Article
Engineering, Civil
Yunwen Pan, Junqiang Xia, Kejun Yang
Summary: A meandering channel model was used to study the statistical roughness properties of gravel bed surfaces. Experimental results showed that the elevation probability distributions of the water-worked bed surfaces were positively skewed and leptokurtic. The armoring layer in the channel could resist some increase in flow strength, but its protective ability was limited.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. McQueen, P. Ashmore, T. Millard, N. Goeller
Summary: The study tracked bed particles using tracer and LiDAR surveys in a section of the San Juan River, revealing a close relationship between particle movements and channel morphological changes, particularly the development and re-working of bars. Tracer transport was primarily limited to a short distance, with deposition and burial focused along bar margins, showcasing the importance of bar dynamics in bedload transport processes in bar-dominated channels.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Andrew W. Tranmer, Diego Caamano, Stephen R. Clayton, Abolfazl Nazari Giglou, Peter Goodwin, John M. Buffington, Daniele Tonina
Summary: A restoration project on an alluvial wet-meadow system found that sizing the channel to the effective discharge (Q(e)) can lead to rapid dynamic equilibrium, while excessively wide channels may take nearly 300 years to reach equilibrium.
Article
Geography, Physical
Leo Szewczyk, Jean-Louis Grimaud, Isabelle Cojan, Herve Piegay
Summary: This study investigates the geometry and architecture of bedload deposits in abandoned channels during channel disconnection in the Ain River, France. The study found that bedload accumulation mainly occurs through the formation of sand bars and lateral accretion of coarse-grained bars, with the channel plug prograding downstream until thickening. The volume of the channel plug is controlled by sediment supply and channel inherited topography, influenced by neighboring channel bends.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Thomas Depret, Clement Virmoux, Emmanuele Gautier, Herve Piegay, Mariya Doncheva, Brian Plaisant, Sirine Ghamgui, Evan Mesmin, Segolene Saulnier-Copard, Lucile de Milleville, Julien Cavero, Pablo Hamadouche
Summary: This study focuses on the channel adjustments of extended and over-widened mining pits in a low energy gravel-bed river, and investigates the factors controlling their recovery rate. The results show a wide range of geomorphic readjustments, with some pits unexpectedly recovering at a high rate due to an abundance of sandy fine sediments controlled by watershed lithology.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daniel C. White, Peter A. Nelson
Summary: Meandering gravel-bed rivers exhibit sorting patterns with fine particles on bar tops and coarse particles in pools. The mechanism behind these patterns is poorly understood for gravel-bed meandering channels.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
George A. Griffiths, Shailesh Kumar Singh
Summary: This study analyzes the hydraulic geometry of a straight gravel river channel and derives power law equations to express the relationships. The study finds that the exponents of the hydraulic geometry relations are fixed, while the coefficients vary due to the presence of independent variables. These equations can be used for the design of canal and river control works and the study also identifies the influence of other factors on hydraulic geometry.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
C. Ylla Arbos, A. Blom, E. Viparelli, M. Reneerkens, R. M. Frings, R. M. J. Schielen
Summary: The study investigates the response of the Lower Rhine River to engineering measures, focusing on changes in channel slope and bed surface grain size. The observed response is attributed to two competing mechanisms: bedrock at the upstream boundary increases channel slope, while extensive channel narrowing reduces the equilibrium slope. Additionally, the gravel-sand transition zone is advancing and flattening, indicating a gradual fading due to decreased slope difference between the gravel and sand reaches.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Shan Zheng, Songyi Li, Xiongdong Zhou, Niannian Fan, Huiqun Cao, Ruihua Nie, Yuhong Zeng
Summary: The Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 caused rapid degradation and changes in the morphology of the Shiting River, resulting in poor to moderate channel quality. The study found a significant correlation between macroinvertebrate diversity and different MQI sub-indices, indicating that channels with better morphological functionality and lower anthropogenic disturbances tend to have greater macroinvertebrate diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eran Halfi, Suresh K. Thappeta, Joel P. L. Johnson, Ian Reid, Jonathan B. Laronne
Summary: Evidence of the effect of unsteady flow on bedload sediment transport is lacking in desert rivers. Our study in Nahal Eshtemoa, Israel, shows that flood bores can transport bedload and the transport ceases after the arrival of the bore, even though water depth continues to rise.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Elizabeth H. Dingle, Kyle M. Kusack, Jeremy G. Venditti
Summary: Gravel-sand transitions in river channels result in a significant reduction in median grain sizes, typically occurring a short distance downstream of mountain ranges or at a characteristic backwater distance upstream of a base-level control. While universal morphological characteristics associated with the transition are lacking, backwater effects and exhaustion of gravel supply can generate a distinct change in water surface slope.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geology
Mina Tabesh, Stefan Vollmer, Holger Schuettrumpf, Roy M. Frings
Summary: This study conducted porosity measurements in different sedimentological environments of a braided river, revealing significant differences in porosity among confluence, bar, delta, and secondary channel. There was no spatial correlation in porosity beyond 4 meters. At least eight porosity measurements are required for a reliable estimate of mean porosity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniele Rossi, Guido Zolezzi, Walter Bertoldi, Alfonso Vitti
Summary: Remote sensing is essential for assessing environmental phenomena, and it has become increasingly useful in monitoring shorelines, river morphology, flood-wave delineation, and flood assessment. This study introduces a cloud-based unsupervised algorithm that uses Sentinel-1 SAR data to monitor river dynamics during extreme flow conditions and extract geometric parameters at high temporal and spatial resolutions. The algorithm can support various analyses of river dynamics and has potential applications with higher resolution SAR data from ICEYE and Capella Space constellations.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Youssef I. Hafez
Summary: This study reveals that the imbalance between the valley slope and the regime channel slope is the main factor causing river meandering under the condition of sediment load being lower than the load transporting capacity and bank erodibility permitting. By developing novel equations, this study provides more accurate methods for calculating channel curvature and wavelength, and it also explains meandering phenomena in different types of rivers.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Eduardo S. Morais, Otavio C. Montanher
Summary: This study investigates the avulsion process and its influencing factors in the lower course of the Peixe River in southeastern Brazil. Using remote sensing and fieldwork measurements, the morphological changes in the channels and floodplain features were evaluated. It was found that the width variation of the floodplain regulated the extent of the avulsion, and significant differences in sinuosity and bank elevation were observed. Sedimentary analyses revealed distinct deposits with varying characteristics and organic matter concentration.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paul J. Kinzel, Carl J. Legleiter, Paul E. Grams
Summary: The study conducted field trials using a prototype compact topo-bathymetric lidar sensor to measure river depths accurately. Comparisons between measured data and sensor depth data indicated varying application effects of the sensor under different water depths, with river optical properties affecting measurement accuracy.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carl J. Legleiter
Summary: ORByT is a standalone software package that can map water depth from passive optical image data with a thorough accuracy assessment. However, this approach is only suitable for clear-flowing, shallow streams and not appropriate for more turbid, deeper rivers.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. J. Legleiter, P. J. Kinzel
Summary: The IBARI method of inferring river bathymetry from averaged images can increase the accuracy and precision of depth maps, while also improving the representation of channel morphology. This approach is suitable for data collected from helicopters and small unmanned aircraft systems.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Alyssa M. FitzGerald, David A. Boughton, Joshua Fuller, Sara N. John, Benjamin T. Martin, Lee R. Harrison, Nathan J. Mantua
Summary: In this study conducted in the Eel River watershed in California, we examined the impact of stream temperature, geomorphic features, and biological interactions on steelhead trout and Chinook salmon. Our findings suggest that a dammed subbasin has a significant capacity for salmonid populations and could serve as a cool-water refuge during warm years and in the presence of predators such as pikeminnow.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
David A. Boughton, Lee R. Harrison, Sara N. John, Rosealea M. Bond, Colin L. Nicol, Carl J. Legleiter, Ryan T. Richardson
Summary: The study used high-resolution methods to assess the capacity for anadromous steelhead and spring-run Chinook Salmon reintroduction in the Tuolumne and Merced rivers in the Sierra Nevada of California. Results showed that both systems could support viable populations of these species, with the Merced River being too warm for adult Chinook Salmon in the dry season.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carl J. Legleiter, Shawn W. Hodges
Summary: Rivers are sensitive to environmental changes and blooms of benthic algae have become widespread in US national parks, degrading visitor experiences and threatening human and ecosystem health. This study evaluated the potential of remote sensing techniques for mapping algal density in shallow rivers and proposed future improvements.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carl J. Legleiter, Brandon J. Sansom, Robert B. Jacobson
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of remote sensing technology to assess tracer dye concentrations in complex river environments. Through spectral analysis and image processing techniques, detailed information on dye dispersion processes can be provided at a large scale.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert Kostynick, Hadis Matinpour, Shravan Pradeep, Sarah Haber, Alban Sauret, Eckart Meiburg, Thomas Dunne, Paulo Arratia, Douglas Jerolmack
Summary: Debris flows, which are dense and fast-moving suspensions of soil and water, pose a threat to lives and infrastructure. This study examines the composition and flow behavior of source materials that formed post-wildfire debris flows in Montecito, CA in 2018. The results show that shear viscosity and yield stress are influenced by the distance from jamming, and by rescaling the shear and viscous stresses, the data collapses onto a flow curve indicative of a Bingham plastic fluid. These findings suggest that determining the jamming fraction can significantly improve flow models for geophysical suspensions such as debris flows.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carl J. Legleiter, Paul J. Kinzel, Mark Laker, Jeffrey S. Conaway
Summary: Information on velocity fields in rivers is crucial for various applications. This study presents a framework for measuring river velocity using aerial images, which has been successfully tested in two Alaskan rivers.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lee R. Harrison, Carl J. Legleiter, Vamsi K. Sridharan, Peter N. Dudley, Miles E. Daniels
Summary: Multi-dimensional numerical models are important tools for studying biophysical processes in aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the potential of using remote sensing techniques to develop hydrodynamic models for a large river. The results showed that 2D and 3D models had similar accuracy in simulating water depth, and the models could predict velocity with good agreement. High-resolution bathymetry improved the model performance, and the input bathymetry influenced predictions related to adult holding costs. The study demonstrated that hyperspectral imagery obtained from piloted and/or uncrewed aircraft can accurately map the bathymetry of clear-flowing, relatively shallow large rivers.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Amy E. E. East, Lee R. R. Harrison, Douglas P. P. Smith, Joshua B. B. Logan, Rosealea M. M. Bond
Summary: Measuring river response to dam removal provides an important opportunity to study the impact of sediment pulses on fluvial systems. This study focused on the Carmel River in California, measuring geomorphic and grain-size changes over a period of 8 years, with 6 years after the removal of a 32 m-high dam. The study found that the sediment release following dam removal was relatively small, and the geomorphic changes were primarily driven by flow rather than the increase in sediment supply. It suggests that large dam removals may not necessarily have significant downstream impacts.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carl J. Legleiter, Paul J. Kinzel
Summary: Accurate knowledge of water speed in rivers is vital for ecological and resource management purposes. Remote sensing is a more efficient method for measuring flow velocity, and powerful computational techniques have been developed for inferring velocity fields from videos or image time series. This paper introduces a software tool, TRiVIA, designed to facilitate the use of particle image velocimetry (PIV) by the river community. TRiVIA provides a complete workflow for producing spatially distributed velocity vectors from videos or images, with modules for data extraction, stabilization, enhancement, PIV analysis, visualization, accuracy assessment, and output export. The toolbox, now freely available, can be augmented to incorporate bathymetric information for discharge calculation functionality.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Milad Niroumand-Jadidi, Carl J. Legleiter, Francesca Bovolo
Summary: This study evaluates the potential of using Landsat-9 imagery to map river bathymetry and finds that Landsat-9 provides more accurate bathymetry measurements, particularly when pan-sharpened. Additionally, downsampling SuperDove data and the enhanced spectral resolution of the 8-band SuperDoves improved depth retrieval. The neural network-based model outperformed the optimal band ratio analysis in bathymetry retrieval.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)