimensional (2-D) effects of dam removal such as bank erosion processes and lateral migration. In the current study the impacts of multiple dams and their removal on channel evolution and sediment delivery were modeled by using a 2-D landscape evolution model (CAESAR-Lisflood) focusing on the following aspects: patterns, rates, and processes of geomorphic change and associated sediment delivery on annual to decadal timescales. The current modeling study revealed that geomorphic response to dam removal (i.e., channel evolution and associated rates of sediment delivery) in multiple dam settings is variable and complex in space and time. Complexity in geomorphic system response is related to differences in dam size, the proximity of upstream dams, related buffering effects and associated rates of upstream sediment supply, and emerging feedback processes as well as to the presence of channel stabilization measures. Modeled types and rates of geomorphic adjustment, using the 2-D landscape evolution model CAESAR-Lisflood, are similar to those reported in previous studies. Moreover, the use of a 2-D method showed some advantages compared to 1-D models, generating spatially varying patterns of erosion and deposition before and after dam removal that provide morphologies that are more readily comparable to field data as well as features like the lateral re-working of past reservoir deposits which further enables the maintenance of sediment delivery downstream.     

An integrated approach for investigating geomorphic response to extreme events: methodological framework and application to the October 2011 flood in the Magra River catchment,Italy

A high‐magnitude flash flood, which took place on 25 October 2011 in the Magra River catchment (1717 km²), central‐northern Italy, is used to illustrate some aspects of the geomorphic response to the flood. An overall methodological framework is described for using interlinked observations and analyses of the geomorphic impacts of an extreme event. The following methods and analyses were carried out: (i) hydrological and hydraulic analysis of the event; (ii) sediment delivery by event landslide mapping; (iii) identification and estimation of wood recruitment, deposition, and budgeting; (iv) interpretation of morphological processes by analysing fluvial deposits; (v) remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) analysis of channel width changes. In response to the high‐magnitude hydrological event, a large number of landslides occurred, consisting of earth flows, soil slips, and translational slides, and a large quantity of wood was recruited, in most part deriving from floodplain erosion caused by bank retreat and channel widening. The most important impact of the flood event within the valley floor was an impressive widening of the overall channel bed and the reactivation of wide portions of the pre‐event floodplain. Along the investigated (unconfined or partly confined) streams (total investigated length of 93.5 km), the channel width after the flood was up to about 20 times the channel width before the event. The study has shown that a synergic use of different methods and types of evidence provides fundamental information for characterizing and understanding the geomorphic effects of intense flood events. The prediction of geomorphic response to a flood event is still challenging and many limitations exist; however a robust geomorphological analysis can contribute to the identification of the most critical reaches. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Introduction to the themed issue: Wildfire and Geomorphic Systems

Wildfires alter fluxes of water, sediment, solutes, and organic matter in ways that can be transient or persistent. Alterations in material flux then impact geomorphic processes and landforms in a manner that can also be transient or persistent and that can involve complex response. This themed issue includes papers that document distinctive geomorphic responses in the upland and channel components of forested landscapes in southern Europe, northern Australia, and the western United States. Among the themes that emerge from the collected papers are: (i) the importance of ongoing technological developments, including real‐time instrumentation, ground‐based and aerial remote sensing, isotopic ratios, and numerical models of landscape processes, for documenting and predicting fire‐related geomorphic processes; and (ii) the great uncertainties about future landscape change in a global environment of rapidly changing climate and growing human populations that encroach onto remaining wildlands in fire‐susceptible regions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Erosion, sediment transportation and accumulation in rivers

The present paper analyses the interrelation between erosion, sediment transportation and accumulation proposed by N. I. Makkaveyev （1908-1983） and its further development in modem studies of river channel processes in Russia. Spatio-temporal linkages between erosion and accumulation are defined considering channel processes at different scales - river longitudinal profile, channel morphological patterns, alluvial bedforms （bars, dunes） and individual sediment particles. Relations between river geomorphic activity, flow transportation capacity and sediment budgets are established （sediment input and output; channel bed erosion and sediment entrainment into flow - termination of sediment transport and its deposition）. Channel planforms, floodplain segments separated by the latter and alluvial channel bedforms are shown to be geomorphic expressions of sediment transport process at different spatial and temporal scales. This paper is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of N. I. Makkaveyev, Professor of the Moscow State University, author of the book ＂River channel and erosion in its basin＂ （1955）. That book is regarded in Russia as the pioneering work which initiated the complex hydrological and geographical studies of channel processes and laid a basis for the theory of unified fluvial erosion-accumulation process.     

BOULDERS ON THE MOVE: GEOMORPHIC HAZARDS FROM FLOODS AND DEBRIS FLOWS ALONG MOUNTAIN RIVERS

IMOUNTAINE~ON-MENTSANDSEDIMENTGeologistsandgeomorphologistsareabletomakeatleasttWoimportantcontributionstomitigatinghazardsassociatedwithsedimentprocessessuchasfloodsordebrisflows.First,geomorphologistscaninterpretgeologicrecordsofthehiStoryofseddrientprocesses.Theserecordsmayprovideinsightintothemagnitude,frequency,andlocationofsedimentsourcesandtransport,aswellashillslopeandchannelresponsestosedimentprocesses.Informationonpastsedimentproductionandmovement,andchannelresponse,mayb'…     

Geomorphic response of the Jingjiang Reach to the Three Gorges Project operation

Upstream damming often causes significant downstream geomorphic adjustments. Remarkable channel changes have occurred in the Jingjiang Reach of the Middle Yangtze River, since the onset of the Three Gorges Project (TGP). Therefore, it is important to investigate the variations in different fluvial variables, for better understanding of the channel evolution characteristics as an example of the Jingjiang Reach. Recent geomorphic adjustments in the study reach have been investigated quantitatively, including variations in sediment rating curve, fluvial erosion intensity, channel deformation volume and bankfull channel geometry. These fluvial variables adjusted in varying degrees in response to the altered flow and sediment regime caused by the TGP operation. A focus of this study has been especially on variation in the bankfull channel geometry. Calculated bankfull dimensions at section‐ and reach‐scale indicate that: (i) there were significant bank‐erosion processes in local regions without bank‐protection engineering, with empirical relations being developed to reproduce the variation in bankfull widths at four typical sections; (ii) the variation in the reach‐scale channel geometry occurred mainly in the component of bankfull depth, owing to the construction of large‐scale bank‐revetment works, with the depth increasing from 13.7 m in 2002 to 15.0 m in 2014, and with an increase in the corresponding bankfull area of about 11%; and (iii) the reach‐scale bankfull channel dimensions responded to the previous 5‐year average fluvial erosion intensity during flood seasons at Zhicheng, with higher correlations for the depth and area being obtained when calibrated by the measurements in 2002–2012. Furthermore, these relations developed for the section‐ and reach‐scale bankfull channel geometry were also verified by the observed data in 2013–2014, with encouraging results being obtained. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

‘Out with the Old?’ Why coarse spatial datasets are still useful for catchment‐scale investigations of sediment (dis)connectivity

The increasing popularity of remote sensing techniques has created numerous options for researchers seeking spatial datasets, especially digital elevation models (DEMs), for geomorphic investigations. This yields an important question regarding what DEM resolution is most appropriate when answering questions of geomorphic significance. The highest possible resolution is not always the best choice for a particular research aim, and DEM resolution should be tailored to fit both the scale of investigation and the simplicity/complexity of modelling processes applied to the dataset. We find that DEM resolution has a significant effect on a simple model of bed load sediment connectivity in the Lockyer Valley, Queensland. We apply a simple bed load transport threshold to catchment DEMs at three different resolutions – 1 m, 5 m, and 25 m. We find that using a 1 m resolution DEM generates numerous disconnections along tributary channel networks that underestimates the sediment contributing area, i.e. effective catchment area (ECA), of seven tributary basins of Lockyer Creek. Utilizing a coarser (lower‐resolution) DEM helps eliminate erroneous disconnections, but can reduce the detail of stream network definition. We find that the 25 m resolution DEM provides the best measure of ECA for comparing sediment connectivity between tributary catchments. The utility of simple models and coarse‐resolution datasets is important for undertaking large, catchment‐scale geomorphic investigations. As catchment‐scale investigations are becoming increasingly entwined with river management and rehabilitation efforts, scientists need not embrace an ‘out with the old’ philosophy. Simple models and coarse‐resolution datasets can help better integrate geomorphic research with management strategies and provide inexpensive and quick first‐order insights into catchment‐scale processes that can help focus future management efforts. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combined hillslope diffusion and sediment transport simulation applied to landscape dynamics modelling

We present a new numerical approach for simulating geomorphic and stratigraphic processes that combines open‐channel flow with non‐uniform sediment transport law and semi‐empirical diffusive mass wasting. It is designed to facilitate modelling of surface processes across multiple space‐ and time‐scales, and under a variety of environmental and tectonic conditions. The physics of open‐channel flow is primarily based on an adapted Lagrangian formulation of shallow‐water equations. The interaction between flow and surface geology is performed by a non‐uniform total‐load sediment transport law. Additional hillslope processes are simulated using a semi‐empirical method based on a diffusion approach. In the implementation, the resolution of flow dynamics is made on a triangulated grid automatically mapped and adaptively remeshed over a regular orthogonal stratigraphic mesh. These new methods reduce computational time while preserving stability and accuracy of the physical solutions. In order to illustrate the potential of this method for landscape and sedimentary system modelling, we present a set of three generic experiments focusing on assessing the influence of contrasting erodibilities on the evolution of an active bedrock landscape. The modelled ridges morphometrics satisfy established relationships for drainage network geometry and slope distribution, and provide quantitative information on the relative impact of hillslope and channel processes, sediment discharge and alluviation. Our results suggest that contrasting erodibility can stimulate autogenic changes in erosion rate and influence the landscape morphology and preservation. This approach offers new opportunities to investigate joint landscape and sedimentary systems response to external perturbations. The possibility to define and track a large number of materials makes the implementation highly suited to model source‐to‐sink problems where material dispersion is the key question that needs to be addressed, such as natural resources exploration and basin analysis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Weathering,erosion and sediment composition in a high‐gradient river,Calabria, Italy

Source rock lithology and immediate modifying processes, such as chemical weathering and mechanical erosion, are primary controls on fluvial sediment supply. Sand composition and Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) of parent rocks, soil and fluvial sand of the Savuto River watershed, Calabria (Italy), were used to evaluate the modifications of source rocks through different sections of the basin, characterized by different geomorphic processes, in a sub‐humid Mediterranean climate. The headwaters, with gentle topography, produce a coarse‐grained sediment load derived from deeply weathered gneiss, having sand of quartzofeldspathic composition, compositionally very different from in situ degraded bedrock. Maximum estimated CIA values suggest that source rock has been affected significantly by weathering, and it testifies to a climatic threshold on the destruction of the bedrock. The mid‐course has steeper slopes and a deeply incised valley; bedrock consists of mica‐schist and phyllite with a very thin regolith, which provides large cobble to very coarse sand sediments to the main channel. Slope instability, with an areal incidence of over 40 per cent, largely supplies detritus to the main channel. Sand‐sized detritus of soil and fluvial sand is lithic. Estimated CIA value testifies to a significant weathering of the bedrock too, even if in this part of the drainage basin steeper slopes allow erosion to exceed chemical weathering. The lower course has a braided pattern and sediment load is coarse to medium–fine grained. The river cuts across Palaeozoic crystalline rocks and Miocene siliciclastic deposits. Sand‐sized detritus, contributed from these rocks and homogenized by transport processes, has been found in the quartzolithic distal samples. Field and laboratory evidence indicates that landscape development was the result of extensive weathering during the last postglacial temperature maximum in the headwaters, and of mass‐failure and fluvial erosional processes in the mid‐ and low course. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal analysis of hillslope–channel coupling and implications for the longitudinal profile in a dryland basin

The long‐term evolution of channel longitudinal profiles within drainage basins is partly determined by the relative balance of hillslope sediment supply to channels and the evacuation of channel sediment. However, the lack of theoretical understanding of the physical processes of hillslope–channel coupling makes it challenging to determine whether hillslope sediment supply or channel sediment evacuation dominates over different timescales and how this balance affects bed elevation locally along the longitudinal profile. In this paper, we develop a framework for inferring the relative dominance of hillslope sediment supply to the channel versus channel sediment evacuation, over a range of temporal and spatial scales. The framework combines distinct local flow distributions on hillslopes and in the channel with surface grain‐size distributions. We use these to compute local hydraulic stresses at various hillslope‐channel coupling locations within the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) in southeast Arizona, USA. These stresses are then assessed as a local net balance of geomorphic work between hillslopes and channel for a range of flow conditions generalizing decadal historical records. Our analysis reveals that, although the magnitude of hydraulic stress in the channel is consistently higher than that on hillslopes, the product of stress magnitude and frequency results in a close balance between hillslope supply and channel evacuation for the most frequent flows. Only at less frequent, high‐magnitude flows do channel hydraulic stresses exceed those on hillslopes, and channel evacuation dominates the net balance. This result suggests that WGEW exists mostly (~50% of the time) in an equilibrium condition of sediment balance between hillslopes and channels, which helps to explain the observed straight longitudinal profile. We illustrate how this balance can be upset by climate changes that differentially affect relative flow regimes on slopes and in channels. Such changes can push the long profile into a convex or concave condition. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Geomorphic coupling between hillslopes and channels in the Swiss Alps

The coupling relationships between hillslope and channel network are fundamental for the understanding of mountainous landscapes' evolution. Here, we applied dendrogeomorphic methods to identify the hillslope–channel relationship and the sediment transfer dynamics within an alpine catchment, at the highest possible resolution. The Schimbrig catchment is located in the central Swiss Alps and can be divided into two distinct geomorphic sectors. To the east, the Schimbrig earth flow is the largest sediment source of the basin, while to the west, the Rossloch channel network is affected by numerous shallow landslides responsible for the supply of sediment from hillslopes to channels. To understand the connectivity between hillslopes and channels and between sources and sink, trees were sampled along the main Rossloch stream, on the Schimbrig earth flow and on the Rossloch depositional area. Geomorphic observations and dendrogeomophic results indicate different mechanisms of sediment production, transfer and deposition between upper and lower segments of the channel network. In the source areas (upper part of the Rossloch channel system), sediment is delivered to the channel network through slow movements of the ground, typical of earth flow, shallow landslides and soil creep. Contrariwise, in the depositional area (lower part of the channel network), the mechanisms of sediment transfer are mainly due to torrential activity, floods and debris flows. Tree analysis allowed the reconstruction of periods of high activity during the last century for the entire catchment. The collected dataset presents a very high temporal resolution but we encountered some limitations in establishing the source‐to‐sink connectivity at the catchment‐wide scale. Despite these uncertainties, for decennial timescales the results suggest a direct coupling between hillslopes and neighbouring channels in the Rossloch channel network, and a de‐coupling between sediment sources and sink farther downstream, with connections possible only during extraordinary events. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Riparian vegetation life stages control the impact of flood sequencing on braided river morphodynamics

With riverine flooding set to be more frequent in many parts of the world as a result of climate change, the interactions between fluvial morphodynamics and riparian vegetation may depend in part on the sequence of flood events. This paper describes a laboratory study of the geomorphic adjustment of a braided river to sequences of floods across five different strengths of braidplain vegetation. By using alfalfa as a proxy for braidplain vegetation, the differing plant life stages were used to represent the varying strengths of biogeomorphic feedbacks across the floods. Boundary conditions were constrained by sets of experimental runs with both equilibrium sediment loads and deficit loads. Changes in bed topography were monitored and assessed using a detailed digital elevation model, digital imagery and continuous monitoring of the transported sediment. Results demonstrate that in absence of plant colonization, vegetation placed the rivers in a non-equilibrium condition, in which riparian vegetation encouraged the development of new channels, increased the system channel width and enhanced topographic irregularity, these effects being more noticeable during the low-flow periods. The morphodynamics was found to be less sensitive to variations in flood discharges as the vegetation influence (strength) increased from minimum to maximum, until vegetation began to die back and the impacts of flood sequences became yet again evident. Although the overall sediment transport rate was reduced under full-grown vegetation conditions, the presence of the mature plants across the braid bars resulted in the greatest channel scour depths. Results are considered in light of expected changes in flood frequency with climate and likely morphodynamic responses of river systems as a result.     

The impact of recent climate change on flooding and sediment supply within a Mediterranean mountain catchment,southwestern Crete,Greece

This paper presents work from a geomorphological investigation carried out in the Aradena Gorge, southwestern Crete, Greece. The gorge is typical of many steepland fluvial systems in the Mediterranean, with steep relief, coarse‐gravel sediments and high rates of sedimentation generated during intense winter storm events. Hillslope deposits and coarse‐gravel flood units within a 5 km section of the gorge have been mapped, dated (using lichenometry and dendrochronology), and their sedimentological characteristics recorded to establish a c. 200‐year record of flood frequency/magnitude and hillslope/channel sediment supply variability. This record has been compared with instrumented and previously published records of climate change from Crete and the Mediterranean region and used to establish the major controls on flooding and sediment dynamics within the Aradena Gorge. Rates of colluviation and sediment delivery to the channel appear to have been greater than the present sometime before c. AD 1800 and may be related to cooler climates with a more seasonal precipitation regime during the Little Ice Age (c. AD 1450 to 1850). In gorge sections where the present rate of sediment supply from hillslope colluvium is very low, the channel has incised into older alluvial and colluvial deposits. Conversely, in the few sections where sediment supply is currently very high, the channel is aggrading with a braided pattern. Major rock‐fall deposits at certain locations in the gorge have restricted any major downstream sediment transfer. Twelve periods of increased flooding during the last 150 years have been identified and these correlate quite well with negative or declining phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Analysis of daily precipitation data from Crete suggests negative phases of the winter NAO are characterized by an increase in the number of long‐duration, high‐intensity storms. These storms, particularly those with five‐day and greater duration, appear to be significant in triggering major floods in the Aradena Gorge. During the last 40 years the NAO index has been increasing and become locked into a positive phase. As a consequence of this, major flooding appears to have declined during the same period. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.