Rivers in the Landscape: Science and Management

332 Pages·2014·8.785 MB·English

by  Ellen Wohl

Ellen Wohl
RIVERS IN THE
LANDSCAPE
Science and
Management

Rivers in the
Landscape

Rivers in the
Landscape
Science and Management
Ellen Wohl
Department of Geosciences, Colorado State University,
Colorado, USA
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Wohl,EllenE.,1962–
Riversinthelandscape/EllenWohl.
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Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-1-118-41483-5(cloth:alk.paper)–ISBN978-1-118-41489-7(pbk.:alk.paper) 1.Rivers.
2.Riverchannels. I.Title.
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1 2014
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
AbouttheCompanionWebsite xi
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
1.1 Connectivityandinequality 1
1.2 Sixdegreesofconnection 3
1.3 Riversasintegrators 6
1.4 Organizationofthisvolume 7
1.5 Understandingrivers 9
1.5.1 TheColoradoFrontRange 9
1.6 Onlyconnect 19
Chapter 2 Creating channels and channel networks 21
2.1 Generatingwater,solutes,andsediment 21
2.1.1 Generatingwater 21
2.1.2 Generatingsedimentandsolutes 22
2.2 Gettingwater,solutes,andsedimentdownslopetochannels 23
2.2.1 Downslopepathwaysofwater 23
2.2.2 Downslopemovementofsediment 29
2.2.3 Processesandpatternsofwaterchemistryenteringchannels 32
2.2.4 Influenceoftheriparianzoneonfluxesintochannels 32
2.3 Channelinitiation 34
2.4 Extensionanddevelopmentofthedrainagenetwork 37
2.4.1 Morphometricindicesandscalinglaws 37
2.4.2 Optimality 40
2.5 Spatialdifferentiationwithindrainagebasins 41
2.6 Summary 43
Channel processes I 45
Chapter 3 Water dynamics 47
3.1 Hydraulics 47
3.1.1 Flowclassification 48
3.1.2 Energy,flowstate,andhydraulicjumps 51
3.1.3 Uniformflowequationsandflowresistance 53
3.1.4 Velocityandturbulence 60
3.1.5 Measuresofenergyexertedagainstthechannelboundaries 65
v
vi Contents
3.2 Hydrology 67
3.2.1 Measuring,indirectlyestimating,andmodelingdischarge 67
3.2.2 Floodfrequencyanalysis 71
3.2.3 Hydrographs 73
3.2.4 Otherparametersusedtocharacterizedischarge 75
3.2.5 Hyporheicexchangeandhydrology 77
3.2.6 Riverhydrologyincoldregions 77
3.2.7 Humaninfluencesonhydrology 78
3.3 Summary 79
Channel processes II 81
Chapter 4 Fluvial sediment dynamics 83
4.1 Thechannelbedandinitiationofmotion 84
4.1.1 Bedsedimentcharacterization 84
4.1.2 Entrainmentofnon-cohesivesediment 85
4.1.3 Erosionofcohesivebeds 89
4.2 Sedimenttransport 91
4.2.1 Dissolvedload 91
4.2.2 Suspendedload 94
4.2.3 Bedload 98
4.3 Bedforms 104
4.3.1 Readilymobilebedforms 105
4.3.2 Infrequentlymobilebedforms 108
4.3.3 Bedformsincohesivesediments 115
4.4 In-channeldepositionalprocesses 115
4.5 Bankstabilityanderosion 117
4.6 Sedimentbudgets 120
4.7 Summary 124
Chapter 5 Channel forms 125
5.1 Cross-sectionalgeometry 125
5.1.1 Bankfull,dominant,andeffectivedischarge 125
5.1.2 Widthtodepthratio 127
5.1.3 Hydraulicgeometry 128
5.1.4 Lane’sbalance 130
5.1.5 Complexresponse 132
5.1.6 Channelevolutionmodels 133
5.2 Channelplanform 133
5.2.1 Straightchannels 135
5.2.2 Meanderingchannels 136
5.2.3 Wanderingchannels 139
5.2.4 Braidedchannels 139
5.2.5 Anabranchingchannels 142
Contents vii
5.2.6 Compoundchannels 143
5.2.7 Karstchannels 144
5.2.8 Continuumconcept 144
5.2.9 Rivermetamorphosis 146
5.3 Confluences 147
5.4 Rivergradient 149
5.4.1 Longitudinalprofile 151
5.4.2 Streamgradientindex 153
5.4.3 Knickpoints 154
5.5 Adjustmentofchannelform 156
5.5.1 Extremalhypothesesofchanneladjustment 157
5.5.2 Geomorphiceffectsoffloods 157
5.6 Downstreamtrends 160
5.6.1 Grainsize 160
5.6.2 Instreamwood 161
5.7 Summary 163
Chapter 6 Extra-channel environments 165
6.1 Floodplains 165
6.1.1 Depositionalprocessesandfloodplainstratigraphy 167
6.1.2 Erosionalprocessesandfloodplainturnovertimes 172
6.1.3 Downstreamtrendsinfloodplainformandprocess 174
6.1.4 Classificationoffloodplains 175
6.2 Terraces 175
6.2.1 Terraceclassifications 176
6.2.2 Mechanismsofterraceformationandpreservation 176
6.2.3 Terracesaspaleoprofilesandpaleoenvironmentalindicators 179
6.3 AlluvialFans 181
6.3.1 Erosionalanddepositionalprocesses 182
6.3.2 Fangeometryandstratigraphy 183
6.4 Deltas 185
6.4.1 Processesoferosionanddeposition 186
6.4.2 Deltamorphologyandstratigraphy 187
6.4.3 Paleoenvironmentalrecords 190
6.4.4 DeltasintheAnthropocene 191
6.5 Estuaries 192
6.6 Summary 194
Chapter 7 Humans and rivers 197
7.1 Indirectimpacts 198
7.1.1 Climatechange 198
7.1.2 Alteredlandcover 200
7.2 Directimpacts 205
7.2.1 Flowregulation 205
7.2.2 Alteredchannelformandconnectivity 208
viii Contents
7.3 Rivermanagementinanenvironmentalcontext 215
7.3.1 Referenceconditions 215
7.3.2 Restoration 217
7.3.3 Instream,channelmaintenance,andenvironmentalflows 221
7.4 Riverhealth 223
7.5 Summary 224
Chapter 8 Rivers in the landscape 225
8.1 Riversandtopography 225
8.1.1 Tectonicinfluencesonrivergeometry 226
8.1.2 Effectsofriverincisionontectonics 228
8.1.3 Indicatorsofrelationsbetweenriversandlandscapeevolution 228
8.1.4 Tectonics,topography,andlargerivers 229
8.2 Geomorphicprocessdomains 230
8.3 Connectivity 232
8.4 Climaticsignatures 234
8.4.1 Highlatitudes 234
8.4.2 Lowlatitudes 235
8.4.3 Warmdrylands 236
8.5 Riverswithahistory 237
8.5.1 UpperSouthPlatteRiverdrainage,Colorado,USA 240
8.5.2 UpperRioChagres,Panama 242
8.5.3 MackenzieRiverdrainage,Canada 244
8.5.4 OregonCoastRange,USA 246
8.5.5 YumaWash,Arizona,USA 248
8.6 Thegreatercontext 250
References 255
Index 311