Comparison of methods for quantifying active layer dynamics and bedload discharge in armoured gravel‐bed rivers

Several methods were employed in the Ardennian rivers (Belgium) to determine the depth of the active layer mobilized during floods and to evaluate the bedload discharge associated with these events. The use of scour chains has shown that the depth of the active layer is systematically less than the b‐axis of the average particle size (D₅₀) of the elements which compose the surface layer of the riffles. This indicates that only a partial transport exists during low magnitude floods. The bedload discharge has been evaluated by combining data obtained using the scour chains technique and the distance covered by tracers. Quantities of sediment transported during frequent floods are relatively low (0·02 t km^–2) due to the armour layer which protects the subsurface material. These low values are also related to the fact that the distance calculated for mobilized bedload only applies to tracers fitted with PIT (passive integrated transponder)‐tags (diameter > 20 mm), whereas part of the bedload discharge is composed of sand and fine gravel transported over greater distances than the pebbles. The break‐up of the armour layer was observed only once, for a decennial discharge. During this event, the bedload discharge increased considerably (2 t km^–2). The use of sediment traps, data from dredging and a Helley–Smith sampler confirm the low bedload transport in Ardennian rivers in comparison to the bedload transport in other geomorphological contexts. This difference is explained by the presence of an armoured layer but also by the imbricated structures of flat bed elements which increase the resistance to the flow. Finally, the use of the old iron industry wastes allowed to quantify the thickness of the bed reworked over the past centuries. In the Lembrée River, the river‐bed contains slag elements up to a depth of about 50 cm, indicating that exceptional floods may rework the bed to a considerable depth. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment routing hypothesis for pool‐riffle maintenance

This paper provides comprehensive evidence that sediment routing around pools is a key mechanism for pool‐riffle maintenance in sinuous upland gravel‐bed streams. The findings suggest that pools do not require a reversal in energy for them to scour out any accumulated sediments, if little or no sediments are fed into them. A combination of clast tracing using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging and bedload traps (positioned along the thalweg on the upstream riffle, pool entrance, pool exit and downstream riffle) are used to provide information on clast pathways and sediment sorting through a single pool‐riffle unit. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is also used to explore hydraulic variability and flow pathways. Clast tracing results provide a strong indication that clasts are not fed through pools, rather they are transported across point bar surfaces, or around bar edges (depending upon previous clast position, clast size, and event magnitude). Spatial variations in bedload transport were found throughout the pool‐riffle unit. The pool entrance bedload trap was often found to be empty, when the others had filled, further supporting the notion that little or no sediment was fed into the pool. The pool exit slope trap would occasionally fill with sediment, thought to be sourced from the eroding outer bank. CFD results demonstrate higher pool shear stresses (τ ≈ 140 N m^–2) in a localized zone adjacent to an eroding outer bank, compared to the upstream and downstream riffles (τ ≈ 60 N m^–2) at flows of 6 · 2 m³ s^–1 (≈ 60% of the bankfull discharge) and above. There was marginal evidence for near‐bed velocity reversal. Near‐bed streamlines, produced from velocity vectors indicate that flow paths are diverted over the bar top rather than being fed through the thalweg. Some streamlines appear to brush the outer edge of the pool for the 4 · 9 m³ s^–1 to 7 · 8 m³ s^–1 (between 50 and 80% of the bankfull discharge) simulations, however complete avoidance was found for discharges greater than this. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurement of the spatial distribution of fluvial bedload transport velocity in both sand and gravel

Maps are presented of the spatial distribution of two‐dimensional bedload transport velocity vectors. Bedload velocity data were collected using the bottom tracking feature of an acoustic Doppler current pro?ler (aDcp) in both a gravel‐bed reach and a sand‐bed reach of Fraser River, British Columbia. Block‐averaged bedload velocity vectors, and bedload velocity vectors interpolated onto a uniform grid, revealed coherent patterns in the bedload velocity distribution. Concurrent Helley‐Smith bedload sampling in the sand‐bed reach corroborated the trends observed in the bedload velocity map. Contemporaneous 2D vector maps of near‐bed water velocity (velocity in bins centered between 25 cm and 50 cm from the bottom) and depth‐averaged water velocity were also generated from the aDcp data. Using a vector correlation coef?cient, which is independent of the choice of coordinate system, the bedload velocity distribution was signi?cantly correlated to the near‐bed and depth‐averaged water velocity distributions. The bedload velocity distribution also compared favorably with variations in depth and estimates of the spatial distribution of shear stress. Published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coarse sediment transport in mountain streams in Colorado and Wyoming,USA

Since the early 1990s, US Forest Service researchers have made thousands of bedload measurements in steep, coarse‐grained channels in Colorado and Wyoming, USA. In this paper we use data from 19 of those sites to characterize patterns and rates of coarse sediment transport for a range of channel types and sizes, including step–pool, plane‐bed, pool–riffle, and near‐braided channels. This effort builds upon previous work where we applied a piecewise regression model to (1) relate flow to rates of bedload transport and (2) define phases of transport in coarse‐grained channels. Earlier, the model was tested using bedload data from eight sites on the Fraser Experimental Forest near Fraser, Colorado. The analysis showed good application to those data and to data from four supplementary channels to which the procedure was applied. The earlier results were, however, derived from data collected at sites that, for the most part, have quite similar geology and runoff regimes. In this paper we evaluate further the application of piecewise regression to data from channels with a wider range of geomorphic conditions. The results corroborate with those from the earlier work in that there is a relatively narrow range of discharges at which a substantial change in the nature of bedload transport occurs. The transition from primarily low rates of sand transport (phase I) to higher rates of sand and coarse gravel transport (phase II) occurs, on average, at about 80 per cent of the bankfull (1·5‐year return interval) discharge. A comparison of grain sizes moved during the two phases showed that coarse gravel is rarely trapped in the samplers during phase I transport. Moreover, the movement and capture of the D₁₆ to D₂₅ grain size of the bed surface seems to correspond with the onset of phase II transport, particularly in systems with largely static channel surfaces. However, while there were many similarities in observed patterns of bedload transport at the 19 studied sites, each had its own ‘bedload signal’ in that the rate and size of materials transported largely reflected the nature of flow and sediment particular to that system. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variations in surface sediment structure in riffle–pool sequences: a preliminary test of the Differential Sediment Entrainment Hypothesis (DSEH)

Riffle–pool sequences are maintained through the preferential entrainment of sediment grains from pools rather than riffles. This preferential entrainment has been attributed to a reversal in the magnitude of velocity and shear stress under high flows; however the Differential Sediment Entrainment Hypothesis (DSEH) postulates that differential entrainment can instead result from spatial sedimentological contrasts. Here we use a novel suite of in situ grain‐scale field measurements from a riffle–pool sequence to parameterize a physically‐based model of grain entrainment. Field measurements include pivoting angles, lift forces and high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) acquired using terrestrial laser scanning, from which particle exposure, protrusion and surface roughness were derived. The entrainment model results show that grains in pools have a lower critical entrainment shear stress than grains in either pool exits or riffles. This is because pool grains have looser packing, hence greater exposure and lower pivoting angles. Conversely, riffle and pool exit grains have denser packing, lower exposure and higher pivoting angles. A cohesive matrix further stabilizes pool exit grains. The resulting predictions of critical entrainment shear stress for grains in different subunits are compared with spatial patterns of bed shear stress derived from a two‐dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the reach. The CFD model predicts that, under bankfull conditions, pools experience lower shear stresses than riffles and pool exits. However, the difference in sediment entrainment shear stress is sufficiently large that sediment in pools is still more likely to be entrained than sediment in pool exits or riffles, resulting in differential entrainment under bankfull flows. Significantly, this differential entrainment does not require a reversal in flow velocities or shear stress, suggesting that sedimentological contrasts alone may be sufficient for the maintenance of riffle–pool sequences. This finding has implications for the prediction of sediment transport and the morphological evolution of gravel‐bed rivers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of particle density and inflow concentration of suspended sediment on bedload transport in rill flow

Laboratory flume experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of particle density on bedload transport of sand‐sized particles and the effect of a suspended load of clay particles (kaolinite) on bedload transport of sand‐sized particles in rill flow conditions. Three materials in the range 400–600 µm were selected to simulate bedload transport of primary particles and aggregates: sand (2650 kg/m³), crushed brick (2450 kg/m³) and anthracite (1300–1700 kg/m³). In the two first experiments, two different methods were applied to determine bedload transport capacity of coarse particles for various conditions of flow discharge (from 2 to 15 L/min) and slope (2.2, 3 and 4%). In the third experiment, clear water was replaced with kaolinite–water mixture and bedload transport capacity of crushed brick particles was determined for a 4% slope and different concentrations of kaolinite (0, 7, 41 and 84 g/L). The results showed that bedload transport increased significantly with the decrease in particle density but the effect of particle density on transport rates was much less important than flow discharge. Velocity measurements of clear flow, flow mixed with coarse particles and coarse particles confirmed the existence of a differentiation between suspended load and bedload. In these experimental conditions, suspended load of kaolinite did not affect bedload rates of crushed brick particles. Three transport capacity formulae were tested against observed bedload rates. A calibration of the Foster formula revealed that the shear stress exponent should be greater than 1.5. The Low and the Govers unit stream power (USP) equations were then evaluated. The Low equation was preferred for the prediction of bedload rates of primary particles but it was not recommended in the case of aggregates of low density because of the limited experimental conditions applied to derive this equation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Meso‐scale catchment sediment budgets: combining field surveys and modeling in the Dragonja catchment,southwest Slovenia

In this paper, we present a methodology to construct a sediment budget for meso‐scale catchments. We combine extensive field surveys and expert knowledge of the catchment with a sediment delivery model. The meso‐scale Mediterranean drainage basin of the Dragonja (91 km²), southwest Slovenia, was chosen as case study area. During the field surveys, sheet wash was observed on sloping agricultural fields during numerous rainfall events, which was found to be the main source of sediment. With the sediment yield model WATEM/SEDEM the estimated net erosion on the hillslopes 4·1 t ha^–1 y^–1 (91% of inputs). The second source, bank erosion (4·2%; 0·25 t ha^–1 y^–1) was monitored during several years with erosion pins and photogrammetric techniques. The last source, channel incision, was derived from geomorphological mapping and lichenomery and provided 3·8% (0·17 t ha^–1 y^–1) of the sediment input. The river transports its suspended sediment mainly during high‐flow events (sampled with automated water samplers). About 27% (1·2 t ha^–1 y^–1) of the sediment delivered to the channel is deposited on floodplains and low terraces downstream (estimated with geomorphological mapping, coring and cesium‐137 measurements). The sediment transported as bedload disintegrates during transport to the outlet due to the softness of the bedrock material. As a result, the river carries no bedload when it reaches the sea. The results imply a build‐up of sediment in the valleys catchment. However, extreme flood events may flush large amounts of sediment stored in the lower parts of the system. Geomorphological evidence exists in the catchment that such high magnitude, low frequency events have happened in the past. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strong seasonality in sand loading and resulting feedbacks on sediment transport,bed texture,and channel planform at Mount Pinatubo,Philippines

Declining sand inputs to a channel with bimodal bed sediment can lead to degradation, armoring, and reduced bedload transport rates. Where sand loading is episodic, channels may alternate between high‐sand and low‐sand conditions, with ensuing responses in bed texture and bedload transport rates. The effects of episodic sand loading are explored through flow, grain size, and bedload transport measurements on the Pasig‐Potrero River, a sediment‐rich channel draining Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. Sand loading on the Pasig‐Potrero River is highly seasonal, and channel adjustments between seasons are dramatic. In the rainy season, inputs from sand‐rich 1991 eruption deposits lead to active, sand‐bedded, braided channels. In the dry season, many precipitation‐driven sand sources are cut off, leading to incision, armoring, and significantly lower bedload transport rates. This seasonal transition offers an excellent opportunity to examine models of degradation, incision, and armoring as well as the effectiveness of sediment transport models that explicitly encapsulate the importance of sand on transport rates. During the fall 2009 seasonal transition, 7·6 km of channel incised and armored, carving a 2–3 m deep channel on the upper alluvial fan. Bedload transport rates measured in the August 2009 rainy season were over four orders of magnitude greater than gravel‐bedded dry‐season channels surveyed in January 2010, despite having similar shear stress and unit discharge conditions. Within dry‐season incised channels, bed armoring is rapid, leading to an abrupt gravel‐sand transition. Bedload transport rates adjust more slowly, creating a lag between armoring and commensurate reductions in transport. Seasonal channel incision occurred in steps, aided by lateral migration into sand‐rich banks. These lateral sand inputs may increase armor layer mobility, renewing incision, and forming terraces within the incised seasonal channel. The seasonal incised channel is currently being reset by precipitation‐driven sand loading during the next rainy season, and the cycle begins again. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Riffle‐pool morphometry and stage‐dependant morphodynamics of a large floodplain river (Vereinigte Mulde,Sachsen‐Anhalt,Germany)

Riffle‐pool sequences are a common feature of gravel‐bed rivers. However, mechanisms of their generation and maintenance are still not fully understood. In this study a monitoring approach is employed that focuses on analysing cross‐sectional and longitudinal channel geometry of a large floodplain river (Vereinigte Mulde, Sachsen‐Anhalt, Germany) with a high temporal and spatial resolution, in order to conclude from stage‐dependant morphometric changes to riffle and pool maintaining processes. In accordance with previous authors, pool cross‐sections of the Mulde River are narrow and riffle cross‐sections are wide suggesting that they should rather be addressed as two general types of channel cross‐sections than solely as bedforms. At high flows, riffles and pools in the study reaches changed in length and height but not in position. Pools were scoured and riffles aggraded, a development which was reversed during receding flows below the threshold of 0·4Q_bf (40% bankfull discharge). An index for the longitudinal amplitude of riffle‐pool sequences, the bed undulation intensity or bedform amplitude, is introduced and proved to be highly significant as a form parameter, its first derivative as a process parameter. The process of pool scour and riffle fill is addressed as bedform maintenance or bedform accentuation. It is indicated by increasing longitudinal bed amplitudes. According to the observed dynamics of bed amplitudes, maintenance of riffle‐pool sequences lags behind discharge peaks. Maximum bed amplitudes may be reached with a delay of several days after peak discharges. Increasing bed undulation intensity is interpreted to indicate bed mobility. Post‐flood decrease of the bed undulation intensity indicates a retrograde phase when transport from pools to riffles has ceased and bed mobility is restricted to riffle tails and heads of pools. This type of transport behaviour is referred to as disconnected mobility. The comparison of two river reaches, one with undisturbed sediment supply, the other with sediment deficit, suggests that high bed undulation intensity values at low flows indicate sediment deficit and potentially channel degrading conditions. It is more generally hypothesized that channel bed undulations constitute a major component of form roughness and that increased bed amplitudes are an important feature of channel bed adjustment to sediment deficit be it temporally during late floods or permanently due to a supply limitation of bedload. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modeling of bedload and suspended load contributions to morphological evolution of the Seine Estuary (France)

This numerical modeling study (i) assesses the influence of the sediment erosion process on the sediment dynamics and subsequent morphological changes of a mixed-sediment environment, the macrotidal Seine estuary, when non-cohesive particles are dominant within bed mixtures (non-cohesive regime), and (ii) investigates respective contributions of bedload and suspended load in these dynamics. A three dimensional (3D) process-based morphodynamic model was set up and run under realistic forcings (including tide, waves, wind, and river discharge) during a 1-year period. Applying erosion homogeneously to bed sediment in the non-cohesive regime, i.e., average erosion parameters in the erosion law (especially the erodibility parameter, E₀), leads to higher resuspension of fine sediment due to the presence of coarser fractions within mixtures, compared to the case of an independent treatment of erosion for each sediment class. This results in more pronounced horizontal sediment flux (two-fold increase for sand, +30% for mud) and erosion/deposition patterns (up to a two-fold increase in erosion over shoals, generally associated with some coarsening of bed sediment). Compared to observed bathymetric changes, more relevant erosion/deposition patterns are derived from the model when independent resuspension fluxes are considered in the non-cohesive regime. These results suggest that this kind of approach may be more relevant when local grain-size distributions become heterogeneous and multimodal for non-cohesive particles. Bedload transport appears to be a non-dominant but significant contributor to the sediment dynamics of the Seine Estuary mouth. The residual bedload flux represents, on average, between 17 and 38% of the suspended sand flux, its contribution generally increasing when bed sediment becomes coarser (can become dominant at specific locations). The average orientation of residual fluxes and erosion/deposition patterns caused by bedload generally follow those resulting from suspended sediment dynamics. Sediment mass budgets cumulated over the simulated year reveal a relative contribution of bedload to total mass budgets around 25% over large erosion areas of shoals, which can even become higher in sedimentation zones. However, bedload-induced dynamics can locally differ from the dynamics related to suspended load, resulting in specific residual transport, erosion/deposition patterns, and changes in seabed nature.     

Bedload: a granular phenomenon

Bedload, the transport of sediment remaining in contact with the stream bed, has mainly been studied from the perspective of the correlation between fluid driving forces and the responding sediment flux. Yet grain–grain interactions are important and bedload should also be considered as a granular phenomenon. We review progress made recently in the study of granular flows, especially on segregation and rheology, that better illuminates the nature of bedload. Granular flows may exhibit gas‐like or fluid‐like flow, or quasi‐solid deformation. All three conditions might be duplicated in bedload. Understanding of intense bedload transport occurring continuously in a layer several grains deep – typical of sand beds – might greatly benefit from results in granular physics, as illustrated by grain‐inspired bedload results. However, processes restricted to the surface of the bed, when particles move intermittently and the bed becomes structured, while characteristic in gravel‐bed channels, are not well addressed in granular physics. Mutual study of these phenomena may benefit both physics and fluvial geomorphology. We intend, therefore, to contribute to an enhanced dialogue between granular physics and bedload science communities. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detachment and infiltration variations as consequence of regolith development in a Pyrenean badland system

The Araguás experimental catchment has been monitored to study badland dynamics in the Central Pyrenees. Previous studies of weathering processes within the catchment reported strong regolith dynamics associated with seasonal variations in the temperature and moisture regimes. A preliminary analysis of hydrological response and suspended sediment transport data recorded at a gauging station also demonstrated seasonal trends. The main objective of the present study is to understand the effect of regolith dynamics on sediment detachment and infiltration processes, based on field studies using simulated rainfall. The experiment design was based on seasonal differences in the physical conditions of surface regolith and the general trends of hydro‐sedimentological responses. Rainfall simulations were conducted on small plots using a pressure nozzle. Similar experimental rainfall conditions were set for all plots (rainfall intensity around 45 mm h^–1). The results showed strong variations in the infiltration and detachment responses closely associated with the regolith conditions and crusting development. Infiltration showed seasonal differences in time lag and intensity: average infiltration rates ranged from very low (2·05 mm h^–1) to moderated high values (44·04 mm h^–1) associated to regolith development conditions. Maximum sediment concentration, as an indicator of particles produced by detachment, also ranged from moderate (3 g l^–1) to extreme values (145 g l^–1). Mean and minimum infiltration rates showed negative correlations with initial moisture content. Sediment concentration showed a positive correlation with time lag, ponding, and sealing time, and a negative correlation with initial moisture. In terms of seasonal trends, infiltration and erosion responses were relatively stable during spring and autumn, whereas wide variations were recorded in infiltration rates and sediment detachment during summer and winter. As a general conclusion, the obtained results indicate that seasonal differences in detachment and infiltration depend on the nature of regolith development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment mobility and bedload transport conditions in an alpine stream

The mobility conditions of bedload transport in an alpine high‐gradient step–pool stream (Rio Cordon) are analysed. Since 1986, a device system at the downstream end section of the stream has been operating in order to monitor the water discharge, suspended sediment and bedload transport. Sediment distribution of bedload transported by various floods has been analysed, and equal‐mobility evidence is recognized only for the high‐magnitude flows ever recorded (RI > 50 years). The thresholds for size‐selective and equal‐mobility transport conditions are identified and quantified by using both data provided by the fractional transport rate and by length displacements of marked particles. Size‐selective bedload transport seems to dominate when the critical shear stress of the size fractions τ_ci considered is exceeded, whereas the equal‐mobility condition is approached as levels of excess shear stress become higher (τ_eqi = 1·45τ_ci). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Virtual velocity of sand transport in water

Using the 160‐m‐long flume at Tsukuba University we undertook an experiment to provide a first estimate of the virtual velocity of sand in the size range 0.5–2.0 mm. For the flow velocity used in our experiment this sediment‐size range would conventionally be regarded as suspended sediment. The virtual velocity was found to be 37–41% of the flow velocity. Paradoxically, virtual velocity decreases as particle size decreases. Such a lower virtual velocity of finer sediment is not inconceivable. First, trapping of the sediment appears to be a function of bed roughness, and there is a probable relationship between bed roughness and trapping efficiency for particles of different sizes. Second, finer particles are more likely to find sheltered positions on a rough bed and thus experience lower mobility, relative to the more exposed coarser grains, as observed for bedload transport. Third, the virtual velocity of particles undergoing bedload transport has been found, in some instances, to be lower for finer clasts. We combine our data with previous studies of virtual velocity of bedload to develop, for the first time, a hypothesis for a holistic analysis of sediment movement in rivers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling discharge and sediment concentrations after landscape interventions in a humid monsoon climate: The Anjeni watershed in the highlands of Ethiopia

Increasing population and intensification of agriculture increase erosion rates and often result in severe land degradation and sedimentation of reservoirs. Finding effective management practices to counteract the increasing sediment load is becoming increasingly urgent especially in the Ethiopian highlands where the construction of the hydroelectric Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile is underway. In this paper, we examine the results of 9 years of a watershed experiment in which discharge and sediment losses were observed in the 113 ha Anjeni watershed of the Blue Nile Basin. The study period encompasses conditions before, during, and after the installation of graded Fanya‐Juu (“throw uphill” bunds) soil and water conservation practices (SWCP), which had the ultimate goal of creating terraces. We use a saturation‐excess runoff model named the parameter‐efficient distributed model as a mathematical construct to relate rainfall with discharge and sediment losses at the outlet. The parameter‐efficient distributed model is based on landscape units in which the excess rainfall becomes direct runoff or infiltrates based on topographic position or hardpan characteristics. Deviations in this rainfall–discharge–sediment loss relationship are ascribed to the changes in infiltration characteristics caused by SWCPs on the hillslopes. With this technique, we found that in the Anjeni basin, the Fanya‐Juu SWCPs are only effective in increasing the infiltration and thereby reducing the direct runoff and sediment concentrations in the first 5 years. At the end of the 9‐year observation period, the direct runoff and sediment concentrations were barely reduced compared to the levels before SWCP were installed. In addition, we found that the model structure based on landscape units was able to represent the varying runoff and erosion processes during the 9 years well by varying mainly the portion of degraded land (and thereby representing the effectiveness of the Fanya‐Juu to reduce runoff by increasing infiltration).     

A coupled hierarchical modeling approach to simulating the geomorphic response of river systems to anthropogenic climate change

Anthropogenic climate change is expected to change the discharge and sediment transport regime of river systems. Because rivers adjust their channels to accommodate their typical inputs of water and sediment, changes in these variables can potentially alter river morphology. In this study, a hierarchical modeling approach was developed and applied to examine potential changes in reach‐averaged bedload transport and spatial patterns of erosion and deposition for three snowmelt‐dominated gravel‐bed rivers in the interior Pacific Northwest. The modeling hierarchy was based on discharge and suspended‐sediment load from a basin‐scale hydrologic model driven by a range of downscaled climate‐change scenarios. In the field, channel morphology and sediment grain‐size data for all three rivers were collected. Changes in reach‐averaged bedload transport were estimated using the Bedload Assessment of Gravel‐bedded Streams (BAGS) software, and the Cellular Automaton Evolutionary Slope and River (CAESAR) model was used to simulate the spatial pattern of erosion and deposition within each reach to infer potential changes in channel geometry and planform. The duration of critical discharge was found to control bedload transport. Changes in channel geometry were simulated for the two higher‐energy river reaches, but no significant morphological changes were found for a lower‐energy reach with steep, cohesive banks. Changes in sediment transport and river morphology resulting from climate change could affect the management of river systems for human and ecological uses. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capturing the spatiotemporal variability of bedload transport: A time‐lapse imagery technique

Monitoring sediment transport in morphologically complex and labile channels remains a difficult task, even at the laboratory scale. To address this challenge, a fully automated imagery technique for continuously mapping the spatial and temporal variability of bedload transport is proposed. This method uses differentiated time‐lapse imagery taken from a fixed camera to detect bed variations induced by grain displacement. The technique is not based on tracking the individual particles; rather, it evaluates macroscopic colour changes within a region that contains several grains, which depend on the occurrence and intensity of the bedload transport. Image‐derived data were compared with the sediment flux measured during four flume experiments, and produced good correspondence. The method provides continuous tracking of the location of the transporting channels, and enables estimation of local variations in the magnitude of the bedload flux. Moreover, the spatial extent of the monitoring area offers an unprecedented opportunity to aggregate spatially dense and continuous data at the reach scale, as needed to properly capture the full range of variability of morphologically complex and rapidly evolving gravel‐bed rivers. Despite being limited to laboratory‐scale physical experiments, the method provides useful data to investigate fundamental morphodynamic processes such as bar migration, bank erosion, anabranches opening/closure, and the associate spatial and temporal scales. Further, the data obtained have the potential to enhance numerical model calibration and improve our understanding of the complex dynamics of real‐world settings. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Channel flow competence and sediment transport in upland streams in southeast Australia

Bedload transport data from planebed and step‐pool reach types are used to determine grain size transport thresholds for selected upland streams in southeast Australia. Morphological differences between the reach types allow the effects of frictional losses from bedforms, microtopography and bed packing to be incorporated into the dimensionless critical shear stress value. Local sediment transport data are also included in a regime model and applied to mountain streams, to investigate whether empirical data improve the delineation of reach types on the basis of dimensionless discharge per unit width (q*) and dimensionless bedload transport (q_b*). Instrumented planebed and step‐pool sites are not competent to transport surface median grains (D_50s) at bankfull discharge (Q_bf). Application of a locally parametrized entrainment equation to the full range of reach types in the study area indicates that the majority of cascades, cascade‐pools, step‐pools and planebeds are also not competent at Q_bf and require a 10 year recurrence interval flood to mobilize their D_50s. Consequently, the hydraulic parameters of the regime diagram, which assume equilibrium conditions at bankfull, are ill suited to these streams and provide a poor basis of channel delineation. Modifying the diagram to better reflect the dominant transported bedload size (equivalent to the D₁₆ of surface sediment) made only slight improvements to reach delineation and had greatest effect on the morphologies with smaller surface grain sizes such as forced pool‐riffles and planebeds. Likewise, the Corey shape factor was incorporated into the regime diagram as an objective method for adjusting a base dimensionless critical shear stress (τ*_c50b) to account for lithologically controlled grain shape on bed packing and entrainment. However, it too provided only minor adjustments to reach type delineation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.