Fluvial thermal erosion investigations along a rapidly eroding river bank: application to the Lena River (central Siberia)

In Central Yakutia, frozen river banks are affected by a combination of thermal and mechanical erosion. Exceptional bank retreat of up to 40 m per year is observed. This results from ground thawing produced by heat transfer from the ?ow of water through the frozen ground, followed by mechanical transport of the thawed sediments. A one‐dimensional model is proposed to estimate the thermal erosion ef?ciency. A test of this model is a comparison of results obtained from experiments carried out in a cold room. A hydraulic channel allows measurements of the thaw front propagation, as well as the thermal erosion rate, in simulated ground ice that is subjected to warm water ?ow. Various laboratory simulations demonstrate the validity of the mathematical model for the range of laboratory conditions. A hierarchy of parameters (Reynolds number, water and ground ice temperatures) is proposed to explain the present ef?ciency of thermal erosion along the Siberian rivers. From the characteristics of the Lena River (geometry, temperature and discharge) during the ?ood season, the erosion of banks with different ice content predicted by the model is in agreement with ?eld observations. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Slope failures and erosion rates on a glacierized high‐mountain face under climatic changes

In this study, rapid topographic changes and increased erosion rates caused by massive slope failures in a glacierized and permafrost‐affected high‐mountain face were investigated with respect to the current climatic change. The study was conducted at one of the highest periglacial rock faces in the European Alps, the east face of Monte Rosa, Italy. Pronounced changes in ice cover and repeated rock and ice avalanche events have been documented in this rock wall since around 1990. The performed multi‐temporal comparison of high‐resolution digital terrain models (DTMs) complemented by detailed analyses of repeat photography represents a unique assessment of topographic changes and slope failures over half a century and reveals a total volume loss in bedrock and steep glaciers in the central part of the face of around 25 × 10⁶ m³ between 1988 and 2007. The high rock and ice avalanche activity translates into an increase in erosion rates of about one order of magnitude during recent decades. The study indicates that changes in atmospheric temperatures and connected changes in ice cover can induce slope destabilization in high‐mountain faces. Analyses of temperature data show that the start of the intense mass movement activity coincided with increased mean annual temperatures in the region around 1990. However, once triggered, mass movement activity seems to be able to proceed in a self‐reinforcing cycle, whereby single mass movement events might be strongly influenced by short‐term extreme temperature events. The investigations suggest a strong stability coupling between steep glaciers and underlying bedrock, as most bedrock instabilities are located in areas where surface ice has disappeared recently and the failure zones are frequently spatially correlated and often develop from lower altitudes progressively upwards. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying periglacial erosion: insights on a glacial sediment budget,Matanuska Glacier,Alaska

Glacial erosion rates are estimated to be among the highest in the world. Few studies have attempted, however, to quantify the flux of sediment from the periglacial landscape to a glacier. Here, erosion rates from the nonglacial landscape above the Matanuska Glacier, Alaska are presented and compare with an 8‐yr record of proglacial suspended sediment yield. Non‐glacial lowering rates range from 1·8 ± 0·5 mm yr^?1 to 8·5 ± 3·4 mm yr^?1 from estimates of rock fall and debris‐flow fan volumes. An average erosion rate of 0·08 ± 0·04 mm yr^?1 from eight convex‐up ridge crests was determined using in situ produced cosmogenic ¹⁰Be. Extrapolating these rates, based on landscape morphometry, to the Matanuska basin (58% ice‐cover), it was found that nonglacial processes account for an annual sediment flux of 2·3 ± 1·0 × 10⁶ t. Suspended sediment data for 8 years and an assumed bedload to estimate the annual sediment yield at the Matanuska terminus to be 2·9 ± 1·0 × 10⁶ t, corresponding to an erosion rate of 1·8 ± 0·6 mm yr^?1: nonglacial sources therefore account for 80 ± 45% of the proglacial yield. A similar set of analyses were used for a small tributary sub‐basin (32% ice‐cover) to determine an erosion rate of 12·1 ± 6·9 mm yr^?1, based on proglacial sediment yield, with the nonglacial sediment flux equal to 10 ± 7% of the proglacial yield. It is suggested that erosion rates by nonglacial processes are similar to inferred subglacial rates, such that the ice‐free regions of a glaciated landscape contribute significantly to the glacial sediment budget. The similar magnitude of nonglacial and glacial rates implies that partially glaciated landscapes will respond rapidly to changes in climate and base level through a rapid nonglacial response to glacially driven incision. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Defining the moment of erosion: the principle of thermal consonance timing

Geomorphological process research demands quantitative information on erosion and deposition event timing and magnitude, in relation to fluctuations in the suspected driving forces. This paper establishes a new measurement principle – thermal consonance timing (TCT) – which delivers clearer, more continuous and quantitative information on erosion and deposition event magnitude, timing and frequency, to assist understanding of the controlling mechanisms. TCT is based on monitoring the switch from characteristically strong temperature gradients in sediment, to weaker gradients in air or water, which reveals the moment of erosion. The paper (1) derives the TCT principle from soil micrometeorological theory; (2) illustrates initial concept operationalization for field and laboratory use; (3) presents experimental data for simple soil erosion simulations; and (4) discusses initial application of TCT and perifluvial micrometeorology principles in the delivery of timing solutions for two bank erosion events on the River Wharfe, UK, in relation to the hydrograph. River bank thermal regimes respond, as soil temperature and energy balance theory predicts, with strong horizontal thermal gradients (often >1 K cm^?1 over 6·8 cm). TCT fixed the timing of two erosion events, the first during inundation, the second 19 h after the discharge peak and 13 h after re‐emergence from the flow. This provides rare confirmation of delayed bank retreat, quantifies the time‐lag involved, and suggests mass failure processes rather than fluid entrainment. Erosion events can be virtually instantaneous, implying ‘catastrophic retreat’ rather than ‘progressive entrainment’. Considerable potential exists to employ TCT approaches for: validating process models in several geomorphological contexts; assisting process identification and improving discrimination of competing hypotheses of process dominance through high‐resolution, simultaneous analysis of erosion and deposition events and driving forces; defining shifting erodibility and erosion thresholds; refining dynamic linkages in event‐based sediment budget investigations; and deriving closer approximations to ‘true’ erosion and deposition rates, especially in self‐concealing scour‐and‐fill systems. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of an automated method for continuous detection and quantification of cliff erosion events

Three intrusive systems of detection and quantification of coastal erosion events (using thermocouples and thermal pins) were developed and tested from 2005 to 2008 in different regions of the Gulf and maritime estuary of the St Lawrence (Quebec, Canada). The 3‐m‐long thermal pins inserted inside unconsolidated deposits allow the monitoring of erosion for a time period sometimes extending over several seasons. The thermocouple or thermocable method allows not only the instrumentation of unconsolidated deposits but also of rocky and cohesive substrate to a depth of 85 cm. An autonomous microclimatic station located near the experimental sites simultaneously samples temperature parameters, precipitation, snow cover, wind speed and direction as well as global radiation. The differential analysis of cliff thermal regime performed simultaneously with an analysis of air temperature makes it possible to determine the activation periods of coastal erosion processes. The results also make it possible to establish with precision the actual influence of rapid variations of certain climatic and microclimatic parameters (radiation, presence of snow cover, precipitation, etc.) on the physical state of surfaces and also on the activation of certain physical processes connected to coastal erosion events. The automated thermal erosion pin system (ATEPS) allows high temporal resolution (i.e. continuous) monitoring, enabling a real coupling of coastal erosion rates and climatic parameters. Preliminary results with the ATEPS system indicate that mild winter temperature and direct solar radiation are significant factors controlling cliff retreat rates. Moreover, the melting of segregation ice during the spring thaw contributed for more than 70% of cliff retreat against only 30% for frost shattering. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subaerial river bank erosion processes and their interaction with other bank erosion mechanisms on the River Arrow,Warwickshire, UK

River bank erosion occurs primarily through a combination of three mechanisms: mass failure, fluvial entrainment, and subaerial weakening and weathering. Subaerial processes are often viewed as ‘preparatory’ processes, weakening the bank face prior to fluvial erosion. Within a river basin downstream process ‘domains’ occur, with subaerial processes dominating the upper reaches, fluvial erosion the middle, and mass failure the lower reaches of a river. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that (a) subaerial processes may be underestimated as an erosive agent, and (b) process dominance has a temporal, as well as spatial, aspect. Bank erosion on the River Arrow, Warwickshire, UK, was monitored for 16 months (December 1996 to March 1998) using erosion pins. Variations in the rate and aerial extent of erosion are considered with reference to meteorological data. Throughout the first 15 months all erosion recorded was subaerial, resulting in up to 181 mm a^?1 of bank retreat, compared with 13 to 27 mm a^?1 reported by previous researchers. While the role of subaerial processes as ‘preparatory’ is not contended, it is suggested that such processes can also be erosive. The three bank erosion mechanisms operate at different levels of magnitude and frequency, and the River Arrow data demonstrate this. Thus the concept of process dominance has a temporal, as well as spatial aspect, particularly over the short time‐periods often used for studying processes in the field. Perception of the relative efficacy of each erosive mechanism will therefore be influenced by the temporal scale at which the bank is considered. With the advent of global climate change, both these magnitude–frequency characteristics and the consequent interaction of bank erosion mechanisms may alter. It is therefore likely that recognition of this temporal aspect of process dominance will become increasingly important to studies of bank erosion processes. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distinct patterns of bank erosion in a navigable regulated river

Distinct bankline patterns appeared after the removal of protection works along a navigable reach of the Meuse River. A series of oblique embayments now dominate the riverine landscape after ten years of bank erosion, but their location and asymmetry cannot be explained yet. This work analyses and integrates field measurements of flow, ship waves, bank composition, bed topography and historical maps to explain the observed patterns along two reaches of the river. An extraordinary low-water-level event generated by a ship accident provided the unique opportunity to also analyse the subaqueous bank topography. The results indicate that the formation of oblique embayments arises from the combination of floodplain heterogeneity, structured by scroll-bar deposits, and the regulation of water levels, resulting in ship-wave attack at a narrow range of bank elevation for 70% of the time. Substrate erodibility acts on the effectiveness of trees to slow down local bank erosion rates, which is possibly enhanced by a positive feedback between woody roots and cohesive soil. The strong regulation of water levels and the waves generated by the intense ship traffic produce an increasingly long mildly-sloping terrace at the bank toe and progressively dominate the bank erosion process. This study demonstrates the important role of floodplain and scroll bar formation in shaping later bank erosion, which has implications for predictive numerical models, restoration strategies, and understanding the role of vegetation in bank erosion processes. © 2019 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

The use of ablation‐dominated medial moraines as samplers for 10Be‐derived erosion rates of glacier valley walls,Kichatna Mountains,AK

We use cosmogenic ¹⁰Be concentrations in amalgamated rock samples from active, ice‐cored medial moraines to constrain glacial valley sidewall backwearing rates in the Kichatna Mountains, Alaska Range, Alaska. This dramatic landscape is carved into a small ～65 Ma granitic pluton about 100 km west of Denali, where kilometer‐tall rock walls and ‘cathedral’ spires tower over a radial array of over a dozen valley glaciers. These supraglacial landforms erode primarily by rockfall, but erosion rates are difficult to determine. We use cosmogenic ¹⁰Be to measure rockwall backwearing rates on timescales of 10³–10⁴ years, with a straightforward sampling strategy that exploits ablation‐dominated medial moraines. A medial moraine and its associated englacial debris serve as a conveyor system, bringing supraglacial rockfall debris from accumulation‐zone valley walls to the moraine crest in the ablation zone. We discuss quantitatively several factors that complicate interpretation of cosmogenic concentrations in this material, including the complex scaling of production rates in very steep terrain, the stochastic nature of the rockfall erosion process, the unmixed nature of the moraine sediment, and additional cosmogenic accumulation during transport of the sediment. We sampled medial moraines on each of three glaciers of different sizes and topographic aspects. All three moraines are sourced in areas with identical rock and similar sidewall relief of ～1 km. Each sample was amalgamated from 25 to 35 clasts collected over a 1‐km longitudinal transect of each moraine. Two of the glaciers yield similar ¹⁰Be concentrations (～1·6–2·2 × 10⁴ at/g) and minimum sidewall slope‐normal erosion rates (～0·5–0·7 mm/yr). The lowest ¹⁰Be concentrations (8 × 10³ at/g) and the highest erosion rates (1·3 mm/yr) come from the largest glacier in the range with the lowest late‐summer snowline. These rates are reasonable in an alpine glacial setting, and are much faster than long‐term exhumation rates of the western Alaska Range as determined by thermochronometric studies. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short‐term erosion rates from a 7Be inventory balance

Detailed soil erosion studies bene?t from the ability to quantify the magnitude of erosion over time scales appropriate to the process. An inventory balance for ⁷Be was used to calculate sediment erosion in a 30·73 m² plot during a series of runoff‐producing thunderstorms occurring over three days at the Deep Loess Research Station in Treynor, Iowa, USA. The inventory balance included determination of the pre‐ and post‐storm ⁷Be inventories in the soil, the atmospheric in?ux of ⁷Be during the event, and pro?les of the ⁷Be activity in the soil following the atmospheric deposition. The erosion calculated in the plot using the ⁷Be inventory balance was 0·058 g cm^?2, which is 23 per cent of the annual average erosion determined using ¹³⁷Cs inventories. The calculated erosion from the mass balance is similar to the 0·059 g cm^?2 of erosion estimated from the amount of sediment collected at the outlet of the 6 ha ?eld during the study period and the delivery ratio (0·64). The inventory balance of ⁷Be provides a new means for evaluating soil erosion over the time period most relevant to quantifying the prediction of erosion from runoff. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The measurement of river bank erosion and lateral channel change: A review

A detailed review and chronological survey is presented of the various techniques which have been used for the measurement of river bank erosion and channel change. The techniques are classified according to the time scales involved (long, intermediate and short) and each is discussed with respect to accuracy and repeatability. The methods covered include sedimentological evidence, botanical evidence, historical sources, planimetric resurvey, repeated cross-profiling, erosion pins and terrestrial photogrammetry. Prospects for future developments are also discussed.     

Development of ST:REAM: a reach‐based stream power balance approach for predicting alluvial river channel adjustment

River channel sediment dynamics are important in integrated catchment management because changes in channel morphology resulting from sediment transfer have important implications for many river functions. However, application of existing approaches that account for catchment‐scale sediment dynamics has been limited, largely due to the difficulty in obtaining data necessary to support them. It is within this context that this study develops a new, reach‐based, stream power balance approach for predicting river channel adjustment. The new approach, named ST:REAM (sediment transport: reach equilibrium assessment method), is based upon calculations of unit bed area stream power (ω) derived from remotely sensed slope, width and discharge datasets. ST:REAM applies a zonation algorithm to values of ω that are spaced every 50 m along the catchment network in order to divide the branches of the network up into relatively homogenous reaches. ST:REAM then compares each reach's ω value with the ω of its upstream neighbour in order to predict whether or not the reach is likely to be either erosion dominated or deposition dominated. The paper describes the application of ST:REAM to the River Taff in South Wales, UK. This test study demonstrated that ST:REAM can be rapidly applied using remotely sensed data that are available across many river catchments and that ST:REAM correctly predicted the status of 87.5% of sites within the Taff catchment that field observations had defined as being either erosion or deposition dominated. However, there are currently a number of factors that limit the usefulness of ST:REAM, including inconsistent performance and the need for additional, resource intensive, data to be collected to both calibrate the model and aid interpretation of its results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dating of erosion surface and terraces in the eastern Qilian Shan,northwest China

The actively deformed foreland of eastern Qilian Shan (mountains) contains well‐preserved geomorphic features such as erosion surfaces, river terraces and tectonically uplifted alluvial fans, providing suitable archives for research on regional tectonic activities and palaeoclimatic changes. These geomorphic surfaces are well dated by using a combination of magnetostratigraphy, electron spin resonance, thermoluminescence, infra‐red stimulated luminescence, radiocarbon dating, and correlation with the well‐established loess–palaeosol sequences of China. Our results show that the erosion surface formed about 1·4 Ma ago, and the age of river terraces is 1·24 Ma, 820–860 ka, 780 ka, 420–440 ka, 230–250 ka, 140 ka, 60 ka and 10 ka, respectively. Valley incision rates of c. 0·09–0·25 m ka^?1 have been identified. The repetitive stratigraphic and geomorphic pattern of these terraces indicates the fluvial sedimentation–incision cycles are tightly associated with the 100‐ka glacial–interglacial climatic cycles. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid decrease of soil erosion rates with soil formation and vegetation development in periglacial areas

High mountainous areas are geomorphologically active environments which are strongly shaped by redistribution of sediments and soils. With the projected climate warming in the twenty-first century and the continued retreat of glaciers, the area of newly exposed, highly erodible sediments and soils will increase. This presents a need to better understand and quantify erosion processes in young mountainous soils, as an increase in erodibility could threaten human infrastructure (i.e. hydroelectric power, tourist installations and settlements). While soil development is increasingly well understood and quantified, a coupling to soil erosion rates is still missing. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess how soil erosion rates change with surface age. We investigated two moraine chronosequences in the Swiss Alps: one in the siliceous periglacial area of Steingletscher (Sustenpass), with soils ranging from 30 a to 10 ka, and the other in the calcareous periglacial area of Griessgletscher (Klausenpass) with surfaces ranging from age of 110 a to 13.5 ka. We quantified the erosion rates using the ^239+240Pu fallout radionuclides and compared them to physical and chemical soil properties and the vegetation coverage. We found no significant differences between the two parent materials. At both chronosequences, the erosion rates were highest in the young soils (on average 5−10 t ha^-1 a^-1 soil loss). Erosion rates decreased markedly after 3−5 ka of soil development (on average 1−2.5 t ha^-1 a^-1 soil loss) to reach a more or less stable situation after 10−14 ka (on average 0.3–2 t ha^-1 a^-1). Climate change not only causes glacier retreat, but also increased sediment dynamics. Depending on the relief and vegetational development, it takes up to at least 10 ka to reach soil stability. The establishment of a closed vegetation cover with dense root networks seems to be the controlling factor in the reduction of soil erodibility. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monitoring soil erosion on agricultural land: results and implications for the Rother valley,West Sussex,UK

Monitoring has played a key role in understanding the rates, extent and frequency of erosion on agricultural land and this includes projects in Switzerland, Germany and the UK. In this case we focus on highly erodible soils in the Rother valley, West Sussex, southern England on which grow a range of arable crops throughout the year. Erosion rates and extent are high, particularly in response to exceptionally wet periods in the early winter. In the monitored period, rates on summer crops were relatively low due to an absence of intense summer storms. In the years 2015–2020, erosion was localized to where limited areas of bare ground coincided with heavy winter rainfall. Issues of river pollution, associated with excessive sedimentation, off-site flooding and a high degree of connectivity between arable fields and the river, are of increasing concern. Mitigation measures need to be expanded to protect freshwater systems and properties. This study has implications for similar programmes in intensely farmed regions. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measuring bluff erosion part 1: terrestrial laser scanning methods for change detection

Human activities influence watershed sediment dynamics in profound ways, often resulting in excessive loading of suspended sediment to rivers. One of the primary factors limiting our ability to effectively manage sediment at the watershed scale has been our inability to adequately measure relatively small erosion rates (on the order of millimeters to centimeters per year) over annual and sub‐annual time scales on spatially‐extensive landforms, such as river banks and bluffs. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) can be employed to address this need. TLS collects high‐resolution data allowing for more accurate monitoring of erosion rates and processes, and provides a new opportunity to make precise measurements of geomorphic change on vertical landforms like banks and bluffs, but challenges remain. This research highlights challenges and limitations of using TLS for change detection on river banks and bluffs including the presence of vegetation, natural surface crenulations, and difficulties with creating benchmarks, and provides solutions developed to overcome these limitations. Results indicate that data processing algorithms for change detection can have a significant impact on the calculated erosion rates, with different methods producing results that can vary by over 100%. The most accurate change detection technique compares a point cloud to a triangulated irregular network (TIN) along a set of vectors that accommodate bluff curvature. This paper outlines a variety of methods used to measure bluff change via TLS and explains the accompanying error analysis that supports these methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temporal and spatial variation of soil erosion in wooded rangelands of southwest Spain

Changes in land use are common in Mediterranean areas and are reported as having produced changes in the intensity of soil erosion. Dehesas are rangelands with a disperse tree cover, widespread in the south-western part of the Iberian Peninsula and similar ecosystems are also common in other areas with a Mediterranean climate. The aim of the present study is to analyse temporal and spatial variations of soil erosion rates estimated along three hillsides, located in two farms (Buitrera and Parapuños) in southwest Spain. To understand the temporal variation, soil erosion rates were studied in light of land use-management changes that took place during the last few centuries. Results indicate very low erosion rates prior to the 18^th century in both farms. In Buitrera, a first increase of soil loss rates was identified during the period 1831-1897, amounting to 7.4 t ha^-1 y^-1. A further increase took place during the 20^th century, reaching a mean erosion rate of 29.1 t ha^-1 y^-1. In Parapuños, data points to a significant increase from 1881 onwards, with an estimated mean erosion rate of 18.5 t ha^-1 y^-1. Those increases were presumably connected with an intensification of land use, such as cultivation and excessive livestock populations. Regarding spatial variation, the bare surface and the erosive power of run-off along the hillsides accounts for 76% of the soil erosion rates dispersion. At a local scale, the variability of erosion rates could not be explained, because of (i) uncertainty related to the micromorphology of the past soil surface and (ii) the role of tillage erosion in the past. However, the results obtained offer valuable data on the temporal and spatial variation of erosion rates in dehesas at the hillslope scale and a similar approach could be used for other rangelands with a disperse tree cover. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Climate‐driven decrease in erosion in extant Mediterranean badlands

Badland areas provide some of the highest erosion rates globally. Most studies of erosion have insufficient lengths of record to interrogate the impacts of decadal‐scale changes in precipitation on rates of badland erosion in regions such as the Mediterranean, which are known to be sensitive to land degradation and desertification. Erosion measurements, derived from field monitoring using erosion pins, in southern Italy during the period 1974–2004 are used to explore the impacts of changing precipitation patterns on badland erosion. Erosion on badland inter‐rill areas is strongly correlated with cumulative rainfall over each monitoring period. Annual precipitation has a substantial dynamic range, but both annual and winter (December, January, February) rainfall amounts in southern Italy show a steady decrease over the period 1970–2000. The persistence of positive values of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation index in the period 1980–2000 is correlated with a reduction in the winter rainfall amounts. Future climate scenarios show a reduction in annual rainfall across the western and central Mediterranean which is likely to result in a further reduction in erosion rates in existing badlands. Copyright © 2010 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.     

Shoreline erosion: a cautionary note in using small farm dams to determine catchment erosion rates

Data from 10 small farm dams in SE Australia show that shoreline erosion due to farm livestock access to the dams can account for a significant proportion (up to 85%) of sediment contained in the dam. The volumes of sediment resulting from such shoreline erosion may be of the same order as the volumes produced by gully erosion in the dams' catchments, prompting caution in using farm dams to which livestock have access to determine small catchment erosion rates. Other issues, related to the trap efficiency, also mean that erosion estimates based on farm dam sedimentation should be treated with caution. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.