High resolution,basin extent observations and implications for understanding river form and process

Fifty years of fluvial studies have posited a variety of conceptual frameworks for characterizing river forms and processes throughout entire basins, including hydraulic geometry, the river continuum concept, self‐organized criticality, and sediment links. This article uses basin‐extent, high resolution observations of fluvial forms in the Nueces River basin, Texas, and Yellowstone National Park to evaluate the ability of these frameworks to characterize system behavior across a multitude of scales. The Nueces data were collected with remote sensing methods and the Yellowstone data were collected through extensive field surveys. The data resolution, spatial extent, and quality of these data sets allow direct comparison between the two areas. The ‘hyperscale’ comparison supports using of each these frameworks at specific scales, but also indicates an irreducible amount of variation in both datasets across many different scales that is not captured by the conceptual frameworks. Moreover, the scales and locations where one framework, such as hydraulic geometry, works well are often not the same scales and locations where another framework, such as the river continuum concept, works well. Because the conceptual frameworks appear to operate at scales and locations distinct from one another, the measurement approaches necessary to observe them must also be at different scales and locations. For example, ‘seeing’ self‐organized criticality in a river system is difficult without an extensive survey through space, whereas the recognition of sediment links requires quite intense sampling in specific river regions. We suggest that these separations between measurement scales represent an incommensurability issue in river studies, making it very difficult to both communicate among and test between two or more competing theories. Making simultaneous hyperscale observations of the river is one approach to minimizing the theory‐ladeness of observation, as deviations from different predictions can be plotted at every scale. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocene flood histories in south‐western USA

River basins in south‐western USA are some of the most extensively studied arid land fluvial systems in the world. Since the early 1960s their hydro‐climatic histories have been reconstructed from the analysis of alluvial cut‐and‐fill cycles, while from the late 1970s there have been investigations of slackwater deposits and palaeostage indicators for large floods in stable‐boundary bedrock reaches. However, no studies have regionally integrated Holocene fluvial histories from these two different types of fluvial environments. The current study combines the alluvial archive with flood records from bedrock reaches to generate a probability‐based 12,000 year record of flooding in south‐western USA. Using more than 700 ¹⁴C‐dated fluvial units, the analysis produces a high resolution (centennial) flood record. Seven episodes of increased flooding occurred at 11,250–10,400, 8800–8350, 8230–7600, 6700–5700, 5600–4820, 4550–3320 and 2000–0 cal. BP. Bedrock reaches are found to record more frequent floods during the middle to late Holocene, while in alluvial rivers more flood units are dated to the early and middle Holocene. These differences are primarily the result of selective preservation with alluvial reaches tending to erode during periods characterised by very large floods. Episodes of major Holocene flooding recorded in slackwater deposits within bedrock systems correspond with periods of increased precipitation in the region and lower temperatures. In contrast, within alluvial rivers above‐average flooding probabilities, as well as regionally extensive channel entrenchment episodes, match with reduced annual precipitation and lower temperatures. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the value of the Holocene fluvial archive for reconstructing regional, short‐term hydro‐climatic change in south‐western USA. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The role of soil in vegetated gravelly river braid plains: more than just a passive response?

This paper reviews the role of alluvial soils in vegetated gravelly river braid plains. When considering decadal timescales of river evolution, we argue that it becomes vital to consider soil development as an emergent property of the developing ecosystem. Soil processes have been relatively overlooked in accounts of the interactions between braided river processes and vegetation, although soils have been observed on vegetated fluvial landforms. We hypothesize that soil development plays a major role in the transition (speed and pathway) from a fresh sediment deposit to a vegetated soil‐covered landform. Disturbance (erosion and/or deposition), vertical sediment structure (process history), vegetation succession, biological activity and water table fluctuation are seen as the main controls on early alluvial soil evolution. Erosion and deposition processes may not only act as soil disturbing agents, but also as suppliers of ecosystem resources, because of their role in delivering and changing access (e.g. through avulsion) to fluxes of water, fine sediments and organic matter. In turn, the associated initial ecosystem may influence further fluvial landform development, such as through the trapping of fine‐grained sediments (e.g. sand) by the engineering action of vegetation and the deposit stabilization by the developing aboveground and belowground biomass. This may create a strong feedback between geomorphological processes, vegetation succession and soil evolution which we summarize in a conceptual model. We illustrate this model by an example from the Allondon River (Switzerland) and identify the research questions that follow. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Video‐based gravel transport measurements with a flume mounted light table

The study of bedload transport processes is constrained by an inability to monitor the mass, volume and grain size distribution of sediment in transport at high temporal frequencies. Building upon a previously published design, we have integrated a high‐resolution (1392 × 1024 pixels) video camera with a light table to continuously capture images of 2–181 mm material exiting a flume. The images are continuously recorded at a rate of 15 to 20 frames per second and are post‐processed using LabView^(?) software, yielding continuous grain‐size‐specific transport information on a per second basis. The video capture rate is sufficient to record multiple images of each grain leaving the flume so that particle velocities can be measured automatically. No manual image processing is required. After calibration the method is accurate and precise for sediment in the 2 mm through to 45 mm grain size classes compared with other means of measuring bedload. Based on a set of validation samples, no statistically significant difference existed between the D₁₀, D₁₆, D₂₅, D₅₀, D₇₅, D₈₄, D₉₀ and D₉₅ determined by sieving captured samples and the D_i values determined with the system. On average the system overpredicted transport by 4 per cent (n = 206, SD = 42%). This error can be corrected easily by simply weighing the mass of sediment that leaves the flume. The technology is relatively inexpensive and provides high‐resolution data on coarse sediment transport out of a flume. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of bedload transport characteristics of Idaho streams and rivers

Field data are essential in evaluating the adequacy of predictive equations for sediment transport. Each dataset based on the sediment transport rates and other relevant information gives an increased understanding and improved quantification of different factors influencing the sediment transport regime in the specific environment. Data collected for 33 sites on 31 mountain streams and rivers in Central Idaho have enabled the analysis of sediment transport characteristics in streams and rivers with different geological, topographic, morphological, hydrological, hydraulic, and sedimentological characteristics. All of these streams and rivers have armored, poorly sorted bed material with the median particle size of surface layer coarser than the subsurface layer. The fact that the largest particles in the bedload samples did not exceed the median particle size of the bed surface material indicates that the armor layer is stable for the observed flow discharges (generally bankfull or less, and in some cases two times higher than bankfull discharge). The bedload transport is size‐selective. The transport rates are generally low, since sediment supply is less than the ability of flow to move the sediment for one range of flow discharges, or, the hydraulic ability of the stream is insufficient for entrainment of the coarse bed material. Detailed analyses of bedload transport rates, bedload and bed material characteristics were performed for each site. The obtained results and conclusions are used to identify different influences on bedload transport rates in analyzed gravel‐bed rivers. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of climate change on suspended sediment transport in Danish rivers

The HIRHAM regional climate model suggests an increase in temperature in Denmark of about 3 °C and an increase in mean annual precipitation of 6–7%, with a larger increase during winter and a decrease during summer between a control period 1961–1990 and scenario period 2071–2100. This change of climate will affect the suspended sediment transport in rivers, directly through erosion processes and increased river discharges and indirectly through changes in land use and land cover. Climate‐change‐induced changes in suspended sediment transport are modelled for five scenarios on the basis of modelled changes in land use/land cover for two Danish river catchments: the alluvial River Ansager and the non‐alluvial River Odense. Mean annual suspended sediment transport is modelled to increase by 17% in the alluvial river and by 27% in the non‐alluvial for steady‐state scenarios. Increases by about 9% in the alluvial river and 24% in the non‐alluvial river were determined for scenarios incorporating a prolonged growing season for catchment vegetation. Shortening of the growing season is found to have little influence on mean annual sediment transport. Mean monthly changes in suspended sediment transport between ? 26% and + 68% are found for comparable suspended sediment transport scenarios between the control and the scenario periods. The suspended sediment transport increases during winter months as a result of the increase in river discharge caused by the increase in precipitation, and decreases during summer and early autumn months. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

冻融作用对我国北方季节性冰冻河流岸坡稳定性的影响：以松花江典型河段为例

岸滩侧蚀崩塌现象普遍存在于江河湖泊中,是一种危害较大的自然灾害。季节性冰冻河流受水动力、冻融耦合作用,岸滩崩塌机理复杂,开展其岸坡稳定性研究对河势控制和河流综合治理具有重要意义。以松花江干流大顶子山航电枢纽下游近坝段为例,采用BSTEM断面尺度模型,对河岸崩塌过程进行了模拟,定量分析了冻融作用对河岸稳定性的影响。研究结果表明:涨水期河岸稳定性相对较高,洪水期和退水期稳定性相对较低,为崩岸多发时期;冻融作用会使河岸稳定安全系数F_s提前达到不稳定临界值,即与不考虑冻融作用相比,河岸提前崩塌,且考虑冻融作用的崩塌宽度更接近实测值,累计冲刷崩塌总量增幅约为7%～41%。研究结果可为季节性冰冻河流岸滩崩塌及河道演变研究提供一定借鉴和参考。     

阿留申低压次季节尺度异常对北太平洋冬季降水的影响分析

利用1979—2018年的冬季逐日气象数据,研究了北太平洋地区冬季（12月至次年2月）阿留申低压次季节尺度变化特征,分析了次季节尺度阿留申低压异常与降水和极端降水异常之间的联系。选择1979—2018年共40个阿留申低压次季节尺度从异常增强到减弱的完整事件,记录下每个位相具体日期运用于合成分析。通过合成分析的结果可知：次季节尺度阿留申低压异常增强（减弱）时,北太平洋海盆区的降水呈现出明显的东多（少）西少（多）,同时副热带西太平洋略偏多（少）的分布型。次季节尺度蒸发异常和整层水汽输送散度异常能够解释以上降水异常的空间分布。在阿留申低压异常偏强时,自北太平洋中部向东北延伸至北美沿岸区域内大气河发生频率增加,使得海盆中部向东和东北汇聚更多的水汽,北美西海岸地区更易发生极端降水事件。     

2013 年黑龙江省夏季洪涝灾害成因分析

利用1961-2013年逐日降水资料及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析2013年黑龙江省境内三江流域及支流发生大洪水的原因,并对盛夏降水异常成因进行了分析。结果表明：2013年黑龙江省境内三江流域及其支流发生大洪水的原因为前期降水偏多,使土壤湿度大,流域内蓄水较大;同时,夏季降水偏多,降水时段集中,暴雨频次多于常年;多座大中型承担防洪任务的水库超汛限水位运行,为了保护水库堤坝的安全,泄洪量加大。黑龙江省盛夏降水偏多的主要原因为东北冷涡活动频繁且路径偏北;850 hPa水汽输送充足;200 hPa东亚高空西风急流位置异常,东亚夏季风偏强;500 hPa,欧亚纬向环流弱,西太平洋副热带高压阶段性异常偏北,鄂霍次克海地区阻塞高压明显,黑龙江地区上空盛夏为负距平控制。     

2001-2002水文年环太湖河道的水量及污染物通量

根据2001-2002水文年115条环太湖河道的同步环境监测资料,对水量及污染物通量进行了估算.全年的入湖水量为80.11×108m3,出湖水量为96.67×108m3.入湖水量主要通过西部河网以及西苕溪、望虞河等河流汇入太湖,其中西部河网的入湖量占总入湖量的60%;出湖水量主要通过太浦河、东苕溪以及东部河网汇出太湖,其中太浦河的出湖量占47%.污染物通量的估算结果是,CODMn、TN及TP的入湖总通量分别为37571t/a、28658t/a及1029t/a,出湖总通量分别为35431t/a、14600t/a及668t/a.CODMn、TN及TP入湖通量通过西部河网进入太湖的比例占63%、49%及47%;CODMn、TN及TP出湖通量通过太浦河汇出太湖的比例占51%、45%及34%.通过与上世纪90年代以前相同年型的数据进行对比,除TP外,其它各种污染物的入湖量均明显增加,且污染物在湖泊中的滞留率也显著提高.由此说明,环太湖河道入湖污染负荷的增加是太湖水环境恶化的根本原因.