Flow and sedimentary processes in the meandering river South Esk,Glen Clova,Scotland

Channel geometry, flow and sedimentation in a meander bend of the River South Esk were studied from bankfull stages (January–February) to low water stages (May) in 1974. Bed topography varied little over the study period, showing a typical pool and ripple geometry. Variation of mean depth and velocity with discharge differed from section to section around the bend, due primarily to locally varying flow resistance with stage. The flow pattern for all stages was dominated by a single spiral over the point bar, with a development zone at the bend entrance. Deviation of bed shear stress from the mean flow direction was in general accord with theory, especially for high stages. The use of a uniform longitudinal water surface slope in the calculation of bed shear stress is not justified because of a complicated water surface topography, also such calculated shear may not represent effective bed shear on grains, as it accounts also for energy losses associated with secondary flows. Dunes covered much of the bar at high stages, with increasing proportions of ripples, sand ribbons and lower phase plane beds at low stages. Local flow resistance generally decreases from dunes, diminished and ripple-backed dunes, ripples, sand ribbons to plane beds, and bed forms are predicted quite well by the stream power-grain size scheme. Mean size, sorting and skewness of sediment over the bed changes little with stage. In general, size decreases, sorting improves and skewness changes from positive to negative from the talweg to the inner bank, and in the downstream direction. Allen's (1970a, b) force balance equation for moving bed load particles is supported for bankfull stage, with some reservations, and textural characteristics are explained by progressive sorting in the direction of sediment transport. Large-scale trough cross stratification (with some flat bedding) formed at high stage by dunes (and lower phase plane beds) dominates the point bar sediments. Alternations of fine-medium sand (often cross-laminated) and vegetation-rich layers result from periodic deposition on the grassed upper bar surface. Fining upwards sequences produced by lateral channel migration are modified by a coarsening upward subsequence in the upstream bar region where spiral flow is developing from the bend upstream.