Controls on the occurrence and prevalence of floodplain channels in meandering rivers

The process of channelization on river floodplains plays an essential role in regulating river sinuosity and creating river avulsions. Most channelization occurs within the channel belt (e.g. chute channels), but growing evidence suggests some channels originate outside of the channel‐belt in the floodplain. To understand the occurrence and prevalence of these floodplain channels we mapped 3064 km² of floodplain in Indiana, USA using 1.5 m resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. We find the following range of channelization types on floodplains in Indiana: 6.8% of floodplain area has no evidence of channelization, 55.9% of floodplains show evidence (e.g. oxbow lakes) of chute‐channel activity in the channel belt, and 37.3% of floodplains contain floodplain channels that form long, coherent down‐valley pathways with bifurcations and confluences, and they are active only during overbank discharge. Whereas the first two types of floodplains are relatively well studied, only a few studies have recognized the existence of floodplain channels. To understand why floodplain channels occur, we compared the presence of channelization types with measured floodplain width, floodplain slope, river width, river meander rate, sinuosity, flooding frequency, soil composition, and land cover. Results show floodplain channels occur when the fluvial systems are characterized by large floodplain‐to‐river widths, relatively higher meandering rates, and are dominantly used for agriculture. More detailed reach‐scale mapping reveals that up to 75% of channel reaches within floodplain channels are likely paleo‐meander cutoffs. The meander cutoffs are connected by secondary channels to form floodplain channels. We suggest that secondary channels within floodplains form by differential erosion across the floodplain, linking together pre‐existing topographic lows, such as meander cutoffs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of sediment pulses on bed relief in bar‐pool channels

To further develop prediction of the range of morphological adjustments associated with sediment pulses in bar‐pool channels, we analyze channel bed topographic data collected prior to and following the removal of two dams in Oregon: Marmot Dam on the Sandy River and Brownsville Dam on the Calapooia River. We hypothesize that, in gravel‐bed, bar‐pool channels, the response of bed relief to sand and gravel sediment pulses is a function of initial relief and pulse magnitude. Modest increases in sediment supply to initially low‐relief, sediment‐poor cross‐sections will increase bed relief and variance of bed relief via bar deposition. Modest increases in sediment supply to initially high‐relief cross‐sections, characteristic of alternate bar morphology, will result in decreased bed relief and variance of relief via deposition in bar‐adjacent pools. These hypothesized adjustments are measured in terms of bed relief, which we define as the difference in elevation between the pool‐bottom and bar‐top. We evaluate how relief varies with sediment thickness, where both relief and mean sediment thickness at a cross‐section are normalized by the 90th percentile of observed relief values within a reach prior to a sediment pulse. Field measurements generally supported the stated hypotheses, demonstrating how introduction of a sediment pulse to low‐relief reaches can increase mean and variance of relief, while introduction to high‐relief reaches can decrease the mean and variance of bed relief, at least temporarily. In general, at both sites, the degree of impact increased with the thickness of sediment delivered to the cross‐section. Results thus suggest that the analysis is a useful step for understanding the morphological effects of sediment pulses introduced to gravel‐bed, bar‐pool channels. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of human activity on the estuary of the Qiantang River and the reclamation of tidal flats and river regulation

The swing of the main channel of the Qiantang River is controlled by the high-water and low-water changes in the river, as well as the impact of large-scale reclamation of tidal flats. Its evolution in modern times is the result of the combined functions of natural and man-made factors. This paper analyzes the cause of the formation of the South Channel and Xisan Tidal Furrow and proposes the regulation principle of “To regulate the river and reclaim tidal flats by taking the advantage of local topography”. It is suggested to cut off the South Channel and Xisan Tidal Furrow completely to restrict the swing of the main channel and to increase the reclamation area of the tidal flat at the same time.     

河口涨落潮槽水动力特征及河槽类型判定

在前人对河口冲刷槽研究的基础上,选择长江口南支、新桥水道、南小泓和南港主槽作为典型涨、落潮槽研究对象,以2001年洪季和2003年枯季实测资料为根据,比较分析了长江口涨落潮槽的水流、泥沙、优势流和优势沙等动力特征,结果表明用单一因子分析河槽性质不够全面.提出了一个(无量纲因子)河槽类型系数(λ)来综合表述河槽的多种水文泥沙特征,可以较全面地用多个影响因子来合理地判断河槽类型.     

Sedimentary Features of Shallow Ancient River Channels on the Northern Shelf of the South China Sea1

Abstract Quaternary buried ancient river channels are widespread in the shallow-level sediments of the northern shelf of the South China Sea. The sedimentary sequence mainly of fluvial deposits comprise an important component part of the low-stand system tract and transgressive system tract in the study region. The plannar variation and spatial association of the sedimentary features such as incised valley fillings, deltaic foreset wedges and block slides of shelf-marginal fans reflect the palaeogeographic environment during the fall of the regional sea level in the northern part of the South China Sea. Based on the high-resolution seismic reflection data and gelogical data from boreholes, the present paper makes an integrated interpretation of the Quaternary ancient river channels in the shallow sediments of the study area, studies the sedimentary features of the ancient channels such as their spatial distribution, seismic facies reflection indicators, sedimentary facies and sand-body types, and discusses their formational setting and evolutionary model, with the main purpose to render a service to the hydrocarbon resources exploration and development and marine engineering in the northern shelf of the South China Sea.     

EVOLUTION OF RAPIDS OF CREEK MOUTH－BAR AT GEZHOUBA RESERVOIR AND THE IMPACTS ON NAVIGABLE CHANNEL IN THE UPPER REACHES OF THE CHANGJIANG RIVER

ＥＶＯＬＵＴＩＯＮＯＦＲＡＰＩＤＳＯＦＣＲＥＥＫＭＯＵＴＨ－ＢＡＲＡＴＧＥＺＨＯＵＢＡＲＥＳＥＲＶＯＩＲＡＮＤＴＨＥＩＭＰＡＣＴＳＯＮＮＡＶＩＧＡＢＬＥＣＨＡＮＮＥＬＩＮＴＨＥＵＰＰＥＲＲＥＡＣＨＥＳＯＦＴＨＥＣＨＡＮＧＪＩＡＮＧＲＩＶＥＲ￥ＬｉｎＣ...     

滨州海岸带土壤和海底沉积物重金属空间分布特征

通过对滨州近海海域海底沉积物测试数据及海岸带陆域土壤地球化学分析,对滨州海岸带陆域土壤和海底沉积物中7种重金属(Hg,Cd,Pb,Cu,Zn,Cr,Ni)的空间分布特征进行了研究,并绘制了各指标含量陆海联合分区图。分析结果表明,滨州市海岸带重金属元素含量基本上均低于国标规定的海洋一类沉积物的最高标准,仅有个别元素含量超过一级标准值,表明局部存在一定的重金属污染。从滨州海岸带重金属含量空间分布上来看,除Hg元素外,其余重金属元素含量呈现一定的规律,基本上陆域含量高于海域含量,且大部分元素都呈现出陆域城镇值高,郊区值低的态势。区内化工企业较发达,Ni,Cr属于中度变异区,Cd,Hg,Pb属于高度变异,受人为影响因素较大,考虑区内土壤及海底沉积物重金属富集主要来源于工业"三废"。     

Variability of stream extents controlled by flow regime and network hydraulic scaling

Stream networks expand and contract through time, impacting chemical export, aquatic habitat, and water quality. Although recent advances improve prediction of the extent of the wetted channel network (L ) based on discharge at the catchment outlet (Q ), controls on the temporal variability of L remain poorly understood and unquantified. Here we develop a quantitative, conceptual framework to explore how flow regime and stream network hydraulic scaling factors co-determine the relative temporal variability in L (denoted here as the total wetted channel drainage density). Network hydraulic scaling determines how much L changes for a change in Q , while the flow regime describes how Q changes in time. We compiled datasets of co-located dynamic stream extent mapping and discharge to analyze all globally available empirical data using the presented framework. We found that although variability in L is universally damped relative to variability in Q (i.e., streamflow is relatively more variable in time than network extent), the relationship is elastic, meaning that for a given increase in the variability in Q , headwater catchments will experience greater-than-proportional increases in the variability of L . Thus, under anticipated climatic shifts towards more volatile precipitation, relative variability in headwater stream network extents can be expected to increase even more than the relative variability of discharge itself. Comparison between network extents inferred from the L -Q relationship and blue lines on USGS topographic maps shows widespread underestimation of the wetted channel network by the blue line network.     

“海上丝绸之路”主要海域热带气旋时空分布特征及其危险性

热带气旋作为一种海上灾害性天气,对“海上丝绸之路”海上航运影响重大。本文基于西北太平洋和北印度洋1990—2017年的热带气旋路径数据,结合热带气旋风场参数模型,利用缓冲区分析、叠加分析等GIS空间分析技术,系统研究了“海上丝绸之路”主要海域、主要海区、关键通道受热带气旋影响频次以及热带气旋危险性的时空分布特征。主要结论：① “海上丝绸之路”主要海域受热带气旋影响严重,表现在热带气旋影响范围广、影响频次高,其中西北太平洋较北印度洋受热带气旋影响更为严重,危险性更大;② 西北太平洋的15°N—30°N,120°E-—145°E海域热带气旋危险性最高;③ 热带气旋危险性季节变化较为明显,秋夏两季危险性较高,冬春两季危险性较低,在夏秋两季各月份中,7、8、9、10月危险最高;④ 在各海区中,中国东部海区热带气旋危险最高,其次是南海、日本海、孟加拉湾、阿拉伯海,而红海和波斯湾不受热带气旋影响;在各关键通道中,吕宋海峡热带气旋危险性最高,其次是台湾海峡、对马海峡、宗谷海峡、鞑靼海峡、保克海峡、霍尔木兹海峡,而马六甲海峡和曼德海峡无热带气旋危险。