Stream Stability and Sediment Transport Environmental Hydrology Lecture 21
Geomorphic work expressed in channel characteristics Winooski Falls, Photo by Jim Westphalen Channel dimensions (cross-section) Channel profile (longitudinal view) Channel pattern (plan view)
Channel Pattern Meandering StreamBraided Stream Plan (aerial) view of channel geometry Ward & Trimble, Fig 6.10
Channel Pattern Sinuosity (S) = L c / L v where L c = channel length L v = valley length
Helical flow induces meander formation Cut banks
Meander Geometry Ward & Trimble, Fig 6.11
How do these concepts scale? Graphic from A. Ward
How do these concepts scale? Ward & Trimble, Fig 6.15 “Hydraulic Geometry” of stream channels
Sediment Transport Upper White River, Vermont Photo courtesy K. Donna
Stream Load
Estimating Suspended Load Export Source: V. Axelsson, Uppsala Univ.,Sweden
Estimating Bedload Transport Mean boundary shear stress ( o ) o = g R S Where: = density of water g = gravitational constant R = hydraulic radius S = bed slope = R S = specific weight of water
Estimating Bedload Transport Tractive Force (T) T = d S Where: = specific weight of water (kg/m 3 ) d = flow depth (m) S = water surface slope (m/m)
Estimating Bedload Transport Particle size at incipient motion (d*) d* = c T Where: T = tractive force (kg/m 2 ) c = conversion factor [ f(T) ] d* = particle size (cm)
Estimating bedload transport T = d S d* = c T
Channel Migration Upper White River basin, Vermont Figure courtesy K. Donna
Date of photography Negative scale Daily mean Discharge 1 (cfs) Oct. 16, 19391:31, July 19, 19561:15, July 1, 19751:15, Sept. 5, 19821:12, May 3, 19901:15, Refers to mean daily discharge recorded at USGS Station # on the date that air photos were taken. From: Kathleen Donna, Assessing Channel Change on the Upper White River, Vermont University of Vermont, M.A. Thesis, Dept of Geography, 2002
Reach 3 Reach 4