Sediment production and yield from an alluvial gully in northern Queensland,Australia

Sediment production, transport and yield were quantified over various timescales in response to rainfall and runoff within an alluvial gully (7 · 8 ha), which erodes into dispersible sodic soils of a small floodplain catchment (33 ha) along the Mitchell River, northern Australia. Historical air photographs and recent global positioning system (GPS) surveys and LiDAR data documented linear increases in gully area and volume, indicating that sediment supply has been relatively consistent over the historic period. Daily time lapse photography of scarp retreat rates and internal erosion processes also demonstrated that erosion from rainfall and runoff consistently supplied fine washload (< 63 µm) sediment in addition to coarse lags of sand bed material. Empirical measurements of suspended sediment concentrations (10 000 to >100 000 mg/L) and sediment yields (89 to 363 t/ha/yr) were high for both Australian and world data. Total sediment yield estimated from empirical washload and theoretical bed material load was dominated by fine washload (< 63 µm). A lack of hysteresis in suspended sediment rating curves, scarp retreat and sediment yield correlated to rainfall input, and an equilibrium channel outlet slope supported the hypothesis that partially or fully transport‐limited conditions predominated along the alluvial gully outlet channel. This is in contrast to sediment supply‐limited conditions on uneroded floodplains above gully head scarps. While empirical data presented here can support future modelling efforts to predict suspended sediment concentration and yield under the transport limiting situations, additional field data will also be needed to better quantify sediment erosion and transport rates and processes in alluvial gullies at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vegetation and topographic controls on sediment deposition and storage on gully beds in a degraded mountain area

Active gully systems developed on highly weathered or loose parent material are an important source of runoff and sediment production in degraded areas. However, a decrease of land pressure may lead to a return of a partial vegetation cover, whereby gully beds are preferred recolonization spots. Although the current knowledge on the role of vegetation on reducing sediment production on slopes is well developed, few studies exist on the significance of restoring sediment transport pathways on the total sediment budget of degraded mountainous catchments. This study in the Ecuadorian Andes evaluates the potential of vegetation to stabilize active gully systems by trapping and retaining eroded sediment in the gully bed, and analyses the significance of vegetation restoration in the gully bed in reducing sediment export from degraded catchments. Field measurements on 138 gully segments located in 13 ephemeral steep gullies with different ground vegetation cover indicate that gully bed vegetation is the most important factor in promoting short‐term (1–15 years) sediment deposition and gully stabilization. In well‐vegetated gully systems ( ≥ 30% of ground vegetation cover), 0.035 m³ m^–1 of sediment is deposited yearly in the gully bed. Almost 50 per cent of the observed variance in sediment deposition volumes can be explained by the mean ground vegetation cover of the gully bed. The presence of vegetation in gully beds gives rise to the formation of vegetated buffer zones, which enhance short‐term sediment trapping even in active gully systems in mountainous environments. Vegetation buffer zones are shown to modify the connectivity of sediment fluxes, as they reduce the transport efficiency of gully systems. First calculations on data on sediment deposition patterns in our study area show that gully bed deposition in response to gully bed revegetation can represent more than 25 per cent of the volume of sediment generated within the catchment. Our findings indicate that relatively small changes in landscape connectivity have the potential to create strong (positive) feedback loops between erosion and vegetation dynamics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modern sediment yield compared to geologic rates of sediment production in a semi‐arid basin,New Mexico: assessing the human impact

An Erratum has been published for this article in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 29(13) 2004, 1707. In the semi‐arid Arroyo Chavez basin of New Mexico, a 2·28 km² sub‐basin of the Rio Puerco, we contrasted short‐term rates (3 years) of sediment yield measured with sediment traps and dams with long‐term, geologic rates (～10 000 years) of sediment production measured using ¹⁰Be. Examination of erosion rates at different time‐scales provides the opportunity to contrast the human impact on erosion with background or geologic rates of sediment production. Arroyo Chavez is grazed and we were interested in whether differences in erosion rates observed at the two time‐scales are due to grazing. The geologic rate of sediment production, 0·27 kg m^?2 a^?1 is similar to the modern sediment yields measured for geomorphic surfaces including colluvial slopes, gently sloping hillslopes, and the mesa top which ranged from 0·12 to 1·03 kg m^?2 a^?1. The differences between modern sediment yield and geologic rates of sediment production were most noticeable for the alluvial valley ?oor, which had modern sediment yields as high as 3·35 kg m^?2 a^?1. The hydraulic state of the arroyo determines whether the alluvial valley ?oor is aggrading or degrading. Arroyo Chavez is incised and the alluvial valley ?oor is gullied and piped and is a source of sediment. The alluvial valley ?oor is also the portion of the basin most modi?ed by human disturbance including grazing and gas pipeline activity, both of which serve to increase erosion rates. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Badass gully morphodynamics and sediment generation in Waipaoa Catchment,New Zealand

Large (>0.1 km²) gully–mass movement complexes (badass gullies) are significant contributors to the sediment cascade in New Zealand's steepland East Coast Region catchments. The scale of change taking place in these gully systems allows significant evolution in morphology and sediment dynamics to be tracked at annual to decadal timescales. Here we document changes in two adjacent badass gullies in Waipaoa catchment (Tarndale and Mangatu) to infer sediment generation processes and connectivity using a morphological budgeting approach. A baseline dataset for this study is provided by a LiDAR-derived digital elevation model (DEM) in 2005. We produced new DEMs and orthophoto mosaics using photogrammetry in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to quantify gully morphodynamics and associated volumes of sediment erosion and deposition in both systems as they co-evolved. Results indicate ongoing rapid development of both gully complexes. Severe erosion took place at the gully heads with lowering and migration (up to 25 m vertically and laterally) of the topographic divide separating the two gullies between 2005 and 2019. Over the same period, net lowering of each gully system was ~250 mm year⁻¹. Key sediment-generating processes included surface erosion, deep-seated landslides, and debris flows. Longer term, the overall contribution of sediment from both badass gullies to the Waipaoa catchment has been declining. In the mid-20th century, both gullies yielded in excess of 300 kt year⁻¹. From 2005 to 2019, 80 kt year⁻¹ was yielded from Tarndale and 110 kt year⁻¹ from Mangatu. Our most recent surveys demonstrated considerable variability in sediment yield, ranging from 76 kt year⁻¹ (2017–2018) to 291 kt year⁻¹ (2018–2019). The annual variability observed reflects the complex morphodynamics of discrete hillslopes and tributary fans in these badass gully systems and underlines the importance of integrating decadal and annual surveys when assessing system trajectory. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of flow discharge on the hydraulic characteristics of headcut erosion processes in the gully region of the Loess Plateau

Headcut erosion is associated with major hydraulic changes induced by the gully head of concentrated flow. However, the variation in the hydraulic characteristics of the headcut erosion process is still not clear in the gully region of the Loess Plateau. A series of rainfall combined scouring experiments (flow discharges ranging from 3.6 to 7.2 m³ hr⁻¹, with 0.8 mm min⁻¹ rainfall intensity) were conducted on experimental plots to clarify the variation in the hydraulic parameters induced by gully head and erosion processes under different flow discharges. The results showed that concentrated flows in the catchment area and gully bed were turbulent (Reynolds number ranging from 1,876 to 6,693) and transformed between supercritical and subcritical (Froude number ranging from 0.96 to 3.73). The hydraulic parameters, such as the flow velocity, Reynolds number, shear stress, stream power, Darcy–Weisbach friction factor, and unit stream power in the catchment area were 0.45–0.59 m s⁻¹, 2086–6693, 1.96–5.33 Pa, 0.89–2.86 W m⁻², 0.08–0.16, and 0.023–0.031 m s⁻¹, respectively. When the concentrated flows dropped from the gully head, the hydraulic parameters in the gully bed decreased by 3.39–26.07%, 1.49–29.99%, 65.19–67.14%, 67.25–74.96%, 28.53–61.31%, and 67.82–77.14%, respectively, which contributed to the flow energy consumption at the gully head. As flow discharge increased, Reynolds number, shear stress, and stream power increased, while flow velocity, Froude number, unit stream power, and Darcy–Weisbach friction factor did not. The flow energy consumption at the gully head was 9.66–10.13, 13.25–13.74, 15.68–16.41, and 19.28–20.25 J s⁻¹, respectively, under different flow discharges and accounted for 60.58–68.50% of the flow energy consumption of the experimental plots. Generally, the sediment discharges increased rapidly at the initial stage, then increased slowly, and finally reached a steady state condition, which showed a significant declining logarithmic trend with experimental duration (P<.01) and increased with increasing flow discharge. Accordingly, the flow energy consumption was significantly correlated with the sediment yield. These findings could improve our understanding of the hydraulic properties and flow energy characteristics of headcut erosion.     

Factors and processes of permanent gully evolution in a Mediterranean marly environment (Cape Bon,Tunisia)

Abstract

Gully erosion is considered to be one of the most important soil erosion processes in Mediterranean marly environments, but its actual contribution to total soil loss is still under discussion. The objectives of this paper are: (a) to acquire the distributed value of erosion rate in a permanent gully developed on a marly substratum in a Mediterranean environment; and (b) to quantify the key factors responsible for the spatial and temporal differences in erosion rates observed within the gully. A permanent gully located in Cap Bon (northeastern Tunisia) has been intensively and regularly monitored over a 7-year period with electronic survey equipment (total station) to give five field topographic surveys, as well as hydrological measurements at the gully outlet. The net soil loss for the 7-year period comprised a denudation of 51 m³ of sediment on the gully bank slopes, which corresponds to a mean soil loss of 61 m³ ha^?1 year^?1 or 6.1 mm year^?1. Denudation was observed on bed units with a slope gradient greater than 20%, while the remainder showed deposition. By confirming the factors involved in gully evolution, and by refining the statistical link between factors and erosion rates within the gully, the results provide important information to predict gully erosion rates in Mediterranean marly environments.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor G. Mahé

Citation El Khalili, A., Raclot, D., Habaieb, H., and Lamachère, J.M., 2013. Factors and processes of permanent gully evolution in a Mediterranean marly environment (Cape Bon, Tunisia). Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1519–1531.     

Gully-head morphology and implications for gully development on abandoned fields in a semi-arid environment,Sierra de Gata,southeast Spain

In this paper we examine whether gully-head morphology can be used as an indicator for gully development and, hence, for sediment production. A survey was conducted at five hillslopes in the Sierra de Gata where different types of channel heads occur close to each other. The survey included measurements of morphologic and pedologic properties, ground surface, channel and catchment characteristics of every gully head present (n = 59). On the basis of the observed morphologies, the heads were subdivided into four types: gradual, transitional (a short inclined section), abrupt and rilled-abrupt. The analyses showed that it is possible to explain the differences of gully heads and the role of some environmental factors on the basis of their morphologies, at least for the gradual and the abrupt types. The results suggested that steep headcuts (abrupt) were formed from secondary headcuts in the channel, which migrated upstream. The abrupt headcuts were always formed in more than one soil layer of which one was a resistant (stony) layer. However, shear strength measurements (at saturation) showed that the top layer was not always the most resistant one. Width–depth relationships indicated that gradual type headcuts were controlled by fluvial processes and abrupt headcuts by a combination of fluvial and mass-wasting processes. Gradual types occurred more downslope than the abrupt types suggesting that the incisions started by fluvial processes and migrated upwards when knickpoints developed in the channel. The rilled-abrupt types are still actively retreating. Thus, the abrupt types correspond to slower retreat rates. Abrupt gully heads may deteriorate into transitional types when plunge-pool erosion becomes less effective. The conceptual model is supported by data from ephemeral gullies in two other study areas (Sierra de la Torrecilla, Spain, and Alentejo, Portugal). Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of fallout tracers 7Be, 210Pb and 137Cs to distinguish the form of sub‐surface soil erosion delivering sediment to rivers in large catchments

Fallout radionuclides (FRNs) ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb are well established as tracers of surface and sub‐surface soil erosion contributing sediment to river systems. However, without additional information, it has not been possible to distinguish sub‐surface soil erosion sources. Here, we use the FRN ⁷Be (half‐life 53 days) in combination with ¹³⁷Cs and excess ²¹⁰Pb to trace the form of erosion contributing sediment in three large river catchments in eastern Australia; the Logan River (area 3700 km²), Bowen River (9400 km²) and Mitchell River (4700 km²). We show that the combination of ¹³⁷Cs, excess ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be can discriminate horizontally aligned sub‐surface erosion sources (rilled and scalded hillslopes and the floors of incised drainage lines and gully ‘badland’ areas) from vertical erosion sources (channel banks and gully walls). Specifically, sub‐surface sources of sediment eroded during high rainfall and high river flow events have been distinguished by the ability of rainfall‐derived ⁷Be to label horizontal soil surfaces, but not vertical. Our results indicate that in the two northern catchments, erosion of horizontal sub‐surface soil sources contributed almost as much fine river sediment as vertical channel banks, and several times the contribution of hillslope topsoils. This result improves on source discrimination provided previously and indicates that in some areas erosion of hillslope soils may contribute significantly to sediment yield, but not as topsoil loss. We find that in north‐eastern Australia, scalded areas on hillslopes and incising drainage lines may be sediment sources of comparable importance to vertical channel banks. Previous studies have used the combination of ¹³⁷Cs, excess ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be to estimate soils losses at the hillslope scale. Here, we show that with timely and judicious sampling of soil and sediment during and immediately after high flow events ⁷Be measurements can augment fallout ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb to provide important erosion source information over large catchments. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts of headcut height on flow energy,sediment yield and surface landform during bank gully erosion processes in the Yuanmou Dry‐hot Valley region,southwest China

To quantify the changes in flow energy, sediment yield and surface landform impacted by headcut height during bank gully erosion, five experimental platforms were constructed with different headcut heights ranging from 25 to 125 cm within an in situ active bank gully head. A series of scouring experiments were conducted under concentrated flow and the changes in flow energy, sediment yield and surface landform were observed. The results showed that great energy consumption occurred at gully head compared to the upstream area and gully bed. The flow energy consumption at gully heads and their contribution rates increased significantly with headcut height. Gully headcuts also contributed more sediment yield than the upstream area. The mean sediment concentrations at the outlet of plots were 2.3 to 7.3 times greater than those at the end of upstream area. Soil loss volume at gully heads and their contribution rates also increased with headcut height significantly. Furthermore, as headcut height increased, the retreat distance of gully heads increased, which was 1.7 to 8.9 times and 1.1 to 3.2 times greater than the incision depth of upstream area and gully beds. Positive correlations were found between energy consumption and soil loss, indicating that energy consumption could be used to estimate soil loss of headcut erosion. Headcut height had a significant impact on flow energy consumption, and thus influenced the changes in sediment yield and landform during the process of gully headcut erosion. Headcut height was one of the important factors for gully erosion control in this region. Further studies are needed to identify the role of headcut height under a wide condition. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling suspended sediment concentration and load in a transport‐limited alluvial gully in northern Queensland,Australia

Alluvial gullies are often formed in dispersible sodic soils along steep banks of incised river channels. Field data collected by Shellberg et al. (Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 38: 1765–1778, 2013) from a gully outlet in northern Australia showed little hysteresis between water discharge and fine (<63 µm) and coarse (>63 µm) suspended sediment, indicating transport‐limited rather than source‐limited conditions. The major source of the fine (silt/clay) component was the sodic soils of upstream gully scarps, and the coarser (sand) component was sourced locally from channel bed material. In this companion paper at the same study site, a new method was developed for combining the settling velocity characteristics of these two sediment source components to estimate the average settling velocity of the total suspended sediment. This was compared to the analysis of limited sediment samples collected during flood conditions. These settling velocity data were used in the steady‐state transport limit theory of Hairsine and Rose (Water Resources Research 28: 237–243, 245–250, 1992) that successfully predicted field data of concentrations and loads at a cross‐section, regardless of the complexity of transport‐limited upstream sources (sheet erosion, scalds, rills, gullies, mass failure, bank and bed erosion, other disturbed areas). The analysis required calibration of a key model parameter, the fraction of total stream power (F ≈ 0.025) that is effective in re‐entraining sediment. Practical recommendations are provided for the prediction of sediment loads from other alluvial gullies in the region with similar hydrogeomorphic conditions, using average stream power efficiency factors for suspended silt/clay (F_w ≈ 0.016) and sand (F_s ≈ 0.038) respectively, but with no requirement for field data on sediment concentrations. Only basic field data on settling velocity characteristics from soil samples, channel geometry measurements, estimates of water velocity and discharge, and associated error margins are needed for transport limit theory predictions of concentration and load. This theory is simpler than that required in source‐limited situations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of soil losses by ephemeral gully erosion using high-altitude (stereo) aerial photographs

The objective of this study is to explore in a critical way the potential of high-altitude (stereo) aerial photographs for the assessment of ephemeral gully erosion rates. On 28 May 1995, an intensive rainfall event (30 mm h⁻¹ during 30 min, return period = 3 years) occurred in central Belgium. Ephemeral gullies formed within an area of 218 ha (study area 1) were mapped and measured both in the field and by high-altitude aerial photos taken at the same time. Comparison of these two methods shows that if only one of the two surveying techniques had been used, only 75 per cent of the total ephemeral gully length would have been detected, so that the combination of aerial and field data leads, in fact, to the best possible determination of total gully length within the selected area. A correction factor (C) is proposed, so that the results of an ephemeral gully erosion survey based on high-altitude (stereo) aerial photos can be adjusted for the undetected gullies. Next, a sequential series of high-altitude stereo aerial photographs, taken in six different years, was analysed in order to determine ephemeral gully erosion rates in three selected study areas (study areas 2, 3 and 4). Selection criteria were chosen so that these three areas were similar to study area 1 and representative for the cultivated areas in central Belgium where intense soil erosion regularly occurs. Ephemeral gullies were mapped and their total length was measured from the aerial photos. Using a mean gully cross-section of 0·2635 m² (determined in study area 1), the average eroded volume is 1·89 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for study area 1, 0·86 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for area 2, 1·44 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for area 3, and 2·37 m³ ha⁻¹ in six months for area 4. According to the correction factor (C), these mean ephemeral gully erosion volumes have to be increased by 44 per cent. The ephemeral gully erosion rates based on high-altitude stereo aerial photos, correspond well with the results of other surveys carried out in the Belgian loess belt. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Suspended sediment transport regime in a debris‐flow gully on Vancouver Island,British Columbia

In debris‐flow‐prone channels, normal fluvial sediment transport occurs (nearly exclusively in suspended mode) between episodic debris‐flow events. Observations of suspended sediment transport through a winter season in a steepland gully in logged terrain revealed two event types. When flows exceeded a threshold of 270 l s⁻¹, events yielded significant quantities of sediment and suspended sediment concentration increased with flow. Smaller events were strongly ‘supply limited’; sediment concentration decreased as flow increased. Overall, there is no consistent correlation between runoff and sediment yield. Within the season, three subseasons were identified (demarcated by periods of freezing weather) within which a pattern of fine sediment replenishment and evacuation occurred. Finally, a signature of fine sediment mobilization and exhaustion was observed within individual events. Fine sediment transport occurred in discrete pulses within storm periods, most of the yield occurring within 5 to 15% of storm runoff duration, so that it is unlikely that scheduled sampling programs would identify significant transport. Significant events are, however, generally forecastable on the basis of regional heavy rainfall warnings, providing a basis for targeted observations. Radiative snowmelt events and rain‐on‐snow remain difficult to forecast, since the projection of temperatures from the nearest regular weather station yields variable results. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bank‐collapse processes in a valley‐bottom gully,western Iowa

Widening and bank‐slope reduction of a valley‐bottom gully in western Iowa was correlated to increasing subsurface flow over a 36‐year period. To study bank collapse at this gully, we measured rainfall, air temperature, hydraulic head near the banks and bank movement nearly continuously over a 2‐year period. Styles of movement ranged from imperceptible creep to rapid slab collapses preceded by the formation of tension cracks parallel to the gully walls. Bank movement was commonly correlated to rainfall or snowmelt and associated head increases in the banks. If the banks are modelled as a two‐dimensional slab with an adjacent tension crack partly filled with water, measured heads were sufficient to cause bank failures through reduction of frictional support at the base of the slab. During winter months, air temperature variations across 0 °C were correlated with bank movement: during mildly subfreezing periods banks expanded, and most, but usually not all, of this movement was recovered during above‐freezing periods. This motion is attributed to frost heave followed by thawing. Deformation of the banks by heaving and thawing during winter may weaken them and prime them for failure during spring rains and snowmelt, when the frequency of mass‐wasting events is highest. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of intermediate fine sediment storage in a braided river reach (southern French Prealps)

This paper presents a field investigation on river channel storage of fine sediments in an unglaciated braided river, the Bès River, located in a mountainous region in the southern French Prealps. Braided rivers transport a very large quantity of bedload and suspended sediment load because they are generally located in the vicinity of highly erosive hillslopes. Consequently, these rivers play an important role because they supply and control the sediment load of the entire downstream fluvial network. Field measurements and aerial photograph analyses were considered together to evaluate the variability of fine sediment quantity stored in a 2·5‐km‐long river reach. This study found very large quantities of fine sediment stored in this reach: 1100 t per unit depth (1 dm). Given that this reach accounts for 17% of the braided channel surface area of the river basin, the quantities of fine sediment stored in the river network were found to be approximately 80% of the mean annual suspended sediment yields (SSYs) (66 200 t year^?1), comparable to the SSYs at the flood event scale: from 1000 t to 12 000 t depending on the flood event magnitude. These results could explain the clockwise hysteretic relationships between suspended sediment concentrations and discharges for 80% of floods. This pattern is associated with the rapid availability of the fine sediments stored in the river channel. This study shows the need to focus on not only the mechanisms of fine sediment production from hillslope erosion but also the spatiotemporal dynamics of fine sediment transfer in braided rivers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying the spatial distribution of sediment transport in an experimental gully system using the morphological method

Whilst time-series of sediment transport in gullies in both laboratory experimental and field settings can be determined through instrumentation, quantifying the spatial distribution of transport rates remains challenging. The morphological method, which was proposed for estimating bed-material transport in both one- and two-dimensions in rivers, provides an alternative. Here, we developed this method for gully systems. A laboratory catchment was used to simulate gully erosion. High-resolution topographical data were acquired by close-range digital photogrammetry. Morphological changes were determined using high-resolution topographic data and an associated level of detection. Based on measured morphological changes, one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) sediment transport rates were calculated via cross-section by cross-section routing (1D) and cell by cell routing (2D). The 1D application provided a general trend of longitudinal variation of sediment transport for the whole gully system, increased gradually from zones of headward extension to a zone downstream where erosion and deposition were in balance, and sediment transport rates less variable in space. For the 2D application, hydrological and blended hydrological-hydraulic routing solutions were compared. We found that the level of negative transport was insensitive to whether or not a blended hydrological-hydraulic routing was used and that results from applying the hydrological routing throughout were not significantly degraded. We also found that consideration should be given to spatial and temporal resolution of the topographic data. The 2D application provided spatial patterns of sediment transport that vary with gully evolution. The main gully remained a high transport corridor but branch transport became more important through time. The framework we report provides an additional tool for both experimental and field quantification of the spatial patterns of sediment transport in gullies; and quantification of how these patterns change under different forcing factors.     

Gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills,Nepal: estimation of sediment production from active ephemeral gullies

A simple field‐based monitoring programme was established in a small catchment (area 4·6 km²) to find the rates of gully erosion in the Siwalik Hills, Nepal. The rates are used to estimate the amount of sediment produced by gully erosion in the catchment. Three large and active gullies were selected with areas ranging from 0·44 to 0·78 ha. Aerial photographs taken in 1964, 1978 and 1992 were ortho‐rectified and used to study the dynamics of gully heads. The same gullies were also monitored manually using an orthogonal reference system fixed by erosion pins around the gully heads. Results from the aerial photos indicated that the gullies expanded remarkably over the period from 1964 to 1992, by 34 to 58 per cent. Head‐retreat rates during that period were 0·48, 0·55 and 0·73 m a^?1 and average annual sediment evacuation was estimated as 2534 ± 171, 959 ± 60 and 2783 ± 118 m³ a^?1 for the three gullies respectively. From the field measurement, estimated volumes were found to vary from 731 ± 57 to 2793 ± 201 m³ a^?1 over the monitoring period of two years. It was also found that the gullies produce sediment which accounts for up to 59 per cent of the sediment produced from surface erosion in the headwater catchment. The findings are useful for planning and executing appropriate control measures and constructing a sediment hazard map at the catchment scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of road building on gully erosion risk: a case study from the Northern Ethiopian Highlands

Although obvious in the field, the impact of road building on hydrology and gullying in Ethiopia has rarely been analysed. This study investigates how road building in the Ethiopian Highlands affects the gully erosion risk. The road between Makalle and Adwa in the highlands of Tigray (northern Ethiopia), built in 1993–1994, caused gullying at most of the culverts and other road drains. While damage by runoff to the road itself remains limited, off‐site effects are very important. Since the building of the road, nine new gullies were created immediately downslope of the studied road segment (6·5 km long) and seven other gullies at a distance between 100 and 500 m more downslope. The road induces a concentration of surface runoff, a diversion of concentrated runoff to other catchments, and an increase in catchment size, which are the main causes for gully development after road building. Topographic thresholds for gully formation are determined in terms of slope gradient of the soil surface at the gully head and catchment area. The influence of road building on both the variation of these thresholds and the modification of the drainage pattern is analysed. The slope gradient of the soil surface at the gully heads which were induced by the road varies between 0·06 and 0·42 m m^?1 (average 0·15 m m^?1), whereas gully heads without influence of the road have slope gradients between 0·09 and 0·52 m m^?1 (average 0·25 m m^?1). Road building disturbed the equilibrium in the study area but the lowering of topographic threshold values for gullying is not statistically significant. Increased gully erosion after road building has caused the loss of fertile soil and crop yield, a decrease of land holding size, and the creation of obstacles for tillage operations. Hence roads should be designed in a way that keeps runoff interception, concentration and deviation minimal. Techniques must be used to spread concentrated runoff in space and time and to increase its infiltration instead of directing it straight onto unprotected slopes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landscapes on the edge: examining the role of climatic interactions in shaping coastal watersheds using a coastal–terrestrial landscape evolution model

Incised coastal gullies (ICGs) are dynamic features found at the terrestrial‐coastal interface. Their geomorphic evolution is driven by the interactions between processes of fluvial knickpoint migration and coastal cliff erosion. Under scenarios of future climate change the frequency and magnitude of the climatological drivers of both terrestrial (fluvial and hillslope) and coastal (cliff erosion) processes are likely to change, with an adjunct impact on these types of coastal features. Here we explore the response of an incised coastal gully to changes in both terrestrial and coastal climate in order to elucidate the key process interactions which drive ICG evolution. We modify an extant landscape evolution model, CHILD, to incorporate processes of soft‐cliff erosion. This modified version, termed the Coastal‐Terrestrial‐CHILD (CT‐CHILD) model, is then employed to explore the interactions between changing terrestrial and coastal driving forces on the future evolution of an ICG found on the south‐west Isle of Wight, UK. It was found that the magnitude and frequency of storm events will play a key role in determining the future trajectory of ICGs, highlighting a need to understand the role of event sequencing in future projections of landscape evolution. Furthermore, synergistic (positive) and antagonistic (negative) interactions were identified between coastal and terrestrial parameters, such as wave height intensity and precipitation duration, which act to modulate the impact of changes in any one parameter. Of note was the role played by wave height intensity in driving coastal erosion, which was found to play a more important role than sea‐level rise in determining rates of coastal erosion. This highlights the need for a greater focus on wave height in studies of soft‐cliff erosion. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment production in large gullies of the Mediterranean area (NE Spain) from high‐resolution digital elevation models and geographical information systems analysis

Recent studies in the Mediterranean area have shown gully erosion to have a very significant contribution to total soil loss. In the Penedès vineyard region (NE Spain), between 15 and 27% of the land is affected by large gullies and gully‐wall retreat seems to be an ongoing process. Multi‐date digital elevation model (DEM) analysis has allowed computation of sediment production by gully erosion, showing that the sediment production rates are very high by the, up‐to‐date, usual global standards. Here, we present a study carried out using large‐scale multi‐date (1975 and 1995) aerial photographs (1 : 5000 and 1 : 7000) to monitor sediment yield caused by large gullies in the Penedès region (NE Spain). High‐resolution DEMs (1 m grid) were derived and analysed by means of geographical information systems techniques to determine the gully erosion rates. Rainfall characteristics within the same study period were also analysed in order to correlate with the soil loss produced. Mass movement was the main process contributing to total sediment production. This process could have been favoured by rainfalls recorded during the period: 58% of the events were of an erosive character and showed high kinetic energy and erosivity. A sediment production rate of 846 ± 40 Mg ha^?1 year^?1, a sediment deposition rate of 270 ± 18 Mg ha^?1 year^?1 and a sediment delivery ratio of 68·1% were computed for a gully area of 0·10 km². The average net erosion within the study period (1975–95) was 576 ± 58 Mg ha^?1 year^?1. In comparison with other methods, the proposed method also includes sediment produced by processes other than only overland flow, i.e. downcutting, headcutting, and mass movements and bank erosion. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.