Gravel bars in braided-river channels of the basal buntsandstein-facies conglomerates in the cuenca province (Southeastern Iberian ranges, Central Spain)

Author(s):  
Jose Lopez ◽  
Alfredo Arche
Author(s):  
Mustafa Kemal Cambazoglu ◽  
Cheryl Ann Blain

The aim of this study is to construct a modeling system that will assist flood risk management strategies in a coastal plain braided river system. The model configuration consists of a hydrodynamic model (ADCIRC) of the river basin that receives tidal forcing at the open boundary and river discharge forcing at upstream flux boundary. An unstructured mesh model resolving the Pearl River channels at higher resolution from the coastline to approximately 75km inland to upstream reaches of the river has been constructed. The modeling system produces water levels and currents throughout the Lower Pearl River Basin. Initial sensitivity analysis efforts on the channel model include consideration of low-flow, average-flow, and high-flow scenarios. Model results were found to be slightly sensitive to slope of river channels and bottom friction to control stability in predictions. The model results were shown to be highly sensitive to the bathymetry of the model that controls the discharge capacity of the narrow river channels and the channel model resulted in elevated currents and water levels under high flow conditions. A channel discharge capacity analysis was conducted and the results showed the need to construct a floodplain mesh around the channel model with more realistic bathymetry and topography so that the flooding scenarios could be modeled with wetting and drying capability of ADCIRC. An initial attempt to develop such a floodplain mesh has been made with preliminary results and more comprehensive validation of the developed floodplain modeling system will extend to reproducing events associated with the historical Hurricane Isaac that impacted the region in 2012. This modeling system will provide an important tool to decision makers that could be used in future flood risk management and mitigation efforts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 3065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gernot Seier ◽  
Stefan Schöttl ◽  
Andreas Kellerer-Pirklbauer ◽  
Raphael Glück ◽  
Gerhard K. Lieb ◽  
...  

The alluvial channel of the Langgriesgraben (Austria) is a highly active geomorphic riverine subcatchment of the Johnsbach River with intermittent discharge and braided river structures. The high sediment yield entails both issues and opportunities. For decades, the riverbed was exploited as a gravel pit. Today, as part of the Gesäuse National Park and after renaturation, the sediment yield endangers a locally important bridge located at the outlet of the subcatchment. High-resolution geospatial investigations are vital for the quantification of sediment redistribution, which is relevant in terms of river management. Based on unmanned aerial system (UAS) surveys in 2015 (July, September, and October) and 2019 (August and October), high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) were generated, which enable us to quantify intra- and multiannual sediment changes. As surface runoff at the subcatchment occurs on only a few days per year with flash floods and debris flows that are not predictable and thus hardly observable, the subsurface water conditions were assessed based on electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements, which were conducted in 2019 (November) and 2020 (May, June). Results of the UAS-based surveys showed that, considering the data quality, intra-annual sediment changes affected only small subareas, whereas multiannual changes occurred in the entire study area and amount to net sediment deposition of ≈0.3–0.4 m3m−2, depending on the channel section. In addition, the elevation differences for both intra-annual surveys revealed linear patterns that can be interpreted as braided river channels. As in both survey periods the same areas were affected by changes, it can be concluded that the channel mainly affected by reshaping persisted within the 4-year observation period. The subsurface investigations showed that although both near-surface and groundwater conditions changed, near-surface sediments are mostly dry with a thickness of several meters during the observations.


Geologos ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria I. Waksmundzka

Abstract Fining-upwards cyclothems found in five boreholes in the Carboniferous (Lower Bashkirian) of the Lublin Basin were analysed sedimentologically. It was established that the cyclothems represent fluvial deposits, and the lithofacies were grouped into lithofacies associations. Most lithofacies associations represent three types of sand-bed braided rivers: (1) high-energy, (2) deep and (3) distal sheetflood-affected. Other associations represent hyperconcentrated flows. Both coarse-grained (type I) and fine-grained (types IIa and IIb) occur among the fining-upward cyclothems. The formation of most thick cyclothems was related mainly to allocyclic factors, i.e. a decrease in the river’s gradient. The thickest fining-upward cyclothems are characteristic of hyperconcentrated flows and braided-river channels. The aggradation ratios were commonly high. During the early Namurian C and early Westphalian A (Early Bashkirian), the eastern part of the Lublin Basin was located close to the source area. The sedimentary succession developed due to a transition from high-energy braidedrivers and hyperconcentrated flows to lower-energy braided rivers, controlled by a rise of the regional base level.


2013 ◽  
Vol 405-408 ◽  
pp. 2264-2272
Author(s):  
Fei Liu ◽  
Xiao Feng Zhang

Experimental study on river channels formation and change process with two different constant flows 2.45L/s and 4.9L/s that which come from mountains and into delta depositions surface, based on sediment supply 15.72kg/h at the water inlet. After 964h experiment, research on the study shows as follows: with 2.45L/s flow, on the surface of delta depositions forming process the channel appears as straight, braided, micro-bend and meandering form. The first formation processes of delta deposition are straight and braided river which appeared alternately every 50h on the surface. When time goes on the delta get longer and braided streams branch of the shunt decrease gradually, that made the channel appeared with slightly curved form. Combined with that flexural radius gets bigger because of the outer bank erosion of slightly curved channel backed off, finally the meandering channels presented. With 4.9L/s flow, the formation processes gave priority of braided river, which appeared every 15h cycle, following the aggravate of eroding in floodplain and scouring in main channel, the river pool board-shallow comes with the main-flow swing, the channel existed as slightly curved form, and appears two sides of deposition. Finally analysis and research the channel cross-section morphological and longitudinal slope. In conclusion, the delta depositions surface channel existed as micro-bend of no branch with single strands, under the constantly water and sediment conditions.


1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (7) ◽  
pp. 1182-1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Douglas

Salix setchelliana, a clonal prostrate willow, is a dominant species of glacial river gravel bars in Denali National Park, Alaska. This habitat, which is located between migrating river channels, is unpredictable in time, patchy in space, and essentially alpine in nature. The species takes advantage of both entomophily and anemophily, thus perhaps improving its success under these conditions. It is dependent primarily on insect pollination, carried out by a variety of species, but wind pollination accounted for 7–25% of seed production. The number of seeds per capsule was much below the potential maximum. Seed prédation, and probably insufficient pollination, influenced seed production. Prédation accounted for a 70% reduction in seed production per capsule in an open pollination treatment (P = 0.005). There were significant differences in number of seeds per capsule between collection sites (P = 0.0022). An inverse relationship was observed between seed predation levels and seed numbers in both insect-damaged and undamaged capsules. Key words: alpine, clonal, pollination, seed prédation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-74
Author(s):  
George Uchebike Ozulu ◽  
Anthony Uwaoma Okoro ◽  
Evangeline Njideka Onuigbo

Six lithofacies were identified in the Lokoja Formation, Southern Bida Basin: fanglomerate/ conglomerate lithofacies (Gmc), fine to coarse-grained ferruginized weakly cross-bedded, pebbly sandstone lithofacies (Scx), fine to coarsegrained sandstone lithofacies (Sfc), silty claystone lithofacies (Csm), siltstone lithofacies (Slt) and lateritic ironstone lithofacies (Ilt). These were grouped into three lithofacies associations viz: alluvial fan, braided river channel, floodplain lithofacies association. Nine lithofacies were identified in the Ahoko Formation. These are: black-dark grey carbonaceous shale lithofacies (Shc), bioturbated ripple-laminated siltstone lithofacies (Sbr), poorly cross-laminated claystone lithofacies (Cxl), concretionary/nodular ironstone lithofacies (Icn), medium to coarse-grained sandstone lithofacies (Smc) fine grained, well-sorted, friable bioturbated herringbone cross-bedded sandstone lithofacies (Sxf), massive brownish claystone lithofacies (Clm), massive claystone with lateritic ironstone lithofacies (Cli) and lateritic ironstones lithofacies (Ilt). These have been grouped into three lithofacies associations viz: shallow marine lithofaciesassociation, tidal-intertidal flat lithofacies association and floodplain lithofacies association. Similarly, three lithofacies were identified in the Agbaja Formation and have been grouped into two lithofacies association. These are: fine to medium-grained sandstone ironstone interbedded lithofacies (Sti), oolitic–pisolitic ironstone lithofacies (Iop) and concretionary ironstone lithofacies (Icr). The lithofacies associations are: tidal-intertidal flat lithofacies association and shallow marine lithofacies association. Result of lithofacies analysis helped in interpreting the depositional environments. The Lokoja Formation is a product of a fluvial dominated alluvial system from debris/gravity flow in alluvial fan. This developed further into braided river channels and later meandering river during the closing stages. Sediments of the Ahoko Formation were deposited in tidal/intertidal flats and shallow marine environments while sediments of the Agbaja Formation were produced by a shallow marine system with a high tidal influence.  


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Vercruysse ◽  
Bob Grabowski

<p>Hydrological and geomorphological processes within the land-river interface (LRI) can be directly linked to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The transfer of water and material along the LRI provides a range ecosystem services that support environmental, economic and social needs. However, the LRI is also very dynamic from a hydrologic and geomorphic perspective. Benefits can turn into hazards and vice versa, depending on natural and human-induced variations in flow and associated geomorphic activity. This study aimed to identify these critical areas by (i) quantifying the natural and human controlled variation in hydrology and geomorphology, and (ii) mapping associated SDG-related opportunities and trade-offs. The upper reaches of the Himalayan Beas River (India) were used as a case study, where the LRI is characterised by three main sections: (i) a free-flowing confined upper valley, (ii) a heavily regulated confined middle valley, and (iii) and a valley with wide floodplains flowing into the Pong Reservoir. Remote sensing imagery from Sentinel-2 (ESA) (2016-2019) were used to quantify the monthly spatial recurrence of river channels and gravel bars. In addition, data was collected on human and natural infrastructure within the catchment (including road network, urban areas, cropland, national parks, etc.). Combination of both datasets indicated that hydrological and river geomorphological processes in the upper part are the most spatially and temporally variable, leading to fertile soils (SDG 1,2), but also the highest risk of flooding in urban areas and cropland (SDG 11, 13) . The middle part is characterised by stable river channels (i.e. no lateral movement) due to the presence of two dams and confines valleys, leading to limited interaction with the surrounding land, except for the provision of water (SDG 6) and a higher risk of landslides (SDG 1,11). Finally, the lower part is again more dynamic in terms of geomorphological processes, with wide gravel bars and side channels. These dynamics allow larger urban areas and cropland to develop (SDG 1, 11), but also exposes cropland to flooding and erosion (SDG 2, 6). By quantifying the spatiotemporal dimension of hydrological and geomorphological processes and how these relate to LRI characteristics, this study provides a dynamic baseline to identify opportunities and trade-offs in optimising the role of the LRI in driving sustainable development.</p>


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