Spatial correspondence of knickzones and stream confluences along bedrock rivers in Japan: implications for hydraulic formation of knickzones

Knickzones, defined here as locally steep reaches including distinct knickpoints, in bedrock river morphology, have often been investigated in relation to local anomalies in lithology, tectonics, hydraulics, climate and associated base‐level change, and/or deformation of valley‐side slopes. However, exact formative causes of many knickzones in a humid, tectonically active island arc remain unclear. Using databases of geology, streams and knickzones, we examine knickzone distribution across the Japanese Archipelago to evaluate the effects of the stream network structure and rock type boundaries on knickzone formation. Knickzones are frequently found just upstream and downstream of major stream confluences along mainstreams, whereas knickzones are less frequent around major rock type boundaries. While the major confluences do not form hanging valleys due to similar catchment size, this observation suggests that many knickzones have been formed by the long‐term effect of flow turbulence scouring bedrock at the confluences. Such a hydraulic control on bedrock erosion in the steep Japanese mountains under humid climate conditions indicates that the formative cause of many knickzones therein can be autogenic by means of stream hydraulics.