Experimental insights into organic carbon oxidation potential during fluvial transport without floodplain storage

Science.gov (United States)

Scheingross, J. S.; Hovius, N.; Sachse, D.; Vieth-Hillebrand, A.; Turowski, J. M.; Hilton, R. G.

2016-12-01

Over geologic timescales, the exchange of organic carbon (OC) between the atmosphere, rock, and biosphere is thought to be a major control on global climate. CO2 flux estimates from oxidation of rock-derived OC and sequestration of biospheric OC during fluvial transit from source to sink are approximately the same order of magnitude or larger than those from silicate weathering. Despite field data showing loss of OC moving downstream in lowland rivers, it is unclear if losses occur primarily during active fluvial transport within the river, where OC is in continual motion within an aerated environment, or during longer periods when OC is temporarily stored in river floodplains which may be anoxic. This represents a major knowledge gap, as the unknown location of OC oxidation (i.e., river vs. floodplain) limits our ability to develop process-based models that can be employed to predict OC losses, constrain carbon budgets, and unravel links between climate, tectonics, and erosion. To fill this gap, we investigated the potential for OC oxidation in laboratory experiments simulating fluvial transport without floodplain storage. Mixtures of OC-rich and siliciclastic sediment were transported for distances of 2000 km in annular flumes while making time-series measurements of sediment TOC and water DOC concentrations. Initial results for transport of OC-rich soil show increasing DOC with transport distance to levels that represent a transfer of 2% of the total OC from the solid to the dissolved phase; however, we observed no detectable change in the solid-phase TOC. Similar results were obtained in a control experiment with identical sediment in still water. These preliminary results suggest minimal OC oxidation within our experiment, and, to the extent that such experiments represent natural transport through river systems, are consistent with the hypothesis that OC losses may occur primarily during floodplain storage rather than fluvial transport.

a Review of Late Holocene Fluvial Systems in the Karst Maya Lowlands with Focus on the Rio Bravo, Belize

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Beach, T.; Luzzadder-Beach, S.; Krause, S.; Doyle, C.

2015-12-01

The Maya Lowlands is mostly an internally draining karst region with about 400 m of regional relief. Fluvial and fluviokarst systems drain the edges of this landscape either from low limestone uplands or igneous and metamorphic complexes. Thus far most fluvial research has focused around archaeology projects, and here we review the extant research conducted across the region and new research on the transboundary Rio Bravo watershed of Belize and Guatemala. The Rio Bravo drains a largely old growth tropical forest today, but was partly deforested around ancient Maya cities and farms from 3,000 to 1000 BP. Several studies estimate that 30 to 40 percent of forest survived through the Maya period. Work here has focused on soils and sediment movement along slope catenas, in floodplain sites, and on contributions from groundwater with high dissolved loads of sulfate and calcium. We review radiocarbon dates and present new dates and soil stratigraphy from these sequences to date slope and floodplain movement, and we estimate ancient land use from carbon isotopic and pollen evidence. Aggradation in this watershed occurred by flooding, gypsum precipitation, upland erosion, and ancient Maya canal building and filling for wetland farming. Soil erosion and aggradation started at least by 3,000 BP and continued through the ancient Maya period, though reduced locally by soil conservation, post urban construction, and source reduction, especially in Maya Classic period from 1700 to 1000 BP.

A fluvial mercury budget for Lake Ontario.

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Denkenberger, Joseph S; Driscoll, Charles T; Mason, Edward; Branfireun, Brian; Warnock, Ashley

2014-06-03

Watershed mercury (Hg) flux was calculated for ten inflowing rivers and the outlet for Lake Ontario using empirical measurements from two independent field-sampling programs. Total Hg (THg) flux for nine study watersheds that directly drain into the lake ranged from 0.2 kg/yr to 13 kg/yr, with the dominant fluvial THg load from the Niagara River at 154 kg/yr. THg loss at the outlet (St. Lawrence River) was 68 kg/yr and has declined approximately 40% over the past decade. Fluvial Hg inputs largely (62%) occur in the dissolved fraction and are similar to estimates of atmospheric Hg inputs. Fluvial mass balances suggest strong in-lake retention of particulate Hg inputs (99%), compared to dissolved total Hg (45%) and methyl Hg (22%) fractions. Wetland land cover is a good predictor of methyl Hg yield for Lake Ontario watersheds. Sediment deposition studies, coupled atmospheric and fluvial Hg fluxes, and a comparison of this work with previous measurements indicate that Lake Ontario is a net sink of Hg inputs and not at steady state likely because of recent decreases in point source inputs and atmospheric Hg deposition.

Riparian soil development linked to forest succession above and below dams along the Elwha River, Washington, USA

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Perry, Laura G; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Perakis, Steven

2017-01-01

Riparian forest soils can be highly dynamic, due to frequent fluvial disturbance, erosion, and sediment deposition, but effects of dams on riparian soils are poorly understood. We examined soils along toposequences within three river segments located upstream, between, and downstream of two dams on the Elwha River to evaluate relationships between riparian soil development and forest age, succession, and channel proximity, explore dam effects on riparian soils, and provide a baseline for the largest dam removal in history. We found that older, later-successional forests and geomorphic surfaces contained soils with finer texture and greater depth to cobble, supporting greater forest floor mass, mineral soil nutrient levels, and cation exchange. Forest stand age was a better predictor than channel proximity for many soil characteristics, though elevation and distance from the channel were often also important, highlighting how complex interactions between fluvial disturbance, sediment deposition, and biotic retention regulate soil development in this ecosystem. Soils between the dams, and to a lesser extent below the lower dam, had finer textures and higher mineral soil carbon, nitrogen, and cation exchange than above the dams. These results suggested that decreased fluvial disturbance below the dams, due to reduced sediment supply and channel stabilization, accelerated soil development. In addition, reduced sediment supply below the dams may have decreased soil phosphorus. Soil δ15N suggested that salmon exclusion by the dams had no discernable effect on nitrogen inputs to upstream soils. Recent dam removal may alter riparian soils further, with ongoing implications for riparian ecosystems.

Climatic implications of correlated upper Pleistocene glacial and fluvial deposits on the Cinca and Gallego rivers, NE Spain

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Lewis, Claudia J [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mcdonald, Eric [NON LANL; Sancho, Carlos [NON LANL; Pena, Jose- Luis [NON LANL

2008-01-01

We correlate Upper Pleistocene glacial and fluvial deposits of the Cinca and Gallego River valleys (south central Pyrenees and Ebro basin, Spain) using geomorphic position, luminescence dates, and time-related trends in soil development. The ages obtained from glacial deposits indicate glacial periods at 85 {+-} 5 ka, 64 {+-} 11 ka, and 36 {+-} 3 ka (from glacial till) and 20 {+-} 3 ka (from loess). The fluvial drainage system, fed by glaciers in the headwaters, developed extensive terrace systems in the Cinca River valley at 178 {+-} 21 ka, 97 {+-} 16 ka, 61 {+-} 4 ka, 47 {+-} 4 ka, and 11 {+-} 1 ka, and in the Gallego River valley at 151 {+-} 11 ka, 68 {+-} 7 ka, and 45 {+-} 3 ka. The times of maximum geomorphic activity related to cold phases coincide with Late Pleistocene marine isotope stages and heinrich events. The maximum extent of glaciers during the last glacial occurred at 64 {+-} 11 ka, and the terraces correlated with this glacial phase are the most extensive in both the Cinca (61 {+-} 4 ka) and Gallego (68 {+-} 7 ka) valleys, indicating a strong increase in fluvial discharge and availability of sediments related to the transition to deglaciation. The global Last Glacial Maximum is scarcely represented in the south central Pyrenees owing to dominantly dry conditions at that time. Precipitation must be controlled by the position of the Iberian Peninsula with respect to the North Atlantic atmospheric circulation system. The glacial systems and the associated fluvial dynamic seem sensitive to (1) global climate changes controlled by insolation, (2) North Atlantic thermohaline circulation influenced by freshwater pulses into the North Atlantic, and (3) anomalies in atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic controlling precipitation on the Iberian peninsula. The model of glacial and fluvial evolution during the Late Pleistocene in northern Spain could be extrapolated to other glaciated mountainous areas in southern Europe.

Quantifying accelerated soil erosion through ecological site-based assessments of wind and water erosion

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This work explores how organising soil erosion assessments using established groupings of similar soils (ecological sites) can inform systems for managing accelerated soil erosion. We evaluated aeolian sediment transport and fluvial erosion rates for five ecological sites in southern New Mexico, USA...

Field migration rates of tidal meanders recapitulate fluvial morphodynamics

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Finotello, Alvise; Lanzoni, Stefano; Ghinassi, Massimiliano; Marani, Marco; Rinaldo, Andrea; D'Alpaos, Andrea

2018-02-01

The majority of tidal channels display marked meandering features. Despite their importance in oil-reservoir formation and tidal landscape morphology, questions remain on whether tidal-meander dynamics could be understood in terms of fluvial processes and theory. Key differences suggest otherwise, like the periodic reversal of landscape-forming tidal flows and the widely accepted empirical notion that tidal meanders are stable landscape features, in stark contrast with their migrating fluvial counterparts. On the contrary, here we show that, once properly normalized, observed migration rates of tidal and fluvial meanders are remarkably similar. Key to normalization is the role of tidal channel width that responds to the strong spatial gradients of landscape-forming flow rates and tidal prisms. We find that migration dynamics of tidal meanders agree with nonlinear theories for river meander evolution. Our results challenge the conventional view of tidal channels as stable landscape features and suggest that meandering tidal channels recapitulate many fluvial counterparts owing to large gradients of tidal prisms across meander wavelengths.

The contribution of bank and surface sediments to fluvial sediment ...

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The contribution of bank and surface sediments to fluvial sediment transport of the Pra River. ... the relative contribution of surface and bank sediments to the fluvial sediment transport. ... EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Fluvial to Lacustrine Facies Transitions in Gale Crater, Mars

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Sumner, Dawn Y.; Williams, Rebecca M. E.; Schieber, Juergen; Palucis, Marisa C.; Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Mangold, Nicolas; Kah, Linda C.; Gupta, Sanjeev; Grotzinger, John P.; Grant, John A., III;

Field migration rates of tidal meanders recapitulate fluvial morphodynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Finotello, Alvise; Lanzoni, Stefano; Ghinassi, Massimiliano; Marani, Marco; Rinaldo, Andrea; D'Alpaos, Andrea

2018-02-13

The majority of tidal channels display marked meandering features. Despite their importance in oil-reservoir formation and tidal landscape morphology, questions remain on whether tidal-meander dynamics could be understood in terms of fluvial processes and theory. Key differences suggest otherwise, like the periodic reversal of landscape-forming tidal flows and the widely accepted empirical notion that tidal meanders are stable landscape features, in stark contrast with their migrating fluvial counterparts. On the contrary, here we show that, once properly normalized, observed migration rates of tidal and fluvial meanders are remarkably similar. Key to normalization is the role of tidal channel width that responds to the strong spatial gradients of landscape-forming flow rates and tidal prisms. We find that migration dynamics of tidal meanders agree with nonlinear theories for river meander evolution. Our results challenge the conventional view of tidal channels as stable landscape features and suggest that meandering tidal channels recapitulate many fluvial counterparts owing to large gradients of tidal prisms across meander wavelengths. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Fluvial hydrology and geomorphology of Monsoon-dominated Indian rivers

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Vishwas S. Kale

2005-11-01

Full Text Available The Indian rivers are dominantly monsoon rainfed. As a result, their regime characteristics are dictated by the spatio-temporal variations in the monsoon rainfall. Although the rivers carry out most of the geomorphic work during 4-5 months of the monsoon season, the nature and magnitude of response to variations in the discharge and sediment load varies with the basin size and relief characteristics. Large monsoon floods play a role of great importance on all the rivers. This paper describes the hydrological and geomorphological characteristics of the two major fluvial systems of the Indian region, namely the Himalayan fluvial system and the Peninsular fluvial system. Large number of studies published so far indicate that there are noteworthy differences between the two river systems, with respect to river hydrology, channel morphology, sediment load and behaviour. The nature of alterations in the fluvial system due to increased human interference is also briefly mentioned. This short review demonstrates that there is immense variety of rivers in India. This makes India one of the best places to study rivers and their forms and processes.

Ecological site-based assessments of wind and water erosion: informing accelerated soil erosion management in rangelands

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Webb, Nicholas P.; Herrick, Jeffrey E.; Duniway, Michael C.

2014-01-01

Accelerated soil erosion occurs when anthropogenic processes modify soil, vegetation or climatic conditions causing erosion rates at a location to exceed their natural variability. Identifying where and when accelerated erosion occurs is a critical first step toward its effective management. Here we explore how erosion assessments structured in the context of ecological sites (a land classification based on soils, landscape setting and ecological potential) and their vegetation states (plant assemblages that may change due to management) can inform systems for reducing accelerated soil erosion in rangelands. We evaluated aeolian horizontal sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion rates for five ecological sites in southern New Mexico, USA, using monitoring data and rangeland-specific wind and water erosion models. Across the ecological sites, plots in shrub-encroached and shrub-dominated vegetation states were consistently susceptible to aeolian sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion. Both processes were found to be highly variable for grassland and grass-succulent states across the ecological sites at the plot scale (0.25 Ha). We identify vegetation thresholds that define cover levels below which rapid (exponential) increases in aeolian sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion occur across the ecological sites and vegetation states. Aeolian sediment flux and fluvial erosion in the study area can be effectively controlled when bare ground cover is 100 cm in length is less than ~35%. Land use and management activities that alter cover levels such that they cross thresholds, and/or drive vegetation state changes, may increase the susceptibility of areas to erosion. Land use impacts that are constrained within the range of natural variability should not result in accelerated soil erosion. Evaluating land condition against the erosion thresholds identified here will enable identification of areas susceptible to accelerated soil erosion and the development of

Ecological site‐based assessments of wind and water erosion: informing accelerated soil erosion management in rangelands.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Nicholas P; Herrick, Jeffrey E; Duniway, Michael C

Accelerated soil erosion occurs when anthropogenic processes modify soil, vegetation, or climatic conditions causing erosion rates at a location to exceed their natural variability. Identifying where and when accelerated erosion occurs is a critical first step toward its effective management. Here we explored how erosion assessments structured in the context of ecological sites (a land classification based on soils, landscape setting, and ecological potential) and their vegetation states (plant assemblages that may change due to management) can inform systems for reducing accelerated soil erosion in rangelands. We evaluated aeolian horizontal sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion rates for five ecological sites in southern New Mexico, USA, using monitoring data and rangeland-specific wind and water erosion models. Across the ecological sites, plots in shrub-encroached and shrub-dominated vegetation states were consistently susceptible to aeolian sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion. Both processes were found to be highly variable for grassland and grass–succulent states across the ecological sites at the plot scale (0.25 ha). We identified vegetation thresholds that define cover levels below which rapid (exponential) increases in aeolian sediment flux and fluvial sediment erosion occur across the ecological sites and vegetation states. Aeolian sediment flux and fluvial erosion in the study area could be effectively controlled when bare ground cover was 100 cm in length was less than ∼35%. Land use and management activities that alter cover levels such that they cross thresholds, and/or drive vegetation state changes, may increase the susceptibility of areas to erosion. Land use impacts that are constrained within the range of natural variability should not result in accelerated soil erosion. Evaluating land condition against the erosion thresholds identified here will enable identification of areas susceptible to accelerated soil erosion and the

Gully annealing by fluvially-sourced Aeolian sand: remote sensing investigations of connectivity along the Fluvial-Aeolian-hillslope continuum on the Colorado River

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Sankey, Joel B.; East, Amy E.; Collins, Brian D.; Caster, Joshua J.

2015-01-01

Processes contributing to development of ephemeral gully channels are of great importance to landscapes worldwide, and particularly in dryland regions where soil loss and land degradation from gully erosion pose long-term, land-management problems. Whereas gully formation has been relatively well studied, much less is known of the processes that anneal gullies and impede their growth. This work investigates gully annealing by aeolian sediment, along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam in Glen, Marble, and Grand Canyons, Arizona, USA (Figure 1). In this segment of the Colorado River, gully erosion potentially affects the stability and preservation of archaeological sites that are located within valley margins. Gully erosion occurs as a function of ephemeral, rainfall-induced overland flow associated with intense episodes of seasonal precipitation. Measurements of sediment transport and topographic change have demonstrated that fluvial sand in some locations is transported inland and upslope by aeolian processes to areas affected by gully erosion, and aeolian sediment activity can be locally effective at counteracting gully erosion (Draut, 2012; Collins and others, 2009, 2012; Sankey and Draut, 2014). The degree to which specific locations are affected by upslope wind redistribution of sand from active channel sandbars to higher elevation valley margins is termed “connectivity”. Connectivity is controlled spatially throughout the river by (1) the presence of upwind sources of fluvial sand within the contemporary active river channel (e.g., sandbars), and (2) bio-physical barriers that include vegetation and topography that might impede aeolian sediment transport. The primary hypothesis of this work is that high degrees of connectivity lead to less gullying potential.

The evolution of a colluvial hollow to a fluvial channel with periodic steps following two transformational disturbances: A wildfire and a historic flood

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Rengers, Francis K.; McGuire, Luke; Ebel, Brian A.; Tucker, G. E.

2018-01-01

The transition of a colluvial hollow to a fluvial channel with discrete steps was observed after two landscape-scale disturbances. The first disturbance, a high-severity wildfire, changed the catchment hydrology to favor overland flow, which incised a colluvial hollow, creating a channel in the same location. This incised channel became armored with cobbles and boulders following repeated post-wildfire overland flow events. Three years after the fire, a record rainstorm produced regional flooding and generated sufficient fluvial erosion and sorting to produce a fluvial channel with periodically spaced steps. An analysis of the step spacing shows that after the flood, newly formed steps retained a similar spacing to the topographic roughness spacing in the original colluvial hollow (prior to channelization). This suggests that despite a distinct change in channel form roughness and bedform morphology, the endogenous roughness periodicity was conserved. Variations in sediment erodibility helped to create the emergent steps as the largest particles ( >D84) remained immobile, becoming step features, and downstream soil was easily winnowed away.

The evolution of a colluvial hollow to a fluvial channel with periodic steps following two transformational disturbances: A wildfire and a historic flood

Science.gov (United States)

Rengers, F. K.; McGuire, L. A.; Ebel, B. A.; Tucker, G. E.

2018-05-01

The transition of a colluvial hollow to a fluvial channel with discrete steps was observed after two landscape-scale disturbances. The first disturbance, a high-severity wildfire, changed the catchment hydrology to favor overland flow, which incised a colluvial hollow, creating a channel in the same location. This incised channel became armored with cobbles and boulders following repeated post-wildfire overland flow events. Three years after the fire, a record rainstorm produced regional flooding and generated sufficient fluvial erosion and sorting to produce a fluvial channel with periodically spaced steps. An analysis of the step spacing shows that after the flood, newly formed steps retained a similar spacing to the topographic roughness spacing in the original colluvial hollow (prior to channelization). This suggests that despite a distinct change in channel form roughness and bedform morphology, the endogenous roughness periodicity was conserved. Variations in sediment erodibility helped to create the emergent steps as the largest particles (>D84) remained immobile, becoming step features, and downstream soil was easily winnowed away.

Evaluating process origins of sand-dominated fluvial stratigraphy

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Chamberlin, E.; Hajek, E. A.

2015-12-01

Sand-dominated fluvial stratigraphy is often interpreted as indicating times of relatively slow subsidence because of the assumption that fine sediment (silt and clay) is reworked or bypassed during periods of low accommodation. However, sand-dominated successions may instead represent proximal, coarse-grained reaches of paleo-river basins and/or fluvial systems with a sandy sediment supply. Differentiating between these cases is critical for accurately interpreting mass-extraction profiles, basin-subsidence rates, and paleo-river avulsion and migration behavior from ancient fluvial deposits. We explore the degree to which sand-rich accumulations reflect supply-driven progradation or accommodation-limited reworking, by re-evaluating the Castlegate Sandstone (Utah, USA) and the upper Williams Fork Formation (Colorado, USA) - two Upper Cretaceous sandy fluvial deposits previously interpreted as having formed during periods of relatively low accommodation. Both units comprise amalgamated channel and bar deposits with minor intra-channel and overbank mudstones. To constrain relative reworking, we quantify the preservation of bar deposits in each unit using detailed facies and channel-deposit mapping, and compare bar-deposit preservation to expected preservation statistics generated with object-based models spanning a range of boundary conditions. To estimate the grain-size distribution of paleo-sediment input, we leverage results of experimental work that shows both bed-material deposits and accumulations on the downstream side of bars ("interbar fines") sample suspended and wash loads of active flows. We measure grain-size distributions of bar deposits and interbar fines to reconstruct the relative sandiness of paleo-sediment supplies for both systems. By using these novel approaches to test whether sand-rich fluvial deposits reflect river systems with accommodation-limited reworking and/or particularly sand-rich sediment loads, we can gain insight into large

Unsteady Landscapes: Climatic and Tectonic Controls on Fluvial Terrace Formation

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Clubb, F. J.; Mudd, S. M.

2017-12-01

Fluvial terraces are common landforms throughout mountainous regions which represent abandoned remnants of active river systems and their floodplains. The formation of these landforms points to a fundamental unsteadiness in the incision rate of the fluvial network, providing important information on channel response to climatic, tectonic, and base-level forcing, sediment storage and dynamics within mountainous systems, and the relative importance of lateral and vertical incision rates. In his 1877 Report on the Geology of the Henry Mountains, G.K. Gilbert suggested that strath terraces may form due to climatically-driven increase in sediment supply, causing armouring of the channel bed and hindering vertical incision. An alternative hypothesis suggests that strath terraces may be preserved through progressive tectonic uplift or base-level fall. These different formation mechanisms should result in varying distribution of terrace elevations along channels: if terraces are formed through climate-driven variations in sediment supply, we might expect that terrace elevations would be random, whereas progressive fluvial incision should result in a series of terraces with a systematic elevation pattern. Here we test alternative hypotheses for strath terrace formation using a new method for objectively and rapidly identifying terrace surfaces from digital elevation models (DEMs) over large spatial scales. Our new method identifies fluvial terraces using their gradient and elevation compared to the modern channel, thresholds of which are statistically calculated from the DEM and do not need to be set manually by the user. We use this method to extract fluvial terraces for every major river along the coast of California, and quantify their distribution and elevation along the fluvial long profile. Our results show that there is no systematic pattern in terrace elevations despite a well-constrained spatial variation in uplift rates, suggesting that terraces in this region do

Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity: Progress during the 20 years of the Fluvial Archives Group

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Chauhan, Parth R.; Bridgland, David R.; Moncel, Marie-Hélène; Antoine, Pierre; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Briant, Rebecca; Cunha, Pedro P.; Despriée, Jackie; Limondin-Lozouet, Nicole; Locht, Jean-Luc; Martins, Antonio A.; Schreve, Danielle C.; Shaw, Andrew D.; Voinchet, Pierre; Westaway, Rob; White, Mark J.; White, Tom S.

2017-06-01

Fluvial sedimentary archives are important repositories for Lower and Middle Palaeolithic artefacts throughout the 'Old World', especially in Europe, where the beginning of their study coincided with the realisation that early humans were of great antiquity. Now that many river terrace sequences can be reliably dated and correlated with the globally valid marine isotope record, potentially useful patterns can be recognized in the distribution of the find-spots of the artefacts that constitute the large collections that were assembled during the years of manual gravel extraction. This paper reviews the advances during the past two decades in knowledge of hominin occupation based on artefact occurrences in fluvial contexts, in Europe, Asia and Africa. As such it is an update of a comparable review in 2007, at the end of IGCP Project no. 449, which had instigated the compilation of fluvial records from around the world during 2000-2004, under the auspices of the Fluvial Archives Group. An overarching finding is the confirmation of the well-established view that in Europe there is a demarcation between handaxe making in the west and flake-core industries in the east, although on a wider scale that pattern is undermined by the increased numbers of Lower Palaeolithic bifaces now recognized in East Asia. It is also apparent that, although it seems to have appeared at different places and at different times in the later Lower Palaeolithic, the arrival of Levallois technology as a global phenomenon was similarly timed across the area occupied by Middle Pleistocene hominins, at around 0.3 Ma.

Martian Fluvial Conglomerates at Gale Crater

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Williams, R. M. E.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Dietrich, W. E.; Gupta, S.; Sumner, D. Y.; Wiens, R. C.; Mangold, N.; Malin, M. C.; Edgett, K. S.; Maurice, S.; Forni, O.; Gasnault, O.; Ollila, A.; Newsom, H. E.; Dromart, G.; Palucis, M. C.; Yingst, R. A.; Anderson, R. B.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Le Mouélic, S.; Goetz, W.; Madsen, M. B.; Koefoed, A.; Jensen, J. K.; Bridges, J. C.; Schwenzer, S. P.; Lewis, K. W.; Stack, K. M.; Rubin, D.; Kah, L. C.; Bell, J. F.; Farmer, J. D.; Sullivan, R.; Van Beek, T.; Blaney, D. L.; Pariser, O.; Deen, R. G.; Kemppinen, Osku; Bridges, Nathan; Johnson, Jeffrey R.; Minitti, Michelle; Cremers, David; Edgar, Lauren; Godber, Austin; Wadhwa, Meenakshi; Wellington, Danika; McEwan, Ian; Newman, Claire; Richardson, Mark; Charpentier, Antoine; Peret, Laurent; King, Penelope; Blank, Jennifer; Weigle, Gerald; Schmidt, Mariek; Li, Shuai; Milliken, Ralph; Robertson, Kevin; Sun, Vivian; Baker, Michael; Edwards, Christopher; Ehlmann, Bethany; Farley, Kenneth; Griffes, Jennifer; Miller, Hayden; Newcombe, Megan; Pilorget, Cedric; Rice, Melissa; Siebach, Kirsten; Stolper, Edward; Brunet, Claude; Hipkin, Victoria; Léveillé, Richard; Marchand, Geneviève; Sobrón Sánchez, Pablo; Favot, Laurent; Cody, George; Steele, Andrew; Flückiger, Lorenzo; Lees, David; Nefian, Ara; Martin, Mildred; Gailhanou, Marc; Westall, Frances; Israël, Guy; Agard, Christophe; Baroukh, Julien; Donny, Christophe; Gaboriaud, Alain; Guillemot, Philippe; Lafaille, Vivian; Lorigny, Eric; Paillet, Alexis; Pérez, René; Saccoccio, Muriel; Yana, Charles; Aparicio, Carlos Armiens; Caride Rodríguez, Javier; Carrasco Blázquez, Isaías; Gómez Gómez, Felipe; Elvira, Javier Gómez; Hettrich, Sebastian; Lepinette Malvitte, Alain; Marín Jiménez, Mercedes; Frías, Jesús Martínez; Soler, Javier Martín; Torres, F. Javier Martín; Molina Jurado, Antonio; Sotomayor, Luis Mora; Muñoz Caro, Guillermo; Navarro López, Sara; González, Verónica Peinado; García, Jorge Pla; Rodriguez Manfredi, José Antonio; Planelló, Julio José Romeral; Alejandra Sans Fuentes, Sara; Sebastian Martinez, Eduardo; Torres Redondo, Josefina; O'Callaghan, Roser Urqui; Zorzano Mier, María-Paz; Chipera, Steve; Lacour, Jean-Luc; Mauchien, Patrick; Sirven, Jean-Baptiste; Manning, Heidi; Fairén, Alberto; Hayes, Alexander; Joseph, Jonathan; Squyres, Steven; Thomas, Peter; Dupont, Audrey; Lundberg, Angela; Melikechi, Noureddine; Mezzacappa, Alissa; DeMarines, Julia; Grinspoon, David; Reitz, Günther; Prats, Benito; Atlaskin, Evgeny; Genzer, Maria; Harri, Ari-Matti; Haukka, Harri; Kahanpää, Henrik; Kauhanen, Janne; Paton, Mark; Polkko, Jouni; Schmidt, Walter; Siili, Tero; Fabre, Cécile; Wray, James; Wilhelm, Mary Beth; Poitrasson, Franck; Patel, Kiran; Gorevan, Stephen; Indyk, Stephen; Paulsen, Gale; Bish, David; Schieber, Juergen; Gondet, Brigitte; Langevin, Yves; Geffroy, Claude; Baratoux, David; Berger, Gilles; Cros, Alain; Uston, Claude d.; Lasue, Jérémie; Lee, Qiu-Mei; Meslin, Pierre-Yves; Pallier, Etienne; Parot, Yann; Pinet, Patrick; Schröder, Susanne; Toplis, Mike; Lewin, Éric; Brunner, Will; Heydari, Ezat; Achilles, Cherie; Oehler, Dorothy; Sutter, Brad; Cabane, Michel; Coscia, David; Szopa, Cyril; Robert, François; Sautter, Violaine; Nachon, Marion; Buch, Arnaud; Stalport, Fabien; Coll, Patrice; François, Pascaline; Raulin, François; Teinturier, Samuel; Cameron, James; Clegg, Sam; Cousin, Agnès; DeLapp, Dorothea; Dingler, Robert; Jackson, Ryan Steele; Johnstone, Stephen; Lanza, Nina; Little, Cynthia; Nelson, Tony; Williams, Richard B.; Jones, Andrea; Kirkland, Laurel; Treiman, Allan; Baker, Burt; Cantor, Bruce; Caplinger, Michael; Davis, Scott; Duston, Brian; Fay, Donald; Hardgrove, Craig; Harker, David; Herrera, Paul; Jensen, Elsa; Kennedy, Megan R.; Krezoski, Gillian; Krysak, Daniel; Lipkaman, Leslie; McCartney, Elaina; McNair, Sean; Nixon, Brian; Posiolova, Liliya; Ravine, Michael; Salamon, Andrew; Saper, Lee; Stoiber, Kevin; Supulver, Kimberley; Van Beek, Jason; Zimdar, Robert; French, Katherine Louise; Iagnemma, Karl; Miller, Kristen; Summons, Roger; Goesmann, Fred; Hviid, Stubbe; Johnson, Micah; Lefavor, Matthew; Lyness, Eric; Breves, Elly; Dyar, M. Darby; Fassett, Caleb; Blake, David F.; Bristow, Thomas; DesMarais, David; Edwards, Laurence; Haberle, Robert; Hoehler, Tori; Hollingsworth, Jeff; Kahre, Melinda; Keely, Leslie; McKay, Christopher; Bleacher, Lora; Brinckerhoff, William; Choi, David; Conrad, Pamela; Dworkin, Jason P.; Eigenbrode, Jennifer; Floyd, Melissa; Freissinet, Caroline; Garvin, James; Glavin, Daniel; Harpold, Daniel; Mahaffy, Paul; Martin, David K.; McAdam, Amy; Pavlov, Alexander; Raaen, Eric; Smith, Michael D.; Stern, Jennifer; Tan, Florence; Trainer, Melissa; Meyer, Michael; Posner, Arik; Voytek, Mary; Anderson, Robert C.; Aubrey, Andrew; Beegle, Luther W.; Behar, Alberto; Brinza, David; Calef, Fred; Christensen, Lance; Crisp, Joy A.; DeFlores, Lauren; Feldman, Jason; Feldman, Sabrina; Flesch, Gregory; Hurowitz, Joel; Jun, Insoo; Keymeulen, Didier; Maki, Justin; Mischna, Michael; Morookian, John Michael; Parker, Timothy; Pavri, Betina; Schoppers, Marcel; Sengstacken, Aaron; Simmonds, John J.; Spanovich, Nicole; de la Torre Juarez, Manuel; Vasavada, Ashwin R.; Webster, Christopher R.; Yen, Albert; Archer, Paul Douglas; Cucinotta, Francis; Jones, John H.; Ming, Douglas; Morris, Richard V.; Niles, Paul; Rampe, Elizabeth; Nolan, Thomas; Fisk, Martin; Radziemski, Leon; Barraclough, Bruce; Bender, Steve; Berman, Daniel; Dobrea, Eldar Noe; Tokar, Robert; Vaniman, David; Leshin, Laurie; Cleghorn, Timothy; Huntress, Wesley; Manhès, Gérard; Hudgins, Judy; Olson, Timothy; Stewart, Noel; Sarrazin, Philippe; Grant, John; Vicenzi, Edward; Wilson, Sharon A.; Bullock, Mark; Ehresmann, Bent; Hamilton, Victoria; Hassler, Donald; Peterson, Joseph; Rafkin, Scot; Zeitlin, Cary; Fedosov, Fedor; Golovin, Dmitry; Karpushkina, Natalya; Kozyrev, Alexander; Litvak, Maxim; Malakhov, Alexey; Mitrofanov, Igor; Mokrousov, Maxim; Nikiforov, Sergey; Prokhorov, Vasily; Sanin, Anton; Tretyakov, Vladislav; Varenikov, Alexey; Vostrukhin, Andrey; Kuzmin, Ruslan; Clark, Benton; Wolff, Michael; McLennan, Scott; Botta, Oliver; Drake, Darrell; Bean, Keri; Lemmon, Mark; Lee, Ella Mae; Sucharski, Robert; Hernández, Miguel Ángel de Pablo; Blanco Ávalos, Juan José; Ramos, Miguel; Kim, Myung-Hee; Malespin, Charles; Plante, Ianik; Muller, Jan-Peter; González, Rafael Navarro; Ewing, Ryan; Boynton, William; Downs, Robert; Fitzgibbon, Mike; Harshman, Karl; Morrison, Shaunna; Kortmann, Onno; Williams, Amy; Lugmair, Günter; Wilson, Michael A.; Jakosky, Bruce; Zunic, Tonci Balic; Frydenvang, Jens; Kinch, Kjartan; Stipp, Susan Louise Svane; Boyd, Nick; Campbell, John L.; Gellert, Ralf; Perrett, Glynis; Pradler, Irina; VanBommel, Scott; Jacob, Samantha; Owen, Tobias; Rowland, Scott; Savijärvi, Hannu; Boehm, Eckart; Böttcher, Stephan; Burmeister, Sönke; Guo, Jingnan; Köhler, Jan; García, César Martín; Mellin, Reinhold Mueller; Schweingruber, Robert Wimmer; McConnochie, Timothy; Benna, Mehdi; Franz, Heather; Bower, Hannah; Brunner, Anna; Blau, Hannah; Boucher, Thomas; Carmosino, Marco; Atreya, Sushil; Elliott, Harvey; Halleaux, Douglas; Rennó, Nilton; Wong, Michael; Pepin, Robert; Elliott, Beverley; Spray, John; Thompson, Lucy; Gordon, Suzanne; Williams, Joshua; Vasconcelos, Paulo; Bentz, Jennifer; Nealson, Kenneth; Popa, Radu; Moersch, Jeffrey; Tate, Christopher; Day, Mackenzie; Kocurek, Gary; Hallet, Bernard; Sletten, Ronald; Francis, Raymond; McCullough, Emily; Cloutis, Ed; ten Kate, Inge Loes; Arvidson, Raymond; Fraeman, Abigail; Scholes, Daniel; Slavney, Susan; Stein, Thomas; Ward, Jennifer; Berger, Jeffrey; Moores, John E.

2013-05-01

Observations by the Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera (Mastcam) in Gale crater reveal isolated outcrops of cemented pebbles (2 to 40 millimeters in diameter) and sand grains with textures typical of fluvial sedimentary conglomerates. Rounded pebbles in the conglomerates indicate substantial fluvial abrasion. ChemCam emission spectra at one outcrop show a predominantly feldspathic composition, consistent with minimal aqueous alteration of sediments. Sediment was mobilized in ancient water flows that likely exceeded the threshold conditions (depth 0.03 to 0.9 meter, average velocity 0.20 to 0.75 meter per second) required to transport the pebbles. Climate conditions at the time sediment was transported must have differed substantially from the cold, hyper-arid modern environment to permit aqueous flows across several kilometers.

An optical age chronology of late Quaternary extreme fluvial events recorded in Ugandan dambo soils

Science.gov (United States)

Mahan, S.A.; Brown, D.J.

2007-01-01

There is little geochonological data on sedimentation in dambos (seasonally saturated, channel-less valley floors) found throughout Central and Southern Africa. Radiocarbon dating is problematic for dambos due to (i) oxidation of organic materials during dry seasons; and (ii) the potential for contemporary biological contamination of near-surface sediments. However, for luminescence dating the equatorial site and semi-arid climate facilitate grain bleaching, while the gentle terrain ensures shallow water columns, low turbidity, and relatively long surface exposures for transported grains prior to deposition and burial. For this study, we focused on dating sandy strata (indicative of high-energy fluvial events) at various positions and depths within a second-order dambo in central Uganda. Blue-light quartz optically stimulated luminescences (OSL) ages were compared with infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) ages from finer grains in the same sample. A total of 8 samples were dated, with 6 intervals obtained at ???35, 33, 16, 10.4, 8.4, and 5.9 ka. In general, luminescence ages were stratigraphically, geomorphically and ordinally consistent and most blue-light OSL ages could be correlated with well-dated climatic events registered either in Greenland ice cores or Lake Victoria sediments. Based upon OSL age correlations, we theorize that extreme fluvial dambo events occur primarily during relatively wet periods, often preceding humid-to-arid transitions. The optical ages reported in this study provide the first detailed chronology of dambo sedimentation, and we anticipate that further dambo work could provide a wealth of information on the paleohydrology of Central and Southern Africa. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of alternatives fuels in a fluvial convoy; Utilizacao de combustiveis alternativos em um comboio fluvial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padovezi, Carlos D; Giraldo, Arnaldo

1987-12-31

This work presents the results of tests performed with ethanol and methanol in a fluvial convoy in Tiete river, Sao Paulo State - Southeast Brazil. It also outlines a comparison and evaluation methodology. 9 figs., 3 tabs.

Utilization of alternatives fuels in a fluvial convoy; Utilizacao de combustiveis alternativos em um comboio fluvial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padovezi, Carlos D.; Giraldo, Arnaldo

1986-12-31

This work presents the results of tests performed with ethanol and methanol in a fluvial convoy in Tiete river, Sao Paulo State - Southeast Brazil. It also outlines a comparison and evaluation methodology. 9 figs., 3 tabs.

Landform Evolution Modeling of Specific Fluvially Eroded Physiographic Units on Titan

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J. M.; Howard, A. D.; Schenk, P. M.

2015-01-01

Several recent studies have proposed certain terrain types (i.e., physiographic units) on Titan thought to be formed by fluvial processes acting on local uplands of bedrock or in some cases sediment. We have earlier used our landform evolution models to make general comparisons between Titan and other ice world landscapes (principally those of the Galilean satellites) that we have modeled the action of fluvial processes. Here we give examples of specific landscapes that, subsequent to modeled fluvial work acting on the surfaces, produce landscapes which resemble mapped terrain types on Titan.

Riparian shrub metal concentrations and growth in amended fluvial mine tailings

Science.gov (United States)

Fluvial mine tailing deposition has caused extensive riparian damage throughout the western United States. Willows are often used for fluvial mine tailing revegetation, but some species accumulate excessive metal concentrations which could be detrimental to browsers. In a greenhouse experiment, gr...

[Influence of three types of riparian vegetation on fluvial erosion control in Pantanos de Centla, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Sepúlveda-Lozada, Alejandra; Geissen, Violette; Ochoa-Gaona, Susana; Jarquín-Sánchez, Aarón; de la Cruz, Simón Hernández; Capetillo, Edward; Zamora-Cornelio, Luis Felipe

2009-12-01

Wetlands constitute very important ecological areas. The aim of this study was to quantify the soil losses due to fluvial erosion from 2006 to 2008 in two riverbanks under three types of vegetal coverage dominated by Haematoxylum campechianum, Dalbergia brownei and Brachiaria mutica, in the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve, SE Mexico. The relationship between the texture, organic matter and pH of soils and soil losses was evaluated. We used erosion sticks to estimate soil losses in 18 plots (three plots per type, three vegetation types, two riverbanks). Soil loss decreased in this order: H. campechianum>B. mutica>D. brownei indicating that D. brownei scrubland has the most potential to retain soil. The higher erosive impact within H. campechianum sites can be related with the low density of these trees in the study areas, as well as the lack of association with other types of vegetation that could reinforce the rooting of the soil profile. Furthermore, soil losses in H. campechianum sites were dependent on soil texture. The soils under this type of vegetal coverage were mainly sandy, which are more vulnerable to the erosive action in comparison with fine textured soils or soils with higher clay content, like the ones found in D. brownei and B. mutica sites. Soil losses of 100 % in the second year (B. mutica plots) can be attributed to the distribution of roots in the upper soil layer and also to livestock management along riverbanks. This study recognizes the importance of D. brownei scrublands in riverbank soil retention. Nevertheless it is necessary to consider the role of an entire vegetal community in future research.

Morphology of fluvial levee series along a river under human influence, Maros River, Hungary

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, Tímea; Balogh, Márton; Fiala, Károly; Sipos, György

2018-02-01

The development and morphometry of fluvial levees reflect the connection between channel and overbank processes, which can be altered by various human activities. The aims of this study are to investigate the morphology and spatial characteristics of fluvial levees and evaluate the role of some local- and catchment-scale human activities on their medium-term (150 years) development. This study applies LiDAR data along a 53-km-long reach of the Maros River in Hungary. Six fluvial levee types are identified based on the beginning and end of their evolution. These levee types were generated by local nineteenth century channel regulation works (cutoffs) and mid-twentieth century channel narrowing, which was caused by gravel mining and water impoundment in the upstream sections. However, other human activities also influenced the development of active fluvial levees because their horizontal evolution could have been limited by embanked flood-protection levees or the widening of low-lying floodplain benches that were generated by channel narrowing. Additionally, revetment constructions influenced their vertical parameters as higher fluvial levees developed along the fixed banks. Generally, the older active fluvial levees are wider, while the younger active levees are narrower with steeper slopes but not always lower. On the low-lying floodplain levels (benches), the youngest fluvial levees evolved quite rapidly and consist of coarser material. Currently, only 9.8- to 38-year return-period floods could cover the fluvial levees, contributing to their evolution. This fact and the development of fluvial levee series with two-three members reflect a gradual decoupling of the channel from the floodplain.

Heavy mineral analyses as a powerful tool in fluvial geomorphology

Science.gov (United States)

von Suchodoletz, Hans; Gärtner, Andreas; Faust, Dominik

2014-05-01

The Marneuli depression is a tectonic sub-basin of the Transcaucasian depression in eastern Georgia, filled with several decametres of fluvial, lacustrine and aeolian Quaternary sediments. In order to reconstruct past landscape evolution of the region we studied Late Quaternary fluvial sediments found along several rivers that flow through that depression. Whereas Holocene river sediments could generally easily be assigned to corresponding rivers, this was not always the case for older fluvial sediments. For this reason, we studied the heavy mineral contents of five recent rivers and of four sedimentary deposits of potential precursors. A total of 4088 analysed heavy mineral grains enabled us to set up the characteristic heavy mineral distribution pattern for each sample. Using these data, we were able to reconstruct the most likely source areas of the Late Pleistocene fluvial sediments and to link them with the catchment areas of recent rivers. This allowed us to identify and to substantiate significant Late Quaternary river diversions that could at least partly be assigned to ongoing tectonic processes.

Fluvial response to the last Holocene rapid climate change in the Northwestern Mediterranean coastlands

Science.gov (United States)

Degeai, Jean-Philippe; Devillers, Benoît; Blanchemanche, Philippe; Dezileau, Laurent; Oueslati, Hamza; Tillier, Margaux; Bohbot, Hervé

2017-05-01

The variability of fluvial activity in the Northwestern Mediterranean coastal lowlands and its relationship with modes of climate change were analysed from the late 9th to the 18th centuries CE. Geochemical analyses were undertaken from a lagoonal sequence and surrounding sediments in order to track the fluvial inputs into the lagoon. An index based on the K/S and Rb/S ratios was used to evidence the main periods of fluvial activity. This index reveals that the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) was a drier period characterized by a lower fluvial activity, while the Little Ice Age (LIA) was a wetter period with an increase of the river dynamics. Three periods of higher than average fluvial activity were evidenced at the end of the first millennium CE (ca. 900-950 cal yr CE), in the first half of the second millennium CE (ca. 1150-1550 cal yr CE), and during the 1600s-1700s CE (ca. 1650-1800 cal yr CE). The comparison of these fluvial periods with other records of riverine or lacustrine floods in Spain, Italy, and South of France seems to indicate a general increase in fluvial and flood patterns in the Northwestern Mediterranean in response to the climate change from the MCA to the LIA, although some episodes of flooding are not found in all records. Besides, the phases of higher than average fluvial dynamics are in good agreement with the North Atlantic cold events evidenced from records of ice-rafted debris. The evolution of fluvial activity in the Northwestern Mediterranean coastlands during the last millennium could have been driven by atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns.

Geomorphic Unit Tool (GUT): Applications of Fluvial Mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, N.; Bangen, S. G.; Wheaton, J. M.; Bouwes, N.; Wall, E.; Saunders, C.; Bennett, S.; Fortney, S.

2017-12-01

Geomorphic units are the building blocks of rivers and represent distinct habitat patches for many fluvial organisms. We present the Geomorphic Unit Toolkit (GUT), a flexible GIS geomorphic unit mapping tool, to generate maps of fluvial landforms from topography. GUT applies attributes to landforms based on flow stage (Tier 1), topographic signatures (Tier 2), geomorphic characteristics (Tier 3) and patch characteristics (Tier 4) to derive attributed maps at the level of detail required by analysts. We hypothesize that if more rigorous and consistent geomorphic mapping is conducted, better correlations between physical habitat units and ecohydraulic model results will be obtained compared to past work. Using output from GUT for coarse bed tributary streams in the Columbia River Basin, we explore relationships between salmonid habitat and geomorphic spatial metrics. We also highlight case studies of how GUT can be used to showcase geomorphic impact from large wood restoration efforts. Provided high resolution topography exists, this tool can be used to quickly assess changes in fluvial geomorphology in watersheds impacted by human activities.

Modeling plan-form deltaic response to changes in fluvial sediment supply

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nienhuis, J.H.; Ashton, A.D.; Roos, Pieter C.; Hulscher, Suzanne J.M.H.; Giosan, L.; Kranenburg, W.M.; Horstman, E.M.; Wijnberg, K.M.

2012-01-01

This study focuses on the effects of changes in fluvial sediment supply on the plan-form shape of wave-dominated deltas. We apply a one-line numerical shoreline model to calculate shoreline evolution after (I) elimination and (II) time-periodic variation of fluvial input. Model results suggest four

Sediment Transport Dynamic in a Meandering Fluvial System: Case Study of Chini River

Science.gov (United States)

Nazir, M. H. M.; Awang, S.; Shaaban, A. J.; Yahaya, N. K. E. M.; Jusoh, A. M.; Arumugam, M. A. R. M. A.; Ghani, A. A.

2016-07-01

Sedimentation in river reduces the flood carrying capacity which lead to the increasing of inundation area in the river basin. Basic sediment transport can predict the fluvial processes in natural rivers and stream through modeling approaches. However, the sediment transport dynamic in a small meandering and low-lying fluvial system is considered scarce in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to analyze the current riverbed erosion and sedimentation scenarios along the Chini River, Pekan, Pahang. The present study revealed that silt and clay has potentially been eroded several parts of the river. Sinuosity index (1.98) indicates that Chini River is very unstable and continuous erosion process in waterways has increase the riverbank instability due to the meandering factors. The riverbed erosional and depositional process in the Chini River is a sluggish process since the lake reduces the flow velocity and causes the deposited particles into the silt and clay soil at the bed of the lake. Besides, the bed layer of the lake comprised of cohesive silt and clayey composition that tend to attach the larger grain size of sediment. The present study estimated the total sediment accumulated along the Chini River is 1.72 ton. The HEC-RAS was employed in the simulations and in general the model performed well, once all parameters were set within their effective ranges.

Shaler: in situ analysis of a fluvial sedimentary deposit on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Edgar, Lauren; Gupta, Sanjeev; Rubin, David M.; Lewis, Kevin W.; Kocurek, Gary A.; Anderson, Ryan; Bell, James F.; Dromart, Gilles; Edgett, Kenneth S.; Grotzinger, John P.; Hardgrove, Craig; Kah, Linda C.; LeVeille, Richard A.; Malin, Michael C.; Mangold, Nicholas; Milliken, Ralph E.; Minitti, Michelle; Palucis, Marisa C.; Rice, Melissa; Rowland, Scott K.; Schieber, Juergen; Stack, Kathryn M.; Sumner, Dawn Y.; Wiens, Roger C.; Williams, Rebecca M.E.; Williams, Amy J.

2018-01-01

This paper characterizes the detailed sedimentology of a fluvial sandbody on Mars for the first time, and interprets its depositional processes and palaeoenvironmental setting. Despite numerous orbital observations of fluvial landforms on the surface of Mars, ground-based characterization of the sedimentology of such fluvial deposits has not previously been possible. Results from the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover provide an opportunity to reconstruct at fine scale the sedimentary architecture and palaeomorphology of a fluvial environment on Mars. This work describes the grain size, texture, and sedimentary facies of the Shaler outcrop, reconstructs the bedding architecture, and analyses cross-stratification to determine palaeocurrents. On the basis of bedset geometry and inclination, grain-size distribution, and bedform migration direction, this study concludes that the Shaler outcrop likely records the accretion of a fluvial barform. The majority of the outcrop consists of large-scale trough cross-bedding of coarse sand and granules. Palaeocurrent analyses and bedform reconstruction indicate that the beds were deposited by bedforms that migrated towards the northeast, across the surface of a bar that migrated southeast. Stacked cosets of dune cross-bedding suggest aggradation of multiple bedforms, which provides evidence for short periods of sustained flow during Shaler deposition. However, local evidence for aeolian reworking and the presence of potential desiccation cracks within the outcrop suggests that fluvial deposition may have been intermittent. The uppermost strata at Shaler are distinct in terms of texture and chemistry, and are inferred to record deposition from a different sediment dispersal system with a contrasting provenance. The outcrop as a whole is a testament to the availability of liquid water on the surface of Mars in its early history.

Contemporary Conceptual Approaches in Fluvial Geomorphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mônica dos Santos Marçal

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Contemporary fluvial geomorphology faces challenging questions, especially as it goes by understanding the Late Holocene/Anthropocene period, which has repercussions today and are intrinsically important to understand the human river disturbance. Given the scale that physical rates operate in complex river systems, two conceptual paths were developed to analyze the spatial and temporal organization. The network view emphasizes controls on catchment-scale and a reach approach focuses on discontinuity and local controls. Fluvial geomorphology has seek to understand the organization of complex river systems from the integrated view of the continuity and discontinuity paradigm. This integrated approach has stimulated within the geomorphology, the emergence of new theoretical-methodological instruments. It is recognized that rivers management is an ongoing process, part of the socio-cultural development, which refers to both a social movement and scientific exercise.

Sources of 137Cs fluvial export from a forest catchment evaluated by stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic characterization of organic matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotomi Muto; Mariko Atarashi-Andoh; Jun Koarashi; Erina Takeuchi; Syusaku Nishimura; Katsunori Tsuduki; Takeshi Matsunaga

2017-01-01

Fluvial export of particulate and dissolved 137 Cs was investigated to reveal its sources and transfer mechanisms in a broadleaved forest catchment using a continuous collection system. The finest size fraction (<75 µm), consisting of decomposed litter and surface mineral soil, was the dominant fraction in the particulate 137 Cs load, although the contribution of coarser size fractions increased during high water discharge in 2014. The dissolved 137 Cs originated from the decomposition of 137 Cs-contaminated litter. Temporal changes in 137 Cs distribution in the litter-mineral soil system indicated that the dissolved 137 Cs load will be moderated in several years, while particulate 137 Cs load has the potential to continue for a long time. (author)

Protracted fluvial recovery from medieval earthquakes, Pokhara, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Stolle, Amelie; Bernhardt, Anne; Schwanghart, Wolfgang; Andermann, Christoff; Schönfeldt, Elisabeth; Seidemann, Jan; Adhikari, Basanta R.; Merchel, Silke; Rugel, Georg; Fort, Monique; Korup, Oliver

2016-04-01

River response to strong earthquake shaking in mountainous terrain often entails the flushing of sediments delivered by widespread co-seismic landsliding. Detailed mass-balance studies following major earthquakes in China, Taiwan, and New Zealand suggest fluvial recovery times ranging from several years to decades. We report a detailed chronology of earthquake-induced valley fills in the Pokhara region of western-central Nepal, and demonstrate that rivers continue to adjust to several large medieval earthquakes to the present day, thus challenging the notion of transient fluvial response to seismic disturbance. The Pokhara valley features one of the largest and most extensively dated sedimentary records of earthquake-triggered sedimentation in the Himalayas, and independently augments paleo-seismological archives obtained mainly from fault trenches and historic documents. New radiocarbon dates from the catastrophically deposited Pokhara Formation document multiple phases of extremely high geomorphic activity between ˜700 and ˜1700 AD, preserved in thick sequences of alternating fluvial conglomerates, massive mud and silt beds, and cohesive debris-flow deposits. These dated fan-marginal slackwater sediments indicate pronounced sediment pulses in the wake of at least three large medieval earthquakes in ˜1100, 1255, and 1344 AD. We combine these dates with digital elevation models, geological maps, differential GPS data, and sediment logs to estimate the extent of these three pulses that are characterized by sedimentation rates of ˜200 mm yr-1 and peak rates as high as 1,000 mm yr-1. Some 5.5 to 9 km3 of material infilled the pre-existing topography, and is now prone to ongoing fluvial dissection along major canyons. Contemporary river incision into the Pokhara Formation is rapid (120-170 mm yr-1), triggering widespread bank erosion, channel changes, and very high sediment yields of the order of 103 to 105 t km-2 yr-1, that by far outweigh bedrock denudation rates

Modeling Long-Term Fluvial Incision : Shall we Care for the Details of Short-Term Fluvial Dynamics?

Science.gov (United States)

Lague, D.; Davy, P.

2008-12-01

Fluvial incision laws used in numerical models of coupled climate, erosion and tectonics systems are mainly based on the family of stream power laws for which the rate of local erosion E is a power function of the topographic slope S and the local mean discharge Q : E = K Qm Sn. The exponents m and n are generally taken as (0.35, 0.7) or (0.5, 1), and K is chosen such that the predicted topographic elevation given the prevailing rates of precipitation and tectonics stay within realistic values. The resulting topographies are reasonably realistic, and the coupled system dynamics behaves somehow as expected : more precipitation induces increased erosion and localization of the deformation. Yet, if we now focus on smaller scale fluvial dynamics (the reach scale), recent advances have suggested that discharge variability, channel width dynamics or sediment flux effects may play a significant role in controlling incision rates. These are not factored in the simple stream power law model. In this work, we study how these short- term details propagate into long-term incision dynamics within the framework of surface/tectonics coupled numerical models. To upscale the short term dynamics to geological timescales, we use a numerical model of a trapezoidal river in which vertical and lateral incision processes are computed from fluid shear stress at a daily timescale, sediment transport and protection effects are factored in, as well as a variable discharge. We show that the stream power law model might still be a valid model but that as soon as realistic effects are included such as a threshold for sediment transport, variable discharge and dynamic width the resulting exponents m and n can be as high as 2 and 4. This high non-linearity has a profound consequence on the sensitivity of fluvial relief to incision rate. We also show that additional complexity does not systematically translates into more non-linear behaviour. For instance, considering only a dynamical width

Experimental investigation of fluvial dike breaching due to flow overtopping

Science.gov (United States)

El Kadi Abderrezzak, K.; Rifai, I.; Erpicum, S.; Archambeau, P.; Violeau, D.; Pirotton, M.; Dewals, B.

2017-12-01

The failure of fluvial dikes (levees) often leads to devastating floods that cause loss of life and damages to public infrastructure. Overtopping flows have been recognized as one of the most frequent cause of dike erosion and breaching. Fluvial dike breaching is different from frontal dike (embankments) breaching, because of specific geometry and boundary conditions. The current knowledge on the physical processes underpinning fluvial dike failure due to overtopping remains limited. In addition, there is a lack of a continuous monitoring of the 3D breach formation, limiting the analysis of the key mechanisms governing the breach development and the validation of conceptual or physically-based models. Laboratory tests on breach growth in homogeneous, non-cohesive sandy fluvial dikes due to flow overtopping have been performed. Two experimental setups have been constructed, permitting the investigation of various hydraulic and geometric parameters. Each experimental setup includes a main channel, separated from a floodplain by a dike. A rectangular initial notch is cut in the crest to initiate dike breaching. The breach development is monitored continuously using a specific developed laser profilometry technique. The observations have shown that the breach develops in two stages: first the breach deepens and widens with the breach centerline being gradually shifted toward the downstream side of the main channel. This behavior underlines the influence of the flow momentum component parallel to the dike crest. Second, the dike geometry upstream of the breach stops evolving and the breach widening continues only toward the downstream side of the main channel. The breach evolution has been found strongly affected by the flow conditions (i.e. inflow discharge in the main channel, downstream boundary condition) and floodplain confinement. The findings of this work shed light on key mechanisms of fluvial dike breaching, which differ substantially from those of dam

Characterizing fluvial heavy metal pollutions under different rainfall conditions: Implication for aquatic environment protection.

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Zhang, Lixun; Zhao, Bo; Xu, Gang; Guan, Yuntao

2018-09-01

Globally, fluvial heavy metal (HM) pollution has recently become an increasingly severe problem. However, few studies have investigated the variational characteristics of fluvial HMs after rain over long periods (≥1 year). The Dakan River in Xili Reservoir watershed (China) was selected as a case study to investigate pollution levels, influencing factors, and sources of HMs under different rainfall conditions during 2015 and 2016. Fluvial HMs showed evident spatiotemporal variations attributable to the coupled effects of pollution generation and rainfall diffusion. Fluvial HM concentrations were significantly associated with rainfall characteristics (e.g., rainfall intensity, rainfall amount, and antecedent dry period) and river flow, which influenced the generation and the transmission of fluvial HMs in various ways. Moreover, this interrelationship depended considerably on the HM type and particle size distribution. Mn, Pb, Cr, and Ni were major contributors to high values of the comprehensive pollution index; therefore, they should be afforded special attention. Additionally, quantitative source apportionment of fluvial HMs was conducted by combining principal component analysis with multiple linear regression and chemical mass balance models to obtain comprehensive source profiles. Finally, an environment-friendly control strategy coupling "source elimination" and "transport barriers" was proposed for aquatic environment protection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Signatures of Late Pleistocene fluvial incision in an Alpine landscape

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Leith, Kerry; Fox, Matthew; Moore, Jeffrey R.

2018-02-01

Uncertainty regarding the relative efficacy of fluvial and glacial erosion has hindered attempts to quantitatively analyse the Pleistocene evolution of alpine landscapes. Here we show that the morphology of major tributaries of the Rhone River, Switzerland, is consistent with that predicted for a landscape shaped primarily by multiple phases of fluvial incision following a period of intense glacial erosion after the mid-Pleistocene transition (∼0.7 Ma). This is despite major ice sheets reoccupying the region during cold intervals since the mid-Pleistocene. We use high-resolution LiDAR data to identify a series of convex reaches within the long-profiles of 18 tributary channels. We propose these reaches represent knickpoints, which developed as regional uplift raised tributary bedrock channels above the local fluvial baselevel during glacial intervals, and migrated upstream as the fluvial system was re-established during interglacial periods. Using a combination of integral long-profile analysis and stream-power modelling, we find that the locations of ∼80% of knickpoints in our study region are consistent with that predicted for a fluvial origin, while the mean residual error over ∼100 km of modelled channels is just 26.3 m. Breaks in cross-valley profiles project toward the elevation of former end-of-interglacial channel elevations, supporting our model results. Calculated long-term uplift rates are within ∼15% of present-day measurements, while modelled rates of bedrock incision range from ∼1 mm/yr for low gradient reaches between knickpoints to ∼6-10 mm/yr close to retreating knickpoints, typical of observed rates in alpine settings. Together, our results reveal approximately 800 m of regional uplift, river incision, and hillslope erosion in the lower half of each tributary catchment since 0.7 Ma.

An inventory of published and unpublished fluvial-sediment data for California, 1956-70

Science.gov (United States)

Porterfield, George

1972-01-01

This inventory was prepared to provide a convenient reference to published and unpublished fluvial-sediment data for water years 1956-70, and updates substantially previous inventories. Sediment stations are listed in downstream order, and an alphabetical list of stations is also included. Figure 1 shows the approximate location of sediment stations in California. Most of the fluvial-sediment data in California were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, under cooperative agreements with the following Federal, State, and local agencies: California Department of Water Resources, California Department of Navigation and Ocean Development, California Department of Fish and Game, Bolinas Harbor District, Monterey County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Orange County Flood Control District, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, San Diego County Department of Sanitation and Flood Control, San Luis Obispo County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County Flood Control and Water District, Santa Cruz County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Santa Cruz, city of, University of California, Ventura County Flood Control District, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. This report was prepared by the Geological Survey under the general supervision of R. Stanley Lord, district chief in charge of water-resources investigations in California.

Nuevos índices cronológicos de evolución de los suelos en terrazas fluviales

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Zazo, C.

1997-04-01

Full Text Available A soil chronosequence on fluvial terraces of the Tajo river (Aranjuez-Toledo sector, Central Spain is studied in order to establish the variation of soil properties with time. Relative chronology of terraces has been established based on vertebrates fauna, lithic industry, geomorphic criteria, and by correlation with other terrace systems of the Tajo basin. Sorne indices have been established as estimators of soil evolution degree: CC: clay content (% in Bt horizon; OCC: global clay content, obtained by the product of thickness and clay percentage of Bt; CS: clay/silt ratio, which results from the division of clay percentage and silt percentage in Bt horizon, and constitutes an estimation of the soil ageing; ILL: illuviation index, or ratio between clay content in Bt horizon and clay content in the overlying horizon. The study of correlations among the properties of argillic horizons and the aforementioned indices and the relative age of the soils have been carried out. The application of these indices to other similar chronosequences confirm their validity. The best results have been obtained for the CS index (ageing index, OCC and CC. Illuviation index shows a great variability, so its use as an evolution criterion is less precise, because it is affected by the total preservation or truncation of the upper part of the original profile.Se estudia una cronosecuencia en el sistema de terrazas fluviales del río Tajo, en el sector comprendido entre Aranjuez y Toledo (España Central con el fin de establecer la variación de las propiedades de los suelos con el tiempo. La cronología relativa del sistema de terrazas se establece según dataciones por faunas de vertebrados, industrias líticas, criterios cartográficos y geomorfológicos relativos y por correlación con otros sistemas de terrazas de la Cuenca del Tajo. Se establecen unos índices como criterios de la evolución del suelo: CA, porcentaje de arcilla en el horizonte argílico (Bt; COA

Fluvial-deltaic sedimentation and stratigraphy of the ferron sandstone

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, P.B.; Chidsey, T.C.; Ryer, T.A.

1997-01-01

East-central Utah has world-class outcrops of dominantly fluvial-deltaic Turonian to Coniacian aged strata deposited in the Cretaceous foreland basin. The Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale records the influences of both tidal and wave energy on fluvial-dominated deltas on the western margin of the Cretaceous western interior seaway. Revisions of the stratigraphy are proposed for the Ferron Sandstone. Facies representing a variety of environments of deposition are well exposed, including delta-front, strandline, marginal marine, and coastal-plain. Some of these facies are described in detail for use in petroleum reservoir characterization and include permeability structure.

Sediment dynamics in the Rhine catchment : Quantification of fluvial response to climate change and human impact

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erkens, G.

2009-01-01

Fluvial systems are strongly responsive to changes in climate and land use — but take their time to show it. Accurate prediction of the timing and degree of future fluvial response requires comprehensive understanding of fluvial response in the past. This PhD-thesis studied the response of the river

GOEMORFOLOGIA FLUVIAL DA BACIA HIDROGRÁFICA DO RIO DE ONDAS

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Ossifleres Silva Damasceno

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Os estudos de Geomorfologia Fluvial para analise de Bacias Hidrográficas vêm tendo nos últimos tempos grande importância, tanto para se conhecer as características de determinadas bacias como para se planejar o uso de tais recursos. Neste sentido, este trabalho foi efetuado no intuito de somar aos estudos anteriormente executados nessa bacia, levantando algumas características geomorfológicas, o uso e ocupação atual. Palavras-chaves: geomorfologia fluvial, hidrografia, agricultura irrigada.

Surficial geological tools in fluvial geomorphology: Chapter 2

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, Robert B.; O'Connor, James E.; Oguchi, Takashi

2016-01-01

Increasingly, environmental scientists are being asked to develop an understanding of how rivers and streams have been altered by environmental stresses, whether rivers are subject to physical or chemical hazards, how they can be restored, and how they will respond to future environmental change. These questions present substantive challenges to the discipline of fluvial geomorphology, especially since decades of geomorphologic research have demonstrated the general complexity of fluvial systems. It follows from the concept of complex response that synoptic and short-term historical views of rivers will often give misleading understanding of future behavior. Nevertheless, broadly trained geomorphologists can address questions involving complex natural systems by drawing from a tool box that commonly includes the principles and methods of geology, hydrology, hydraulics, engineering, and ecology.

Fluvial system response to Late Devensian (Weichselian) aridity, Baston, Lincolnshire, England

Science.gov (United States)

Briant, Rebecca M.; Coope, G. Russell; Preece, Richard C.; Keen, David H.; Boreham, Steve; Griffiths, Huw I.; Seddon, Mary B.; Gibbard, Philip L.

2004-07-01

Little is known about the impact of Late Devensian (Weichselian) aridity on lowland British landscapes, largely because they lack the widespread coversand deposits of the adjacent continent. The concentration of large interformational ice-wedge casts in the upper part of many Devensian fluvial sequences suggests that fluvial activity may have decreased considerably during this time. The development of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating enables this period of ice-wedge cast formation to be constrained for the first time in eastern England, where a marked horizon of ice-wedge casts is found between two distinctive dateable facies associations. Contrasts between this horizon and adjacent sediments show clear changes in environment and fluvial system behaviour in response to changing water supply, in line with palaeontological evidence. In addition to providing chronological control on the period of ice-wedge formation, the study shows good agreement of the radiocarbon and OSL dating techniques during the Middle and Late Devensian, with direct comparison of these techniques beyond 15 000 yr for the first time in Britain. It is suggested that aridity during the Late Devensian forced a significant decrease in fluvial activity compared with preceding and following periods, initiating a system with low peak flows and widespread permafrost development. Copyright

Lacustrine-fluvial interactions in Australia's Riverine Plains

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Kemp, Justine; Pietsch, Timothy; Gontz, Allen; Olley, Jon

2017-06-01

Climatic forcing of fluvial systems has been a pre-occupation of geomorphological studies in Australia since the 1940s. In the Riverine Plain, southeastern Australia, the stable tectonic setting and absence of glaciation have combined to produce sediment loads that are amongst the lowest in the world. Surficial sediments and landforms exceed 140,000 yr in age, and geomorphological change recorded in the fluvial, fluvio-lacustrine and aeolian features have provided a well-studied record of Quaternary environmental change over the last glacial cycle. The region includes the Willandra Lakes, whose distinctive lunette lakes preserve a history of water-level variations and ecological change that is the cornerstone of Australian Quaternary chronostratigraphy. The lunette sediments also contain an ancient record of human occupation that includes the earliest human fossils yet found on the Australian continent. To date, the lake-level and palaeochannel records in the Lachlan-Willandra system have not been fully integrated, making it difficult to establish the regional significance of hydrological change. Here, we compare the Willandra Lakes environmental record with the morphology and location of fluvial systems in the lower Lachlan. An ancient channel belt of the Lachlan, Willandra Creek, acted as the main feeder channel to Willandra Lakes before channel avulsion caused the lakes to dry out in the late Pleistocene. Electromagnetic surveys, geomorphological and sedimentary evidence are used to reconstruct the evolution of the first new channel belt following the avulsion. Single grain optical dating of floodplain sediments indicates that sedimentation in the new Middle Billabong Palaeochannel had commenced before 18.4 ± 1.1 ka. A second avulsion shifted its upper reaches to the location of the present Lachlan River by 16.2 ± 0.9 ka. The timing of these events is consistent with palaeohydrological records reconstructed from Willandra Lakes and with the record of

The Gediz River fluvial archive : A benchmark for Quaternary research in Western Anatolia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maddy, D.; Veldkamp, A.; Demir, T.; van Gorp, W.; Wijbrans, J.R.; van Hinsbergen, D.J.J.; Dekkers, M.J.; Schreve, D.; Schoorl, J.M.; Scaife, R.; Stemerdink, C.; van der Schriek, T.; Bridgland, D.R.; Aytaç, A.S.

2017-01-01

The Gediz River, one of the principal rivers of Western Anatolia, has an extensive Pleistocene fluvial archive that potentially offers a unique window into fluvial system behaviour on the western margins of Asia during the Quaternary. In this paper we review our work on the Quaternary Gediz River

Fluvial fluxes from the Magdalena River into Cartagena Bay, Caribbean Colombia: Trends, future scenarios, and connections with upstream human impacts

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Restrepo, Juan D.; Escobar, Rogger; Tosic, Marko

2018-02-01

Fluxes of continental runoff and sediments as well as downstream deposition of eroded soils have severely altered the structure and function of fluvial and deltaic-estuarine ecosystems. The Magdalena River, the main contributor of continental fluxes into the Caribbean Sea, delivers important amounts of water and sediments into Cartagena Bay, a major estuarine system in northern Colombia. Until now, trends in fluvial fluxes into the bay, as well as the relationship between these tendencies in fluvial inputs and associated upstream changes in the Magdalena catchment, have not been studied. Here we explore the interannual trends of water discharge and sediment load flowing from the Magdalena River-Canal del Dique system into Cartagena Bay during the last three decades, forecast future scenarios of fluxes into the bay, and discuss possible connections between observed trends in fluvial inputs and trends in human intervention in the Magdalena River basin. Significant upward trends in annual runoff and sediment load during the mid-1980s, 1990s, and post-2000 are observed in the Magdalena and in the Canal del Dique flowing into Cartagena Bay. During the last decade, Magdalena streamflow and sediment load experienced increases of 24% and 33%, respectively, compared to the pre-2000 year period. Meanwhile, the Canal del Dique witnessed increases in water discharge and sediment load of 28% and 48%, respectively. During 26 y of monitoring, the Canal del Dique has discharged 177 Mt of sediment to the coastal zone, of which 52 Mt was discharged into Cartagena Bay. Currently, the Canal drains 6.5% and transports 5.1% of the Magdalena water discharge and sediment load. By 2020, water discharge and sediment flux from the Canal del Dique flowing to the coastal zone will witness increments of 164% and 260%, respectively. Consequently, sediment fluxes into Cartagena Bay will witness increments as high as 8.2 Mt y- 1 or 317%. Further analyses of upstream sediment load series for 21

Geological aspects of paleoseismicity and archaeosismology in the fluvial alluvial Rimac valley

OpenAIRE

Jacay, Javier

2017-01-01

The sedimentary fill of the Rimac River fluvial-alluvial plain (Upper Miocene-Quaternary) consists of a thick sequence of unconsolidated material that corresponds to fluvial deposits. A record of seismotectonic activity is presentedin the sedimentary levels of fine facie within numerous paleoseismic structures such as contoured layers, pseudonodules, load figures, and material injections. Additionally, wall inclination and collapse, as well as displacement and partialfracturing, and pavement ...

Assessing floodplain restoration success using soil morphology indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Guenat, Claire; Fournier, Bertrand; Bullinger-Weber, Géraldine; Grin, Karin; Pfund, Simona; Mitchell, Edward

2010-05-01

Floodplains are complex ecological systems that fulfil different ecological, economic and social functions related to physical, chemical, and biological processes. The fluvial dynamics of most rivers in industrialized countries have been altered to such an extent that floodplains are now one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide. This adverse impact has been widely recognized and, nowadays, extensive attempts are underway to return rivers to more natural conditions and restore their ecological quality and essential ecosystem functions. As a consequence, the number of restoration projects worldwide is rapidly increasing. However, despite an estimated global cost of more than 1 billion dollars annually, there is a crucial lack of monitoring and quantitative evaluations. Indeed, most projects are never monitored post-restoration (NRC 1992). In Switzerland, only 35% of the projects include a monitoring program mainly based on flora and fauna (BAFU). The design, selection and optimization of indicators for project monitoring are of major importance for sustainable management of riverine ecosystems. However, despite the growing body of literature on potential indicators and criteria for assessing the success of restoration projects no standardised or generally applicable method exists. Furthermore, soils are rarely considered among the possible indicators despite their crucial roles in ecosystems such as decomposition, supplying resources (habitats, gene pool, biomass, and raw materials), and environmental interactions (storage, filtering, transformation). We therefore hypothesized that soils may constitute an appropriate synthetic and functional indicator for the evaluation of river restoration success, especially in the framework of river widening aiming to increase the terrestrial biodiversity. In agreement with the current concepts of river restoration, we propose an assessment tool for floodplain restoration based on three soil morphology criteria (soil

The influence of fluvial reservoir architecture on geothermal energy production in Hot Sedimentary Aquifers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, C.J.L.

2014-01-01

Currently six geothermal doublets are realized in the WNB. Five of these doublets target the same Lower Cretaceous fluvial sandstone interval, the Nieuwerkerk Formation. About 40 exploration licences are granted. Many of them also have sandstones in the same fluvial interval, the Nieuwerkerk

Detection of Bacterial Endospores in Soil by Terbium Fluorescence

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Andrea Brandes Ammann

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Spore formation is a survival mechanism of microorganisms when facing unfavorable environmental conditions resulting in “dormant” states. We investigated the occurrence of bacterial endospores in soils from various locations including grasslands (pasture, meadow, allotment gardens, and forests, as well as fluvial sediments. Bacterial spores are characterized by their high content of dipicolinic acid (DPA. In the presence of terbium, DPA forms a complex showing a distinctive photoluminescence spectrum. DPA was released from soil by microwaving or autoclaving. The addition of aluminium chloride reduced signal quenching by interfering compounds such as phosphate. The highest spore content (up to 109 spores per gram of dry soil was found in grassland soils. Spore content is related to soil type, to soil depth, and to soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Our study might provide a basis for the detection of “hot spots” of bacterial spores in soil.

A Field Exercise in Fluvial Sediment Transport.

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Tharp, Thomas M.

1983-01-01

Describes an investigation which introduces the mathematical principles of stream hydraulics and fluvial sediment in a practical context. The investigation has four stages: defining hydrology of the stream; defining channel hydraulics in a study reach; measuring grain size; and calculating transportable grain size and comparing measure stream-bed…

Milankovitch cyclicity in the paleotropical, fluvial, Late Triassic age strata recovered by the Colorado Plateau Coring Project (CPCP)

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Olsen, P. E.; Mundil, R.; Kent, D.; Rasmussen, C.

2017-12-01

Two questions addressed by the CPCP are: 1) is Milankovitch-paced climate cyclicity recorded in the fluvial Late Triassic age Chinle Formation ( 227-202 Ma); and 2) do geochronological data from the Chinle support the Newark-Hartford astrochronological polarity time scale (1) (APTS). To these ends we examined the upper 157 m (stratigraphic thickness) of Petrified Forest National Park core 1A (Owl Rock, Petrified Forest, and upper Sonsela members), consisting mostly of massive red paleosols and less important fluvial sandstones. A linear age model tied to new U-Pb zircon CA ID-TIMS dates from core 1A, consistent with published data from outcrop (2), yields a duration of about 5 Myr for this interval. Magnetic susceptibility variations, interpreted as reflecting penecontemporaneous soil and sandstone redox conditions, show a clear 12 m cycle corresponding to a 400 kyr cycle based on Fourier analysis in both core and hole. Similar cyclicity is apparent in spectrophotometric data, largely reflecting hematite variability. Weak, higher frequency cycles are present consistent with 100 kyr variability. There is no interpretable 20 kyr signal. Such cyclicity is not an anticipated direct effect of Milankvitch insolation variations, but must reflect non-linear integration of variability that changes dramatically at the eccentricity-scale, brought about by the sedimentary and climate systems. Our results support a direct 405 kyr-level correlation between the fluvial medial Chinle and lacustrine Newark Basin section (middle Passaic Formation), consistent with new and published (3) paleomagnetic polarity stratigraphy from the Chinle, showing that the Milankovitch eccentricity cycles are recorded in lower accumulation rate fluvial systems. Our results also independently support the continuity of the Newark Basin section and corroborate the Newark-Hartford APTS, not allowing for a multi-million year hiatus in the Passaic Formation, as has been asserted (4). We anticipate further

Fluvial facies reservoir productivity prediction method based on principal component analysis and artificial neural network

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Pengyu Gao

2016-03-01

Full Text Available It is difficult to forecast the well productivity because of the complexity of vertical and horizontal developments in fluvial facies reservoir. This paper proposes a method based on Principal Component Analysis and Artificial Neural Network to predict well productivity of fluvial facies reservoir. The method summarizes the statistical reservoir factors and engineering factors that affect the well productivity, extracts information by applying the principal component analysis method and approximates arbitrary functions of the neural network to realize an accurate and efficient prediction on the fluvial facies reservoir well productivity. This method provides an effective way for forecasting the productivity of fluvial facies reservoir which is affected by multi-factors and complex mechanism. The study result shows that this method is a practical, effective, accurate and indirect productivity forecast method and is suitable for field application.

Gold-bearing fluvial and associated tidal marine sediments of Proterozoic age in the Mporokoso Basin, northern Zambia

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Andrews-Speed, C. P.

1986-07-01

The structurally defined Mporokoso Basin contains up to 5000 m of continental and marine clastic sediments and minor silicic volcanics which together form the Mporokoso Group. These rocks overlie unconformably a basement of silicic-intermediate igneous rocks and accumulated within the interval 1830-1130 Ma. This sedimentological study was restricted to the eastern end of the basin and was part of an assessment of the potential for palaeoplacer gold in the Mporokoso Group. At the base of the Mporokoso Group, the Mbala Formation consists of 1000-1500 m of purple sandstones and conglomerates deposited in a braided-stream system overlain by 500-1000 m of mature quartz arenites deposited in a tidal marine setting. A general coarsening-upward trend exists within the fluvial sediments. Sandy, distal braided-stream facies passes upwards into more proximal conglomeratic facies. In proximal sections, poorly sorted conglomerates form the top of the coarsening-up sequence which is 500-700 m thick. The overlying fluvial sediments fine upwards. The tidal marine sandstones at the top of the Mbala Formation resulted from reworking of fluvial sediments during a marine transgression. Well-exposed sections with fluvial conglomerates were studied in detail. Individual conglomerate bodies form sheets extending for hundreds of metres downstream and at least one hundred metres across stream, with little sign of deep scouring or channelling. They are generally matrix-supported. The whole fluvial sequence is characterised by a paucity of mud or silt. These conglomerates were deposited by large velocity, sheet flows of water which transported a bed-load of pebbles and sand. Most fine material settling out from suspension was eroded by the next flow. The great lateral and vertical extent and the uniformity of the fluvial sediments suggest that the sediments accumulated over an unconfined alluvial plain and that the tectonic evolution of the source area was relatively continuous and not

La géoarchéologie fluviale

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Gilles Arnaud-Fassetta

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Les recherches des hydrogéomorphologues ont des applications nombreuses dans le vaste champ des sciences géoarchéologiques. Elles fournissent des réponses précises sur la façon dont l’environnement des anciens lieux de passage et de vie humaine a évolué. Le propos n’est pas seulement de définir les causes des grands changements environnementaux, mais aussi de juger de la vulnérabilité sociétale face aux contraintes hydroclimatiques. Pour cela, les méthodes d’étude doivent nécessairement prendre en compte les trois facettes de la géomorphologie fluviale : la paléohydrographie, la paléohydrologie et la paléohydraulique. La pertinence de cette approche est montrée en milieu rural et urbain dans les plaines deltaïques du Rhône (France du Sud et de l’Isonzo (Italie du Nord.Current research led by hydrogeomorphologists has numerous applications in the vast field of geoarchaeological sciences. It brings precise answers on environmental characteristics around the ancient places of passage and human life. The goal is not only to define the causes of global environmental changes, but also to precise the links between river dynamics and human societies in terms of fluvial risk. Therefore, the studied methods should simultaneously take into account the three facets of the fluvial geomorphology, i.e., the palaeohydrography, the palaeohydrology, and the palaeohydraulics. The pertinence of this combinatorial approach is deduced from the work of the author led both in rural and urban areas of the deltaic plains of the Rhône (South of France and Isonzo (northern Italy rivers.

Fluvial processes and channel morphometry of the upper Orashi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fluvial processes and channel morphometry of the upper Orashi basin in ... of channel equilibrium between morphology and hydrology, the Orashi channel is not well ... Drainage basins, watershed morphology, morphometric analysis, Nigeria ...

Fluvial Channel Networks as Analogs for the Ridge-Forming Unit, Sinus Meridiani, Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, M. J.; du Bois, J. B.

2010-01-01

Fluvial models have been generally discounted as analogs for the younger layered rock units of Sinus Meridiani. A fluvial model based on the large fluvial fan provides a possibly close analog for various features of the sinuous ridges of the etched, ridge-forming unit (RFU) in particular. The close spacing of the RFU ridges, their apparently chaotic orientations, and their organization in dense networks all appear unlike classical stream channel patterns. However, drainage patterns on large fluvial fans low-angle, fluvial aggradational features, 100s of km long, documented worldwide by us provide parallels. Some large fan characteristics resemble those of classical floodplains, but many differences have been demonstrated. One major distinction relevant to the RFU is that channel landscapes of large fans can dominate large areas (1.2 million km2 in one S. American study area). We compare channel morphologies on large fans in the southern Sahara Desert with ridge patterns in Sinus Meridiani (fig 1). Stream channels are the dominant landform on large terrestrial fans: they may equate to the ubiquitous, sinuous, elongated ridges of the RFU that cover areas region wide. Networks of convergent/divergent and crossing channels may equate to similar features in the ridge networks. Downslope divergence is absent in channels of terrestrial upland erosional landscapes (fig. 1, left), whereas it is common to both large fans (fig. 1, center) and RFU ridge patterns (fig 1, right downslope defined as the regional NW slope of Sinus Meridiani). RFU ridge orientation, judged from those areas apparently devoid of impact crater control, is broadly parallel with the regional slope (arrow, fig. 1, right), as is mean orientation of major channels on large fans (arrow, fig. 1, center). High densities per unit area characterize fan channels and martian ridges reaching an order of magnitude higher than those in uplands just upstream of the terrestrial study areas fig. 1. In concert with

Ridge Orientations of the Ridge-Forming Unit, Sinus Meridiani, Mars-A Fluvial Explanation

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, M. Justin; Herridge, A.

2013-01-01

Imagery and MOLA data were used in an analysis of the ridge-forming rock unit (RFU) exposed in Sinus Meridiani (SM). This unit shows parallels at different scales with fluvial sedimentary bodies. We propose the terrestrial megafan as the prime analog for the RFU, and likely for other members of the layered units. Megafans are partial cones of fluvial sediment, with radii up to hundreds of km. Although recent reviews of hypotheses for the RFU units exclude fluvial hypotheses [1], inverted ridges in the deserts of Oman have been suggested as putative analogs for some ridges [2], apparently without appreciating The wider context in which these ridges have formed is a series of megafans [3], a relatively unappreciated geomorphic feature. It has been argued that these units conform to the megafan model at the regional, subregional and local scales [4]. At the regional scale suites of terrestrial megafans are known to cover large areas at the foot of uplands on all continents - a close parallel with the setting of the Meridiani sediments at the foot of the southern uplands of Mars, with its incised fluvial systems leading down the regional NW slope [2, 3] towards the sedimentary units. At the subregional scale the layering and internal discontinuities of the Meridiani rocks are consistent, inter alia, with stacked fluvial units [4]. Although poorly recognized as such, the prime geomorphic environment in which stream channel networks cover large areas, without intervening hillslopes, is the megafan [see e.g. 4]. Single megafans can reach 200,000 km2 [5]. Megafans thus supply an analog for areas where channel-like ridges (as a palimpsest of a prior landscape) cover the intercrater plains of Meridiani [6]. At the local, or river-reach scale, the numerous sinuous features of the RFU are suggestive of fluvial channels. Cross-cutting relationships, a common feature of channels on terrestrial megafans, are ubiquitous. Desert megafans show cemented paleo-channels as inverted

A model of plant strategies in fluvial hydrosystems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bornette, G.; Tabacchi, E.; Hupp, C.; Puijalon, S.; Rostan, J.C.

2008-01-01

1. We propose a model of plant strategies in temperate fluvial hydrosystems that considers the hydraulic and geomorphic features that control plant recruitment, establishment and growth in river floodplains. 2. The model describes first how the disturbance gradient and the grain-size of the river

The origin of dose distributions in fluvial sediments, and the prospect of dating single grains from fluvial deposits using optically stimulated luminescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olley, J.M.; Caitcheon, G.G.; Roberts, R.G.

1999-01-01

We examine the causes of the asymmetric distributions of dose observed from measurements of the optically stimulated luminescence emitted by small aliquots of fluvial quartz, and deduce that the asymmetry arises as a result of samples being composed of a mix of mainly well bleached grains with grains that were effectively unbleached at the time of deposition. We demonstrate that the shapes of the dose distributions can be used to assess the likelihood that aliquots consist only of grains that were well-bleached at the time of deposition. The more asymmetric the distribution, the greater the probability that the aliquots with the lowest dose most closely represent the true burial dose. Single grains with differing doses are present in each of the samples examined, and the population with the lowest dose gives an optical age consistent with the expected burial age. This result implies that the beta-dose heterogeneity in these deposits is small, and that the effects of micro-dosimetric variations on optical dating of individual grains are not significant for these samples. We demonstrate that single-grain dating of fluvial material is possible and practicable using standard Risoe optical dating equipment, and we conclude that application of a new regenerative-dose protocol to single grains of quartz, using the lowest dose population to estimate the burial dose, is the best available means of obtaining reliable luminescence ages for heterogeneously bleached fluvial sediments

A geologic approach to field methods in fluvial geomorphology

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Thornbush, Mary J; Allen, Casey D; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.

2014-01-01

A geologic approach to field methods in fluvial geomorphology is useful for understanding causes and consequences of past, present, and possible future perturbations in river behavior and floodplain dynamics. Field methods include characterizing river planform and morphology changes and floodplain sedimentary sequences over long periods of time along a longitudinal river continuum. Techniques include topographic and bathymetric surveying of fluvial landforms in valley bottoms and describing floodplain sedimentary sequences through coring, trenching, and examining pits and exposures. Historical sediment budgets that include floodplain sedimentary records can characterize past and present sources and sinks of sediment along a longitudinal river continuum. Describing paleochannels and floodplain vertical accretion deposits, estimating long-term sedimentation rates, and constructing historical sediment budgets can assist in management of aquatic resources, habitat, sedimentation, and flooding issues.

Implications from Sedimentary records in Fluvial Terraces for Geomorphological Evolution in the Puli Basin, Taiwan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tseng, C.H.; Wenske, D.; Böse, M.; Reimann, T.; Lüthgens, C.; Frechen, Manfred

2013-01-01

Fluvial terraces play an important role for research on previous geomorphic processes as their sediments can record various sedimentation stages. In the mountains of central Taiwan, however, the formation time of sediments in the Puli Basin is still unclear. In this study, we investigate the fluvial

Combined fluvial and pluvial urban flood hazard analysis: concept development and application to Can Tho city, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Apel, Heiko; Martínez Trepat, Oriol; Nghia Hung, Nguyen; Thi Chinh, Do; Merz, Bruno; Viet Dung, Nguyen

2016-04-01

Many urban areas experience both fluvial and pluvial floods, because locations next to rivers are preferred settlement areas and the predominantly sealed urban surface prevents infiltration and facilitates surface inundation. The latter problem is enhanced in cities with insufficient or non-existent sewer systems. While there are a number of approaches to analyse either a fluvial or pluvial flood hazard, studies of a combined fluvial and pluvial flood hazard are hardly available. Thus this study aims to analyse a fluvial and a pluvial flood hazard individually, but also to develop a method for the analysis of a combined pluvial and fluvial flood hazard. This combined fluvial-pluvial flood hazard analysis is performed taking Can Tho city, the largest city in the Vietnamese part of the Mekong Delta, as an example. In this tropical environment the annual monsoon triggered floods of the Mekong River, which can coincide with heavy local convective precipitation events, causing both fluvial and pluvial flooding at the same time. The fluvial flood hazard was estimated with a copula-based bivariate extreme value statistic for the gauge Kratie at the upper boundary of the Mekong Delta and a large-scale hydrodynamic model of the Mekong Delta. This provided the boundaries for 2-dimensional hydrodynamic inundation simulation for Can Tho city. The pluvial hazard was estimated by a peak-over-threshold frequency estimation based on local rain gauge data and a stochastic rainstorm generator. Inundation for all flood scenarios was simulated by a 2-dimensional hydrodynamic model implemented on a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) for time-efficient flood propagation modelling. The combined fluvial-pluvial flood scenarios were derived by adding rainstorms to the fluvial flood events during the highest fluvial water levels. The probabilities of occurrence of the combined events were determined assuming independence of the two flood types and taking the seasonality and probability of

Ephemeral-fluvial sediments as potential hydrocarbon reservoirs. Vol. 1: Sedimentology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, K.S.

1994-12-31

Although reservoirs formed from ephemeral-fluvial sandstones have previously been considered relatively simple, unresolved problems of sandbody correlation and production anomalies demonstrate the need for improved understanding of their internal complexity. Outcropping ephemeral-fluvial systems have been studied in order to determine the main features and processes occurring in sand-rich ephemeral systems and to identify which features will be of importance in a hydrocarbon reservoir. The Lower Jurassic Upper Moenave and Kayenta Formations of south-eastern Utah and northern Arizona comprise series of stacked, sand-dominated sheet-like palaeochannels suggestive of low sinuosity, braided systems. Low subsidence rates and rapid lateral migration rates enabled channels to significantly modify their widths during high discharge. (author)

Global effects of agriculture on fluvial dissolved organic matter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graeber, Daniel; Boëchat, Iola; Encina, Francisco

2015-01-01

Agricultural land covers approximately 40% of Earth’s land surface and affects hydromorphological, biogeochemical and ecological characteristics of fluvial networks. In the northern temperate region, agriculture also strongly affects the amount and molecular composition of dissolved organic matter...

Fluvial processes on Mars: Erosion and sedimentation

Science.gov (United States)

Squyres, Steven W.

1988-01-01

One of the most important discoveries of the Mariner 9 and Viking missions to Mars was evidence of change of the Martian surface by the action of liquid water. From the standpoint of a Mars Rover/Sample Return Mission, fluvial activity on Mars is important in two ways: (1) channel formation has deeply eroded the Martian crust, providing access to relatively undisturbed subsurface units; and (2) much of the material eroded from channels may have been deposited in standing bodies of liquid water. The most striking fluvial erosion features on Mars are the outflow channels. A second type of channel apparently caused by flow of liquid water is the valley systems. These are similar to terrestial drainage systems. The sedimentary deposits of outflow channels are often difficult to identfy. No obvious deposits such as deltaic accumulations are visible in Viking images. Another set of deposits that may be water lain and that date approx. from the epoch of outflow channels are the layered deposits in the Valles Marineris. From the standpoint of a Mars Rover/Sample Return mission, the problem with all of these water-lain sediments is their age, or rather the lack of it.

Fluvial geomorphology: where do we go from here?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Derald G.

1993-07-01

The evolution of geomorphology and in particular, fluvial geomorphology, is at a crossroads. Currently, the discipline is dismally organized, without focus or direction, and is practised by individualists who rarely collaborate in numbers significant enough to generate major research initiatives. If the discipline is to mature and to prosper, we must make some very difficult decisions that will require major changes in our ways of thinking and operating. Either the field stays in its current operational mode and becomes a backwater science, or it moves forward and adopts the ways of the more competitive sectors of the earth and biosciences. For the discipline to evolve, fluvial geomorphologists must first organize an association within North America or at the international level. The 3rd International Geomorphology Conference may be a start, but within that organization we must develop our own divisional and/or regional organizations. Within the Quaternary geology/geomorphology divisions of the Geological Socieity of America (GSA), Association of American Geographers (AAG), American Geophysical Union (AGU) and British Geomorphology Research Group (BGRG) the voice of fluvial geomorphology is lost in a sea of diverse and competitive interests, though there is reason for hope resulting from some recent initiatives. In Canada, we have no national geomorphology organization per se; our closest organization is Canqua (Canadian Quaternary Association). Next, fluvial researchers must collaborate, by whatever means, to develop "scientific critical mass" in order to generate ideas and long-range goals of modest and major scientific importance. These projects will help secure major research funding without which, research opportunities will diminish and initiating major new research will become nearly impossible. Currently, we are being surpassed by the glaciologists, remote sensors, ecologists, oceanographers, climatologists-atmospheric researchers and some Quaternary

Fluvial archives, a valuable record of vertical crustal deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Demoulin, A.; Mather, A.; Whittaker, A.

2017-06-01

The study of drainage network response to uplift is important not only for understanding river system dynamics and associated channel properties and fluvial landforms, but also for identifying the nature of crustal deformation and its history. In recent decades, geomorphic analysis of rivers has proved powerful in elucidating the tectonic evolution of actively uplifting and eroding orogens. Here, we review the main recent developments that have improved and expanded qualitative and quantitative information about vertical tectonic motions (the effects of horizontal deformation are not addressed). Channel long profiles have received considerable attention in the literature, and we briefly introduce basic aspects of the behaviour of bedrock rivers from field and numerical modelling perspectives, before describing the various metrics that have been proposed to identify the information on crustal deformation contained within their steady-state characteristics. Then, we review the literature dealing with the transient response of rivers to tectonic perturbation, through the production of knickpoints propagating through the drainage network. Inverse modelling of river profiles for uplift in time and space is also shown to be very effective in reconstructing regional tectonic histories. Finally, we present a synthetic morphometric approach for deducing the tectonic record of fluvial landscapes. As well as the erosional imprint of tectonic forcing, sedimentary deposits, such as fluvial terrace staircases, are also considered as a classical component of tectonic geomorphology. We show that these studies have recently benefited from rapid advances in dating techniques, allowing more reliable reconstruction of incision histories and estimation of incision rates. The combination of progress in the understanding of transient river profiles and larger, more rigorous data sets of terrace ages has led to improved understanding of river erosion and the implications for terrace

Model Projections of Future Fluvial Sediment Delivery to Major Deltas Under Environmental Change

Science.gov (United States)

Darby, S. E.; Dunn, F.; Nicholls, R. J.; Cohen, S.; Zarfl, C.

2017-12-01

Deltas are important hot spots for climate change impacts on which over half a billion people live worldwide. Most of the world's deltas are sinking as a result of natural and anthropogenic subsidence and due to eustatic sea level rise. The ability to predict rates of delta aggradation is therefore critical to assessments of the extent to which sedimentation can potentially offset sea level rise, but our ability to make such predictions is severely hindered by a lack of insight into future trends of the fluvial sediment load supplied to their deltas by feeder watersheds. To address this gap we investigate fluvial sediment fluxes under future environmental change for a selection (47) of the world's major river deltas. Specifically, we employed the numerical model WBMsed to project future variations in mean annual fluvial sediment loads under a range of environmental change scenarios that account for changes in climate, socio-economics and dam construction. Our projections indicate a clear decrease (by 34 to 41% on average, depending on the specific scenario) in future fluvial sediment supply to most of the 47 deltas. These reductions in sediment delivery are driven primarily by anthropogenic disturbances, with reservoir construction being the most influential factor globally. Our results indicate the importance of developing new management strategies for reservoir construction and operation.

Influence of fluvial sandstone architecture on geothermal energy production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, C.J.L.; Maghami Nick, Hamidreza M.; Weltje, G.J.; Donselaar, M.E.; Bruhn, D.F.

2015-01-01

Fluvial sandstone reservoirs composed of stacked meander belts are considered as potential geothermal resources in the Netherlands. Net-to-gross, orientation and stacking pattern of the channel belts is of major importance for the connectivity between the injection and production well in such

Soils, time, and primate paleoenvironments

Science.gov (United States)

Bown, T.M.; Kraus, M.J.

1993-01-01

Soils are the skin of the earth. From both poles to the equator, wherever rocks or sediment are exposed at the surface, soils are forming through the physical and chemical action of climate and living organisms. The physical attributes (color, texture, thickness) and chemical makeup of soils vary considerably, depending on the composition of the parent material and other variables: temperature, rainfall and soil moisture, vegetation, soil fauna, and the length of time that soil-forming processes have been at work. United States soil scientists1 have classified modern soils into ten major groups and numerous subgroups, each reflecting the composition and architecture of the soils and, to some extent, the processes that led to their formation. The physical and chemical processes of soil formation have been active throughout geologic time; the organic processes have been active at least since the Ordovician.2 Consequently, nearly all sedimentary rocks that were deposited in nonmarine settings and exposed to the elements contain a record of ancient, buried soils or paleosols. A sequence of these rocks, such as most ancient fluvial (stream) deposits, provides a record of soil paleoenvironments through time. Paleosols are also repositories of the fossils of organisms (body fossils) and the traces of those organisms burrowing, food-seeking, and dwelling activities (ichnofossils). Indeed, most fossil primates are found in paleosols. Careful study of ancient soils gives new, valuable insights into the correct temporal reconstruction of the primate fossil record and the nature of primate paleoenvironments. ?? 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

SISTEMA FLUVIAL E PLANEJAMENTO LOCAL NO SEMIÁRIDO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonas Otaviano Praça de Souza

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El presente estudio analiza un sistema fluvial semiárido y sus características físicas, centrándose en los procesos geomorfológicos y las formas resultantes, sino también en las relaciones con las actividades humanas, con el fin de utilizar dichos datos en la planificación local. La encuesta se llevó a cabo en el municipio de Belém do São Francisco, en Pernambuco, mesorregión del São Francisco en la cuenca del arroyo Mulungu, lugar expuesto a un clima semi-árido con lluvias de verano, y la cobertura del suelo con un predominio de la caatinga arbustiva abierta. Se tomó como procedimiento metodológico la cartografía geomorfológica a diferentes escalas y con diferentes énfasis, para evaluar la relación jerárquica entre los distintos compartimentos, sustratos geológicos y formas de uso de la tierra. De la información espacial obtenida en los distintos niveles de la cartografía detallada del sistema fluvial, se realizó una evaluación ambiental de la zona, teniendo como base la dinámica erosiva/deposicional a lo largo del canal y su relación con sus bancos. Se concluyó que las formas de acumulación en la llanura aluvial exhiben controles de origen antropogénico, vinculados a los tipos tradicionales de uso del suelo en la cuenca. Estos controles, como la construcción de represas a lo largo del canal, actúan cambiando a los procesos de creación de nuevas morfologías de depósito en el sistema fluvial, que a su vez comienzan a redefinir los tipos usos de la zona.

Combined fluvial and pluvial urban flood hazard analysis: method development and application to Can Tho City, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Apel, H.; Trepat, O. M.; Hung, N. N.; Chinh, D. T.; Merz, B.; Dung, N. V.

2015-08-01

Many urban areas experience both fluvial and pluvial floods, because locations next to rivers are preferred settlement areas, and the predominantly sealed urban surface prevents infiltration and facilitates surface inundation. The latter problem is enhanced in cities with insufficient or non-existent sewer systems. While there are a number of approaches to analyse either fluvial or pluvial flood hazard, studies of combined fluvial and pluvial flood hazard are hardly available. Thus this study aims at the analysis of fluvial and pluvial flood hazard individually, but also at developing a method for the analysis of combined pluvial and fluvial flood hazard. This combined fluvial-pluvial flood hazard analysis is performed taking Can Tho city, the largest city in the Vietnamese part of the Mekong Delta, as example. In this tropical environment the annual monsoon triggered floods of the Mekong River can coincide with heavy local convective precipitation events causing both fluvial and pluvial flooding at the same time. Fluvial flood hazard was estimated with a copula based bivariate extreme value statistic for the gauge Kratie at the upper boundary of the Mekong Delta and a large-scale hydrodynamic model of the Mekong Delta. This provided the boundaries for 2-dimensional hydrodynamic inundation simulation for Can Tho city. Pluvial hazard was estimated by a peak-over-threshold frequency estimation based on local rain gauge data, and a stochastic rain storm generator. Inundation was simulated by a 2-dimensional hydrodynamic model implemented on a Graphical Processor Unit (GPU) for time-efficient flood propagation modelling. All hazards - fluvial, pluvial and combined - were accompanied by an uncertainty estimation considering the natural variability of the flood events. This resulted in probabilistic flood hazard maps showing the maximum inundation depths for a selected set of probabilities of occurrence, with maps showing the expectation (median) and the uncertainty by

Suspended sediment transport trough a large fluvial-tidal channel network

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Scott A.; Morgan-King, Tara L.

2015-01-01

The confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, CA, forms a large network of interconnected channels, referred to as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the Delta). The Delta comprises the transition zone from the fluvial influences of the upstream rivers and tidal influences of San Francisco Bay downstream. Formerly an extensive tidal marsh, the hydrodynamics and geomorphology of Delta have been substantially modified by humans to support agriculture, navigation, and water supply. These modifications, including construction of new channels, diking and draining of tidal wetlands, dredging of navigation channels, and the operation of large pumping facilities for distribution of freshwater from the Delta to other parts of the state, have had a dramatic impact on the physical and ecological processes within the Delta. To better understand the current physical processes, and their linkages to ecological processes, the USGS maintains an extensive network of flow, sediment, and water quality gages in the Delta. Flow gaging is accomplished through use of the index-velocity method, and sediment monitoring uses turbidity as a surrogate for suspended-sediment concentration. Herein, we present analyses of the transport and dispersal of suspended sediment through the complex network of channels in the Delta. The primary source of sediment to the Delta is the Sacramento River, which delivers pulses of sediment primarily during winter and spring runoff events. Upon reaching the Delta, the sediment pulses move through the fluvial-tidal transition while also encountering numerous channel junctions as the Sacramento River branches into several distributary channels. The monitoring network allows us to track these pulses through the network and document the dominant transport pathways for suspended sediment. Further, the flow gaging allows for an assessment of the relative effects of advection (the fluvial signal) and dispersion (from the tides) on the sediment pulses as they

Mapping Variability in the Medusae Fossae Formation: Yardang Morphologies, Fluvial Reworking, and Crater Depth to Diameter Ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Khuller, A. R.; Kerber, L.

2017-12-01

The Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) is a voluminous, fine-grained deposit thought to be of pyroclastic origin. While it contains widespread, well-preserved inverted fluvial features, its pervasive cover of dust means that little is known about its composition, and indirect means must be used to characterize its material properties. This project aims to correlate fluvial features in the Western MFF with other indicators of material strength: yardang morphology and crater depth-to-diameter ratios. For this work, Context Camera (CTX) images were used to map features of fluvial origin (inverted channels, sinuous ridges, alluvial fans). The presence of rounded, meso-yardangs in close proximity to fluvial features was also mapped. Crater depth-diameter (d/D) ratios (for craters 1-512km) were analyzed using a global Mars crater database (Robbins and Hynek, 2012) as a proxy for material strength. Approximately 1400 fluvial segments were mapped, with the most populous cluster located in Aeolis and Zephyria Plana. Rounded meso-yardangs were found to be common in areas that also have fluvial features. In agreement with previous work (Barlow, 1993), MFF craters were found to have a greater d/D ratio (0.0523) than the global mean (0.0511). Ratios between MFF lobes differ significantly, providing insight into the heterogeneity of induration within the formation. The deepest craters are found in Eumenides Dorsum and the shallowest in Aeolis Planum, consistent with a greater degree of induration and reworking in the western part of the formation where the fluvial features and "salt-playa" meso-yardangs are found. It also suggests that Eumenides, which is the tallest MFF outcrop, could also be the least compacted. The presence of long, complex, and sometimes overlapping branching networks imply multiple relative episodes of channel formation. Rounded meso-yardangs, which are associated with salt playa surfaces on Earth, provide additional evidence for the presence of liquid water

A laboratory experiment on the behaviour of soil-derived core and intact polar GDGTs in aquatic environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peterse, F.; Moy, C. M.; Eglinton, T. I.

2015-01-01

We have performed incubation experiments in order to examine the behaviour of soil-derived branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (brGDGT) membrane lipids upon entering an aquatic environment and to evaluate the processes that potentially take place during their fluvial transport from land to

Volcanogenic Fluvial-Lacustrine Environments in Iceland and Their Utility for Identifying Past Habitability on Mars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claire Cousins

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The search for once-habitable locations on Mars is increasingly focused on environments dominated by fluvial and lacustrine processes, such as those investigated by the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover. The availability of liquid water coupled with the potential longevity of such systems renders these localities prime targets for the future exploration of Martian biosignatures. Fluvial-lacustrine environments associated with basaltic volcanism are highly relevant to Mars, but their terrestrial counterparts have been largely overlooked as a field analogue. Such environments are common in Iceland, where basaltic volcanism interacts with glacial ice and surface snow to produce large volumes of meltwater within an otherwise cold and dry environment. This meltwater can be stored to create subglacial, englacial, and proglacial lakes, or be released as catastrophic floods and proglacial fluvial systems. Sedimentary deposits produced by the resulting fluvial-lacustrine activity are extensive, with lithologies dominated by basaltic minerals, low-temperature alteration assemblages (e.g., smectite clays, calcite, and amorphous, poorly crystalline phases (basaltic glass, palagonite, nanophase iron oxides. This paper reviews examples of these environments, including their sedimentary deposits and microbiology, within the context of utilising these localities for future Mars analogue studies and instrument testing.

Volcanogenic fluvial-lacustrine environments in iceland and their utility for identifying past habitability on Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Cousins, Claire

2015-02-16

The search for once-habitable locations on Mars is increasingly focused on environments dominated by fluvial and lacustrine processes, such as those investigated by the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover. The availability of liquid water coupled with the potential longevity of such systems renders these localities prime targets for the future exploration of Martian biosignatures. Fluvial-lacustrine environments associated with basaltic volcanism are highly relevant to Mars, but their terrestrial counterparts have been largely overlooked as a field analogue. Such environments are common in Iceland, where basaltic volcanism interacts with glacial ice and surface snow to produce large volumes of meltwater within an otherwise cold and dry environment. This meltwater can be stored to create subglacial, englacial, and proglacial lakes, or be released as catastrophic floods and proglacial fluvial systems. Sedimentary deposits produced by the resulting fluvial-lacustrine activity are extensive, with lithologies dominated by basaltic minerals, low-temperature alteration assemblages (e.g., smectite clays, calcite), and amorphous, poorly crystalline phases (basaltic glass, palagonite, nanophase iron oxides). This paper reviews examples of these environments, including their sedimentary deposits and microbiology, within the context of utilising these localities for future Mars analogue studies and instrument testing.

Study on detailed geological modelling for fluvial sandstone reservoir in Daqing oil field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao Hanqing; Fu Zhiguo; Lu Xiaoguang [Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Daqing (China)

1997-08-01

Guided by the sedimentation theory and knowledge of modern and ancient fluvial deposition and utilizing the abundant information of sedimentary series, microfacies type and petrophysical parameters from well logging curves of close spaced thousands of wells located in a large area. A new method for establishing detailed sedimentation and permeability distribution models for fluvial reservoirs have been developed successfully. This study aimed at the geometry and internal architecture of sandbodies, in accordance to their hierarchical levels of heterogeneity and building up sedimentation and permeability distribution models of fluvial reservoirs, describing the reservoir heterogeneity on the light of the river sedimentary rules. The results and methods obtained in outcrop and modem sedimentation studies have successfully supported the study. Taking advantage of this method, the major producing layers (PI{sub 1-2}), which have been considered as heterogeneous and thick fluvial reservoirs extending widely in lateral are researched in detail. These layers are subdivided into single sedimentary units vertically and the microfacies are identified horizontally. Furthermore, a complex system is recognized according to their hierarchical levels from large to small, meander belt, single channel sandbody, meander scroll, point bar, and lateral accretion bodies of point bar. The achieved results improved the description of areal distribution of point bar sandbodies, provide an accurate and detailed framework model for establishing high resolution predicting model. By using geostatistic technique, it also plays an important role in searching for enriched zone of residual oil distribution.

Variables and potential models for the bleaching of luminescence signals in fluvial environments

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Harrison J.; Mahan, Shannon

2015-01-01

Luminescence dating of fluvial sediments rests on the assumption that sufficient sunlight is available to remove a previously obtained signal in a process deemed bleaching. However, luminescence signals obtained from sediment in the active channels of rivers often contain residual signals. This paper explores and attempts to build theoretical models for the bleaching of luminescence signals in fluvial settings. We present two models, one for sediment transported in an episodic manner, such as flood-driven washes in arid environments, and one for sediment transported in a continuous manner, such as in large continental scale rivers. The episodic flow model assumes that the majority of sediment is bleached while exposed to sunlight at the near surface between flood events and predicts a power-law decay in luminescence signal with downstream transport distance. The continuous flow model is developed by combining the Beer–Lambert law for the attenuation of light through a water column with a general-order kinetics equation to produce an equation with the form of a double negative exponential. The inflection point of this equation is compared with the sediment concentration from a Rouse profile to derive a non-dimensional number capable of assessing the likely extent of bleaching for a given set of luminescence and fluvial parameters. Although these models are theoretically based and not yet necessarily applicable to real-world fluvial systems, we introduce these ideas to stimulate discussion and encourage the development of comprehensive bleaching models with predictive power.

A multi-scale approach of fluvial biogeomorphic dynamics using photogrammetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hortobágyi, Borbála; Corenblit, Dov; Vautier, Franck; Steiger, Johannes; Roussel, Erwan; Burkart, Andreas; Peiry, Jean-Luc

2017-11-01

Over the last twenty years, significant technical advances turned photogrammetry into a relevant tool for the integrated analysis of biogeomorphic cross-scale interactions within vegetated fluvial corridors, which will largely contribute to the development and improvement of self-sustainable river restoration efforts. Here, we propose a cost-effective, easily reproducible approach based on stereophotogrammetry and Structure from Motion (SfM) technique to study feedbacks between fluvial geomorphology and riparian vegetation at different nested spatiotemporal scales. We combined different photogrammetric methods and thus were able to investigate biogeomorphic feedbacks at all three spatial scales (i.e., corridor, alluvial bar and micro-site) and at three different temporal scales, i.e., present, recent past and long term evolution on a diversified riparian landscape mosaic. We evaluate the performance and the limits of photogrammetric methods by targeting a set of fundamental parameters necessary to study biogeomorphic feedbacks at each of the three nested spatial scales and, when possible, propose appropriate solutions. The RMSE varies between 0.01 and 2 m depending on spatial scale and photogrammetric methods. Despite some remaining difficulties to properly apply them with current technologies under all circumstances in fluvial biogeomorphic studies, e.g. the detection of vegetation density or landform topography under a dense vegetation canopy, we suggest that photogrammetry is a promising instrument for the quantification of biogeomorphic feedbacks at nested spatial scales within river systems and for developing appropriate river management tools and strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytically based forward and inverse models of fluvial landscape evolution during temporally continuous climatic and tectonic variations

Science.gov (United States)

Goren, Liran; Petit, Carole

2017-04-01

Fluvial channels respond to changing tectonic and climatic conditions by adjusting their patterns of erosion and relief. It is therefore expected that by examining these patterns, we can infer the tectonic and climatic conditions that shaped the channels. However, the potential interference between climatic and tectonic signals complicates this inference. Within the framework of the stream power model that describes incision rate of mountainous bedrock rivers, climate variability has two effects: it influences the erosive power of the river, causing local slope change, and it changes the fluvial response time that controls the rate at which tectonically and climatically induced slope breaks are communicated upstream. Because of this dual role, the fluvial response time during continuous climate change has so far been elusive, which hinders our understanding of environmental signal propagation and preservation in the fluvial topography. An analytic solution of the stream power model during general tectonic and climatic histories gives rise to a new definition of the fluvial response time. The analytic solution offers accurate predictions for landscape evolution that are hard to achieve with classical numerical schemes and thus can be used to validate and evaluate the accuracy of numerical landscape evolution models. The analytic solution together with the new definition of the fluvial response time allow inferring either the tectonic history or the climatic history from river long profiles by using simple linear inversion schemes. Analytic study of landscape evolution during periodic climate change reveals that high frequency (10-100 kyr) climatic oscillations with respect to the response time, such as Milankovitch cycles, are not expected to leave significant fingerprints in the upstream reaches of fluvial channels. Linear inversion schemes are applied to the Tinee river tributaries in the southern French Alps, where tributary long profiles are used to recover the

Does deposition depth control the OSL bleaching of fluvial sediment?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cunningham, A. C.; Wallinga, J.; Hobo, N.; Versendaal, A. J.; Makaske, B.; Middelkoop, H.

2014-01-01

The Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) signal from fluvial sediment often contains a remnant from the previous deposition cycle, leading to a partially bleached equivalent-dose distribution. Although identification of the burial dose is of primary concern, the degree of bleaching could

Stability of Fluvial and Gravity-flow Antidunes

Science.gov (United States)

Fedele, J. J.; Hoyal, D. C. J. D.; Demko, T. M.

2017-12-01

Antidunes develop as a consequence of interface (free surface) deformation and sediment transport feedback in supercritical flows. Fluvial (open-channel flow) antidunes have been studied extensively in the laboratory and the field, and recognized in ancient sedimentary deposits. Experiments on gravity flow (turbidity and density currents) antidunes indicate that they are more stable and long-lived than their fluvial counterpart but the mechanism controlling this stability is poorly understood. Sea floor bathymetric and subsurface data suggest that large-scale, antidune-like sediment waves are extremely common in deep-water, found in a wide range of settings and sediment characteristics. While most of these large features have been interpreted as cyclic steps, the term has been most likely overused due to the lack of recognition criteria and basic understanding on the differences between antidunes and cyclic steps formed under gravity flows. In principle, cyclic steps should be more common in confined or channel-lobe transition settings where flows tend to be more energetic or focused, while antidunes should prevail in regions of less confinement, under sheet-like or expanding flows. Using published, fluvial stable-antidune data, we show that the simplified 1D, mechanical-energy based analysis of flow over a localized fixed obstacle (Long, 1954; Baines, 1995; Kubo and Yokokawa, 2001) is inaccurate for representing flow over antidunes and their stability. Instead, a more detailed analysis of a flow along a long-wavelength (in relation to flow thickness) wavy bed that also considers the interactions between flow and sediment transport is used to infer conditions of antidune stability and the breaking of surface waves. In particular, the position of the surface wave crest in relation to the bedform crest, along with the role of average flow velocity, surface velocity, and surface wave celerity appear relevant in determining antidune instability. The analysis is

Nove interpretacije fluvialnih sedimentov na krasu = New interpretations of fluvial sediments from the Kras

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrej Mihevc

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Important unroofed caves with fluvial sediments from Divaški kras, Matarsko podoljePodgorski kras are presented. Extend of the phenomena and relation to the existingand karst surface and geomorphological meaning of them are described. Sedimentsthem were analysed and dated with different methods. The largest age of the sedimentfound in the unroofed cave excavated in Črnotiče quarry. In the cave wall fossil remainsstygobiont Marifugia cavatica were covered by 3.2-4.1 Ma old fluvial sediments.

Precambrian fluvial deposits: Enigmatic palaeohydrological data from the c. 2 1.9 Ga Waterberg Group, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Patrick G.; Bumby, Adam J.; Brümer, Jacobus J.; van der Neut, Markus

2006-08-01

Precambrian fluvial systems, lacking the influence of rooted vegetation, probably were characterised by flashy surface runoff, low bank stability, broad channels with abundant bedload, and faster rates of channel migration; consequently, a braided fluvial style is generally accepted. Pre-vegetational braided river systems, active under highly variable palaeoclimatic conditions, may have been more widespread than are modern, ephemeral dry-land braided systems. Aeolian deflation of fine fluvial detritus does not appear to have been prevalent. With the onset of large cratons by the Neoarchaean-Palaeoproterozoic, very large, perennial braided river systems became typical. The c. 2.06-1.88 Ga Waterberg Group, preserved within a Main and a smaller Middelburg basin on the Kaapvaal craton, was deposited largely by alluvial/braided-fluvial and subordinate palaeo-desert environments, within fault-bounded, possibly pull-apart type depositories. Palaeohydrological data obtained from earlier work in the Middelburg basin (Wilgerivier Formation) are compared to such data derived from the correlated Blouberg Formation, situated along the NE margin of the Main basin. Within the preserved Blouberg depository, palaeohydrological parameters estimated from clast size and cross-bed set thickness data, exhibit rational changes in their values, either in a down-palaeocurrent direction, or from inferred basin margin to palaeo-basin centre. In both the Wilgerivier and Blouberg Formations, calculated palaeoslope values (derived from two separate formulae) plot within the gap separating typical alluvial fan gradients from those which characterise rivers (cf. [Blair, T.C., McPherson, J.G., 1994. Alluvial fans and their natural distinction from rivers based on morphology, hydraulic processes, sedimentary processes, and facies assemblages. J. Sediment. Res. A64, 450-489.]). Although it may be argued that such data support possibly unique fluvial styles within the Precambrian, perhaps related to

Fluvial landscape development in the southwestern Kalahari during the Holocene - Chronology and provenance of fluvial deposits in the Molopo Canyon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramisch, Arne; Bens, Oliver; Buylaert, Jan-Pieter

2017-01-01

are sparse and often discontinuous. Hence, little is known about Holocene environmental change in this region. This study focuses on reconstructing paleoenvironmental change from the timing and provenance of fluvial deposits located within the Molopo Canyon, which connects the southern Kalahari drainage...... to the deposition of alluvial fills. These results suggest that the southern Kalahari Drainage remained endorheic and therefore disconnected from the Orange River throughout the Holocene....

Late Cenozoic fluvial successions in northern and western India: an overview and synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, R.; Kumar, R.; Sinha, S.; Tandon, S. K.; Gibling, M. R.

2007-11-01

Late Cenozoic fluvial successions are widespread in India. They include the deposits of the Siwalik basin which represent the accumulations of the ancient river systems of the Himalayan foreland basin. Palaeomagnetic studies reveal that fluvial architecture and styles of deposition were controlled by Himalayan tectonics as well as by major climatic fluctuations during the long (∼13 Ma) span of formation. The Indo-Gangetic plains form the world's most extensive Quaternary alluvial plains, and display spatially variable controls on sedimentation: Himalayan tectonics in the frontal parts, climate in the middle reaches, and eustasy in the lower reaches close to the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta. Climatic effects were mediated by strong fluctuations in the SW Indian Monsoon, and Himalayan rivers occupy deep valleys in the western Ganga plains where stream power is high, cut in part during early Holocene monsoon intensification; the broad interfluves record the simultaneous aggradation of plains-fed rivers since ∼100 ka. The eastward increase in precipitation across the Ganga Plains results in rivers with low stream power and a very high sediment flux, resulting in an aggradational mode and little incision. The river deposits of semi-arid to arid western India form important archives of Quaternary climate change through their intercalation with the eolian deposits of the Thar Desert. Although the synthesis documents strong variability-both spatial and temporal-in fluvial stratigraphy, climatic events such as the decline in precipitation during the Last Glacial Maximum and monsoon intensification in the early Holocene have influenced fluvial dynamics throughout the region.

"The Waters of Meridiani" - Further Support for a Fluvial Interpretation of the Ridged, Layered Units

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Justin; Kreslavsky, Misha

2009-01-01

A relatively unknown terrestrial fluvial environment, the mesoscale megafan, provides analogs for various Martian landscapes, including the etched unit (etched unit, Unite E of Arvidson et al., 2003; ridge-forming unit R of Edgett, 2005) of the Sinus Meridiani region on Mars. A global survey of Earth shows that megafans are very large partial cones of dominantly fluvial sediment with radii on the order of hundreds of km, and very low slopes. Responsible fluvial processes are sufficiently different from those of classical arid alluvial fans and deltas that it is useful to class megafans as separate features. The megafan model calls into question two commonly held ideas. 1. Earth examples prove that topographic basins per se are unnecessary for the accumulation of large sedimentary bodies. 2. River channels are by no means restricted to valleys (Meridiani sediments are termed a "valley-ed volume" of Edgett). These perspectives reveal unexpected parallels with features at Meridiani-several channel-like features that are widespread, mostly as ridges inverted by eolian erosion; channel networks covering thousands of sq km, especially on intercrater plains; and regional relationships of sediment bodies situated immediately downstream of highland masses. These all suggest that fluvial explanations are at least part of the Meridiani story.

Beaver ponds' impact on fluvial processes (Beskid Niski Mts., SE Poland).

Science.gov (United States)

Giriat, Dorota; Gorczyca, Elżbieta; Sobucki, Mateusz

2016-02-15

Beaver (Castor sp.) can change the riverine environment through dam-building and other activities. The European beaver (Castor fiber) was extirpated in Poland by the nineteenth century, but populations are again present as a result of reintroductions that began in 1974. The goal of this paper is to assess the impact of beaver activity on montane fluvial system development by identifying and analysing changes in channel and valley morphology following expansion of beaver into a 7.5 km-long headwater reach of the upper Wisłoka River in southeast Poland. We document the distribution of beaver in the reach, the change in river profile, sedimentation type and storage in beaver ponds, and assess how beaver dams and ponds have altered channel and valley bottom morphology. The upper Wisłoka River fluvial system underwent a series of anthropogenic disturbances during the last few centuries. The rapid spread of C. fiber in the upper Wisłoka River valley was promoted by the valley's morphology, including a low-gradient channel and silty-sand deposits in the valley bottom. At the time of our survey (2011), beaver ponds occupied 17% of the length of the study reach channel. Two types of beaver dams were noted: in-channel dams and valley-wide dams. The primary effect of dams, investigated in an intensively studied 300-m long subreach (Radocyna Pond), was a change in the longitudinal profile from smooth to stepped, a local reduction of the water surface slope, and an increase in the variability of both the thalweg profile and surface water depths. We estimate the current rate of sedimentation in beaver ponds to be about 14 cm per year. A three-stage scheme of fluvial processes in the longitudinal and transverse profile of the river channel is proposed. C. fiber reintroduction may be considered as another important stage of the upper Wisłoka fluvial system development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluvial sediment inputs to upland gravel bed rivers draining forested catchments: potential ecological impacts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. D. Marks

1997-01-01

Full Text Available As identified by the detailed long-term monitoring networks at Plynlimon, increased sediment supply to upland fluvial systems is often associated with forestry land-use and practice. Literature is reviewed, in the light of recent results from Plynlimon sediment studies, to enable identification of the potential ecological impacts of fluvial particulate inputs to upland gravel bed rivers draining forested catchments similar to the headwaters of the River Severn. Both sediment transport and deposition can have significant impacts upon aquatic vertebrates, invertebrates and plants.

Downstream mixing of sediment and tracers in agricultural catchments: Evidence of changing sediment sources and fluvial processes?

Science.gov (United States)

Ralph, Timothy; Wethered, Adam; Smith, Hugh; Heijnis, Henk

2014-05-01

Land clearance, soil tillage and grazing in agricultural catchments have liberated sediment and altered hydrological connectivity between hillslopes and channels, leading to increased sediment availability, mobilisation and delivery to rivers. The type and amount of sediment supplied to rivers is critical for fluvial geomorphology and aquatic ecosystem health. Contemporary sediment dynamics are routinely investigated using environmental radionuclides such as caesium-137 (Cs-137) and excess lead-210 (Pb-210ex), which can provide information regarding sediment source types and fluvial processes if sediment sources can be distinguished from one another and mixing models applied to representative samples. However, downstream transport, mixing and dilution of radionuclide-labelled sediment (especially from sources with low initial concentrations) can obliterate the tracer signal; sometimes before anything of geomorphological importance happens in the catchment. Can these findings be used as evidence of sediment source variations and fluvial processes when the limits of detection (of Cs-137 in particular) are being exceeded so rapidly downstream? Sediment sources and downstream sediment dynamics were investigated in Coolbaggie Creek, a major supplier of sediment to the Macquarie River in an agricultural catchment with temperate to semi-arid climate in Australia. Radionuclides were used to discriminate between the banks and gullies (Cs-137 1.45 +/- 0.47 Bq/kg; Pb-210ex 4.67 +/- 1.93 Bq/kg). Within the trunk stream, suspended sediment, organic matter and Cs-137 and Pb-210ex concentrations declined downstream. Results from a mixing model suggest that agricultural topsoils account for 95% of fine sediment entering the channel in the upper reach (200 m2) downstream, with channel expansion and gullies contributing fine sediment to the system. A lack of topsoil being supplied to the channel suggests minimal lateral connectivity between the catchment and the trunk stream in all

Dose response of artificial irradiation of fluvial sediment sample for ESR dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chunru; Yin Gongming; Gao Lu; Li Jianping; Han Fei; Lin Min

2011-01-01

ESR dating samples need be irradiated to obtain dose response curve and the equivalent dose. The artificial dose rate is about 1 x 10 -1 -1 x 10 2 Gy/min, whereas the natural dose rate is about 3 Gy/ka. Therefore, one must be sure whether the much higher artificial dose rate is suitable for the ESR dating study. In this paper, we use different artificial dose rate to irradiate the same fluvial sample and measure the quartz Al centre ESR signal under the same conditions. The dose response curves are compared, in an attempt to gain a preliminary knowledge on that problem and build a good foundation for our ESR dating studies on fluvial samples. (authors)

Hydrodynamic and sedimentological controls governing formation of fluvial levees

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, G. H.; Edmonds, D. A.; David, S. R.; Czuba, J. A.

2017-12-01

Fluvial levees are familiar features found on the margins of river channels, yet we know little about what controls their presence, height, and shape. These attributes of levees are important because they control sediment transfer from channel to floodplain and flooding patterns along a river system. Despite the familiarity and importance of levees, there is a surprising lack of basic geomorphic data on fluvial levees. Because of this we seek to understand: 1) where along rivers do levees tend to occur?; 2) what geomorphic and hydrodynamic variables control cross-sectional shape of levees? We address these questions by extracting levee shape from LiDAR data and by collecting hydrodynamic and sedimentological data from reaches of the Tippecanoe River, the White River, and the Muscatatuck River, Indiana, USA. Fluvial levees are extracted from a 1.5-m resolution LiDAR bare surface model and compared to hydrological, sedimentological, and geomorphological data from USGS stream gages. We digitized banklines and extracted levee cross-sections to calculate levee slope, taper, height, e-folding length, and e-folding width. To answer the research questions, we performed a multivariable regression between the independent variables—channel geometry, sediment grain size and concentration, flooding conditions, and slope—and the dependent levee variables. We find considerable variation in levee presence and shape in our field data. On the Muscatatuck River levees occur on 30% of the banks compared to 10% on the White River. Moreover, levees on the Muscatatuck are on average 3 times wider than the White River. This is consistent with the observation that the Muscatatuck is finer-grained compared to the White River and points to sedimentology being an important control on levee geomorphology. Future work includes building a morphodynamic model to understand how different hydrodynamic and geomorphic conditions control levee geometry.

Two depositional models for Pliocene coastal plain fluvial systems, Goliad Formation, south Texas Gulf Coastal plain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoel, H.D.; Galloway, W.E.

1983-01-01

The Goliad Formation consists of four depositional systems-the Realitos and Mathis bed-load fluvial systems in the southwest and the Cuero and Eagle Lake mixed-load fluvial systems in the northeast. Five facies are recognized in the Realitos and Mathis bed-load fluvial systems: (1) primary channel-fill facies, (2) chaotic flood channel-fill facies, (3) complex splay facies, (4) flood plain facies, and (5) playa facies. A model for Realitos-Mathis depositional environments shows arid-climate braided stream complexes with extremely coarse sediment load, highly variable discharge, and marked channel instability. Broad, shallow, straight to slightly sinuous primary channels were flanked by wide flood channels. Flood channels passed laterally into broad, low-relief flood plains. Small playas occupied topographic lows near large channel axes. Three facies are recognized in the Cuero and Eagle Lake mixed-load fluvial systems: (1) channel-fill facies, (2) crevasse splay facies, and (3) flood plain facies. A model for Cuero-Eagle Lake depositional environments shows coarse-grained meander belts in a semi-arid climate. Slightly to moderately sinuous meandering streams were flanked by low, poorly developed natural levees. Crevasse splays were common, but tended to be broad and ill-defined. Extensive, low-relief flood plains occupied interaxial areas. The model proposed for the Realitos and Mathis fluvial systems may aid in recognition of analogous ancient depositional systems. In addition, since facies characteristics exercise broad controls on Goliad uranium mineralization, the proposed depositional models aid in defining target zones for Goliad uranium exploration

Salmon habitat use, tidal-fluvial estuary - Columbia River Estuary Tidal Habitats

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The goal of the tidal-fluvial estuary study is to determine the estuary's contribution to the spatial structure and life history diversity of Columbia River salmon...

Reconstructing paleo-discharge from geometries of fluvial sinuous ridges on Earth and Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Hayden, A.; Lamb, M. P.; Mohrig, D. C.; Williams, R. M. E.; Myrow, P.; Ewing, R. C.; Cardenas, B. T.; Findlay, C. P., III

2017-12-01

Sinuous, branching networks of topographic ridges resembling river networks are common across Mars, and show promise for quantifying ancient martian surface hydrology. There are two leading formation mechanisms for ridges with a fluvial origin. Inverted channels are ridges that represent casts (e.g., due to lava fill) of relict river channel topography, whereas exhumed channel deposits are eroded remnants of a more extensive fluvial deposit, such as a channel belt. The inverted channel model is often assumed on Mars; however, we currently lack the ability to distinguish these ridge formation mechanisms, motivating the need for Earth-analog study. To address this issue, we studied the extensive networks of sinuous ridges in the Ebro basin of northeast Spain. The Ebro ridges stand 3-15 meters above the surrounding plains and are capped by a cliff-forming sandstone unit 3-10 meters thick and 20-50 meters in breadth. The caprock sandstone bodies contain bar-scale cross stratification, point-bar deposits, levee deposits, and lenses of mudstone, indicating that these are channel-belt deposits, rather than casts of channels formed from lateral channel migration, avulsion and reoccupation. In plan view, ridges form segments branching outward to the north resembling a distributary network; however, crosscutting relationships indicate that ridges cross at different stratigraphic levels. Thus, the apparent network in planview reflects non-uniform exhumation of channel-belt deposits from multiple stratigraphic positions, rather than an inverted coeval river network. As compared to the inverted channel model, exhumed fluvial deposits indicate persistent fluvial activity over geologic timescales, indicating the potential for long-lived surface water on ancient Mars.

Anguilles estuariennes et fluviales : apports de l'otolithométrie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MOUNAIX B.

1994-10-01

La zonation de l'otolithe, interprétée par rapport à la croissance des poissons, décrit deux écotypes dans la population d'anguilles de la Vilaine : un écotype fluvial dont la croissance est perturbée et ralentie, et un écotype estuarien dont la croissance est plus régulière. Cette partition de la population est cohérente avec les caractéristiques environnementales des deux milieux. Elle pourrait par ailleurs constituer un indice de l'impact des aménagements des bassins versants sur la croissance, la durée du cycle biologique et la dynamique des populations d'anguilles. Il apparaît alors nécessaire de considérer séparément les sous-unités estuariennes et fluviales des stocks d'anguilles des bassins versants de la Vilaine et de la Loire, en particulier pour étudier la diminution des abondances.

Late Holocene lowland fluvial archives and geoarchaeology : Utrecht's case study of Rhine river abandonment under Roman and Medieval settlement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dinter, M.; Cohen, K.M.; Hoek, W.Z.; Stouthamer, E.; Jansma, E.; Middelkoop, H.

2017-01-01

Fluvial lowlands have become attractive human settling areas all around the world over the last few millennia. Because rivers kept changing their course and networks due to avulsion, the sedimentary sequences in these areas are archives of both fluvial geomorphological and archaeological

Pre- and post-remediation characterization of acid-generating fluvial tailings material

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kathleen S.; Walton-Day, Katherine; Hoal, Karin O.; Driscoll, Rhonda L.; Pietersen, K.

2012-01-01

The upper Arkansas River south of Leadville, Colorado, USA, contains deposits of fluvial tailings from historical mining operations in the Leadville area. These deposits are potential non-point sources of acid and metal contamination to surface- and groundwater systems. We are investigating a site that recently underwent in situ remediation treatment with lime, fertilizer, and compost. Pre- and post-remediation fluvial tailings material was collected from a variety of depths to examine changes in mineralogy, acid generation, and extractable nutrients. Results indicate sufficient nutrient availability in the post-remediation near-surface material, but pyrite and acid generation persist below the depth of lime and fertilizer addition. Mineralogical characterization performed using semi-quantitative X-ray diffraction and quantitative SEM-based micro-mineralogy (Mineral Liberation Analysis, MLA) reveal formation of gypsum, jarosite, and complex coatings surrounding mineral grains in post-remediation samples.

Introduction to the special issue on discontinuity of fluvial systems

Science.gov (United States)

Burchsted, Denise; Daniels, Melinda; Wohl, Ellen E.

2014-01-01

Fluvial systems include natural and human-created barriers that modify local base level; as such, these discontinuities alter the longitudinal flux of water and sediment by storing, releasing, or changing the flow path of those materials. Even in the absence of distinct barriers, fluvial systems are typically discontinuous and patchy. The size of fluvial discontinuities ranges across scales from 100 m, such as riffles, to 104 m, such as lava dams or major landslides. The frequency of occurrence appears to be inversely related to size, with creation and failure of the small features, such as beaver dams, occurring on a time scale of 100 to 101 years and a frequency of occurrence at scales as low as 101 m. In contrast, larger scale discontinuities, such as lava dams, can last for time scales up to 105 years and have a frequency of occurrence of approximately 104 m. The heterogeneity generated by features is an essential part of river networks and should be considered as part of river management. Therefore, we suggest that "natural" dams are a useful analog for human dams when evaluating options for river restoration. This collection of papers on the studies of natural dams includes bedrock barriers, log jams and beaver dams. The collection also addresses the discontinuity generated by a floodplain — in the absence of an obvious barrier in the channel — and tools for evaluation of riverbed heterogeneity. It is completed with a study of impact of human dams on floodplain sedimentation. These papers will help geomorphologists and river managers understand the factors that control river heterogeneity across scales and around the world.

A laser profilometry technique for monitoring fluvial dike breaching in laboratory experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Dewals, Benjamin; Rifai, Ismail; Erpicum, Sébastien; Archambeau, Pierre; Violeau, Damien; Pirotton, Michel; El kadi Abderrezzak, Kamal

2017-04-01

A challenging aspect for experimental modelling of fluvial dike breaching is the continuous monitoring of the transient breach geometry. In dam breaching cases induced by flow overtopping over the whole breach crest (plane erosion), a side view through a glass wall is sufficient to monitor the breach formation. This approach can be extended for 3D dam breach tests (spatial erosion) if the glass wall is located along the breach centreline. In contrast, using a side view does not apply for monitoring fluvial dike breaching, because the breach is not symmetric in this case. We present a non-intrusive, high resolution technique to record the breach development in experimental models of fluvial dikes by means of a laser profilometry (Rifai et al. 2016). Most methods used for monitoring dam and dike breaching involve the projection of a pattern (fringes, grid) on the dam or dike body and the analysis of its deformation on images recorded during the breaching (e.g., Pickert et al. 2011, Frank and Hager 2014). A major limitation of these methods stems from reflection on the water surface, particularly in the vicinity of the breach where the free surface is irregular and rippled. This issue was addressed by Spinewine et al. (2004), who used a single laser sheet so that reflections on the water surface were strongly limited and did not hamper the accurate processing of each image. We have developed a similar laser profilometry technique tailored for laboratory experiments on fluvial dike breaching. The setup is simple and relatively low cost. It consists of a digital video camera (resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels at 60 frames per second) and a swiping red diode 30 mW laser that enables the projection of a laser sheet over the dike body. The 2D image coordinates of each deformed laser profile incident on the dike are transformed into 3D object coordinates using the Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) algorithm. All 3D object coordinates computed over a swiping cycle of the

Examining fluvial fish range loss with SDMs

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Andrew T.; Papeş, Monica; Long, James M.

2018-01-01

Fluvial fishes face increased imperilment from anthropogenic activities, but the specific factors contributing most to range declines are often poorly understood. For example, the range of the fluvial‐specialist shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae) continues to decrease, yet how perceived threats have contributed to range loss is largely unknown. We used species distribution models to determine which factors contributed most to shoal bass range loss. We estimated a potential distribution based on natural abiotic factors and a series of currently occupied distributions that incorporated variables characterizing land cover, non‐native species, and river fragmentation intensity (no fragmentation, dams only, and dams and large impoundments). We allowed interspecific relationships between non‐native congeners and shoal bass to vary across fragmentation intensities. Results from the potential distribution model estimated shoal bass presence throughout much of their native basin, whereas models of currently occupied distribution showed that range loss increased as fragmentation intensified. Response curves from models of currently occupied distribution indicated a potential interaction between fragmentation intensity and the relationship between shoal bass and non‐native congeners, wherein non‐natives may be favored at the highest fragmentation intensity. Response curves also suggested that >100 km of interconnected, free‐flowing stream fragments were necessary to support shoal bass presence. Model evaluation, including an independent validation, suggested that models had favorable predictive and discriminative abilities. Similar approaches that use readily available, diverse, geospatial data sets may deliver insights into the biology and conservation needs of other fluvial species facing similar threats.

Deciphering Fluvial-Capture-Induced Erosional Patterns at the Continental Scale on the Iberian Peninsula

Science.gov (United States)

Anton, L.; Munoz Martin, A.; De Vicente, G.; Finnegan, N. J.

2017-12-01

The process of river incision into bedrock dictates the landscape response to changes in climate and bedrock uplift in most unglaciated settings. Hence, understanding processes of river incision into bedrock and their topographic signatures are a basic goal of geomorphology. Formerly closed drainage basins provide an exceptional setting for the quantification of long term fluvial dissection and landscape change, making them valuable natural laboratories. Internally drained basins are peculiar because they trap all the sediment eroded within the watershed; as closed systems they do not respond to the base level of the global ocean and deposition is the dominant process. In that context, the opening of an outward drainage involves a sudden lowering of the base level, which is transmitted upstream along fluvial channels in the form of erosional waves, leading to high incision and denudation rates within the intrabasinal areas. Through digital topographic analysis and paleolandscape reconstruction based on relict deposits and landscapes on the Iberian Peninsula, we quantify the volume of sediments eroded from formerly internally drained basins since capture. Mapping of fluvial dissection patterns reveals how, and how far, regional waves of incision have propagated upstream. In our analysis, erosional patterns are consistent with the progressive establishment of an outward drainage system, providing a relative capture chronology for the different studied basins. Divide migration inferred from chi maps supports the interpretations based on fluvial dissection patterns and volumes, providing clues on how landscaped changed and how drainage integration occurred within the studied watersheds. [Funded by S2013/MAE-2739 and CGL2014-59516].

Degradation of the Mitchell River fluvial megafan by alluvial gully erosion increased by post-European land use change, Queensland, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Shellberg, J. G.; Spencer, J.; Brooks, A. P.; Pietsch, T. J.

2016-08-01

Along low gradient rivers in northern Australia, there is widespread gully erosion into unconfined alluvial deposits of active and inactive floodplains. On the Mitchell River fluvial megafan in northern Queensland, river incision and fan-head trenching into Pleistocene and Holocene megafan units with sodic soils created the potential energy for a secondary cycle of erosion. In this study, rates of alluvial gully erosion into incipiently-unstable channel banks and/or pre-existing floodplain features were quantified to assess the influence of land use change following European settlement. Alluvial gully scarp retreat rates were quantified at 18 sites across the megafan using recent GPS surveys and historic air photos, demonstrating rapid increases in gully area of 1.2 to 10 times their 1949 values. Extrapolation of gully area growth trends backward in time suggested that the current widespread phase of gullying initiated between 1880 and 1950, which is post-European settlement. This is supported by young optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates of gully inset-floodplain deposits, LiDAR terrain analysis, historic explorer accounts of earlier gully types, and archival records of cattle numbers and land management. It is deduced that intense cattle grazing and associated disturbance concentrated in the riparian zones during the dry season promoted gully erosion in the wet season along steep banks, adjacent floodplain hollows and precursor gullies. This is a result of reduced native grass cover, increased physical disturbance of soils, and the concentration of water runoff along cattle tracks, in addition to fire regime modifications, episodic drought, and the establishment of exotic weed and grass species. Geomorphic processes operating over geologic time across the fluvial megafan predisposed the landscape to being pushed by land used change across an intrinsically close geomorphic threshold towards instability. The evolution of these alluvial gullies is discussed

Heterogeneity in a Suburban River Network: Understanding the Impact of Fluvial Wetlands on Dissolved Oxygen and Metabolism in Headwater Streams

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, J. S.; Wollheim, W. M.; Sheehan, K.; Lightbody, A.

2014-12-01

Low dissolved oxygen content in rivers threatens fish populations, aquatic organisms, and the health of entire ecosystems. River systems with high fluvial wetland abundance and organic matter, may result in high metabolism that in conjunction with low re-aeration rates, lead to low oxygen conditions. Increasing abundance of beaver ponds in many areas may exacerbate this phenomenon. This research aims to understand the impact of fluvial wetlands, including beaver ponds, on dissolved oxygen (D.O.) and metabolism throughout the headwaters of the Ipswich R. watershed, MA, USA. In several fluvial wetland dominated systems, we measured diel D.O. and metabolism in the upstream inflow, the surface water transient storage zones of fluvial wetland sidepools, and at the outflow to understand how the wetlands modify dissolved oxygen. D.O. was also measured longitudinally along entire surface water flow paths (x-y km long) to determine how low levels of D.O. propagate downstream. Nutrient samples were also collected to understand how their behavior was related to D.O. behavior. Results show that D.O. in fluvial wetlands has large swings with periods of very low D.O. at night. D.O. swings were also seen in downstream outflow, though lagged and somewhat attenuated. Flow conditions affect the level of inundation and the subsequent effects of fluvial wetlands on main channel D.O.. Understanding the D.O. behavior throughout river systems has important implications for the ability of river systems to remove anthropogenic nitrogen.

Interactions between fluvial forces and vegetation size, density and morphology influence plant mortality during experimental floods

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Stella, J. C.; Kui, L.; Manners, R.; Wilcox, A. C.; Lightbody, A.; Sklar, L. S.

2015-12-01

Introduction and methods Fluvial disturbance is a key driver of riparian vegetation dynamics in river corridors. Despite an increasing understanding of ecohydraulic interactions between plants and fluvial forces, the interactive influences of plant morphology and sediment supply on plant mortality, a key demographic factor, are largely unknown. To better understand these processes, we designed and conducted a series of flume experiments to: (1) quantify effects of plant traits that interact with flow and sediment transport on plant loss to scour during floods; and (2) predict plant dislodgement for different species across a range of plant sizes, patch densities, and sediment condition (equilibrium transport versus sediment deficit). We ran ten experimental floods in a 28 m long × 0.6 m wide × 0.71 m tall flume, using live, 1-3 year-old tamarisk and cottonwood seedlings with contrasting morphologies with varied combinations of size and density. Results and discussion Both sediment supply and plant traits (morphology and composition) have significant impacts on plant vulnerability during floods. Sediment deficit resulted in bed degradation and a 35% greater risk of plant loss compared to equilibrium sediment conditions. The probability of plant dislodgement in sparse patches was 4.5 times greater than in dense patches. Tamarisk plants and patches had greater frontal area, basal diameter and longer roots compared to cottonwood across all seedling heights. These traits, as well as its lower crown position reduced tamarisk's vulnerability to scour by 75%. Compared with cottonwood, tamarisk exhibits better resistance to floods, due to its greater root biomass and longer roots that stabilize soil, and its greater frontal area and lower crown that effectively trap sediment. These traits likely contribute to riverscape-scale changes in channel morphology that are evident where tamarisk has invaded native riparian communities, and explain the persistence of tamarisk

Effects of Topography and Surface Soil Cover on Erosion for Mining Reclamation: The Experimental Spoil Heap at El Machorro Mine (Central Spain)

OpenAIRE

Martín Moreno, Cristina; Martín Duque, J. F.; Nicolau, J. M.; Hernando, N.; Sanz, M. A.; Sánchez Castillo, L.

2013-01-01

Mining reclamation tries to reduce environmental impacts, including accelerated runoff, erosion and sediment load in the nearby fluvial networks and their ecosystems. This study compares the effects of topography and surface soil cover on erosion on man-made slopes coming from surface mining reclamation in Central Spain. Two topographic profiles, linear and concave, with two surface soil covers, subsoil and topsoil, were monitored for two hydrologic years. Sediment load, rill development and ...

Utilization of ancient permafrost carbon in headwaters of Arctic fluvial networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mann, Paul J.; Eglinton, Timothy I.; McIntyre, Cameron P.; Zimov, Nikita; Davydova, Anna; Vonk, Jorien E.; Holmes, Robert M.; Spencer, Robert G M

2015-01-01

Northern high-latitude rivers are major conduits of carbon from land to coastal seas and the Arctic Ocean. Arctic warming is promoting terrestrial permafrost thaw and shifting hydrologic flowpaths, leading to fluvial mobilization of ancient carbon stores. Here we describe 14 C and 13 C

When do plants modify fluvial processes? Plant-hydraulic interactions under variable flow and sediment supply rates

Science.gov (United States)

Manners, Rebecca B.; Wilcox, Andrew C.; Kui, Li; Lightbody, Anne F.; Stella, John C.; Sklar, Leonard S.

2015-02-01

Flow and sediment regimes shape alluvial river channels; yet the influence of these abiotic drivers can be strongly mediated by biotic factors such as the size and density of riparian vegetation. We present results from an experiment designed to identify when plants control fluvial processes and to investigate the sensitivity of fluvial processes to changes in plant characteristics versus changes in flow rate or sediment supply. Live seedlings of two species with distinct morphologies, tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) and cottonwood (Populus fremontii), were placed in different configurations in a mobile sand-bed flume. We measured the hydraulic and sediment flux responses of the channel at different flow rates and sediment supply conditions representing equilibrium (sediment supply = transport rate) and deficit (sediment supply plant species and configuration. Species-specific traits controlled the hydraulic response: compared to cottonwood, which has a more tree-like morphology, the shrubby morphology of tamarisk resulted in less pronation and greater reductions in near-bed velocities, Reynolds stress, and sediment flux rates. Under sediment-deficit conditions, on the other hand, abiotic factors dampened the effect of variations in plant characteristics on the hydraulic response. We identified scenarios for which the highest stem-density patch, independent of abiotic factors, dominated the fluvial response. These results provide insight into how and when plants influence fluvial processes in natural systems.

Fluvial organic carbon losses from oil palm plantations on tropical peat, Sarawak, Southeast Asia

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Cook, Sarah; Page, Susan; Evans, Chris; Whelan, Mick; Gauci, Vincent; Lip Khoon, Kho

2017-04-01

Tropical peatlands are valuable stores of carbon. However, tropical peat swamp forests (TPSFs) in Southeast Asia have increasingly been converted to other land-uses. For example, more than 25% of TPSFs are now under oil palm plantations. This conversion - requiring felling and burning of trees and drainage of the peat - can enhance carbon mineralization, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) losses and can contribute significantly to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, changing these natural carbon sinks into carbon sources. At present, relatively few scientifically sound studies provide dependable estimates of gaseous and fluvial carbon losses from oil palm plantations or from drained tropical peat in general. Here we present an annual (54 week) estimate of the export of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in water draining two oil palm estates and nearby stands of TPSF in Sarawak, Malaysia, subjected to varying degrees of past anthropogenic disturbance. Spectrophotometric techniques including SUVA254 (Specific Ultra-Violet Absorption) were used to gain insight into the aromaticity and subsequent bioavailability of the exported DOC. Water draining plantation and deforested land had a higher proportion of labile carbon compared to water draining forested areas. Preliminary data suggest a total fluvial DOC flux from plantations of ca. 190 g C m-2 year-1; nearly three times estimates from intact TPSFs (63 g C m-2 year-1). DOC accounted for between 86 % - 94 % of the total organic carbon lost (most of which was bioavailable). Wit et al. (2015) estimates that an average of 53 % of peat-derived DOC is decomposed and emitted as CO2, on a monthly basis. Based on these estimates our data suggests an additional 101 g CO2 m-2 may be emitted indirectly from fluvial organic carbon in degraded TPSFs per year. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of including fluvial organic carbon fluxes when quantifying the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on the

The Brahmaputra River: a stratigraphic analysis of Holocene avulsion and fluvial valley reoccupation history

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Hartzog, T. R.; Goodbred, S. L.

2011-12-01

The Brahmaputra River, one of the world's largest braided streams, is a major component of commerce, agriculture, and transportation in India and Bangladesh. Hence any significant change in course, morphology, or behavior would be likely to influence the regional culture and economy that relies on this major river system. The history of such changes is recorded in the stratigraphy deposited by the Brahmaputra River during the Holocene. Here we present stratigraphic analysis of sediment samples from the boring of 41 tube wells over a 120 km transect in the upper Bengal Basin of northern Bangladesh. The transect crosses both the modern fluvial valley and an abandoned fluvial valley about 60 km downstream of a major avulsion node. Although the modern Brahmaputra does not transport gravel, gravel strata are common below 20 m with fluvial sand deposits dominating most of the stratigraphy. Furthermore, the stratigraphy preserves very few floodplain mud strata below the modern floodplain mud cap. These preliminary findings will be assessed to determine their importance in defining past channel migration, avulsion frequency, and the reoccupation of abandoned fluvial valleys. Understanding the avulsion and valley reoccupation history of the Brahmaputra River is important to assess the risk involved with developing agriculture, business, and infrastructure on the banks of modern and abandoned channels. Based on the correlation of stratigraphy and digital surface elevation data, we hypothesize that the towns of Jamalpur and Sherpur in northern Bangladesh were once major ports on the Brahmaputra River even though they now lie on the banks of small underfit stream channels. If Jamalpur and Sherpur represent the outer extent of the Brahmaputra River braid-belt before the last major avulsion, these cities and any communities developed in the abandoned braid-belt assume a high risk of devastation if the next major avulsion reoccupies this fluvial valley. It is important to

Recent changes in sediment redistribution in the upper parts of the fluvial system of European Russia: regional aspects

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O. P. Yermolaev

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Quantitative assessments of soil loss from cultivated land and sediment redistribution along pathways from cultivated fields to river channels have been undertaken using a range of different methods and techniques, including erosion models, detailed studies of sediment redistribution in representative catchments, monitoring of gully head retreat and evaluation of sediment deposition in ponds and small reservoirs. Most of the sediment eroded from arable land is deposited between the lower portions of the cultivated slopes and the river channels. Less than 15% of the eroded sediment is delivered to the river channels. Sediment redistribution rates in the upper parts of the fluvial system have declined during the last 25 years in both the western and eastern parts of the Russian Plain, because of a major reduction of surface runoff during snowmelt and a reduction of the area of arable land in some parts of the study area.

Fluvial biogeomorphology in the Anthropocene: Managing rivers and managing landscapes.

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Viles, Heather

2015-04-01

Biogeomorphology considers the many, and often complex, interactions between ecological and geomorphological processes. The concept of the Anthropocene deserves greater attention by scientists working on biogeomorphology, as will be demonstrated in this talk though a focus on fluvial environments. Rivers and river systems have been the subject of long-term human interference and management across the world, often in the form of direct manipulation of biogeomorphic interactions. Up to the present three broadly-defined phases of the Anthropocene can be identified - the Palaeoanthropocene, the Industrial Revolution and the Great Acceleration. Each of these broad phases of the Anthropocene has different implications for fluvial biogeomorphology and river management. The nature and dynamics of tufa-depositing systems provide good examples of the differing Anthropocene situations and will be focused on in this talk. We may now be entering a fourth phase of the Anthropocene called 'Earth system stewardship'. In terms of better understanding and managing the biogeomorphic interactions within rivers in such a phase, an improved conceptualisation of the Anthropocene and the complex web of interactions between human, ecological and geomorphological processes is needed.

Impact of downslope soil transport on carbon storage and fate in permafrost dominated landscapes

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Shelef, E.; Rowland, J. C.; Wilson, C. J.; Altmann, G.; Hilley, G. E.

2014-12-01

A large fraction of high latitude permafrost-dominated landscapes are covered by soil mantled hillslopes. In these landscapes, soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulates and is lost through lateral transport processes. At present, these processes are not included in regional or global landsurface climate models. We present preliminary results of a soil transport and storage model over a permafrost dominated hillslope. In this model soil carbon is transported downslope within a mobile layer that thaws every summer. The model tracks soil transport and its subsequent storage at the hillslope's base. In a scenario where a carbon poor subsurface is blanketed by a carbon-rich surface layer, the progressive downslope soil transport can result in net carbon sequestration. This sequestration occurs because SOC is carried from the hilllsope's near-surface layer, where it is produced by plants and is capable of decomposing, into depositional sites at the hillslope's base where it is stored in frozen deposits such that it's decomposition rate is effectively zero. We use the model to evaluate the quantities of carbon stored in depositional settings during the Holocene, and to predict changes in sequestration rate in response to thaw depth thickening expected to occur within the next century due to climate-change. At the Holocene time scale, we show that a large amount of SOC is likely stored in depositional sites that comprise only a small fraction of arctic landscapes. The convergent topography of these sites makes them susceptible to fluvial erosion and suggests that increased fluvial incision in response to climate-change-induced thawing has the potential to release significant amounts of carbon to the river system, and potentially to the atmosphere. At the time scale of the next century, increased thaw depth may increase soil-transport rates on hillslopes and therefore increase SOC sequestration rates at a magnitude that may partly compensate for the carbon release expected from

Tratamiento de los espacios fluviales urbanos andaluces en la planificación territorial y sectorial

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David González Rojas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available La recuperación y conservación de los espacios fluviales urbanos debe insertarse dentro de los procesos de planificación territorial y sectorial. El presente trabajo analiza la evolución y las transformaciones de los espacios fluviales urbanos en Andalucía durante las últimas décadas, a través del análisis de los distintos planes. Para el estudio de las relaciones entre el planeamiento territorial y sectorial y los espacios fluviales urbanos se ha realizado una recopilación de los documentos actualmente aprobados o en tramitación. En el artículo se destacan los avances durante el periodo estudiado, pero también las inercias, resistencias y nuevos problemas asociados. El esfuerzo realizado para la ordenación de los ríos a su paso por las ciudades no ha tenido su reflejo en los resultados obtenidos, siendo las interrelaciones entre la gestión del agua y del territorio (regional, subregional y municipal una cuestión no resuelta.

Optimizing sampling strategy for radiocarbon dating of Holocene fluvial systems in a vertically aggrading setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toernqvist, T.E.; Dijk, G.J. Van

1993-01-01

The authors address the question of how to determine the period of activity (sedimentation) of fossil (Holocene) fluvial systems in vertically aggrading environments. The available data base consists of almost 100 14 C ages from the Rhine-Meuse delta. Radiocarbon samples from the tops of lithostratigraphically correlative organic beds underneath overbank deposits (sample type 1) yield consistent ages, indicating a synchronous onset of overbank deposition over distances of at least up to 20 km along channel belts. Similarly, 14 C ages from the base of organic residual channel fills (sample type 3) generally indicate a clear termination of within-channel sedimentation. In contrast, 14 C ages from the base of organic beds overlying overbank deposits (sample type 2), commonly assumed to represent the end of fluvial sedimentation, show a large scatter reaching up to 1000 14 C years. It is concluded that a combination of sample types 1 and 3 generally yields a satisfactory delimitation of the period of activity of a fossil fluvial system. 30 refs., 11 figs., 4 tabs

Natural and human impact on the land use and soil properties of the Sikkim Himalayas piedmont in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Prokop, P; Płoskonka, D

2014-06-01

Natural and human causes of change in land use and soil properties were studied in the Sikkim Himalayas piedmont over the last 150 years, with a special emphasis on the period 1930-2010. Analysis of historical reports, combined with the visual interpretation of topographic maps and satellite images, indicates that the land reforms related to the location of tea gardens caused rapid deforestation of the higher elevated terraces in the late 19th century. Continuous population growth between 1930 and 2010 caused a shift in the major land use changes from the terraces to the floodplains. As a consequence, a gradual extension of tea plantation and forestry development helped in stabilizing the land use of the terraces, while the parallel deforestation of mountain catchments and floodplains for rice cultivation intensified fluvial activity. The enlargement of river-channel area by about 42% between 1930 and 2010 excluded a large part of the floodplains from cultivation and increased risk of soil degradation. The replacement of natural forest by monocultural tea and rice cultivation influenced the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Statistically significant changes were observed only in some chemical properties of the topsoil. Tea cultivation reduced the total carbon content by 26% and total nitrogen content by 33% in the surface soil horizon. The influence of rice tillage on the soil properties is masked by the fluvial activity. The combined effect of flooding and rice cultivation is reflected in the lower content of total carbon and nitrogen in the surface of the soil, namely, 76% and 77% respectively. Taking into account the long-term nature of the plantation, the soil still has the capability to support tea production. The productivity of rice depends partly on fertilization levels and partly on the natural deposition of fresh sediment eroded from mountains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluvial-aeolian interactions in sediment routing and sedimentary signal buffering: an example from the Indus Basin and Thar Desert

Science.gov (United States)

East, Amy E.; Clift, Peter D.; Carter, Andrew; Alizai, Anwar; VanLaningham, Sam

2015-01-01

Sediment production and its subsequent preservation in the marine stratigraphic record offshore of large rivers are linked by complex sediment-transfer systems. To interpret the stratigraphic record it is critical to understand how environmental signals transfer from sedimentary source regions to depositional sinks, and in particular to understand the role of buffering in obscuring climatic or tectonic signals. In dryland regions, signal buffering can include sediment cycling through linked fluvial and eolian systems. We investigate sediment-routing connectivity between the Indus River and the Thar Desert, where fluvial and eolian systems exchanged sediment over large spatial scales (hundreds of kilometers). Summer monsoon winds recycle sediment from the lower Indus River and delta northeastward, i.e., downwind and upstream, into the desert. Far-field eolian recycling of Indus sediment is important enough to control sediment provenance at the downwind end of the desert substantially, although the proportion of Indus sediment of various ages varies regionally within the desert; dune sands in the northwestern Thar Desert resemble the Late Holocene–Recent Indus delta, requiring short transport and reworking times. On smaller spatial scales (1–10 m) along fluvial channels in the northern Thar Desert, there is also stratigraphic evidence of fluvial and eolian sediment reworking from local rivers. In terms of sediment volume, we estimate that the Thar Desert could be a more substantial sedimentary store than all other known buffer regions in the Indus basin combined. Thus, since the mid-Holocene, when the desert expanded as the summer monsoon rainfall decreased, fluvial-eolian recycling has been an important but little recognized process buffering sediment flux to the ocean. Similar fluvial-eolian connectivity likely also affects sediment routing and signal transfer in other dryland regions globally.

Fluvial particle characterization using artificial neural network and spectral image processing

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Bim Prasad; Gautam, Bijaya; Nagata, Masateru

2008-03-01

Sand, chemical waste, microbes and other solid materials flowing with the water bodies are of great significance to us as they cause substantial impact to different sectors including drinking water management, hydropower generation, irrigation, aquatic life preservation and various other socio-ecological factors. Such particles can't completely be avoided due to the high cost of construction and maintenance of the waste-treatment methods. A detailed understanding of solid particles in surface water system can have benefit in effective, economic, environmental and social management of water resources. This paper describes an automated system of fluvial particle characterization based on spectral image processing that lead to the development of devices for monitoring flowing particles in river. Previous research in coherent field has shown that it is possible to automatically classify shapes and sizes of solid particles ranging from 300-400 μm using artificial neural networks (ANN) and image processing. Computer facilitated with hyper spectral and multi spectral images using ANN can further classify fluvial materials into organic, inorganic, biodegradable, bio non degradable and microbes. This makes the method attractive for real time monitoring of particles, sand and microorganism in water bodies at strategic locations. Continuous monitoring can be used to determine the effect of socio-economic activities in upstream rivers, or to monitor solid waste disposal from treatment plants and industries or to monitor erosive characteristic of sand and its contribution to degradation of efficiency of hydropower plant or to identify microorganism, calculate their population and study the impact of their presence. Such system can also be used to characterize fluvial particles for planning effective utilization of water resources in micro-mega hydropower plant, irrigation, aquatic life preservation etc.

Insights into organic carbon oxidation potential during fluvial transport from laboratory and field experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Scheingross, J. S.; Dellinger, M.; Eglinton, T. I.; Fuchs, M. C.; Golombek, N.; Hilton, R. G.; Hovius, N.; Lupker, M.; Repasch, M. N.; Sachse, D.; Turowski, J. M.; Vieth-Hillebrand, A.; Wittmann, H.

2017-12-01

Over geologic timescales, the exchange of organic carbon (OC) between the atmosphere, hydropshere, biosphere and geosphere can be a major control on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. The carbon fluxes from the oxidation of rock-derived OC (a CO2 source) and erosion, transport, and burial of biospheric OC (a potential CO2 sink) during fluvial transit are approximately the same order of magnitude or larger than those from silicate weathering. Despite field data showing increasing oxidation of OC moving downstream in lowland rivers, it is unclear if losses occur primarily during active fluvial transport, where OC is in continual motion within an aerated river, or during periods of temporary storage in river floodplains which may be anoxic. The unknown location of OC oxidation (i.e., river vs. floodplain) limits our ability to mechanistically link geochemical and geomorphic processes which are required to develop models capable of predicting OC losses, constrain carbon budgets, and unravel links between climate, tectonics, and erosion. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated OC oxidation in controlled laboratory experiments and a simplified field setting. We performed experiments in annular flumes that simulate fluvial transport without floodplain storage, allowing mixtures of OC-rich and siliciclastic sediment to be transported for distances of 1000 km. Preliminary experiments exploring both rock-derived and biospheric OC sources show minimal OC oxidation during active river transport, consistent with the idea that the majority of OC loss occurs during transient floodplain storage. These results are also consistent with new field data collected in the Rio Bermejo, Argentina, a lowland river traversing 800 km with no tributary inputs, where aged floodplain deposits have 3 to 10 times lower OC concentrations compared to modern river sediments. Together our field data and experiments support the hypothesis that oxidation of OC occurs primarily during

Insights into organic carbon oxidation potential during fluvial transport from controlled laboratory and natural field experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Scheingross, Joel S.; Dellinger, Mathieu; Golombek, Nina; Hilton, Robert G.; Hovius, Niels; Sachse, Dirk; Turowski, Jens M.; Vieth-Hillebrand, Andrea; Wittmann, Hella

2017-04-01

Over geologic timescales, the exchange of organic carbon (OC) between the atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere is thought to be a major control on atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, and hence global climate. The carbon fluxes from the oxidation of rock-derived OC (a CO2 source) and erosion and transport of biospheric OC (a potential CO2 sink) during fluvial transit are approximately the same order of magnitude or larger than those from silicate weathering (France-Lanord and Derry, 1997; Bouchez et al., 2010). Despite field data showing oxidation of OC moving downstream in lowland rivers, it is unclear if losses occur primarily during active fluvial transport within the river, where OC is in continual motion within an aerated environment, or during longer periods when OC is temporarily stored in river floodplains which may be anoxic. This represents a major knowledge gap, as the unknown location of OC oxidation (i.e., river vs. floodplain) limits our ability to develop process-based models that can be employed to predict OC losses, constrain carbon budgets, and unravel links between climate, tectonics, and erosion. To fill this gap, we investigated the potential for OC oxidation in both controlled laboratory experiments and a simplified field setting. We consider both rock-derived and biospheric OC. Our experiments simulated fluvial transport without floodplain storage, allowing mixtures of OC-rich and siliciclastic sediment to be transported for distances of 1000 km in annular flumes while making time-series measurements of OC concentration in both the solid (POC) and dissolved (DOC) loads, as well as measurements of rhenium concentration, which serves as a proxy for the oxidation of rock-derived OC. These transport experiments were compared to static, control experiments where water and sediment in the same proportion were placed in still water. Initial results for transport of OC-rich soil show similar behavior between the transport and static

A fast, parallel algorithm to solve the basic fluvial erosion/transport equations

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Braun, J.

2012-04-01

Quantitative models of landform evolution are commonly based on the solution of a set of equations representing the processes of fluvial erosion, transport and deposition, which leads to predict the geometry of a river channel network and its evolution through time. The river network is often regarded as the backbone of any surface processes model (SPM) that might include other physical processes acting at a range of spatial and temporal scales along hill slopes. The basic laws of fluvial erosion requires the computation of local (slope) and non-local (drainage area) quantities at every point of a given landscape, a computationally expensive operation which limits the resolution of most SPMs. I present here an algorithm to compute the various components required in the parameterization of fluvial erosion (and transport) and thus solve the basic fluvial geomorphic equation, that is very efficient because it is O(n) (the number of required arithmetic operations is linearly proportional to the number of nodes defining the landscape), and is fully parallelizable (the computation cost decreases in a direct inverse proportion to the number of processors used to solve the problem). The algorithm is ideally suited for use on latest multi-core processors. Using this new technique, geomorphic problems can be solved at an unprecedented resolution (typically of the order of 10,000 X 10,000 nodes) while keeping the computational cost reasonable (order 1 sec per time step). Furthermore, I will show that the algorithm is applicable to any regular or irregular representation of the landform, and is such that the temporal evolution of the landform can be discretized by a fully implicit time-marching algorithm, making it unconditionally stable. I will demonstrate that such an efficient algorithm is ideally suited to produce a fully predictive SPM that links observationally based parameterizations of small-scale processes to the evolution of large-scale features of the landscapes on

Excursions in fluvial (dis)continuity

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Gordon E.; O'Connor, James E.; Safran, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Lurking below the twin concepts of connectivity and disconnectivity are their first, and in some ways, richer cousins: continuity and discontinuity. In this paper we explore how continuity and discontinuity represent fundamental and complementary perspectives in fluvial geomorphology, and how these perspectives inform and underlie our conceptions of connectivity in landscapes and rivers. We examine the historical roots of continuum and discontinuum thinking, and how much of our understanding of geomorphology rests on contrasting views of continuity and discontinuity. By continuum thinking we refer to a conception of geomorphic processes as well as geomorphic features that are expressed along continuous gradients without abrupt changes, transitions, or thresholds. Balance of forces, graded streams, and hydraulic geometry are all examples of this perspective. The continuum view has played a prominent role in diverse disciplinary fields, including ecology, paleontology, and evolutionary biology, in large part because it allows us to treat complex phenomena as orderly progressions and invoke or assume equilibrium processes that introduce order and prediction into our sciences.In contrast the discontinuous view is a distinct though complementary conceptual framework that incorporates non-uniform, non-progressive, and non-equilibrium thinking into understanding geomorphic processes and landscapes. We distinguish and discuss examples of three different ways in which discontinuous thinking can be expressed: 1) discontinuous spatial arrangements or singular events; 2) specific process domains generally associated with thresholds, either intrinsic or extrinsic; and 3) physical dynamics or changes in state, again often threshold-linked. In moving beyond the continuous perspective, a fertile set of ideas comes into focus: thresholds, non-equilibrium states, heterogeneity, catastrophe. The range of phenomena that is thereby opened up to scientific exploration similarly expands

Long-term passive restoration following fluvial deposition of sulphidic copper tailings: nature filters out the solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolic, Nina; Böcker, Reinhard; Nikolic, Miroslav

2016-07-01

Despite the growing popularity of ecological restoration approach, data on primary succession on toxic post-mining substrates, under site environmental conditions which considerably differ from the surrounding environment, are still scarce. Here, we studied the spontaneous vegetation development on an unusual locality created by long-term and large-scale fluvial deposition of sulphidic tailings from a copper mine in a pronouncedly xerothermic, calcareous surrounding. We performed multivariate analyses of soil samples (20 physical and chemical parameters) and vegetation samples (floristic and structural parameters in three types of occurring forests), collected along the pollution gradients throughout the affected floodplain. The nature can cope with two types of imposed constraints: (a) excessive Cu concentrations and (b) very low pH, combined with nutrient deficiency. The former will still allow convergence to the original vegetation, while the latter will result in novel, depauperate assemblages of species typical for cooler and moister climate. Our results for the first time demonstrate that with the increasing severity of environmental filtering, the relative importance of the surrounding vegetation for primary succession strongly decreases.

Large Fluvial Fans: Aspects of the Attribute Array

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Justin M.

2015-01-01

In arguing for a strict definition of the alluvial fan (coarse-grained with radii less than10 km, in mountain-front settings), Blair and McPherson (1994) proposed that there is no meaningful difference between large fluvial fans (LFF) and floodplains, because the building blocks of both are channel-levee-overbank deposits. Sediment bodies at the LFF scale (greater than 100 km long, fan-shaped in planform), are relatively unstudied although greater than 160 are now identified globally. The following perspectives suggest that the significance of LFF needs to be reconsidered.

Pleistocene-Holocene sedimentation of Solimões-Amazon fluvial system between the tributaries Negro and Madeira, Central Amazon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliezer Senna Gonçalves Júnior

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: In the scope of Solimões-Amazon fluvial system between the Negro and Madeira tributaries, three levels of Quaternary fluvial terraces overlie the Alter do Chão and Novo Remanso formations further than 100 km southward its current main channel. Smooth undulated topography presenting low drainages density formed by sparse secondary plain channels and rounded lakes characterizes these deposits. Internally, they show point bars morphology constituted by intercalated layers of mud (silt and clay and sand forming an inclined heterolithic stratification. The asymmetric distribution of fluvial terraces allied to the records of old scroll-bars features and paleochannels in many extensions of the Solimões River suggests the predominance of a meander pattern between 240 to 6 kyears. On the other hand, the development of the current anabranching pattern took place in the last six kyears due to the Holocene sea-level rise, besides the action of neotectonics and rainforest establishment related to the increase of humidity in Amazonia.

A new ‘superassemblage’ model explaining proximal-to-distal and lateral facies changes in fluvial environments, based on the Proterozoic Sanjauli Formation (Lesser Himalaya, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ananya Mukhopadhyay

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Facies analysis of fluvial deposits of the Proterozoic Sanjauli Formation in the Lesser Himalaya was combined with an architectural analysis. On this basis, a model was developed that may be applied to other fluvial systems as well, whether old or recent. The new model, which might be considered as an assemblage of previous models, explains lateral variations in architecture and facies but is not in all respects consistent with the standard fluvial models. The Sanjauli fluvial model is unique in that it deals with lateral facies variations due to shifts of the base-level along with fluctuations in accommodation space owing to changes in palaeoclimate.

Assessing the Effects of Climate on Global Fluvial Discharge Variability

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Hansford, M. R.; Plink-Bjorklund, P.

2017-12-01

Plink-Bjorklund (2015) established the link between precipitation seasonality and river discharge variability in the monsoon domain and subtropical rivers (see also Leier et al, 2005; Fielding et al., 2009), resulting in distinct morphodynamic processes and a sedimentary record distinct from perennial precipitation zone in tropical rainforest zone and mid latitudes. This study further develops our understanding of discharge variability using a modern global river database created with data from the Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC). The database consists of daily discharge for 595 river stations and examines them using a series of discharge variability indexes (DVI) on different temporal scales to examine how discharge variability occurs in river systems around the globe. These indexes examine discharge of individual days and monthly averages that allows for comparison of river systems against each other, regardless of size of the river. Comparing river discharge patterns in seven climate zones (arid, cold, humid subtropics, monsoonal, polar, rainforest, and temperate) based off the Koppen-Geiger climate classifications reveals a first order climatic control on discharge patterns and correspondingly sediment transport. Four groupings of discharge patterns emerge when coming climate zones and DVI: persistent, moderate, seasonal, and erratic. This dataset has incredible predictive power about the nature of discharge in fluvial systems around the world. These seasonal effects on surface water supply affects river morphodynamics and sedimentation on a wide timeframe, ranging from large single events to an inter-annual or even decadal timeframe. The resulting sedimentary deposits lead to differences in fluvial architecture on a range of depositional scales from sedimentary structures and bedforms to channel complex systems. These differences are important to accurately model for several reasons, ranging from stratigraphic and paleoenviromental reconstructions to more

Reservoir architecture and tough gas reservoir potential of fluvial crevasse-splay deposits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Toorenenburg, K.A.; Donselaar, M.E.; Weltje, G.J.

2015-01-01

Unconventional tough gas reservoirs in low-net-to-gross fluvial stratigraphic intervals may constitute a secondary source of fossil energy to prolong the gas supply in the future. To date, however, production from these thin-bedded, fine-grained reservoirs has been hampered by the economic risks

Aircraft and satellite remote sensing of desert soils and landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, G. W.; Connors, K. F.; Miller, D. A.; Day, R. L.; Gardner, T. W.

1987-01-01

Remote sensing data on desert soils and landscapes, obtained by the Landsat TM, Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM), Simulated SPOT, and Thermal IR Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) aboard an aircraft, are discussed together with the analytical techniques used in the studies. The TM data for southwestern Nevada were used to discriminate among the alluvial fan deposits with different degrees of desert pavement and varnish, and different vegetation cover. Thermal-IR data acquired from the HCMM satellite were used to map the spatial distribution of diurnal surface temperatures and to estimate mean annual soil temperatures in central Utah. Simulated SPOT data for northwestern New Mexico identified geomorphic features, such as differences in eolian sand cover and fluvial incision, while the TIMS data depicted surface geologic features of the Saline Valley in California.

Extreme Changes in Stream Geomorphic Conditions induced by Fluvial Scour in Bridges

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Özcan, O.; Ozcan, O.

2016-12-01

The numerous complexities associated with bridge scour have caused scour to be one of the most active topics of stream geomorphic research. The assessment of local scouring mechanism around bridge piers provides information for decision-making regarding the pile footing design, predicting the safety of bridges under critical scoured conditions, and as a result, may help prevent unnecessary loses. In the study, bridge design plans and HEC-RAS modeling were used for the assessment of changes in stream geomorphic conditions. The derived fluvial scour depths were compared with the field measurements and the empirical formula which is based on stream flow discharge rate, streambed condition and shape of river. Preliminary results revealed that bridge damage resulting from the flood event in 2003 induced substantial scour around bridge piles. Afterwards, significant stream bed change was observed under the influence of fluvial scour in another flood occurred in 2009. Consequently, geomorphic conditions of the stream bed should be considered in the structural design of the bridges.

Results of radiocarbon dating of Holocene fluvial sediments from Northeastern Bohemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silar, J.; Zeman, A.

1989-01-01

Samples of wood and charcoal from the latest Holocene fluvial sediments under the lowest surface of alluvial plains were dated by radiocarbon in order to check paleomagnetic data at four sites in northeastern Bohemia. The results are presented as funcorrected 14 C ages and dendrochronologically corrected ages. Two samples were recent. 4 figs., 1 tab., 3 refs

Reflexiones y enfoques en la conservación y restauración de ríos: georrestauración y pensamiento fluvial

OpenAIRE

Horacio, Jesús

2015-01-01

En los últimos años las sociedades más avanzadas se comienzan a replantear los principios y métodos aplicados para la gestión de los ríos. Este cambio de tendencia en la forma de pensar acerca de nuestro patrimonio fluvial es lo que se denomina en este trabajo: pensamiento fluvial. Este pensamiento implica derrocar ideas incompletas o erróneas sobre qué es un río y aceptarlo como un sistema natural dinámico. Pero el pensamiento fluvial invita también a discutir sobre la forma de conservar y r...

The igapó of the Negro River in central Amazonia: Linking late-successional inundation forest with fluvial geomorphology

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Montero, Juan Carlos; Latrubesse, Edgardo M.

2013-10-01

Despite important progress on Amazonian floodplain research, the flooded forest of the Negro River "igapó" has been little investigated. In particular, no study has previously focused the linkage between fluvial geomorphology and the floristic variation across the course of the river. In this paper we describe and interpret relations between igapó forest, fluvial geomorphology and the spatial evolution of the igapó forest through the Holocene. Therefore, we investigate the effect of geomorphological units of the floodplain and channel patterns on tree diversity, composition and structural parameters of the late-successional igapó forest. Our results show that sites sharing almost identical flooding regime, exhibit variable tree assemblages, species richness and structural parameters such as basal area, tree density and tree heights, indicating a trend in which the geomorphologic styles seem to partially control the organization of igapó's tree communities. This can be also explained by the high variability of well-developed geomorphologic units in short distances and concentrated in small areas. In this dynamic the inputs from the species pool of tributary rivers play a crucial role, but also the depositional and erosional processes associated with the evolution of the floodplain during the Holocene may control floristic and structural components of the igapó forests. These results suggest that a comprehensive approach integrating floristic and geomorphologic methods is needed to understand the distribution of the complex vegetation patterns in complex floodplains such as the igapó of the Negro River. This combination of approaches may introduce a better comprehension of the temporal and spatial evolutionary analysis and a logic rationale to understand the vegetation distribution and variability in function of major landforms, soil distributions and hydrology. Thus, by integrating the past into macroecological analyses will sharpen our understanding of the

Fluvial geomorphology and aquatic-to-terrestrial Hg export are weakly coupled in small urban streams of Columbus, Ohio

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Sullivan, S. Mažeika P.; Boaz, Lindsey E.; Hossler, Katie

2016-04-01

Although mercury (Hg) contamination is common in stream ecosystems, mechanisms governing bioavailability and bioaccumulation in fluvial systems remain poorly resolved as compared to lentic systems. In particular, streams in urbanized catchments are subject to fluvial geomorphic alterations that may contribute to Hg distribution, bioaccumulation, and export across the aquatic-to-terrestrial boundary. In 12 streams of urban Columbus, Ohio, we investigated the influence of fluvial geomorphic characteristics related to channel geometry, streamflow, and sediment size and distribution on (1) Hg concentrations in sediment and body burdens in benthic larval and adult emergent aquatic insects and (2) aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant transfer to common riparian spiders of the families Pisauridae and Tetragnathidae via changes in aquatic insect Hg body burdens as well as in aquatic insect density and community composition. Hydrogeomorphic characteristics were weakly related to Hg body burdens in emergent insects (channel geometry) and tetragnathid spiders (streamflow), but not to Hg concentrations in sediment or benthic insects. Streamflow characteristics were also related to emergent insect density, while wider channels were associated with benthic insect community shifts toward smaller-bodied and more tolerant taxa (e.g., Chironomidae). Thus, our results provide initial evidence that fluvial geomorphology may influence aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant Hg transfer through the collective effects on emergent insect body burdens as well as on aquatic insect community composition and abundance.

Fluvial incision by the Qingyijiang River on the northern fringe of Mt. Huangshan, eastern China: Responses to weakening of the East Asian summer monsoon

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Hu, Chunsheng; Liu, Shaochen; Hu, Chenqi; Xu, Guanglai; Zhou, Yingqiu

2017-12-01

This paper focuses on climatic and tectonic controls to determine their relative importance to the Quaternary fluvial incision by the Qingyijiang River, eastern China. The Qingyijiang, which is one of longest tributaries of the lower Yangtze River, drains the northern piedmont of Mt. Huangshan. A field survey focused on three natural sections of the Qingyijiang in the Jingxian basin, where a well-preserved sequence of one alluvial platform (P) and three fluvial terraces (T3, T2, and T1) is presented. The heights of the platform and the terraces above river level are 65, 40, 20, and 7 m respectively. In this study, electron spin resonance (ESR), optical stimulated luminescence (OSL), and palaeomagnetic dating were applied to reconstruct the fluvial incision history of the Qingyijiang and evaluate the possible influence of tectonic uplift and/or climate change on the fluvial incision. The main results show that (1) the ages of P, T3, T2, and T1 were determined to be ∼ 1300, ∼ 900, ∼ 600, and ∼ 1.5 ka respectively, corresponding to four incision events in the Qingyijiang; (2) the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) experienced four significant weakening events at 1300, 900, 600, and ∼ 1.5 ka, according to previous research. Correspondingly, we propose that four significant increased periods of regional precipitation occurred at 1300, 900, 600, and ∼ 1.5 ka in the study area because of the negative correlation between the intensity of the EASM and regional precipitation from 1960 to 2012; and (3) fluvial incision by the Qingyijiang arose as a result of the weakening of the EASM in combination with tectonic uplift, determined by matching fluvial incision history of the Qingyijiang with tectonic movement and EASM change. In addition, the weakening of the EASM climatically triggered fluvial incision by the Qingyijiang. This study supports the conclusion that major fluvial incision has been climatically triggered; however, it also suggests that the mechanism of

Phosphorus and nitrogen loading depths in fluvial sediments following manure spill simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Manure spills that enter streams can devastate the aquatic ecosystem. The depth of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading in fluvial sediments following a manure spill have not been documented. Thus, the objectives of this study were (i) to determine the depth of N and P contamination as a result o...

Climate-sensitive feedbacks between hillslope processes and fluvial erosion in sediment-driven incision models

Science.gov (United States)

Skov, Daniel S.; Egholm, David L.

2016-04-01

Surface erosion and sediment production seem to have accelerated globally as climate cooled in the Late Cenozoic, [Molnar, P. 2004, Herman et al 2013]. Glaciers emerged in many high mountain ranges during the Quaternary, and glaciation therefore represents a likely explanation for faster erosion in such places. Still, observations and measurements point to increases in erosion rates also in landscapes where erosion is driven mainly by fluvial processes [Lease and Ehlers (2013), Reusser (2004)]. Flume experiments and fieldwork have shown that rates of incision are to a large degree controlled by the sediment load of streams [e.g. Sklar and Dietrich (2001), Beer and Turowski (2015)]. This realization led to the formulation of sediment-flux dependent incision models [Sklar and Dietrich (2004)]. The sediment-flux dependence links incision in the channels to hillslope processes that supply sediment to the channels. The rates of weathering and soil transport on the hillslopes are processes that are likely to respond to changing temperatures, e.g. because of vegetation changes or the occurrence of frost. In this study, we perform computational landscape evolution experiments, where the coupling between fluvial incision and hillslope processes is accounted for by coupling a sediment-flux-dependent model for fluvial incision to a climate-dependent model for weathering and hillslope sediment transport. The computational experiments first of all demonstrate a strong positive feedback between channel and hillslope processes. In general, faster weathering leads to higher rates of channel incision, which further increases the weathering rates, mainly because of hillslope steepening. Slower weathering leads to the opposite result. The experiments also demonstrate, however, that the feedbacks vary significantly between different parts of a drainage network. For example, increasing hillslope sediment production may accelerate incision in the upper parts of the catchment, while at

Middle Moscovian climate of eastern equatorial Pangea recorded in paleosols and fluvial architecture

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Opluštil, S.; Lojka, R.; Rosenau, N.A.; Strnad, L.; Sýkorová, Ivana

2015-01-01

Roč. 440, DEC (2015), s. 328-352 ISSN 0031-0182 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : Carboniferous paleoclimate * fluvial architectures * paleosols * geochemistry Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 2.525, year: 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018215004939

High temporal resolution in situ measurement of the effective particle size characteristics of fluvial suspended sediment.

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Williams, N D; Walling, D E; Leeks, G J L

2007-03-01

This paper reports the use of a LISST-100 device to monitor the effective particle size characteristics of suspended sediment in situ, and at a quasi-continuous temporal resolution. The study site was located on the River Exe at Thorverton, Devon, UK. This device has not previously been utilized in studies of fluvial suspended sediment at the storm event scale, and existing studies of suspended sediment dynamics have not involved such a high temporal resolution for extended periods. An evaluation of the field performance of the instrument is presented, with respect to innovative data collection and analysis techniques. It was found that trends in the effective particle size distribution (EPSD) and degree of flocculation of suspended sediment at the study site were highly complex, and showed significant short-term variability that has not previously been documented in the fluvial environment. The collection of detailed records of EPSD facilitated interpretation of the dynamic evolution of the size characteristics of suspended sediment, in relation to its likely source and delivery and flocculation mechanisms. The influence of measurement frequency is considered in terms of its implications for future studies of the particle size of fluvial suspended sediment employing in situ data acquisition.

Characterization and 3D reservoir modelling of fluvial sandstones of the Williams Fork Formation, Rulison Field, Piceance Basin, Colorado, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pranter, Matthew J; Vargas, Marielis F; Davis, Thomas L

2008-01-01

This study describes the stratigraphic characteristics and distribution of fluvial deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Williams Fork Formation in a portion of Rulison Field and addresses 3D geologic modelling of reservoir sand bodies and their associated connectivity. Fluvial deposits include isolated and stacked point-bar deposits, crevasse splays and overbank (floodplain) mudrock. Within the Williams Fork Formation, the distribution and connectivity of fluvial sandstones significantly impact reservoir productivity and ultimate recovery. The reservoir sandstones are primarily fluvial point-bar deposits interbedded with shales and coals. Because of the lenticular geometry and limited lateral extent of the reservoir sandstones (common apparent widths of ∼500–1000 ft; ∼150–300 m), relatively high well densities (e.g. 10 acre (660 ft; 200 m) spacing) are often required to deplete the reservoir. Heterogeneity of these fluvial deposits includes larger scale stratigraphic variability associated with vertical stacking patterns and structural heterogeneities associated with faults that exhibit lateral and reverse offsets. The discontinuous character of the fluvial sandstones and lack of distinct marker beds in the middle and upper parts of the Williams Fork Formation make correlation between wells tenuous, even at a 10 acre well spacing. Some intervals of thicker and amalgamated sandstones within the middle and upper Williams Fork Formation can be correlated across greater distances. To aid correlation and for 3D reservoir modelling, vertical lithology proportion curves were used to estimate stratigraphic trends and define the stratigraphic zonation within the reservoir interval. Object-based and indicator-based modelling methods have been applied to the same data and results from the models were compared. Results from the 3D modelling indicate that sandstone connectivity increases with net-to-gross ratio and, at lower net-to-gross ratios (<30%), differences exist in

A Late Pleistocene linear dune dam record of aeolian-fluvial dynamics at the fringes of the northwestern Negev dunefield

Science.gov (United States)

Roskin, Joel; Bookman, Revital; Friesem, David; Vardi, Jacob

2017-04-01

The paper presents a late Pleistocene aeolian-fluvial record within a linear dune-like structure that partway served as a dune dam. Situated along the southern fringe of the northwestern Negev desert dunefield (Israel) the structure's morphology, orientation, and some of its stratigraphic units partly resemble adjacent west-east extending vegetated linear dunes. Uneven levels of light-colored, fine-grained fluvial deposits (LFFDs) extend to the north and south from the flanks of the studied structure. Abundant Epipalaeolithic sites line the fringes of the LFFDs. The LFFD microstructures of fine graded bedding and clay blocky peds indicate sorting and shrinking of saturated clays in transitional environments between low energy flows to shallow standing water formed by dunes damming a mid-sized drainage system. The structure's architecture of interchanging units of sand with LFFDs indicates interchanging dominances between aeolian sand incursion and winter floods. Sand mobilization associated with powerful winds during the Heinrich 1 event led to dune damming downstream of the structure and within the structure to in-situ sand deposition, partial fluvial erosion, reworking of the sand, and LFFD deposition. Increased sand deposition led to structure growth and blockage of its drainage system that in turn accumulated LFFD units up stream of the structure. Extrapolation of current local fluvial sediment yields indicate that LFFD accretion up to the structure's brim occurred over a short period of several decades. Thin layers of Geometric Kebaran (c. 17.5-14.5 ka cal BP) to Harifian (12-11 ka BP) artifacts within the structure's surface indicates intermittent, repetitive, and short term camping utilizing adjacent water along a timespan of 4-6 kyr. The finds directly imply that the NW Negev LFFDs formed in dune-dammed water bodies which themselves were formed following events of vegetated linear dune elongation. LFFD accumulation persisted as a result of dune dam

Transport and redistribution of Chernobyl fallout radionuclides by fluvial processes: some preliminary evidence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walling, D.E.; Bradley, S.B.

1988-01-01

Several measurements of 137 Cs concentrations in suspended sediment transported by the River Severn during the post-Chernobyl period and in recent channel and floodplain deposits along the river emphasise the potential significance of fluvial processes in the transport and concentration of fallout radionuclides. (author)

The impact of disturbance on the dynamics of fluvial processes in mountain landscapes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Langhammer, J.; Hartvich, Filip; Kliment, Z.; Jeníček, M.; Bernsteinová (Kaiglová), J.; Vlček, L.; Su, Y.; Štych, P.; Miřijovský, J.

2015-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 1 (2015), s. 105-116 ISSN 1211-7420 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : runoff * fluvial dynamics * forest disturbance * climate change * Bohemian Forest Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography http://www.npsumava.cz/gallery/31/9345-sg_21_1_langhammeretal.pdf

Modelling the impact of regional uplift and local tectonics on fluvial terrace preservation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Viveen, W.; Schoorl, J.M.; Veldkamp, A.; Balen, van R.T.

2014-01-01

A terrace formation model (TERRACE) combined with a longitudinal river profile model (FLUVER) was used to simulate fluvial terrace formation and preservation in the northwest Iberian lower Miño River basin under the influence of three tectonic conditions; namely regional vertical uplift, local basin

Effects of Wildfire on Fluvial Sediment Regime through Perturbations in Dry-Ravel

Science.gov (United States)

Florsheim, J. L.; Chin, A.; Kinoshita, A. M.; Nourbakhshbeidokhti, S.; Storesund, R.; Keller, E. A.

2015-12-01

In steep chaparral ecosystems with Mediterranean climate, dry ravel is a natural process resulting from wildfire disturbance that supplies sediment to fluvial systems. When dense chaparral vegetation burns, sediment accumulated on steep hillslopes is released for dry-season transport (dry ravel) down steep hillslopes during or soon after the wildfire. Results of a field study in southern California's Transverse Ranges illustrate the effect of wildfire on fluvial sediment regime in an unregulated chaparral system. Big Sycamore Canyon in the steep Santa Monica Mountains burned during the May 2013 Springs Fire and experienced one small sediment-transporting stormflow during the following winter. We conducted pre- and post-storm field campaigns during the fall and winter following the fire to quantify the effect of wildfire on the fluvial sediment regime. We utilized a sediment mass balance approach in which: 1) sediment supply, consisting primarily of dry ravel-derived deposits composed of relatively fine grained-sediment, was measured in the upstream basin and in the hillslope-channel margin adjacent to the study reach; 2) changes in storage in the study reach were quantified by analyzing the difference between pre- and post-storm channel topography derived from Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning (TLS) and field surveys; and 3) transport from the study reach was estimated as the difference between supply and change in storage where uncertainty is estimated using calculated sediment transport as a comparison. Results demonstrate channel deposition caused by changes in the short-term post-wildfire sediment regime. The increased sediment supply and storage are associated with significant changes in morphology, channel bed-material characteristics, and ecology. These results suggest that dry-ravel processes are an important factor to consider in post-wildfire sediment management.

Facies architecture and high resolution sequence stratigraphy of an aeolian, fluvial and shallow marine system in the Pennsylvanian Piauí Formation, Parnaíba Basin, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Lucas Valadares; Scherer, Claiton Marlon dos Santos

2017-07-01

The Pennsylvanian Piauí Formation records the deposition of aeolian, fluvial and shallow marine systems accumulated in the cratonic sag Parnaíba basin. Characterization of the facies associations and sequence stratigraphic framework was done by detailed description and logging of outcrops. Six facies associations were recognized: aeolian dunes and interdunes, aeolian sandsheets, fluvial channels, tidally-influenced fluvial channels, shoreface and shoreface-shelf transition. Through correlation of stratigraphic surfaces, the facies associations were organized in system tracts, which formed eight high frequency depositional sequences, bounded by subaerial unconformities. These sequences are composed of a lowstand system tract (LST), that is aeolian-dominated or fluvial-dominated, a transgressive system tract (TST) that is formed by tidally-influenced fluvial channels and/or shoreface and shoreface-shelf transition deposits with retrogradational stacking, and a highstand system tract (HST), which is formed by shoreface-shelf transition and shoreface deposits with progradational stacking. Two low frequency cycles were determined by observing the stacking of the high frequency cycles. The Lower Sequence is characterized by aeolian deposits of the LST and an aggradational base followed by a progressive transgression, defining a general TST. The Upper Sequence is characterized by fluvial deposits and interfluve pedogenesis concurring with the aeolian deposits of the LST and records a subtle regression followed by transgression. The main control on sedimentation in the Piauí Formation was glacioeustasy, which was responsible for the changes in relative sea level. Even though, climate changes were associated with glacioeustatic phases and influenced the aeolian and fluvial deposition.

Fluvial organic carbon flux from an eroding peatland catchment, southern Pennines, UK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. R. Pawson

2008-03-01

Full Text Available This study investigates for the first time the relative importance of dissolved organic carbon (DOC and particulate organic carbon (POC in the fluvial carbon flux from an actively eroding peatland catchment in the southern Pennines, UK. Event scale variability in DOC and POC was examined and the annual flux of fluvial organic carbon was estimated for the catchment. At the event scale, both DOC and POC were found to increase with discharge, with event based POC export accounting for 95% of flux in only 8% of the time. On an annual cycle, exports of 35.14 t organic carbon (OC are estimated from the catchment, which represents an areal value of 92.47 g C m⁻² a⁻¹. POC was the most significant form of organic carbon export, accounting for 80% of the estimated flux. This suggests that more research is required on both the fate of POC and the rates of POC export in eroding peatland catchments.

The Amazonian Craton and its influence on past fluvial systems (Mesozoic-Cenozoic, Amazonia)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoorn, C.; Roddaz, M.; Dino, R.; Soares, E.; Uba, C.; Ochoa-Lozano, D.; Mapes, R.; Hoorn, C.; Wesselingh, F.P.

2010-01-01

The Amazonian Craton is an old geological feature of Archaean/Proterozoic age that has determined the character of fluvial systems in Amazonia throughout most of its past. This situation radically changed during the Cenozoic, when uplift of the Andes reshaped the relief and drainage patterns of

New Mesoscale Fluvial Landscapes - Seismic Geomorphology and Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, M. J.

2013-01-01

Megafans (100-600 km radius) are very large alluvial fans that cover significant areas on most continents, the surprising finding of recent global surveys. The number of such fans and patterns of sedimentation on them provides new mesoscale architectures that can now be applied on continental fluvial depositional systems, and therefore on. Megafan-scale reconstructions underground as yet have not been attempted. Seismic surveys offer new possibilities in identifying the following prospective situations at potentially unsuspected locations: (i) sand concentrations points, (ii) sand-mud continuums at the mesoscale, (iii) paleo-valley forms in these generally unvalleyed landscapes, (iv) stratigraphic traps, and (v) structural traps.

Transport and deposition of plutonium-contaminated sediments by fluvial processes, Los Alamos Canyon, New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graf, W.L.

1996-01-01

Between 1945 and 1952 the development of nuclear weapons at Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, resulted in the disposal of plutonium into the alluvium of nearby Acid and (to a lesser degree) DP Canyons. The purpose of this paper is to explore the connection between the disposal sites and the main river, a 20 km link formed by the fluvial system of Acid, Pueblo, DP, and Los Alamos Canyons. Empirical data from 15 yr of annual sediment sampling throughout the canyon system has produced 458 observations of plutonium concentration in fluvial sediments. These data show that, overall, mean plutonium concentrations in fluvial sediment decline from 10,000 fCi/g near the disposal area to 100 fCi/g at the confluence of the canyon system and the Rio Grande. Simulations using a computer model for water, sediment, and plutonium routing in the canyon system show that discharges as large as the 25 yr event would fail to develop enough transport capacity to completely remove the contaminated sediments from Pueblo Canyon. Lesser flows would move some materials to the Rio Grande by remobilization of stored sediments. The simulations also show that the deposits and their contaminants have a predictable geography because they occur where stream power is low, hydraulic resistance is high, and the geologic and/or geomorphic conditions provide enough space for storage. 38 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab

Re-evaluating luminescence burial doses and bleaching of fluvial deposits using Bayesian computational statistics.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cunningham, A.C.; Wallinga, J.; Versendaal, Alice; Makaske, A.; Middelkoop, H.; Hobo, N.

2015-01-01

The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal from fluvial sediment often contains a remnant from the previous deposition cycle, leading to a partially bleached equivalent-dose distribution. Although identification of the burial dose is of primary concern, the degree of bleaching could

Re-evaluating luminescence burial doses and bleaching of fluvial deposits using Bayesian computational statistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cunningham, A. C.; Wallinga, J.; Hobo, N.; Versendaal, A. J.; Makaske, B.; Middelkoop, H.

2015-01-01

The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal from fluvial sediment often contains a remnant from the previous deposition cycle, leading to a partially bleached equivalent-dose distribution. Although identification of the burial dose is of primary concern, the degree of bleaching could

Study on fine geological modelling of the fluvial sandstone reservoir in Daqing oilfield

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhoa Han-Qing [Daqing Research Institute, Helongjiang (China)

1997-08-01

These paper aims at developing a method for fine reservoir description in maturing oilfields by using close spaced well logging data. The main productive reservoirs in Daqing oilfield is a set of large fluvial-deltaic deposits in the Songliao Lake Basin, characterized by multi-layers and serious heterogeneities. Various fluvial channel sandstone reservoirs cover a fairly important proportion of reserves. After a long period of water flooding, most of them have turned into high water cut layers, but there are considerable residual reserves within them, which are difficult to find and tap. Making fine reservoir description and developing sound a geological model is essential for tapping residual oil and enhancing oil recovery. The principal reason for relative lower precision of predicting model developed by using geostatistics is incomplete recognition of complex distribution of fluvial reservoirs and their internal architecture`s. Tasking advantage of limited outcrop data from other regions (suppose no outcrop data available in oilfield) can only provide the knowledge of subtle changing of reservoir parameters and internal architecture. For the specific geometry distribution and internal architecture of subsurface reservoirs (such as in produced regions) can be gained only from continuous infilling logging well data available from studied areas. For developing a geological model, we think the first important thing is to characterize sandbodies geometries and their general architecture`s, which are the framework of models, and then the slight changing of interwell parameters and internal architecture`s, which are the contents and cells of the model. An excellent model should possess both of them, but the geometry is the key to model, because it controls the contents and cells distribution within a model.

On the Application of an Enthalpy Method to the Evolution of Fluvial Deltas Under Sea-Level Changes

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Anderson, W.; Lorenzo-Trueba, J.; Voller, V. R.

2017-12-01

Fluvial deltas are composites of two primary sedimentary environments: a depositional fluvial region and an offshore region. The fluvial region is defined by two geomorphic moving boundaries: an alluvial-bedrock transition (ABT), which separates the sediment prism from the non-erodible bedrock basement, and the shoreline (SH), where the delta meets the ocean. The trajectories of these boundaries in time and space define the evolution of the shape of the sedimentary prism, and are often used as stratigraphic indicators, particularly in seismic studies, of changes in relative sea level and the identification of stratigraphic sequences. In order to better understand the relative role of sea-level variations, tectonics, and sediment supply on the evolution of these boundaries, we develop a forward stratigraphic model that captures the dynamic behavior of the fluvial surface and treats the SH and ABT as moving boundaries (i.e., internal boundaries whose location must be determined as part of the solution to the overall morphological evolution problem). This forward model extends a numerical technique from heat transfer (i.e., enthalpy method), previously applied to the evolution of sedimentary basins, to account for sea-level changes. The mathematics of the approach are verified by comparing predictions from the numerical model with both existing and newly developed closed form analytical solutions. Model results support previous work, which suggests that the migration of the ABT can respond very differently to the sea-level signal. This response depends on factors such as sediment supply and delta length, which can vary greatly between basins. These results can have important implications for the reconstruction of past sea-level changes from the stratigraphic record of sedimentary basins.

Gully annealing by aeolian sediment: field and remote-sensing investigation of aeolian-hillslope-fluvial interactions, Colorado River corridor, Arizona, USA

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Sankey, Joel B.; Draut, Amy E.

2014-01-01

Processes contributing to development of ephemeral gully channels are of great importance to landscapes worldwide, and particularly in dryland regions where soil loss and land degradation from gully erosion pose long-term land-management problems. Whereas gully formation has been relatively well studied, much less is known of the processes that anneal gullies and impede their growth. This study of gully annealing by aeolian sediment, spanning 95 km along the Colorado River corridor in Glen, Marble, and Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, employed field and remote sensing observations, including digital topographic modelling. Results indicate that aeolian sediment activity can be locally effective at counteracting gully erosion. Gullies are less prevalent in areas where surficial sediment undergoes active aeolian transport, and have a greater tendency to terminate in active aeolian sand. Although not common, examples exist in the record of historical imagery of gullies that underwent infilling by aeolian sediment in past decades and evidently were effectively annealed. We thus provide new evidence for a potentially important interaction of aeolian–hillslope–fluvial processes, which could affect dryland regions substantially in ways not widely recognized. Moreover, because the biologic soil crust plays an important role in determining aeolian sand activity, and so in turn the extent of gully development, this study highlights a critical role of geomorphic–ecologic interactions in determining arid-landscape evolution.

Assessing Potential Algal Blooms in a Shallow Fluvial Lake by Combining Hydrodynamic Modelling and Remote-Sensed Images

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Monica Pinardi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Shallow fluvial lakes are dynamic ecosystems shaped by physical and biological factors and characterized by the coexistence of phytoplankton and macrophytes. Due to multiple interplaying factors, understanding the distribution of phytoplankton in fluvial lakes is a complex but fundamental issue, in the context of increasing eutrophication, climate change, and multiple water uses. We analyze the distribution of phytoplankton by combining remotely sensed maps of chlorophyll-a with a hydrodynamic model in a dammed fluvial lake (Mantua Superior Lake, Northern Italy. The numerical simulation of different conditions shows that the main hydrodynamic effects which influence algal distribution are related to the combined effect of advection due to wind forces and local currents, as well as to the presence of large gyres which induce recirculation and stagnation regions, favoring phytoplankton accumulation. Therefore, the general characters of the phytoplankton horizontal patchiness can be inferred from the results of the hydrodynamic model. Conversely, hyperspectral remote-sensing products can be used to validate this model, as they provide chlorophyll-a distribution maps. The integration of ecological, hydraulic, and remote-sensing techniques may therefore help the monitoring and protection of inland water quality, with important improvements in management actions by policy makers.

Soil Erosion and Agricultural Sustainability

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Montgomery, D. R.

2009-04-01

Data drawn from a global compilation of studies support the long articulated contention that erosion rates from conventionally plowed agricultural fields greatly exceed rates of soil production, erosion under native vegetation, and long-term geological erosion. Whereas data compiled from around the world show that soil erosion under conventional agriculture exceeds both rates of soil production and geological erosion rates by up to several orders of magnitude, similar global distributions of soil production and geological erosion rates suggest an approximate balance. Net soil erosion rates in conventionally plowed fields on the order of 1 mm/yr can erode typical hillslope soil profiles over centuries to millennia, time-scales comparable to the longevity of major civilizations. Well-documented episodes of soil loss associated with agricultural activities date back to the introduction of erosive agricultural methods in regions around the world, and stratigraphic records of accelerated anthropogenic soil erosion have been recovered from lake, fluvial, and colluvial stratigraphy, as well as truncation of soil stratigraphy (such as truncated A horizons). A broad convergence in the results from studies based on various approaches employed to study ancient soil loss and rates of downstream sedimentation implies that widespread soil loss has accompanied human agricultural intensification in examples drawn from around the world. While a broad range of factors, including climate variability and society-specific social and economic contexts — such as wars or colonial relationships — all naturally influence the longevity of human societies, the ongoing loss of topsoil inferred from studies of soil erosion rates in conventional agricultural systems has obvious long-term implications for agricultural sustainability. Consequently, modern agriculture — and therefore global society — faces a fundamental question over the upcoming centuries. Can an agricultural system

Geomorphology and soil survey

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Laura A. Murray; Bob Eppinette; John H. Thorp

2000-01-01

The Coosawhatchie River, through erosion and downcutting, carved a fluvial valley through the Wicomico and Pamlico marine terraces during the late Pleistocene-Holocene period. The floodplain is relatively small and immature compared to the major river systems of the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain. Consequently, the classic geomorphic features of a larger fluvial...

Analysis of Fluvial Bed Sediments Along the Apalachicola River, Florida through Field Reconnaissance Studies

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Passeri, D.; Hagen, S. C.; Daranpob, A.; Smar, D. E.

2011-12-01

River competence is an important parameter in understanding sediment transport in fluvial systems. Competence is defined as the measure of a stream's ability to transport a certain maximum grain size of sediment. Studies have shown that bed sediment particle size in rivers and streams tends to vary spatially along the direction of stream flow. Over a river section several reaches long, variability of sediment particle sizes can be seen, often becoming finer downstream. This phenomenon is attributed to mechanisms such as local control of stream gradient, coarse tributary sediment supply or particle breakdown. Average particle size may also be smaller in tributary sections of rivers due to river morphology. The relationship between river mean velocity and particle size that can be transported has also been explored. The Hjulstrom curve classifies this relationship by relating particle size to velocity, dividing the regions of sedimentation, transportation, and erosion. The curve can also be used to find values such as the critical erosion velocity (the velocity required to transport particles of various sizes in suspension) and settling velocity (the velocity at which particles of a given size become too heavy to be transported and fall out of suspension, consequently causing deposition). The purpose of this research is to explore the principles of river competence through field reconnaissance collection and laboratory analysis of fluvial sediment core samples along the Apalachicola River, FL and its distributaries. Sediment core samples were collected in the wetlands and estuarine regions of the Apalachicola River. Sieve and hydrometer analyses were performed to determine the spatial distribution of particle sizes along the river. An existing high resolution hydrodynamic model of the study domain was used to simulate tides and generate river velocities. The Hjulstrom curve and the generated river velocities were used to define whether sediment was being transported

Rapid fluvial incision of a late Holocene lava flow: Insights from LiDAR, alluvial stratigraphy, and numerical modeling

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Sweeney, Kristin; Roering, Joshua J.

2016-01-01

Volcanic eruptions fundamentally alter landscapes, paving over channels, decimating biota, and emplacing fresh, unweathered material. The fluvial incision of blocky lava flows is a geomorphic puzzle. First, high surface permeability and lack of sediment should preclude geomorphically effective surface runoff and dissection. Furthermore, past work has demonstrated the importance of extreme floods in driving incision via column toppling and plucking in columnar basalt, but it is unclear how incision occurs in systems where surface blocks are readily mobile. We examine rapid fluvial incision of the Collier lava flow, an andesitic Holocene lava flow in the High Cascades of Oregon. Since lava flow emplacement ∼1600 yr ago, White Branch Creek has incised bedrock gorges up to 8 m deep into the coherent core of the lava flow and deposited >0.2 km3 of sediment on the lava flow surface. Field observation points to a bimodal discharge regime in the channel, with evidence for both annual snowmelt runoff and outburst floods from Collier glacier, as well as historical evidence of vigorous glacial meltwater. To determine the range of discharge events capable of incision in White Branch Creek, we used a mechanistic model of fluvial abrasion. We show that the observed incision implies that moderate flows are capable of both initiating channel formation and sustaining incision. Our results have implications for the evolution of volcanic systems worldwide, where glaciation and/or mass wasting may accelerate fluvial processes by providing large amounts of sediment to otherwise porous, sediment-starved landscapes.

Characterizing Soil Lead Contamination Near Streams in Oakland, California

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Tanouye, D.

2017-12-01

Lead (Pb) contamination of soils, groundwater, and surface waters is a major concern because of the potential health risks related to accumulation of high levels of lead in blood. This is a pervasive issue in many low-income neighborhoods throughout the United States, and is documented to be particularly acute in West Oakland, California. The fate and transport of lead in the environment is largely dependent on how it will bind to various solids and compounds in solution. These adsorption mechanisms are a principal aspect of metal dissolution and chemical speciation. Stream channels are natural drainage areas for urban runoff, and may represent a hot spot for increased levels of lead. This study evaluates the environmental conditions at 15 sites near streams in West Oakland using in-situ soil sampling with the handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to measure concentrations of lead in soil. Results from this study suggest that the levels of lead in soils near stream channels are generally lower than the regional regulatory screening level of 80 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), but the highest concentrations are found near stream banks. The spatial distribution can be explained by a contaminant transport process related to the presence of fluvial channels.

Applying fluvial geomorphology to river channel management: Background for progress towards a palaeohydrology protocol

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Gregory, K. J.; Benito, G.; Downs, P. W.

2008-06-01

Significant developments have been achieved in applicable and applied fluvial geomorphology as shown in publications of the last three decades, analyzed as the basis for using results of studies of environmental change as a basis for management. The range of types of publications and of activities are more pertinent to river channel management as a result of concern with sustainability, global climate change, environmental ethics, ecosystem health concepts and public participation. Possible applications, with particular reference to river channel changes, include those concerned with form and process, assessment of channel change, urbanization, channelization, extractive industries, impact of engineering works, historical changes in land use, and restoration with specific examples illustrated in Table 1. In order to achieve general significance for fluvial geomorphology, more theory and extension by modelling methods is needed, and examples related to morphology and process characteristics, integrated approaches, and changes of the fluvial system are collected in Table 2. The ways in which potential applications are communicated to decision-makers range from applicable outputs including publications ranging from review papers, book chapters, and books, to applied outputs which include interdisciplinary problem solving, educational outreach, and direct involvement, with examples summarized in Table 3. On the basis of results gained from investigations covering periods longer than continuous records, a protocol embracing palaeohydrological inputs for application to river channel management is illustrated and developed as a synopsis version (Table 4), demonstrating how conclusions from geomorphological research can be expressed in a format which can be considered by managers.

Tamarix, hydrology and fluvial geomorphology: Chapter 7

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Auerbach, Daniel A.; Merritt, David M.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Sher, Anna A; Quigley, Martin F.

2013-01-01

This chapter explores the impact of hydrology and fluvial geomorphology on the distribution and abundance of Tamarix as well as the reciprocal effects of Tamarix on hydrologic and geomorphic conditions. It examines whether flow-regime alteration favors Tamarix establishment over native species, and how Tamarix stands modify processes involved in the narrowing of river channels and the formation of floodplains. It begins with an overview of the basic geomorphic and hydrologic character of rivers in the western United States before analyzing how this setting has contributed to the regional success of Tamarix. It then considers the influence of Tamarix on the hydrogeomorphic form and function of rivers and concludes by discussing how a changing climate, vegetation management, and continued water-resource development affect the future role of Tamarix in these ecosystems.

Stable carbon isotope analysis of fluvial sediment fluxes over two contrasting C(4) -C(3) semi-arid vegetation transitions.

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Puttock, Alan; Dungait, Jennifer A J; Bol, Roland; Dixon, Elizabeth R; Macleod, Christopher J A; Brazier, Richard E

2012-10-30

Globally, many drylands are experiencing the encroachment of woody vegetation into grasslands. These changes in ecosystem structure and processes can result in increased sediment and nutrient fluxes due to fluvial erosion. As these changes are often accompanied by a shift from C(4) to C(3) vegetation with characteristic δ(13) C values, stable isotope analysis provides a promising mechanism for tracing these fluxes. Input vegetation, surface sediment and fluvially eroded sediment samples were collected across two contrasting C(4) -C(3) dryland vegetation transitions in New Mexico, USA. Isotope ratio mass spectrometric analyses were performed using a Carlo Erba NA2000 analyser interfaced to a SerCon 20-22 isotope ratio mass spectrometer to determine bulk δ(13) C values. Stable isotope analyses of contemporary input vegetation and surface sediments over the monitored transitions showed significant differences (p fluvially eroded sediment from each of the sites, with no significant variation between surface sediment and eroded sediment values. The significant differences in bulk δ(13) C values between sites were dependent on vegetation input. Importantly, these values were robustly expressed in fluvially eroded sediments, suggesting that stable isotope analysis is suitable for tracing sediment fluxes. Due to the prevalent nature of these dryland vegetation transitions in the USA and globally, further development of stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry has provided a valuable tool for enhanced understanding of functional changes in these ecosystems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Magnetic properties of alluvial soils polluted with heavy metals

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Dlouha, S.; Petrovsky, E.; Boruvka, L.; Kapicka, A.; Grison, H.

2012-04-01

Magnetic properties of soils, reflecting mineralogy, concentration and grain-size distribution of Fe-oxides, proved to be useful tool in assessing the soil properties in terms of various environmental conditions. Measurement of soil magnetic properties presents a convenient method to investigate the natural environmental changes in soils as well as the anthropogenic pollution of soils with several risk elements. The effect of fluvial pollution with Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn on magnetic soil properties was studied on highly contaminated alluvial soils from the mining/smelting district (Příbram; CZ) using a combination of magnetic and geochemical methods. The basic soil characteristics, the content of heavy metals, oxalate, and dithionite extractable iron were determined in selected soil samples. Soil profiles were sampled using HUMAX soil corer and the magnetic susceptibility was measured in situ, further detailed magnetic analyses of selected distinct layers were carried out. Two types of variations of magnetic properties in soil profiles were observed corresponding to indentified soil types (Fluvisols, and Gleyic Fluvisols). Significantly higher values of topsoil magnetic susceptibility compared to underlying soil are accompanied with high concentration of heavy metals. Sequential extraction analysis proved the binding of Pb, Zn and Cd in Fe and Mn oxides. Concentration and size-dependent parameters (anhysteretic and isothermal magnetization) were measured on bulk samples in terms of assessing the origin of magnetic components. The results enabled to distinguish clearly topsoil layers enhanced with heavy metals from subsoil samples. The dominance of particles with pseudo-single domain behavior in topsoil and paramagnetic/antiferromagnetic contribution in subsoil were observed. These measurements were verified with room temperature hysteresis measurement carried out on bulk samples and magnetic extracts. Thermomagnetic analysis of magnetic susceptibility measured on

Climate evolution during the Pleniglacial and Late Glacial as recorded in quartz grain morphoscopy of fluvial to aeolian successions of the European Sand Belt

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Woronko Barbara

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We present results of research into fluvial to aeolian successions at four sites in the foreland of the Last Glacial Maximum, i.e., the central part of the “European Sand Belt”. These sites include dune fields on higher-lying river terraces and alluvial fans. Sediments were subjected to detailed lithofacies analyses and sampling for morphoscopic assessment of quartz grains. Based on these results, three units were identified in the sedimentary succession: fluvial, fluvio-aeolian and aeolian. Material with traces of aeolian origin predominate in these sediments and this enabled conclusions on the activity of aeolian processes during the Pleniglacial and Late Glacial, and the source of sediment supply to be drawn. Aeolian processes played a major role in the deposition of the lower portions of the fluvial and fluvio-aeolian units. Aeolian material in the fluvial unit stems from aeolian accumulation of fluvial sediments within the valley as well as particles transported by wind from beyond the valley. The fluvio-aeolian unit is composed mainly of fluvial sediments that were subject to multiple redeposition, and long-term, intensive processing in an aeolian environment. In spite of the asynchronous onset of deposition of the fluvio-aeolian unit, it is characterised by the greatest homogeneity of structural and textural characteristics. Although the aeolian unit was laid down simultaneously, it is typified by the widest range of variation in quartz morphoscopic traits. It reflects local factors, mainly the origin of the source material, rather than climate. The duration of dune-formation processes was too short to be reflected in the morphoscopy of quartz grains.

Chronology of fluvial terrace sequences for large Atlantic rivers in the Iberian Peninsula (Upper Tagus and Duero drainage basins, Central Spain)

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Silva, Pablo G.; Roquero, Elvira; López-Recio, Mario; Huerta, Pedro; Martínez-Graña, Antonio M.

2017-06-01

This work analyses the chronology of fluvial terrace sequences of the two most important fluvial basins from central Spain draining to the Atlantic Ocean (Upper Tagus and Duero drainage basins). Both basins evolved under similar Mediterranean climatic conditions throughout the Pleistocene and present comparable number of fluvial terraces (16-17) after excluding the higher terrace levels of the Tagus (T1-T5) entrenched in the Raña surface. These higher ;rañizo terraces; was formed in response to fan-head trenching in this high alluvial piedmont (+220 m) and therefore not properly controlled by Quaternary fluvial downcutting. The study accomplishes the implementation of multiple regression analyses for terrace height-age relationships. To transform relative terrace heights above the present river thalwegs (i.e. +100 m) in numerical ages a ;height-age transference function; has been developed on the basis of preliminary statistical geochronological approaches proposed for Central Spain. The resultant height-age transference function gather 73 published geochronological data for terrace sequences, featuring a 3rd Order Polynomial Function (R2 0.90). This function describes the overall trend of valley downcutting for the last c. 2.3 Ma in Central Spain and is used to assign numerical ages to terrace levels at different relative elevation.

Arsenic and fluvial biofilms: biogeochemistry, toxicity and biotic interactions

OpenAIRE

Barral Fraga, Laura

2017-01-01

Basándonos en los conocimientos actuales sobre la ecotoxicología del biofilm y la biogeoquímica del arsénico en ecosistemas dulceacuícolas, esta tesis estudió, bajo concentraciones ambientales realistas, i) el papel de los biofilms bentónicos en la biodisponibilidad y destoxificación del arsénico, ii) los efectos tóxicos del arsénico sobre la estructura y función de los biofilms bentónicos fluviales, prestando especial atención a las respuestas de las diatomeas, y iii) la interacción entre es...

Contribution of radioactive tracers to sediment transport study in fluvial flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson Junior, G.

1995-01-01

The uses of radioactive tracers in sediment transport studies are presented in this report to evidence the importance of: Open channel researches, to describe field applications in waterways; Simultaneous utilization of classical methods and radiotracer techniques, in fluvial and estuarine environments; Development of radiotracers techniques applied in dynamic sedimentology. The report illustrated with some experiments carried out in Brazil and France, in open channel and natural flows. (author). 5 refs, 4 figs

Fluvial diffluence episodes reflected in the Pleistocene tufa deposits of the River Piedra (Iberian Range, NE Spain)

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Vázquez-Urbez, M.; Pardo, G.; Arenas, C.; Sancho, C.

2011-01-01

The Pleistocene deposits of the valley of the River Piedra (NE Spain) are represented by thick tufas with small amounts of detrital material; the development of these deposits correlates with marine isotopic stages 9, 7, 6, and 5. The sedimentary scenario in which they formed mostly corresponded to stepped fluvial systems with barrage-cascade and associated dammed areas separated by low gradient fluvial stretches. Mapping and determining the sedimentology and chronology of these deposits distinguished two main episodes of fluvial diffluence that originated as a result of the temporary blockage of the river — a consequence of the vertical growth of tufa barrages in the main channel. In both episodes, water spilt out toward a secondary course from areas upstream of barrages where the water level surpassed the height of the divide between the main and secondary course. As a consequence, extensive and distinct tufa deposits with very varied facies formed over a gently inclined area toward and, indeed, within the secondary course. The hydrology of this secondary course was episodic, fed only by surface water. The two diffluence episodes detected occurred during MIS 7 and 7-6 and were interrupted by incision events, reflected by detrital deposits at the base of each tufa sedimentation stage in the main channel. Incision, which caused the breakage of the barrages, allowed water to again flow through the main channel. No evidence of diffluence was seen in any younger (MIS 5 to present-day) tufa deposits. The proposed diffluence model might help explain other carbonate fluvial systems in which (1) tufas appear in areas with no permanent water supply, and (2) tufas are absent over extensive areas despite conditions favourable to their formation.

Characterizing Feedbacks Between Environmental Forcing and Sediment Characteristics in Fluvial and Coastal Systems

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Feehan, S.; Ruggiero, P.; Hempel, L. A.; Anderson, D. L.; Cohn, N.

2016-12-01

Characterizing Feedbacks Between Environmental Forcing and Sediment Characteristics in Fluvial and Coastal Systems American Geophysical Union, 2016 Fall Meeting: San Francisco, CA Authors: Scott Feehan, Peter Ruggiero, Laura Hempel, and Dylan Anderson Linking transport processes and sediment characteristics within different environments along the source to sink continuum provides critical insight into the dominant feedbacks between grain size distributions and morphological evolution. This research is focused on evaluating differences in sediment size distributions across both fluvial and coastal environments in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The Cascades' high relief is characterized by diverse flow regimes with high peak/flashy flows and sub-threshold flows occurring in relative proximity and one of the most energetic wave climates in the world. Combining analyses of both fluvial and coastal environments provides a broader understanding of the dominant forces driving differences between each system's grain size distributions, sediment transport processes, and resultant evolution. We consider sediment samples taken during a large-scale flume experiment that simulated floods representative of both high/flashy peak flows analogous to runoff dominated rivers and sub-threshold flows, analogous to spring-fed rivers. High discharge flows resulted in narrower grain size distributions while low flows where less skewed. Relative sediment size showed clear dependence on distance from source and the environments' dominant fluid motion. Grain size distributions and sediment transport rates were also quantified in both wave dominated nearshore and aeolian dominated backshore portions of Long Beach Peninsula, Washington during SEDEX2, the Sandbar-aEolian-Dune EXchange Experiment of summer 2016. The distributions showed spatial patterns in mean grain size, skewness, and kurtosis dependent on the dominant sediment transport process. The feedback between these grain size

Quantifying bleaching for zero-age fluvial sediment: A Bayesian approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, Alastair C.; Evans, Mary; Knight, Jasper

2015-01-01

Luminescence dating of sediment requires the sand grains to have been exposed to sunlight prior to their most recent burial. Under fluvial transport, the amount of sunlight exposure may not always be sufficient to reset the luminescence signal, a phenomenon known as ‘partial bleaching'. The extent of bleaching is dependent on a combination of geomorphic, sedimentological and fluvial processes. If bleaching can be quantified, and the relationship with these processes understood, it could potentially be used as a new environmental proxy for changes in the dynamics of river systems. Here, we use a recently developed statistical model to evaluate the extent of bleaching, by inferring the proportion of well-bleached grains in the small-aliquot population. We sampled low-flow and flood deposits at a single site on the River Sabie, South Africa. We show that the low-flow sediment is almost perfectly bleached (>80% of grains well bleached), while sediment at flood elevations is partially bleached (20–70 % of grains well bleached). The degree of bleaching may show a relationship with flood magnitude as defined by elevation above normal river level, and we speculate on the causes of variability in bleaching between flood samples. - Highlights: • We sampled modern river sediment from low-flow and flood elevations. • The unbleached OSL dose was measured. • Bayesian methods can estimate the proportion of well-bleached grains. • Low-flow sediments are well bleached; flood deposits are poorly bleached.

Glacial vs. Interglacial Period Contrasts in Midlatitude Fluvial Systems, with Examples from Western Europe and the Texas Coastal Plain

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Blum, M.

2001-12-01

Mixed bedrock-alluvial valleys are the conveyor belts for sediment delivery to passive continental margins. Mapping, stratigraphic and sedimentologic investigations, and development of geochronological frameworks for large midlatitude rivers of this type, in Western Europe and the Texas Coastal Plain, provide for evaluation of fluvial responses to climate change over the last glacial-interglacial period, and the foundations for future quantitative evaluation of long profile evolution, changes through time in flood magnitude, and changes in storage and flux of sediments. This paper focuses on two issues. First, glacial vs. interglacial period fluvial systems are fundamentally different in terms of channel geometry, depositional style, and patterns of sediment storage. Glacial-period systems were dominated by coarse-grained channel belts (braided channels in Europe, large-wavelength meandering in Texas), and lacked fine-grained flood-plain deposits, whereas Holocene units, especially those of late Holocene age, contain appreciable thicknesses of flood-plain facies. Hence, extreme overbank flooding was not significant during the long glacial period, most flood events were contained within bankfull channel perimeters, and fine sediments were bypassed through the system to marine basins. By contrast, extreme overbank floods have been increasingly important during the relatively short Holocene, and a significant volume of fine sediment is sequestered in flood-plain settings. Second, glacial vs. interglacial systems exhibit different amplitudes and frequencies of fluvial adjustment to climate change. High-amplitude but low-frequency adjustments characterized the long glacial period, with 2-3 extended periods of lateral migration and sediment storage puncuated by episodes of valley incision. Low-amplitude but high-frequency adjustments have been more typical of the short Holocene, when there has been little net valley incision or net changes in sediment storage, but

The microfauna assemblages as indicators of paleoenvironmental changes in the Miocene fluvial- lacustrine cycles (NE Duero Basin, Spain

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A. Herrero-Hernández

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The siliclastic and carbonate deposits are interbedded in the Villadiego area (Miocene, NE Duero Basin. They have been subdivided into two high-rank depositional sequences: DDS and CDS. The sedimentary analysis of these units and the study of the microfauna content, mainly ostracods, led to the identification of lacustrine-fluvial interaction systems. The sedimentary characteristics reveal the existence of fluvial systems of gravel, flood plains and lacustrine systems that were interconnected and intimately related in north-south direction. In the sedimentological analysis, thirteen types of fluvial and lacustrine lithofacies and six genetic facies associations were recognized. The top of DDS is the result of lake level risings. The CDS shows a deepening-shallowing cycle. The ostracod micropaleontological analysis of the sediments have been studied, with the aim of reconstructing the palaeoenvironmental evolution of this area. These microfauna assemblages integrated with the analysis of the sedimentary facies allowed to conclude the existence of lakes with a water-bearing level of few tens of meters. A change in the chemical conditions of the waters, which evolved from oligohaline and carbonated to mesohaline and sulphated is concluded.

Evidence for an early land use in the Rhône delta (Mediterranean France) as recorded by late Holocene fluvial paleoenvironments (1640-100 BC)

Science.gov (United States)

Arnaud-Fassetta, Gilles; De Beaulieu, Jacques-Louis; Suc, Jean-Pierre; Provansal, Mireille; Williamson, David; Leveau, Philippe; Aloïsi, Jean-Claude; Gadel, François; Giresse, Pierre; Oberlin, Christine; Duzer, Danièle

The overall objective of this paper is to describe the late Holocene (1640-100 BC) sedimentary and biological evolution of the Rhône-delta-plain, to interpret the sedimentary facies and palynofacies as the result of the effects of fluvial dynamic fluctuations and relative sea level change and to evaluate the paleohydrological constraints in the development of the land use and settlements of the Camargue. Focus is made on the upper part of V III core drilled on NE of the Vaccarès lagoon. By combining sedimentology, palynology, magnetic susceptibility and archeological data, this study allowed to identify the superposition of three types of paleo-environments (marsh, fluvial floodplain, levee/crevasse splay). This sequence indicates a gradual extension of fluvial environments between the end of the second millennium BC and the 1st century BC. The variability of fluvial dynamic is evident during this period with important flood events which contrast with periods of low flow. Pollen record can be a good marker of the fluvial dynamic variability. The expression of the riparian tree pollen grains in the coarser floodplain deposits could correspond to increased fluvial influence and probably to erosion of riverbank during flood events. The local plants are associated to the low energy sedimentary environments. Focuses are made on the relations between the evolution of the environment and land use. The development of the cereal culture in the floodplain of the Rhône delta has been demonstrated between 1640-1410 and 100 BC. The last alluviation of the Rhône perturbs the research of the archaeological sites in the central part of the delta but the existence of the rural villages from the first part of the first millennium BC is highly possible.

Mechanosensory based orienting behaviors in fluvial and lacustrine populations of mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi)

Science.gov (United States)

Sheryl Coombs; Gary D. Grossman

2006-01-01

We compared prey-orienting and rheotactic behaviors in a fluvial (Coweeta Creek) and lacustrine (Lake Michigan) population of mottled sculpin. Blinded sculpin from both populations exhibited unconditioned, mechanosensory based rheotaxis to low velocity flows. Whereas Lake Michigan sculpin generally showed increasing levels of positive rheotaxis to increasing velocities...

Calculation of paleohydraulic parameters of a fluvial system under spatially variable subsidence, of the Ericson sandstone, South western Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, H.; Leva-Lopez, J.

2017-12-01

During the late Campanian age in North America fluvial systems drained the highlands of the Sevier orogenic belt and travelled east towards the Western Interior Seaway. One of such systems deposited the Canyon Creek Member (CCM) of the Ericson Formation in south-western Wyoming. At this time the fluvial system was being partially controlled by laterally variable subsidence caused by incipient Laramide uplifts. These uplifts rather than real topographic features were only areas of reduced subsidence at the time of deposition of the CCM. Surface expression at that time must have been minimum, only minute changes in slope and accommodation. Outcrops around these Laramide structures, in particular both flanks of the Rock Springs Uplift, the western side of the Rawlins uplift and the north flank of the Uinta Mountains, have been sampled to study the petrography, grain size, roundness and sorting of the CCM, which along with the cross-bed thickness and bar thickness allowed calculation of the hydraulic parameters of the rivers that deposited the CCM. This study reveals how the fluvial system evolved and responded to the very small changes in subsidence and slope. Furthermore, the petrography will shed light on the provenance of these sandstones and on the relative importance of Sevier sources versus Laramide sources. This work is framed in a larger study that shows how incipient Laramide structural highs modified the behavior, style and architecture of the fluvial system, affecting its thickness, facies characteristics and net-to-gross both down-dip and along strike across the basin.

Fluvial responses to land-use changes and climatic variations within the Drury Creek watershed, southern Illinois

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Miller, Suzanne Orbock; Ritter, Dale F.; Kochel, R. Craig; Miller, Jerry R.

1993-04-01

Fluvial responses to climatic variation and Anglo-American settlement were documented for the Drury Creek watershed, southern Illinois by examining stratigraphic, geomorphic, climatic, and historical data. Regional analyses of long-term precipitation records document a period of decreasing mean annual precipitation from 1904 to about 1945, and an increasing trend in annual precipitation from 1952 to the present. The period between 1945 and 1951 experienced a large number of intense storms that resulted in high annual precipitation totals. Statistical relationships illustrate that changes in precipitation totals are transferred to the hydrologic system as fluctuations in stream discharge. Historical records of southern Illinois show that a maximum period of settlement and deforestation occurred between the 1860s and 1920s. This era ended in the 1940s when large tracts of land were revegetated in an attempt to curtail erosion which had caused extensive upland degradation. In response to hillslope erosion at least two meters of fine-grained sediments were deposited on valley floors. Average sedimentation rates, determined using decdrochronologic techniques, are estimated to be 2.11 cm/yr for the period between 1890 and 1988; rates that are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude greater than pre-settlement values calculated for other areas of the midwest. However, botanical data suggest that aggradation was episodic, possibly occurring during three periods characterized by greater annual precipitation. Since the 1940s, sedimentation rates have declined. Reduced rates of sedimentation are related to an episode of channel entrenchment that reduced overbank flooding. Entrenchment coincided with a period of: (1) reduced sediment yields associated with watershed revegetation and the introduction of soil conservation practices, and (2) intense storm activity that resulted in long periods of high discharge. As a result of channel incision and hillslope erosion, newly exposed bedrock in

Applicability of Different Hydraulic Parameters to Describe Soil Detachment in Eroding Rills

Science.gov (United States)

Wirtz, Stefan; Seeger, Manuel; Zell, Andreas; Wagner, Christian; Wagner, Jean-Frank; Ries, Johannes B.

2013-01-01

This study presents the comparison of experimental results with assumptions used in numerical models. The aim of the field experiments is to test the linear relationship between different hydraulic parameters and soil detachment. For example correlations between shear stress, unit length shear force, stream power, unit stream power and effective stream power and the detachment rate does not reveal a single parameter which consistently displays the best correlation. More importantly, the best fit does not only vary from one experiment to another, but even between distinct measurement points. Different processes in rill erosion are responsible for the changing correlations. However, not all these procedures are considered in soil erosion models. Hence, hydraulic parameters alone are not sufficient to predict detachment rates. They predict the fluvial incising in the rill's bottom, but the main sediment sources are not considered sufficiently in its equations. The results of this study show that there is still a lack of understanding of the physical processes underlying soil erosion. Exerted forces, soil stability and its expression, the abstraction of the detachment and transport processes in shallow flowing water remain still subject of unclear description and dependence. PMID:23717669

Detrital shadows: estuarine food web connectivity depends on fluvial influence and consumer feeding mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Emily; Simenstad, Charles A; Ogston, Andrea

2017-10-01

We measured the influence of landscape setting on estuarine food web connectivity in five macrotidal Pacific Northwest estuaries across a gradient of freshwater influence. We used stable isotopes (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 34 S) in combination with a Bayesian mixing model to trace primary producer contributions to suspension- and deposit-feeding bivalve consumers (Mytilus trossulus and Macoma nasuta) transplanted into three estuarine vegetation zones: emergent marsh, mudflat, and eelgrass. Eelgrass includes both Japanese eelgrass (Zostera japonica) and native eelgrass (Zostera marina). Fluvial discharge and consumer feeding mode strongly influenced the strength and spatial scale of observed food web linkages, while season played a secondary role. Mussels displayed strong cross-ecosystem connectivity in all estuaries, with decreasing marine influence in the more fluvial estuaries. Mussel diets indicated homogenization of detrital sources within the water column of each estuary. In contrast, the diets of benthic deposit-feeding clams indicated stronger compartmentalization in food web connectivity, especially in the largest river delta where clam diets were trophically disconnected from marsh sources of detritus. This suggests detritus deposition is patchy across space, and less homogenous than the suspended detritus pool. In addition to fluvial setting, other estuary-specific environmental drivers, such as marsh area or particle transport speed, influenced the degree of food web linkages across space and time, often accounting for unexpected patterns in food web connectivity. Transformations of the estuarine landscape that alter river hydrology or availability of detritus sources can thus potentially disrupt natural food web connectivity at the landscape scale, especially for sedentary organisms, which cannot track their food sources through space. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Revisiting geochemical methods of distinguishing natural concentrations and pollution by risk elements in fluvial sediments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Matys Grygar, Tomáš; Popelka, J.

2016-01-01

Roč. 170, NOV (2016), s. 39-57 ISSN 0375-6742 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-00340S Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : Enrichment * Fluvial sediments * Heavy metals Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 2.464, year: 2016

Large-scale coastal and fluvial models constrain the late Holocene evolution of the Ebro Delta

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J. H. Nienhuis

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The distinctive plan-view shape of the Ebro Delta coast reveals a rich morphologic history. The degree to which the form and depositional history of the Ebro and other deltas represent autogenic (internal dynamics or allogenic (external forcing remains a prominent challenge for paleo-environmental reconstructions. Here we use simple coastal and fluvial morphodynamic models to quantify paleo-environmental changes affecting the Ebro Delta over the late Holocene. Our findings show that these models are able to broadly reproduce the Ebro Delta morphology, with simple fluvial and wave climate histories. Based on numerical model experiments and the preserved and modern shape of the Ebro Delta plain, we estimate that a phase of rapid shoreline progradation began approximately 2100 years BP, requiring approximately a doubling in coarse-grained fluvial sediment supply to the delta. River profile simulations suggest that an instantaneous and sustained increase in coarse-grained sediment supply to the delta requires a combined increase in both flood discharge and sediment supply from the drainage basin. The persistence of rapid delta progradation throughout the last 2100 years suggests an anthropogenic control on sediment supply and flood intensity. Using proxy records of the North Atlantic Oscillation, we do not find evidence that changes in wave climate aided this delta expansion. Our findings highlight how scenario-based investigations of deltaic systems using simple models can assist first-order quantitative paleo-environmental reconstructions, elucidating the effects of past human influence and climate change, and allowing a better understanding of the future of deltaic landforms.

Determining metal origins and availability in fluvial deposits by analysis of geochemical baselines and solid-solution partitioning measurements and modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijver, Martina G; Spijker, Job; Vink, Jos P M; Posthuma, Leo

2008-12-01

Metals in floodplain soils and sediments (deposits) can originate from lithogenic and anthropogenic sources, and their availability for uptake in biota is hypothesized to depend on both origin and local sediment conditions. In criteria-based environmental risk assessments, these issues are often neglected, implying local risks to be often over-estimated. Current problem definitions in river basin management tend to require a refined, site-specific focus, resulting in a need to address both aspects. This paper focuses on the determination of local environmental availabilities of metals in fluvial deposits by addressing both the origins of the metals and their partitioning over the solid and solution phases. The environmental availability of metals is assumed to be a key force influencing exposure levels in field soils and sediments. Anthropogenic enrichments of Cu, Zn and Pb in top layers could be distinguished from lithogenic background concentrations and described using an aluminium-proxy. Cd in top layers was attributed to anthropogenic enrichment almost fully. Anthropogenic enrichments for Cu and Zn appeared further to be also represented by cold 2M HNO3 extraction of site samples. For Pb the extractions over-estimated the enrichments. Metal partitioning was measured, and measurements were compared to predictions generated by an empirical regression model and by a mechanistic-kinetic model. The partitioning models predicted metal partitioning in floodplain deposits within about one order of magnitude, though a large inter-sample variability was found for Pb.

Quantitative reconstruction of cross-sectional dimensions and hydrological parameters of gravelly fluvial channels developed in a forearc basin setting under a temperate climatic condition, central Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Kenichiro; Adhiperdana, Billy G.; Ito, Makoto

2018-01-01

Reconstructions of the dimensions and hydrological features of ancient fluvial channels, such as bankfull depth, bankfull width, and water discharges, have used empirical equations developed from compiled data-sets, mainly from modern meandering rivers, in various tectonic and climatic settings. However, the application of the proposed empirical equations to an ancient fluvial succession should be carefully examined with respect to the tectonic and climatic settings of the objective deposits. In this study, we developed empirical relationships among the mean bankfull channel depth, bankfull channel depth, drainage area, bankfull channel width, mean discharge, and bankfull discharge using data from 24 observation sites of modern gravelly rivers in the Kanto region, central Japan. Some of the equations among these parameters are different from those proposed by previous studies. The discrepancies are considered to reflect tectonic and climatic settings of the present river systems, which are characterized by relatively steeper valley slope, active supply of volcaniclastic sediments, and seasonal precipitation in the Kanto region. The empirical relationships derived from the present study can be applied to modern and ancient gravelly fluvial channels with multiple and alternate bars, developed in convergent margin settings under a temperate climatic condition. The developed empirical equations were applied to a transgressive gravelly fluvial succession of the Paleogene Iwaki Formation, Northeast Japan as a case study. Stratigraphic thicknesses of bar deposits were used for estimation of the bankfull channel depth. In addition, some other geomorphological and hydrological parameters were calculated using the empirical equations developed by the present study. The results indicate that the Iwaki Formation fluvial deposits were formed by a fluvial system that was represented by the dimensions and discharges of channels similar to those of the middle to lower reaches of

External controls on Quaternary fluvial incision and terrace formation at the Segre River, Southern Pyrenees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stange, K.M.; van Balen, R.T.; Vandenberghe, J.; Peña, J.L.; Sancho, C.

2013-01-01

Focusing on climatic- and structural (tectonic) controls, we aim to determine their relative importance for the (Pliocene to Quaternary) fluvial landscape evolution in the Southern Pyrenees foreland. We investigate the Segre River, which is one of the major streams of the Southern Pyrenees that

Arquitectura fluvial de las «Areniscas del río Arandilla». Triásico de Molina de Aragón (Guadalajara

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Sánchez-Moya, Y.

1989-08-01

Full Text Available The outstanding outcrops of Upper Buntsandstein sediments (Middle Triassic in Molina de Aragón (Guadalajara area, allow a detailed study of their characteristics and their associations which are described here. The fluvial architecture of the section indicates four main depositional episodes. The two lowest episodes were laid down by a fluvial system characterized by frequent channel shifting, low sinuosity and wide shallow channels. The drainage basin was controlled by highly seasonal discharge. The middle episode evolved into a more distal systems, with smaller higher sinuosity channels and fine overbank deposits. The uppermost episode is related to an increase of slope in the basin. That increase is probably related to tectonic movements recorded in this area. An attempt has been made to correlate the above events to the global sea level fluctuations (Haq et al., 1987. So, the low stage that have been stated occurred during Early Anisian can be tentatively correlated with the uppermost episode in Areniscas del río Arandilla.Los excelentes afloramientos de la parte superior del Buntsandstein (Triásico medio en Molina de Aragón (Guadalajara, han permitido llevar a cabo un análisis sedimentológico detallado de las facies fluviales y de su arquitectura. Se han distinguido doce diferentes facies cuyas características y asociaciones se describen en este trabajo. La evolución fluvial indica la existencia de cuatro episodios deposicionales. Los dos episodios inferiores son característicos de un sistema fluvial con canales de baja sinuosidad, inestables, de gran amplitud y poca profundidad. El drenaje de la cuenca estaba controlado por importantes descargas estacionales. El episodio intermedio es el resultado de la evolución del sistema hacia facies más distales. En esta etapa los canales son de menor tamaño, la sinuosidad es mayor y existe un mayor porcentaje de depósitos de granulometría fina relacionados con la llanura de inundaci

Pemaknaan Filsafati Kearifan Lokal untuk Adaptasi Masyarakat terhadap Ancaman Bencana Marin dan Fluvial di Lingkungan Kepesisiran

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S Sunarto

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to study the philosophical meaning of local wisdom that developed in the communities in the coastal environment, particularly in the eastern coast of Central Java. The method used for this philosophical meaning using the approach of geomorphological hermeneutics and disaster semiotics. The results of this research indicate that identified local wisdom in the form of cultural semiotics and faunal semiotics to anticipate the hazards of climate change as marine hazard and fluvial hazard. Cultural semiotics found in the form of advice that still need to be interpreted with a geomorphological hermeneutics approach order to use it to adapt to the coastal environment against marine hazard. The cultural semiotics has a geomorphological philosophical meaning as natural cycle that leads to dynamic equilibrium, not the philosophical meaning that leads to the view of anthropocentrism. In addition, also found cultural semiotics of “Dina Rèntèng” based on the philosophical views of ecocentrism. The cultural semiotics is used in society to adapt to the fluvial hazard. Faunal semiotics found in the form of anomalous crab behavior as a form of adaptation due to its response to environmental condition. The faunal semiotics has been used as a guide for the community to adapt to the fluvial hazard. Because of the local wisdom is loaded with philosophical meaning, it can be metatourism assets, so it can convert harm into benefit.

Geoarchaeology, the four dimensional (4D) fluvial matrix and climatic causality

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, A. G.

2008-10-01

Geoarchaeology is the application of geological and geomorphological techniques to archaeology and the study of the interactions of hominins with the natural environment at a variety of temporal and spatial scales. Geoarchaeology in the UK over the last twenty years has flourished largely because it has gone beyond technological and scientific applications. Over the same period our ability to reconstruct the 3-dimensional stratigraphy of fluvial deposits and the matrix of fluvial sites has increased dramatically because of a number of technological advances. These have included the use of LiDAR (laser imaging) and radar to produce high-resolution digital surface models, the use of geophysics, particularly ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity, to produce sediment depth models, and the use of GIS and data visualisation techniques to manipulate and display the data. These techniques along with more systematic and detailed sedimentological recording of exposed sections have allowed the construction of more precise 3-dimensional (volumetric) models of the matrix of artefacts within fluvial deposits. Additionally a revolution in dating techniques, particularly direct sediment dating by luminescence methods, has enabled the creation of 4-dimensional models of the creation and preservation of these sites. These 4-dimensional models have the ability to provide far more information about the processes of site creation, preservation and even destruction, and also allow the integration of these processes with independent data sources concerning cultural evolution and climatic change. All improvements in the precision of dating fluvial deposits have archaeological importance in our need to translate events from a sequential or geological timeframe to human timescales. This allows geoarchaeology to make a more direct contribution to cultural history through the recognition of agency at the individual or group level. This data can then form a component of

Remontant erosion in desert soils of Tamaulipas, México.

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera-Ortiz, P.; Andrade-Limas, E.; De la Garza-Requena, F.; Castro-Meza, B.

2012-04-01

REMONTANT EROSION IN DESERT SOILS OF TAMAULIPAS MÉXICO Rivera-Ortiz, P.1; Andrade-Limas, E.1; De la Garza-Requena, F.1 and Castro-Meza, B.1 1Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, México The degradation of soil reduces the capacity of soils to produce food and sustain life. Erosion is one of the main types of soil degradation. Hydric erosion of remontant type can occur in soils located close to the channel of a river through the expansion of a gully that begins as a fluvial incision over the ravine of one side of the river. The incision takes place at the point of greatest flow of runoff from areas adjacent to empty into the river. The depth of the incision causes the growth of the gully by collapse to move their heads back, upstream. The soil loss by remontant erosion on land use in agriculture and livestock was estimated in order to understand the evolution of gullies formed by this type of erosion. Through measurements on satellite images and GPS (Global Positioning System) two gullies, developed on alluvial soils which drain into the river Chihue, were studied. The investigation was conducted during 2003 to 2010 period in the municipality of Jaumave, Tamaulipas, in northeastern Mexico. Soil loss in gullies developed by remontant erosion was large and it was caused by soil collapse and drag of soil on the headers. The estimated loss of soil by remontant erosion was 3500 t in the deeper gully during 2010 and nearly 1200 t per year in the period 2003-2009. New sections of gully of about 20 m length, with more than 3 m deep and up to 13 m wide, were formed each year. This degradation has significantly reduced the productive surface of soil that for many years has been used to the cultivation of maize (Zea mays) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) as well as pasture production.

Microbial weathering processes after release of heavy metals and arsenic from fluvial tailing deposits; Mikrobielle Verwitterungsprozesse bei der Freisetzung von Schwermetallen und Arsen aus fluvialen Tailingablagerungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Willscher, S. [Technische Univ. Dresden (Germany). Fak. fuer Forst, Geo und Hydrowissenschaften, Inst. fuer Abfallwirtschaft und Altlasten

2006-07-01

Microbial processes play an important role in global metal cycles. The microbial weathering of mineral surfaces, including deposited anthropogenic mineral remainders, is a natural occurring process, taking place on uncovered dump surfaces as well as in deeper zones of dumps. Such weathering processes also occur in metal contaminated soils and sediments. In this work, a sulfidic fluvial tailing sediment was investigated for its acidity and salinity generating potential and the subsequent mobilisation of heavy metals, generated by biogeochemical processes. The long-term risks of such a deposit were evaluated. Unstabilised deposits of such materials can generate a considerable contamination of the surrounding ground and surface water. It could be shown in the experiments that in acid generating dumps and tailing materials besides the well known acidophilic autotrophs also acidotolerant heterotrophic microorganisms play a role in the mobilisation of metals. (orig.)

Allogenic controls on the fluvial architecture and fossil preservation of the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation, NW Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Colombi, Carina E.; Limarino, Carlos O.; Alcober, Oscar A.

2017-12-01

The Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation in NW Argentina was deposited in a fluvial system during the synrift filling of the extensional Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin. The expansive exposures of the fluvial architecture and paleosols provide a framework to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental evolution of this basin during the Upper Triassic using continental sequence stratigraphy. The Ischigualasto Formation deposition can be divided into seven sequential sedimentary stages: the 1) Bypass stage; 2) Confined low-accommodation stage; 3) Confined high accommodation stage; 4) Unstable-accommodation stage; 5) Unconfined high-accommodation stage; 6) Unconfined low-accommodation stage; and finally, 7) Unconfined high-accommodation stage. The sedimentary evolution of the Ischigualasto Formation was driven by different allogenic controls such as rises and falls in lake levels, local tectonism, subsidence, volcanism, and climate, which also produced modifications of the equilibrium profile of the fluvial systems. All of these factors result in different accommodations in central and flank areas of the basin, which led to different architectural configurations of channels and floodplains. Allogenic processes affected not only the sequence stratigraphy of the basin but also the vertebrate and plant taphocenosis. Therefore, the sequence stratigraphy can be used not only as a predictive tool related to fossil occurrence but also to understand the taphonomic history of the basin at each temporal interval.

Avulsion and its implications for fluvial-deltaic architecture: insights from the Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stouthamer, E.; Cohen, K.M.; Gouw, M.J.P.

2010-01-01

Avulsion is a key process in the formation of fluvial-deltaic successions and a primary control on deltaic architecture. It determines the distribution of sediment and water and hence which location in the delta receives clastic sedimentation for what time. This makes the avulsion process an

Avulsion and its implications for fluvial-deltaic architecture: insights from the Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stouthamer, E.; Cohen, K.M.; Gouw, M.J.P.

2010-01-01

Avulsion is a principal process in the formation of fluvial-deltaic successions and a primary control on deltaic architecture. It determines the distribution of sediment and water and hence influences which location in the delta receives clastic sedimentation in what amounts for what time. It also

Evolution of tertiary intermontane fluvial system of Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flores, R.M.; Ethridge, F.G.

1985-01-01

Exploration and development of economic coal and uranium deposits of the Tertiary Fort Union and Wasatch Formations provided data related to the evolution of depositional systems in the Powder River Basin. In ascending order, the Paleocene Fort Union Formation consists of the Tullock, Lebo, and Tongue River Members. The overlying Eocene Wasatch Formation consists of the conglomeratic Kingsbury and Moncrief Members and laterally equivalent finer grained deposits. Evolution of fluvial deposition in the basin was determined from sandstone percent maps. A high proportion of sandstones in the Tullock Member and combined Tongue River Member and Wasatch Formation formed in interconnected east-west and north-south belts. The east-west belts represent alluvial fans, as well as braided and meandering tributary streams. The north-south belts reflect meandering and anastomosing trunk streams fed by basin margin tributaries. The sandstones of the Lebo Shale show east-west trends and represent deposits of fluvio-deltaic systems that filled a western, closed-lacustrine basin. The lake in this basin may have formed during localized subsidence along the Buffalo deep fault. These contrasting styles of fluvial deposition were largely controlled by extrabasinal and intrabasinal tectonics associated with Laramide orogeny

Wine from the Netherlands: investigating the effect of soil-type on taste

Science.gov (United States)

Vis, Geert-Jan; Maljers, Denise; Beurskens, Stan

2016-04-01

During the last decade professional viticulture has seen a strong increase in the Netherlands, reaching 270 ha in 2015. Although on a European scale this is a small area, the number of prize-winning quality wines is steadily growing. This growth can largely be ascribed to new grape varieties from Germany and Switzerland, that are better adapted to the cooler and moister climate at the northern fringe of the viticultural zone, as well as to increasing viticultural expertise. The distribution of vineyards across the Netherlands shows that they occur on a plethora of substrates. Dutch substrate is dominated by typical lowland deposits such as fluvial and marine sands and clays and aeolian sands. Unlike many European countries, bedrock is scarce. Only in the south-eastern extremity and in the east of the country, carbonate bedrock is present at or near the surface. This wide variety of substrate triggered our interest in the effect of the various soil-types on the smell and taste characteristics of wines. An effect which is often mentioned concerning well-known foreign wines. We wondered whether an Auxerrois wine from carbonate rocks tastes significantly different from a wine from the same grape variety from loess. And how about a Johanniter wine from fluvial deposits versus windblown sands? And what happens if you make wine in exactly the same way with the same grape variety and from the same vineyard, but with three different yeast types? To answer our questions, we selected ten Dutch vineyards with varying soil-types and the grape varieties Auxerrois and Johanniter. In October 2014 we harvested the grapes and wine was made under controlled identical conditions (in a double setup). The wines were scientifically tested at the institute of Viticulture and Oenology in Neustadt, Germany. The results show no significant effect of soil-type on the smell and taste of Dutch wines in our experiment. Varying yeast types (Cryarome, 3079, VL2) used on Souvignier Gris grapes from

Distribution of uranium and thorium in sediments and plants from a granitic fluvial area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas, M.J.; Tome, F.V.; Sanchez, A.M.; Vazquez, M.T.C.; Murillo, J.L.G.

1997-01-01

A study of the presence of natural uranium and thorium isotopes in sediments and plants belonging to a granitic fluvial region of the Ortigas river (west of Spain) has been carried out. The existence of two uranium mines in the neighbourhood of the sampled sites and the granitic characteristics of the zone produce significant concentrations of natural radionuclides. Temporal and spatial variations of uranium and thorium concentrations and the activity ratios 234 U/ 238 U, 228 Th/ 232 Th and Th/U were studied to better understand the mobilization mechanisms such as leaching and transport at play in the studied system. These determinations were made using alpha-particle spectrometry with silicon detectors. The measurements were also compared with the results previously found for waters of this fluvial area. Uranium in sediments showed variations due to changes in rainfall, but thorium content was nearly constant. Uranium and thorium concentrations in plants were lower after rainfall. Incorporation of uranium into the plants seemed to be mainly from water, whereas incorporation of thorium seemed to be from both sediments and water. (Author)

Modelling sediment dynamics due to hillslope-river interactions : incorporating fluvial behaviour in landscape evolution model LAPSUS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baartman, Jantiene E. M.; van Gorp, Wouter; Temme, Arnaud J. A. M.; Schoorl, Jeroen M.

Landscape evolution models (LEMs) simulate the three-dimensional development of landscapes over time. Different LEMs have different foci, e.g. erosional behaviour, river dynamics, the fluvial domain, hillslopes or a combination. LEM LAPSUS is a relatively simple cellular model operating on

Estuary-wide genetic stock distribution and salmon habitat use, tidal-fluvial estuary - Columbia River Estuary Tidal Habitats

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The goal of the tidal-fluvial estuary study is to determine the estuary's contribution to the spatial structure and life history diversity of Columbia River salmon...

The phosphorus content of fluvial sediment in rural and industrialized river basins.

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Philip N; Walling, Desmond E

2002-02-01

The phosphorus content of fluvial sediment (suspended sediment and the sediment) has been examined in contrasting rural (moorland and agricultural) and industrialized catchments in Yorkshire, UK. The River Swale drains a rural catchment with no major urban and industrial areas, and the total phosphorus (TP) content of fluvial sediment is generally within the range 500-1,500 microg g(-1). There is little evidence of any major downstream increase in TP content. In contrast, fluvial sediment from the industrialized catchments of the Rivers Aire and Calder exhibits both higher levels of TP content and marked downstream increases, with values of TP content ranging from 7,000 microg g(-1) at downstream sites. These elevated levels reflect P inputs from point sources, such as sewage treatment works (STWs) and combined sewer overflows. The influence of STWs is further demonstrated by the downstream increase in the inorganic P/organic P ratio from 4 in the lower reaches. Comparison of the P content of suspended sediment with that of the sediment and both discharge and suspended sediment concentration, reflecting changes in sediment and P sources during high flow events. Spatial variations in the P contents of the sediment evidence a similar pattern as those for suspended sediment, with relatively low levels of TP in the River Swale and elevated levels in the middle and downstream reaches of the Rivers Aire and Calder. The PP concentrations associated with floodplain and channel bed sediment are, however, lower than equivalent values for suspended sediment, and this primarily reflects the differences in the particle size composition between the three types of sediments. Rates of floodplain deposition and the amounts of fine-grained sediment stored in the river channels are relatively high, and suggest that such environments may represent important sinks for PP. Based on the sediment samples collected from the study basins, a simple four-fold classification which relates the

Impact of land use change on soil carbon loss of the Sikkim Himalayan piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Prokop, Pawel; Ploskonka, Dominik

2014-05-01

Natural and human causes of change in land use on soil carbon were studied at the outlet of the Tista River from the Sikkim Himalayas over the last 150 years. Analysis of topographic maps and satellite images indicates that the land reforms related to location of tea gardens in the piedmont caused rapid deforestation of terraces in the late 19th century. Continuous population growth after 1930 initiated the replacement of floodplain forest by rice cultivation. Both processes changed soil carbon content and intensified fluvial activity expressed through terrace erosion. The replacement of natural forest by tea cultivation reduced the soil carbon content within terraces from 1.95 kg to 1.77 kg (in 1 m of topsoil) respectively. The replacement of natural forest by rice reduced the soil carbon content within floodplains from 0.42 kg to 0.23 kg (in 1 m topsoil) respectively. Much more dangerous, was terrace erosion leading to permanent removal of sediment including soil. The total loss of soil carbon in a 1 m thick soil layer due to conversion of 5 km2 forest to tea cultivation was about 900 t between 1930 and 2010. While the total soil carbon removed due to 1.8 km2 terrace erosion reached 3510 t in the same period. Result is the outcome of research project 2012/05/B/ST10/00309 of the National Science Centre (Poland).

The Pliocene initiation and Early Pleistocene volcanic disruption of the palaeo-Gediz fluvial system, Western Turkey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maddy, D.; Demir, T.; Bridgland, D.R.; Veldkamp, A.; Stemerdink, C.; Schriek, van der T.; Schreve, D.

2007-01-01

In this paper, we report our latest observations concerning a Pliocene and Early Pleistocene record from Western Turkey. The sedimentary sequence described comprises the fluvial deposits of an Early Pleistocene palaeo-Gediz river system and its tributaries prior to the onset of volcanism around Kula

Buried late Pleistocene fluvial channels on the inner continental shelf off Vengurla, west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

SubbaRaju, L.V.; Krishna, K.S.; Chaubey, A.K.

with sediments. Cross sectional dimensions between 15 to 100 m width and 2 to 6 m depth suggest a fluvial origin of the channels. These buried channels appear to mark former positions of rivers flowing from the nearby coast and debouching into the Arabian Sea...

Persistence, variance and toxic levels of organochlorine pesticides in fluvial sediments and the role of black carbon in their retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Parween, Musarrat; Ramanathan, Al; Khillare, P S; Raju, N J

2014-05-01

The present study assesses the persistence and variation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and their regulation by total organic carbon (TOC) and black carbon (BC) in freshwater sediment. Sediment samples from the Yamuna River, a major tributary of the Ganges (one of the most populated and intensively used rivers in Asia), had high levels of Σ20OCPs (21.41 to 139.95 ng g(-1)). β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) was the most predominant component. ΣHCH and Σdichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) constituted ~86% of Σ20OCPs. Isomer ratios indicated fresh usage of lindane, DDT and technical-grade HCH. Toxicological comparison with freshwater sediment quality guidelines showed γ-HCH and DDT at high levels of concern. β-HCH, α-HCH, endrin, heptachlor epoxide, dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethane (DDD), dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene and chlordane were above some of the guideline levels. TOC and BC had mean concentrations of 1.37 ± 0.51% and 0.46 ± 0.23 mg g(-1), respectively. BC constituted 1.25 to 10.56% of TOC. We observed low to moderate correlations of BC with isomers of HCH, p,p'-DDT and methoxychlor while of TOC with Σ20OCPs, γ-HCH, endosulfan sulfate and methoxychlor. Principal component analysis enabled correlating and clustering of various OCPs, BC and TOC. OCP distribution was related with pH, electrical conductivity, soil moisture and finer fractions of sediment. OCPs with similarity in properties that determine their interactions with carbonaceous components of sediment clustered together. A number of factors may, thus, be involved in the regulation of interactive forces between BC and OCPs. BC in this study may be more important than TOC in the retention of some OCPs into fluvial sediments, thereby reducing their bioavailability. The finding is probably the first of its kind to report and emphasises the role of BC in the persistence of OCPs in fluvial sediments.

Estuarine abandoned channel sedimentation rates record peak fluvial discharge magnitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, A. B.; Pasternack, G. B.; Watson, E. B.

2018-04-01

Fluvial sediment deposits can provide useful records of integrated watershed expressions including flood event magnitudes. However, floodplain and estuarine sediment deposits evolve through the interaction of watershed/marine sediment supply and transport characteristics with the local depositional environment. Thus extraction of watershed scale signals depends upon accounting for local scale effects on sediment deposition rates and character. This study presents an examination of the balance of fluvial sediment dynamics and local scale hydro-geomorphic controls on alluviation of an abandoned channel in the Salinas River Lagoon, CA. A set of three sediment cores contained discrete flood deposits that corresponded to the largest flood events over the period of accretion from 1969 to 2007. Sedimentation rates scaled with peak flood discharge and event scale sediment flux, but were not influenced by longer scale hydro-meteorological activities such as annual precipitation and water yield. Furthermore, the particle size distributions of flood deposits showed no relationship to event magnitudes. Both the responsiveness of sedimentation and unresponsiveness of particle size distributions to hydro-sedimentological event magnitudes appear to be controlled by aspects of local geomorphology that influence the connectivity of the abandoned channel to the Salinas River mainstem. Well-developed upstream plug bar formation precluded the entrainment of coarser bedload into the abandoned channel, while Salinas River mouth conditions (open/closed) in conjunction with tidal and storm surge conditions may play a role in influencing the delivery of coarser suspended load fractions. Channel adjacent sediment deposition can be valuable records of hydro-meteorological and sedimentological regimes, but local depositional settings may dominate the character of short term (interdecadal) signatures.

Impact of phenomenological theory of turbulence on pragmatic approach to fluvial hydraulics

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Sk Zeeshan; Dey, Subhasish

2018-04-01

The phenomenological theory of turbulence (PTT) remains a long-standing and fascinating theory in turbulence research. In this review article, we highlight the state-of-the-science of the impact of the PTT on the pragmatic approach to fluvial hydraulics, explored over recent decades, discussing the salient and the subtle roles that the turbulence plays in governing many physical processes. To acquire a theoretical explanation of this pragmatic approach necessitates an intuitive thought that can bring together the background mechanisms of all the physical processes under one law—a thought that is capable of finding their inextricable links with the turbulent energy spectrum. We begin here with emphasizing the spectral and the co-spectral origin of the well-recognized laws of the wall, the resistance equation, and the turbulence intensities by portraying the typical momentum transfer mechanism of eddies in a turbulent flow. Next, we focus on the scaling laws of key fluvial processes derived from the perspective of the PTT, enlightening their physical insight and ability to judge how far the so-called empirical formulas can be used with confidence. The PTT has been able to disclose the origin of several primeval empirical formulas that have been used over many years without having any theoretical clarification and confirmation. Finally, we make an effort to describe some unsolved issues to be resolved as a future scope of research.

Human and natural impacts on fluvial and karst depressions of the Maya Lowlands

Science.gov (United States)

Beach, Timothy; Luzzadder-Beach, Sheryl; Dunning, Nicholas; Cook, Duncan

2008-10-01

This paper begins to differentiate the major drivers and chronology of erosion and aggradation in the fluvial and fluviokarst landscapes of the southern and central Maya Lowlands. We synthesize past research on erosion and aggradation and add new data from water, soils, radiocarbon dating, and archaeology to study the quantity, timing, and causes of aggradation in regional landscape depressions. Geomorphic findings come from many excavations across a landscape gradient from upland valleys, karst sinks, and fans into the coastal plain floodplains and depressions. Findings from water chemistry show that sources in the uplands have low quantities of dissolved ions but water in the coastal plains has high amounts of dissolved ions, often nearly saturated in calcium and sulfate. We found significant geomorphic complexity in the general trends in upland karst sinks. In a few instances, sediments preserve Late Pleistocene paleosols, buried 2-3 m, though many more have distinct middle to late Holocene paleosols, buried 1-2 m, after c. 2300 BP (Maya Early to Late Preclassic). From 2300-1100 BP (Late Preclassic to Classic Periods), the landscape aggraded from five main mechanisms: river flooding, climatic instability, accelerated erosion, ancient Maya landscape manipulation, and gypsum precipitation from a rise in a water table nearly saturated in calcium and sulfate ions. Evidence exists for two or three high magnitude floods, possibly driven by hurricanes. Moreover, lake-core and geophysical studies from the Petén Lakes region have shown high rates of deposition of silicate clays ('Maya Clays') starting and peaking during the Maya Preclassic and continuing to be high through the Late Classic. The main driver on upland karst depressions, the Petén lakes, upland valleys, and fans was accelerated soil erosion, but water table rise, probably driven by sea-level rise, was the main driver on the wetlands of the coastal plain because the aggraded sediments here are dominantly

Human impact on fluvial regimes and sediment flux during the Holocene: review and future research agenda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoffmann, T.; Thorndycraft, V.R.; Brown, A.G.; Coulthard, T.J.; Damnati, B.; Kale, V.S.; Middelkoop, H.; Notebaert, B.; Walling, D.E.

2010-01-01

There is a long history of human–riverine interactions throughout the period of agriculture that in some regions of the world started several thousand years ago. These interactions have altered rivers to human dominated systems with often negative impacts on fluvial environments. To achieve a good

Depositional record of an avulsive fluvial system controlled by peat compaction (Neogene, Most Basin, Czech Republic)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rajchl, M.; Uličný, David

2005-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 3 (2005), s. 601-625 ISSN 0037-0746 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/01/0629 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30120515 Keywords : avulsion * Eger Graben * fluvial channels Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 1.876, year: 2005

A conceptual connectivity framework for understanding geomorphic change in human-impacted fluvial systems

Science.gov (United States)

Pöppl, Ronald; Keesstra, Saskia; Maroulis, Jerry

2017-04-01

Human-induced landscape change is difficult to predict due to the complexity inherent in both geomorphic and social systems as well as due to emerging coupling relationships between them. To better understand system complexity and system response to change, connectivity has become an important research paradigm within various disciplines including geomorphology, hydrology and ecology. With the proposed conceptual connectivity framework on geomorphic change in human-impacted fluvial systems a cautionary note is flagged regarding the need (i) to include and to systematically conceptualise the role of different types of human agency in altering connectivity relationships in geomorphic systems and (ii) to integrate notions of human-environment interactions to connectivity concepts in geomorphology to better explain causes and trajectories of landscape change. Underpinned by case study examples, the presented conceptual framework is able to explain how geomorphic response of fluvial systems to human disturbance is determined by system-specific boundary conditions (incl. system history, related legacy effects and lag times), vegetation dynamics and human-induced functional relationships (i.e. feedback mechanisms) between the different spatial dimensions of connectivity. It is further demonstrated how changes in social systems can trigger a process-response feedback loop between social and geomorphic systems that further governs the trajectory of landscape change in coupled human-geomorphic systems.

MODELLING LANDSCAPE MORPHODYNAMICS BY TERRESTRIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY: AN APPLICATION TO BEACH AND FLUVIAL SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Sánchez-García

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Beach and fluvial systems are highly dynamic environments, being constantly modified by the action of different natural and anthropic phenomena. To understand their behaviour and to support a sustainable management of these fragile environments, it is very important to have access to cost-effective tools. These methods should be supported on cutting-edge technologies that allow monitoring the dynamics of the natural systems with high periodicity and repeatability at different temporal and spatial scales instead the tedious and expensive field-work that has been carried out up to date. The work herein presented analyses the potential of terrestrial photogrammetry to describe beach morphology. Data processing and generation of high resolution 3D point clouds and derived DEMs is supported by the commercial Agisoft PhotoScan. Model validation is done by comparison of the differences in the elevation among the photogrammetric point cloud and the GPS data along different beach profiles. Results obtained denote the potential that the photogrammetry 3D modelling has to monitor morphological changes and natural events getting differences between 6 and 25 cm. Furthermore, the usefulness of these techniques to control the layout of a fluvial system is tested by the performance of some modeling essays in a hydraulic pilot channel.

Flood hazards analysis based on changes of hydrodynamic processes in fluvial systems of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Simas, Iury; Rodrigues, Cleide

2016-04-01

The metropolis of Sao Paulo, with its 7940 Km² and over 20 million inhabitants, is increasingly being consolidated with disregard for the dynamics of its fluvial systems and natural limitations imposed by fluvial terraces, floodplains and slopes. Events such as floods and flash floods became particularly persistent mainly in socially and environmentally vulnerable areas. The Aricanduva River basin was selected as the ideal area for the development of the flood hazard analysis since it presents the main geological and geomorphological features found in the urban site. According to studies carried out by Anthropic Geomorphology approach in São Paulo, to study this phenomenon is necessary to take into account the original hydromorphological systems and its functional conditions, as well as in which dimensions the Anthropic factor changes the balance between the main variables of surface processes. Considering those principles, an alternative model of geographical data was proposed and enabled to identify the role of different driving forces in terms of spatial conditioning of certain flood events. Spatial relationships between different variables, such as anthropogenic and original morphology, were analyzed for that purpose in addition to climate data. The surface hydrodynamic tendency spatial model conceived for this study takes as key variables: 1- The land use present at the observed date combined with the predominant lithological group, represented by a value ranging 0-100, based on indexes of the National Soil Conservation Service (NSCS-USA) and the Hydraulic Technology Center Foundation (FCTH-Brazil) to determine the resulting balance of runoff/infiltration. 2- The original slope, applying thresholds from which it's possible to determine greater tendency for runoff (in percents). 3- The minimal features of relief, combining the curvature of surface in plant and profile. Those three key variables were combined in a Geographic Information System in a series of

On the connectivity anisotropy in fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifers and its influence on geothermal doublet performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willems, Cees J.L.; Nick, Hamid; Donselaar, Marinus E.

2017-01-01

This study finds that the geothermal doublet layout with respect to the paleo flow direction in fluvial sedimentary reservoirs could significantly affect pump energy losses. These losses can be reduced by up to 10% if a doublet well pair is oriented parallel to the paleo flow trend compared...

Fluvial response to Holocene volcanic damming and breaching in the Gediz and Geren rivers, western Turkey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gorp, W.; Veldkamp, A.; Temme, A.J.A.M.; Maddy, D; Demir, T.; Schriek van der, T.; Reimann, T.; Wallinga, J.; Wijbrans, J.R.; Schoorl, J.M.

2013-01-01

This study discusses the complex late Holocene evolution of the Gediz River north of Kula, western Turkey, when a basaltic lava flow dammed and filled this river valley. Age control was obtained using established and novel feldspar luminescence techniques on fluvial sands below and on top of the

Fluvial response to abrupt global warming at the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary.

Science.gov (United States)

Foreman, Brady Z; Heller, Paul L; Clementz, Mark T

2012-11-01

Climate strongly affects the production of sediment from mountain catchments as well as its transport and deposition within adjacent sedimentary basins. However, identifying climatic influences on basin stratigraphy is complicated by nonlinearities, feedback loops, lag times, buffering and convergence among processes within the sediment routeing system. The Palaeocene/Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) arguably represents the most abrupt and dramatic instance of global warming in the Cenozoic era and has been proposed to be a geologic analogue for anthropogenic climate change. Here we evaluate the fluvial response in western Colorado to the PETM. Concomitant with the carbon isotope excursion marking the PETM we document a basin-wide shift to thick, multistoried, sheets of sandstone characterized by variable channel dimensions, dominance of upper flow regime sedimentary structures, and prevalent crevasse splay deposits. This progradation of coarse-grained lithofacies matches model predictions for rapid increases in sediment flux and discharge, instigated by regional vegetation overturn and enhanced monsoon precipitation. Yet the change in fluvial deposition persisted long after the approximately 200,000-year-long PETM with its increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, emphasizing the strong role the protracted transmission of catchment responses to distant depositional systems has in constructing large-scale basin stratigraphy. Our results, combined with evidence for increased dissolved loads and terrestrial clay export to world oceans, indicate that the transient hyper-greenhouse climate of the PETM may represent a major geomorphic 'system-clearing event', involving a global mobilization of dissolved and solid sediment loads on Earth's surface.

Tidal Simulations of an Incised-Valley Fluvial System with a Physics-Based Geologic Model

Science.gov (United States)

Ghayour, K.; Sun, T.

2012-12-01

Physics-based geologic modeling approaches use fluid flow in conjunction with sediment transport and deposition models to devise evolutionary geologic models that focus on underlying physical processes and attempt to resolve them at pertinent spatial and temporal scales. Physics-based models are particularly useful when the evolution of a depositional system is driven by the interplay of autogenic processes and their response to allogenic controls. This interplay can potentially create complex reservoir architectures with high permeability sedimentary bodies bounded by a hierarchy of shales that can effectively impede flow in the subsurface. The complex stratigraphy of tide-influenced fluvial systems is an example of such co-existing and interacting environments of deposition. The focus of this talk is a novel formulation of boundary conditions for hydrodynamics-driven models of sedimentary systems. In tidal simulations, a time-accurate boundary treatment is essential for proper imposition of tidal forcing and fluvial inlet conditions where the flow may be reversed at times within a tidal cycle. As such, the boundary treatment at the inlet has to accommodate for a smooth transition from inflow to outflow and vice-versa without creating numerical artifacts. Our numerical experimentations showed that boundary condition treatments based on a local (frozen) one-dimensional approach along the boundary normal which does not account for the variation of flow quantities in the tangential direction often lead to unsatisfactory results corrupted by numerical artifacts. In this talk, we propose a new boundary treatment that retains all spatial and temporal terms in the model and as such is capable to account for nonlinearities and sharp variations of model variables near boundaries. The proposed approach borrows heavily from the idea set forth by J. Sesterhenn1 for compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The methodology is successfully applied to a tide-influenced incised

Cross-stratified Wood: Enigmatic Woody Debris Deposits in Warm-Polar Fluvial Sediments (Pliocene Beaufort Formation, Nunavut)

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, N. S.; Gosse, J. C.; Rybczynski, N.

2012-04-01

Woody debris has been an important sediment component and a significant geomorphic agent in pristine fluvial systems since the Devonian. In recent years a large volume of research has focussed on various aspects of the importance of woody debris within the fluvial realm; from the evolutionary significance of fossil wood accumulations in the rock record to studies of the biogeomorphological and ecological importance of woody debris in modern rivers. In this presentation we describe cross-stratified woody debris deposits comprising organic detritus from a boreal-type treeline forest that included species of pine, birch, poplar, alder, spruce, eastern cedar, and larch, in both shrub and tree form. The cross-stratified wood is an enigmatic subset of fine woody debris which, to our knowledge, has never before been described from either the global stratigraphic record or modern fluvial environments. The deposits we describe are located within the Pliocene Beaufort Formation on Meighen Island, Nunavut, Canada, at a latitude of 80°N, and are compared with other cross-stratified woody debris deposits that have been noted elsewhere in the Pliocene of the Canadian Arctic. We make the robust observation that these deposits appear to be geographically and stratigraphically restricted to polar latitudes from a period of warm climatic conditions during the Pliocene (15-20 °C warmer mean annual temperature than the present day). In this regard it is possible to speculate that the transport of large amounts of woody debris as bedload is potentially a unique feature of forested high latitude rivers. Such bedload deposition requires a large amount of woody debris with a greater density than the fluid transporting it. The softwood composition of the debris suggests that this was most likely attained by saturation and subsequent entrainment of extensive accumulations of deadwood, promoted by unusually high rates of tree mortality and low rates of bacterial decomposition arising from

Formation of topographically inverted fluvial deposits on Earth and Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Hayden, A.; Lamb, M. P.; Fischer, W. W.; Ewing, R. C.; McElroy, B. J.

2016-12-01

Sinuous ridges interpreted as exhumed river deposits (so-called "inverted channels") are common features on Mars that show promise for quantifying ancient martian surface hydrology. Morphological similarity of these inverted channels to river channels led to a "landscape inversion hypothesis" in which the geometries of ridges and ridge networks accurately reflect the geometries of the paleo-river channels and networks. An alternative "deposit inversion hypothesis" proposes that ridges represent eroded fluvial channel-belt deposits with channel-body geometries that may differ significantly from those of the rivers that built the deposit. To investigate these hypotheses we studied the sedimentology and morphology of inverted channels in Jurassic and Cretaceous outcrops in Utah and the Aeolis Dorsa region of Mars. Ridges in Utah extend for hundreds of meters, are tens of meters wide, and stand up to 30 meters above the surrounding plain. A thick ribbon-geometry sandstone or conglomerate body caps overbank mudstone, paleosols, and thin crevasse-splay sandstone beds. Caprock beds consist of stacked dune- to bar-scale trough cross sets, mud intraclasts, and in cases scroll bars indicating meandering. In plan view, ridge networks bifurcate; however, crosscutting relationships show that distinct sandstone channel bodies at distinct stratigraphic levels intersect at these junctions. Ridge-forming sandstone bodies have been narrowed from their original dimensions by cliff retreat and bisected by modern fluvial erosion and mass wasting. We therefore interpret the sinuous ridges in Utah as eroded remnants of channel-belt sandstone bodies formed by laterally migrating and avulsing rivers rather than channel fills - consistent with deposit inversion. If the sinuous ridges in Aeolis Dorsa also formed by deposit inversion, river widths previously interpreted under the landscape inversion hypothesis are overestimated by up to a factor of 10 and discharges by up to a factor of 100.

Fluvial sediment transport in a glacier-fed high-mountain river (Riffler Bach, Austrian Alps)

Science.gov (United States)

Morche, David; Weber, Martin; Faust, Matthias; Schuchardt, Anne; Baewert, Henning

2017-04-01

High-alpine environments are strongly affected by glacier retreat since the Little Ice Age (LIA). Due to ongoing climate change the hydrology of proglacial rivers is also influenced. It is expected that the growing proportions of snow melt and rainfall events will change runoff characteristics of proglacial rivers. Additionally, the importance of paraglacial sediment sources in recently deglaciating glacier forefields is increasing, while the role of glacial erosion is declining. Thus complex environmental conditions leading to a complex pattern of fluvial sediment transport in partly glaciated catchments of the European Alps. Under the umbrella of the joint PROSA-project the fluvial sediment transport of the river Riffler Bach (Kaunertal, Tyrol, Austria) was studied in 3 consecutive ablation seasons in order to quantify sediment yields. In June 2012 a probe for water level and an automatic water sampler (AWS) were installed at the outlet of the catchment (20km2). In order to calculate annual stage-discharge-relations by the rating-curve approach, discharge (Q) was repeatedly measured with current meters and by salt dilution. Concurrent to the discharge measurements bed load was collected using a portable Helley-Smith sampler. Bed load samples were weighted and sieved in the laboratory to gain annual bed load rating curves and grain size distributions. In total 564 (2012: 154, 2013: 209, 2014: 201) water samples were collected and subsequently filtered to quantify suspended sediment concentrations (SSC). Q-SSC-relations were calculated for single flood events due to the high variability of suspended sediment transport. The results show a high inter- and intra-annual variability of solid fluvial sediment transport, which can be explained by the characteristics of suspended sediment transport. Only 13 of 22 event-based Q-SSC-relations show causal dependency. In 2012, during a period with multiple pluvial-induced peak discharges most sediment was transported. On the

Soil Fertility Gradient in the Restinga Ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

América Castelar da Cunha, Joana; Casagrande, José Carlos; Soares, Marcio Roberto; Martins Bonilha, Rodolfo

2013-04-01

The restinga ecosystem (coastal plain vegetation) can be termed as a set of plant communities that suffer strong influenced by fluvial and marine factors and is characterized as an ecosystem of great biological diversity, therefore, represents areas of great importance in the context of ecological preservation. The degradation processes from many forms of anthropogenic disturbances that has taken place since the colonization of the country, made studies on the characterization and dynamics of soil fertility of these areas even more important in relation to the maintenance of its biodiversity and conservation. The sites studied were the Cardoso Island and Comprida Island, and in these, we analyzed four physiognomies, restinga, low restinga, dune and antedune (from continent to ocean). Chemical analyses were performed and soil salinity in these areas in depths 0-5; 0-10; 0-20; 20-40; 40-60 cm. In all soils the cationic exchange capacity was intimately associated with the concentration of soil organic matter, which makes this parameter essential to the maintenance of soil fertility of these areas; in more superficial layers (0-20 cm) there was an increase of pH and base saturation and decline of organic matter, aluminum saturation and cationic exchange capacity in the nearby sea, physiognomies what determines the existence of fertility gradient towards the continent-coast; restinga forests showed a chemical standard that is heavily marked by sandy texture, high degree of leaching, nutrient poverty, low base saturation, high saturation by aluminum and acidity, opposite conditions to soils of the dunes and antedunes, with the exception of sandy texture; despite the existence of a chemical gradient of fertility among the physiognomies studied it is possible to determine the soil acts more strongly as a physical support than as provider of fertility; as for salinity, soil collected in Cardoso Island did not present salinity in any depth, a fact which can be explained due

Characterization of organic matter in dusts and fluvial sediments from exposed areas of dowtown Prague, Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sýkorová, Ivana; Havelcová, Martina; Trejtnarová, Hana; Matysová, Petra; Vašíček, Michal; Suchý, V.; Kříbek, B.

2009-01-01

Roč. 80, č. 2 (2009), s. 69-86 ISSN 0166-5162 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA300460804 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30460519 Keywords : dust * fluvial sediment * carbonaceous particles Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 1.924, year: 2009

Middel Pleistocene to Holocene fluvial terrace development and uplift-driven valley incision in the SE Carpathians, Romania

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Necea, D.; Fielitz, W.; Andriessen, P.A.M.; Dinu, C.

2013-01-01

This study reveals that in the SE Carpathians terrace development and fluvial incision during the Middle Pleistocene-Holocene are predominantly controlled by tectonic uplift as shown by terrace distributions and uplift amounts and rates. The work focuses on a transect from the internal nappes and

Assessment of spatiotemporal variations in the fluvial wash-load component in the 21st century with regard to GCM climate change scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mouri, Goro

2015-01-01

For stream water, in which a relationship exists between wash-load concentration and discharge, an estimate of fine-sediment delivery may be obtained from a traditional fluvial wash-load rating curve. Here, we demonstrate that the remaining wash-load material load can be estimated from a traditional empirical principle on a nationwide scale. The traditional technique was applied to stream water for the whole of Japan. Four typical GCMs were selected from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) ensemble to provide the driving fields for the following regional climate models to assess the wash-load component based on rating curves: the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC), the Meteorological Research Institute Atmospheric General Circulation Model (MRI-GCM), the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model (HadGEM) and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) climate model. The simulations consisted of an ensemble, including multiple physics configurations and different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), which was used to produce monthly datasets for the whole country of Japan. The impacts of future climate changes on fluvial wash load in Japanese stream water were based on the balance of changes in hydrological factors. The annual and seasonal variations of the fluvial wash load were assessed from the result of the ensemble analysis in consideration of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission scenarios. The determined results for the amount of wash load increase range from approximately 20 to 110% in the 2040s, especially along part of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan regions. In the 2090s, the amount of wash load is projected to increase by more than 50% over the whole of Japan. The assessment indicates that seasonal variation is particularly important because the rainy and typhoon seasons, which include extreme events, are the dominant seasons. Because fluvial wash-load-component turbidity

Assessment of spatiotemporal variations in the fluvial wash-load component in the 21st century with regard to GCM climate change scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mouri, Goro, E-mail: mouri@rainbow.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp

2015-11-15

For stream water, in which a relationship exists between wash-load concentration and discharge, an estimate of fine-sediment delivery may be obtained from a traditional fluvial wash-load rating curve. Here, we demonstrate that the remaining wash-load material load can be estimated from a traditional empirical principle on a nationwide scale. The traditional technique was applied to stream water for the whole of Japan. Four typical GCMs were selected from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) ensemble to provide the driving fields for the following regional climate models to assess the wash-load component based on rating curves: the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC), the Meteorological Research Institute Atmospheric General Circulation Model (MRI-GCM), the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model (HadGEM) and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) climate model. The simulations consisted of an ensemble, including multiple physics configurations and different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), which was used to produce monthly datasets for the whole country of Japan. The impacts of future climate changes on fluvial wash load in Japanese stream water were based on the balance of changes in hydrological factors. The annual and seasonal variations of the fluvial wash load were assessed from the result of the ensemble analysis in consideration of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission scenarios. The determined results for the amount of wash load increase range from approximately 20 to 110% in the 2040s, especially along part of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan regions. In the 2090s, the amount of wash load is projected to increase by more than 50% over the whole of Japan. The assessment indicates that seasonal variation is particularly important because the rainy and typhoon seasons, which include extreme events, are the dominant seasons. Because fluvial wash-load-component turbidity

Cover crops impact on excess rainfall and soil erosion rates in orchards and potato fields, Israel

Science.gov (United States)

Egozi, Roey; Gil, Eshel

2015-04-01

Bare soil and high drainage densities are common characteristics of intensive agriculture land. The couplings of these characteristics lead to high runoff and eroded soil volumes leaving the field or the orchard via the local drainage system into the fluvial system. This process increase flood risk due to massive deposition of the coarse fraction of the eroded soil and therefore reduces channel capacity to discharge the increase volumes of concentrated runoff. As a result drainage basin authorities are forced to invest large amount of money in maintaining and enlarging the drainage network. However this approach is un-sustainable. On the other hand, implementing cover crops (CC) and modification to current agricultural practices over the contributing area of the watershed seems to have more benefits and provide sustainable solution. A multi-disciplinary approach applied in commercial potatoes fields and orchards that utilize the benefit of CC shows great success as means of soil and water conservation and weed disinfestation without reduction in the yield, its quality or its profitability. The results indicate that it is possible to grow potatoes and citrus trees under CC with no reduction in yield or nutrient uptake, with more than 95% reduction in soil loss and more than 60% in runoff volumes and peak discharges.

Geocronología de los yacimientos achelenses de Pinedo y Cien Fanegas (Valle del Tajo) e implicaciones en la evolución fluvial en el entorno de Toledo (España)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

López-Recio, M.; Silva, P. G.; Roquero, E.

2015-01-01

This study presents the first geochronological data from several research projects focused on the chronostratigraphy of the Tagus fluvial terraces in the environs of Toledo city (Central Spain). The research is centered on Middle to Late Pleistocene fluvial terraces with palaeontological and Ache...

Compound simulation of fluvial floods and storm surges in a global coupled river-coast flood model: Model development and its application to 2007 Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Ikeuchi, Hiroaki; Hirabayashi, Yukiko; Yamazaki, Dai; Muis, Sanne; Ward, Philip J.; Winsemius, Hessel C.; Verlaan, Martin; Kanae, Shinjiro

2017-08-01

Water-related disasters, such as fluvial floods and cyclonic storm surges, are a major concern in the world's mega-delta regions. Furthermore, the simultaneous occurrence of extreme discharges from rivers and storm surges could exacerbate flood risk, compared to when they occur separately. Hence, it is of great importance to assess the compound risks of fluvial and coastal floods at a large scale, including mega-deltas. However, most studies on compound fluvial and coastal flooding have been limited to relatively small scales, and global-scale or large-scale studies have not yet addressed both of them. The objectives of this study are twofold: to develop a global coupled river-coast flood model; and to conduct a simulation of compound fluvial flooding and storm surges in Asian mega-delta regions. A state-of-the-art global river routing model was modified to represent the influence of dynamic sea surface levels on river discharges and water levels. We conducted the experiments by coupling a river model with a global tide and surge reanalysis data set. Results show that water levels in deltas and estuaries are greatly affected by the interaction between river discharge, ocean tides and storm surges. The effects of storm surges on fluvial flooding are further examined from a regional perspective, focusing on the case of Cyclone Sidr in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta in 2007. Modeled results demonstrate that a >3 m storm surge propagated more than 200 km inland along rivers. We show that the performance of global river routing models can be improved by including sea level dynamics.

Reconstructing Early Pleistocene (1.3 Ma) terrestrial environmental change in western Anatolia: Did it drive fluvial terrace formation?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldkamp, A.; Candy, I.; Jongmans, A.G.; Maddy, D.; Demir, T.; Schoorl, J.M.; Schreve, D.; Stemerdink, C.; Schriek, van der T.

2015-01-01

A terrestrial environmental reconstruction of an Early Pleistocene landscape from western Anatolia is presented. The basis of this reconstruction is a sedimentary stack comprising fluvial and colluvial slope deposits. Contained within this stack is a sequence comprising two massive laminar calcretes

A Layered Past: the Transformation and Development of Legacy Sediments as Alluvial Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, A.; Richter, D. D., Jr.

2017-12-01

Legacy sediments are a widespread consequence of post-colonial upland erosion in the United States. Although these deposits are ubiquitous in valley bottoms of the southeastern Piedmont, mature hardwood forests and collapsed stream banks mask their occurrence. While these deposits have been studied for their fluvial dynamics and water quality impacts, they have received less attention in regards to soil structure and formation. In this study, we characterized legacy sediment mineraology, composition and structure to understand how pedogenic processes are overprinting sediment layering in a 40-hectare Piedmont floodplain. To constrain the timing of deposition, we used Pb-210 and C-14 dating on buried charcoal and tree stumps. Our results show that in 100 years of forest regeneration, vegetation and oscillating floodplain conditions have driven these eroded sediment deposits to evolve as soil profiles both in structure and composition. These textural and nutrient gradients have ramifications for the subsurface flow of nutrients through the floodplain. Given the estimated millennia it will take to erode legacy sediment from Piedmont floodplains, it is important to think of these deposits as new stable environments on their own trajectory of soil evolution.

La Pérdida de Espacios Fluviales en Andalucía (1956-2007. Una Aproximación Escalar.

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David González-Rojas

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Desde mediados del siglo pasado, los espacios fluviales andaluces han conocido un acelerado proceso de degradación. En el presente artículo se realiza una aproximación histórica y multiescalar de la distribución de estos espacios a partir de los mapas de usos y coberturas vegetales. A escala regional, se evidencia que Andalucía ha perdido una décima parte de los espacios fluviales en seis décadas. En segundo lugar, se analiza, a escala local, dos casos paradigmáticos (río Guadalmina y río Guadalquivir y extensibles al resto del territorio. El esfuerzo realizado para la ordenación de los ríos no ha tenido su reflejo en los resultados obtenidos, siendo las interrelaciones entre la gestión del agua y del territorio (regional, subregional y municipal una cuestión no resuelta.

Evidence of population resistance to extreme low flows in a fluvial-dependent fish species

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Rachel A.; Freeman, Mary C.

2015-01-01

Extreme low streamflows are natural disturbances to aquatic populations. Species in naturally intermittent streams display adaptations that enhance persistence during extreme events; however, the fate of populations in perennial streams during unprecedented low-flow periods is not well-understood. Biota requiring swift-flowing habitats may be especially vulnerable to flow reductions. We estimated the abundance and local survival of a native fluvial-dependent fish species (Etheostoma inscriptum) across 5 years encompassing historic low flows in a sixth-order southeastern USA perennial river. Based on capturemark-recapture data, the study shoal may have acted as a refuge during severe drought, with increased young-of-the-year (YOY) recruitment and occasionally high adult immigration. Contrary to expectations, summer and autumn survival rates (30 days) were not strongly depressed during low-flow periods, despite 25%-80% reductions in monthly discharge. Instead, YOY survival increased with lower minimum discharge and in response to small rain events that increased low-flow variability. Age-1+ fish showed the opposite pattern, with survival decreasing in response to increasing low-flow variability. Results from this population dynamics study of a small fish in a perennial river suggest that fluvial-dependent species can be resistant to extreme flow reductions through enhanced YOY recruitment and high survival

Caracterización estacional del hábitat fluvial del río Erro (Navarra

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P.M. Leunda, R. Miranda, M.C. Escala

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Se presenta la descripción de catorce tramos representativos del río Erro (Navarra a partir de la caracterización del hábitat fluvial llevada a cabo en invierno, verano y otoño de 2002. Para este estudio se han considerado parámetros tanto del hábitat físico (profundidad, anchura del cauce, pendiente de las orillas, velocidad del agua, tipo de sustrato, vegetación acuática y sombreado como físico-químicos del agua (temperatura, pH, conductividad, sólicos disueltos y oxigeno disuelto. El análisis de las caracteristicas del rio Erro permite considerar su estado general como bueno, aunque se detecta la presencia de un tramo sensible aguas abajo de la localidad de Erro. Si bien este tramo sensible presenta niveles de conservación aceptables, es susceptible de deteriorarse si no de adoptan las medidas oportunas para su conservación. Se sugiere su inclusión en el Lugar de Interés Comunitario (Red Natura 2000 de Navarra de los "Sistemas Fluviales de lis Ríos Irati, Urrobi y Erro".

Fluvial sedimentology of a major uranium-bearing sandstone - A study of the Westwater Canyon member of the Morrison Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner-Peterson, C.E.

1986-01-01

The Westwater Canyon Member of the Morrison Formation, the main ore-bearing sandstone in the San Juan basin, consists of a sequence of vertically stacked braided stream deposits. Three fluvial units within the sequence can be delineated in the basin. Volcanic pebbles are abundant in the middle fluvial unit, in a zone that forms a crude time line. A pronounced thickening of sandstone in the Westwater Canyon Member north of Gallup, once believed to be the apex of a large alluvial fan, is now thought to merely reflect a greater accumulation of sediment in response to downwarping of the basin in that area. Provenance studies suggest that highlands that contributed detritus to Westwater Canyon streams were located several hundred kilometers to the west and southwest of the San Juan basin, and thus fan apices would also have been several hundred kilometers upstream. The fluvial units recognized in the basin may well be coalesced distal fan deposits, but are probably best interpreted as vertically stacked braided steam sequences. Facies changes in fine-grained interbeds of the Westwater Canyon probably have greater significance in terms of localizing ore than any special attribute of the fluvial sandstones themselves. Uranium ore generally occurs in sandstones that are interbedded with greenish-gray lacustrine mudstones. Pore waters that were expelled from these mudstones are thought to have been the source of the pore-filling organic matter (humate) associated with primary uranium ore in nearby sandstones

Reconstructing late quaternary fluvial process controls in the upper aller valley (north Germany) by means of numerical modeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldkamp, A.; Berg, van den M.; Dijke, van J.J.; Berg van Saparoea, van den R.M.

2002-01-01

The morpho-genetic evolution of the upper Aller valley (Weser basin, North Germany) was reconstructed using geological and geomorphologic data integrated within a numerical process model framework (FLUVER-2). The current relief was shaped by Pre-Elsterian fluvial processes, Elsterian and Saalian ice

Reconstructing Late Quaternary fluvial process controls in the upper Aller Valley (North Germany) by means of numerical modeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldkamp, A.; Berg, M.W. van den; Dijke, J.J. van; Berg van den; Saparoea, R.M. van

2002-01-01

The morpho-genetic evolution of the upper Aller valley (Weser basin, North Germany) was reconstructed using geological and geomorphologic data integrated within a numerical process model framework (FLUVER-2). The current relief was shaped by Pre-Elsterian fluvial processes, Elsterian and Saalian ice

Étude préliminaire de recrutement fluvial de l'anguille

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LEGAULT A.

1994-10-01

La passe piège représente la seule voie de franchissement de l'obstacle. L'évaluation des captures permet d'estimer le taux de recrutement du bassin versant pour l'année 1992. Il s'établit à 561 individus par km2 de bassin versant. L'évaluation annuelle de ce taux pourrait être utilisée afin de suivre la dynamique du stock à l'échelle du bassin versant. Ces évaluations, conduites à l'échelle de l'aire de répartition européenne de l'anguille, pourraient permettre d'établir le recrutement fluvial annuel et ses fluctuations.

Phytolith analysis in fluvial quaternary sediment (San Salvador and Palmar formation) Uruguay river and Argentina eastern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterer, N.; Passeggi, E.; Zucol, A.; Brea, M.; Krohling, D.

2012-01-01

This work is about two microfossils fluvial units deposited by the Uruguay river during the Quaternary. These are San Salvador and Palmar formation (Plio-Pleistocene - Upper Pleistocene).The Palmar formation is a band of 4-15 km along the right bank of the Uruguay river outcropping from the eastern provinces of Corrientes and Entre Rios, to Concepcion del Uruguay

Relevance of the Paraná River hydrology on the fluvial water quality of the Delta Biosphere Reserve.

Science.gov (United States)

Puig, Alba; Olguín Salinas, Héctor F; Borús, Juan A

2016-06-01

The increasing frequency of extreme events in large rivers may affect not only their flow, but also their water quality. In the present study, spatial and temporal changes in fluvial physico-chemical variables were analyzed in a mega-river delta during two extreme hydrological years (La Niña-El Niño) and related to potential explanatory factors. Basic water variables were evaluated in situ at 13 points (distant 2-35 km from each other) in watercourses of the Delta Biosphere Reserve (890 km(2)) in the Lower Paraná River (Argentina) in nine surveys (October 2008-July 2010) without meteorological tides. Samples for laboratory analyses were collected from each main river. Multivariate tests by permutations were applied. The period studied was influenced by a drought, within a long period dominated by low flows combined with dry weather and wildfires, and a large (10 years of recurrence) and prolonged (7 months) flood. The hydrological phase, followed by the season and the hydrological year (according to the ENSO event) were the principal explanatory factors of the main water quality changes, whereas the drainage sub-basin and the fluvial environment (river or stream) were secondary explanatory factors. During the drought period, conductivity, turbidity, and associated variables (e.g., major ions, silicon, and iron concentrations) were maximal, whereas real color was minimal. In the overbanking flood phase, pH and dissolved oxygen concentration were minimal, whereas real color was maximal. Dissolved oxygen saturation was also low in the receding flood phase and total major ion load doubled after the arrival of the overbanking stage. The water quality of these watercourses may be affected by the combination of several influences, such as the Paraná River flow, the pulses with sediments and solutes from the Bermejo River, the export of the Delta floodplain properties mainly by the flood, the season, and the saline tributaries to the Lower Paraná River. The high

Implications of sedimentological studies for environmental pollution assessment and management: Examples from fluvial systems in North Queensland and Western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Eyre, Bradley; McConchie, David

1993-05-01

Sedimentology is of increasing importance in environmental research, particularly environmental pollution studies, where past trends in environmental processes need to be combined with data on present conditions to predict likely future changes—the past and present as a key to the future. Two examples are used to illustrate the role of sedimentology in assessing the influence of major processes on the transport, accumulation, deposition and modification of contaminants in fluvial/estuarine systems and in developing environmental management plans. Example 1 shows that when assessing nutrient behaviour in fluvial/estuarine depositional settings, it is important to examine the partitioning of phosphorus between grain size fractions to evaluate the sedimentological processes which control the dispersion and trapping of these contaminants. Example 2 shows that in studies of anthropogenic metal inputs to modern depositional settings, lateral and stratigraphic trends in sediment texture and mineralogy should be examined, in addition to trends in metal loads and evaluation of the prevailing physical, chemical and biological processes that may influence metal mobility and dispersion. Clearly, basic sedimentological data should form part of any assessment of potentially contaminated sites and part of investigations into the dispersion and trapping of contaminants in fluvial systems. These data are also required for rational environmental management to ensure that planning decisions are compatible with natural environmental constraints.

DOS SISTEMAS AMBIENTAIS AO SISTEMA FLUVIAL – UMA REVISÃO DE CONCEITOS

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Jonas Otaviano Praça de Souza

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Tentando consolidar as noções de totalidade, a geografia física passa a utilizar a noção de sistemas dinâmicos, não lineares e de comportamento caótico. Deste modo, a abordagem sistêmica/complexa apresenta-se como meio de compreensão do mundo natural, assim possibilitando a previsão de mudanças, avaliação dos sistemas ambientais, distúrbios e limiares do sistema. Nota-se, assim, a importância dos estudos processuais para o gerenciamento de recursos hídricos, tornando imprescindíveis estudos sistêmicos que analisem os diversos elementos importantes para a análise dos recursos hídricos, dentre eles as questões processuais. Deste modo, a necessidade de se trabalhar o gerenciamento integrado de recursos hídricos, enquadrado na perspectiva sistêmica, solidificou a bacia hidrográfica e/ou bacia de drenagem como recorte espacial sistêmico. Delimitada a área pode-se compreender a bacia hidrográfica como um Sistema Fluvial, conceituado por Schumm (1977, que é analisado a partir da zona fonte de sedimentos, da rede de transporte e dos sítios de deposição. Esses elementos não são espacialmente excludentes, interagindo entre si, além de apresentar escalas diferenciadas. Para o estudo do sistema fluvial é necessário levar em consideração quatro conceitos: uniformidade dos processos, limiares de mudança, evolução da paisagem e respostas complexas.

Volcanic or Fluvial Channels on Ascraeus Mons: Focus on the Source Area of Sinuous Channels on the Southeast Rift Apron

Science.gov (United States)

Signorella, J. D.; de Wet, A. P.; Bleacher, J. E.; Collins, A.; Schierl, Z. P.; Schwans, B.

2012-03-01

This study focuses on the source area of sinuous channels on the southeast rift apron on Ascraeus Mons, Mars and attempts to understand whether the channels were formed through volcanic or fluvial processes.

Tipping points in Anthropocene fluvial dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Notebaert, Bastiaan; Broothaerts, Nils; Verstraeten, Gert; Berger, Jean-François; Houbrechts, Geoffrey

2016-04-01

Many rivers have undergone dramatic changes over the last millennia due to anthropogenic on- and offsite impacts. These changes have important implications for the geomorphic and hydrological functioning of the river. In this study we compare the influence of large-scaled off-site anthropogenic impact on three European river systems. We do this using traditional geomorphological methods, combined with palynological and archaeological data; for each catchment a Holocene sediment budget was constructed. The Dijle catchment is located in the central Belgian loess belt, and has undergone intense agriculture for at least the last 2000 year. Pre-Anthropocene floodplain are big marshes lacking a well-established river channel. Anthropogenic deforestation in the headwaters resulted in a sediment pulse from the Bronze Age on. In the main floodplain sediments gradually covered the peat layer, starting near a newly formed river channel and expanding over time towards the floodplain edges. In contrast, this transition is abrupt in the smaller tributary floodplains. Comparison with palynological data shows that this abrupt transition occurs when human impact reaches a certain threshold. The Valdaine region is located in the French Pre-Alps. Floodplain deposition increased over time since the Neolithic time period due to human induced and fire related soil erosion. This general aggradation trend is however interrupted by three major river incision phases which are caused by human land abandonment and dry periods. A second major change in floodplain geomorphology occurs during the High Roman Period and the last 800 year: the fine-grained meandering river changes to a gravel loaded braided river. During this period the upstream mountain reaches became a major sediment source due to deforestation, possibly combined with climate change. During the last century reforestation and land abandonment has led to a new incision phases, and floodplain are now a major source of gravel while

Temporal correlation of fluvial and alluvial sequences in the Makran Range, SE-Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Kober, F.; Zeilinger, G.; Ivy-Ochs, S.; Dolati, A.; Smit, J.; Burg, J.-P.; Bahroudi, A.; Kubik, P. W.; Baur, H.; Wieler, R.; Haghipour, N.

2009-04-01

The Makran region of southeastern Iran is an active accretionary wedge with a partially subaerial component. New investigations have revealed a rather complex geodynamic evolution of the Makran active accretionary wedge that is not yet fully understood in its entity. Ongoing convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian plates and tectonic activity since the late Mesozoic has extended all trough the Quaternary. We focus here on fluvial and alluvial sequences in tectonically separated basins that have been deposited probably in the Pliocene/Quaternary, based on stratigraphic classification in official geological maps, in order to understand the climatic and tectonic forces occurring during the ongoing accretionary wegde formation. Specifically, we investigate the influence of Quaternary climate variations (Pleistocene cold period, monsoonal variations) on erosional and depositional processes in the (semi)arid Makran as well as local and regional tectonic forces in the Coastal and Central Makran Range region. Necessary for such an analysis is a temporal calibration of alluvial and fluvial terrace sequences that will allow an inter-basin correlation. We utilize the exposure age dating method using terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) due to the lack of otherwise datatable material in the arid Makran region. Limited radiocarbon data are only available for marine terraces (wave-cut platforms). Our preliminary 21Ne and 10Be TCN-ages of amalgamated clast samples from (un)deformed terrace and alluvial sequences range from ~250 ky to present day (modern wash). These ages agree in relative terms with sequences previously assigned by other investigations through correlation of Quaternary sequences from Central and Western Iran regions. However, our minimum ages suggest that all age sequences are of middle to late Pleistocene age, compared to Pliocene age estimates previously assigned for the oldest units. Although often suggested, a genetical relation and connection of those

Regional Contamination of Moravia (South-Eastern Czech Republic): Temporal Shift of Pb and Zn Loading in Fluvial Sediments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Matys Grygar, Tomáš; Sedláček, J.; Bábek, O.; Nováková, Tereza; Strnad, L.; Mihaljevič, M.

2012-01-01

Roč. 223, č. 2 (2012), s. 739-753 ISSN 0049-6979 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00130801 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : fluvial sediments * Pb * Zn * regional contamination Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 1.748, year: 2012

Floodplain forest succession reveals fluvial processes: A hydrogeomorphic model for temperate riparian woodlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Egger, Gregory; Politti, Emilio; Lautsch, Erwin; Benjankar, Rohan; Gill, Karen M; Rood, Stewart B

2015-09-15

River valley floodplains are physically-dynamic environments where fluvial processes determine habitat gradients for riparian vegetation. These zones support trees and shrubs whose life stages are adapted to specific habitat types and consequently forest composition and successional stage reflect the underlying hydrogeomorphic processes and history. In this study we investigated woodland vegetation composition, successional stage and habitat properties, and compared these with physically-based indicators of hydraulic processes. We thus sought to develop a hydrogeomorphic model to evaluate riparian woodland condition based on the spatial mosaic of successional phases of the floodplain forest. The study investigated free-flowing and dam-impacted reaches of the Kootenai and Flathead Rivers, in Idaho and Montana, USA and British Columbia, Canada. The analyses revealed strong correspondence between vegetation assessments and metrics of fluvial processes indicating morphodynamics (erosion and shear stress), inundation and depth to groundwater. The results indicated that common successional stages generally occupied similar hydraulic environments along the different river segments. Comparison of the spatial patterns between the free-flowing and regulated reaches revealed greater deviation from the natural condition for the braided channel segment than for the meandering segment. This demonstrates the utility of the hydrogeomorphic approach and suggests that riparian woodlands along braided channels could have lower resilience than those along meandering channels and might be more vulnerable to influences such as from river damming or climate change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arctic deltaic lake sediments as recorders of fluvial organic matter deposition

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Jorien E Vonk

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Arctic deltas are dynamic and vulnerable regions that play a key role in land-ocean interactions and the global carbon cycle. Delta lakes may provide valuable historical records of the quality and quantity of fluvial fluxes, parameters that are challenging to investigate in these remote regions. Here we study lakes from across the Mackenzie Delta, Arctic Canada, that receive fluvial sediments from the Mackenzie River when spring flood water levels rise above natural levees. We compare downcore lake sediments with suspended sediments collected during the spring flood, using bulk (% organic carbon, % total nitrogen, 13C, 14C and molecular organic geochemistry (lignin, leaf waxes. High-resolution age models (137Cs, 210Pb of downcore lake sediment records (n=11 along with lamina counting on high-resolution radiographs show sediment deposition frequencies ranging between annually to every 15 years. Down-core geochemical variability in a representative delta lake sediment core is consistent with historical variability in spring flood hydrology (variability in peak discharge, ice jamming, peak water levels. Comparison with earlier published Mackenzie River depth profiles shows that (i lake sediments reflect the riverine surface suspended load, and (ii hydrodynamic sorting patterns related to spring flood characteristics are reflected in the lake sediments. Bulk and molecular geochemistry of suspended particulate matter from the spring flood peak and lake sediments are relatively similar showing a mixture of modern higher-plant derived material, older terrestrial permafrost material, and old rock-derived material. This suggests that deltaic lake sedimentary records hold great promise as recorders of past (century-scale riverine fluxes and may prove instrumental in shedding light on past behaviour of arctic rivers, as well as how they respond to a changing climate.

Fluvial sedimentary styles and associated depositional environments in the buntsandstein west of river rhine in saar area and pfalz (F.R. Germany) and vosges (France)

Science.gov (United States)

Dachroth, Wolfgang

The Buntsandstein west of river Rhine in Saar area, Pfalz and Vosges consists of three fluvial magnacycles which are characterized by different associated non-alluvial environments. The stratigraphic sequence is divided by several unconformities reflecting tectonic movements which were connected with periods of extension of the depositional area. Two major phases and two minor events are recognized by the evaluation of the Pfalz unconformity and the Lothringen unconformity, and the Leuter unconformity and the Saar unconformity, respectively. The Lower Buntsandstein (including Zechstein) compries the first magnacycle and is built up of alluvial-fan deposits, fluvial braidplain sediments and marine to lagoonal deposits. Some aeolian sands as well as several palaeosols are also present. The palaeolandscape consists of alluvial fans seaming the margin of the basin and fluvial braidplains reaching from the toes of the fan belt to the centre of the depositional area which is occupied by a lagoonal sea that partially evolves into a playa-lake with progressive refreshment. The Middle Buntsandstein comprises the second magnacycle and is composed of an alternation of aeolian Dünnschichten and fluvial Felsbänke. The third facies are alluvial-fan deposits of palaeogeographically restricted distribution along the margins of the basin. The aeolian Dünnschichten originate in the marginal parts of chott-type depressions (in comparison with the recent Chott Djerid in Tunesia) where rising ground water moistens the dry sediments that are laid down on the playa floor and thus allows their enhanced preservation. In dry periods, wind-blown sand is spread out as plane sheets or as migrating wind ripple trains, or accumulates to barchanoid-type dunes that advance across the flat. Depending on supply of sand, all stages of transition between dune fields with only narrow interdune corridors between the ridges and interdune playas with isolated widely-spaced dunes are developed. The

VARIAÇÃO ESPACIAL E CONDICIONANTES DO ENTALHAMENTO FLUVIAL NA BACIA DO RIO GRANDE, SUL DE MINAS GERAIS

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Éric Andrade Rezende

2016-12-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho pretende avaliar as variações no aprofundamento da drenagem na alta/média bacia do Rio Grande, sul de Minas Gerais. Para a mensuração do entalhamento fluvial (amplitude altimétrica em cada trecho dos canais fluviais foi utilizada a base ottocodificada em conjunto com o modelo digital de elevação SRTM/Topodata. A distribuição das classes de amplitude mostrou que na maior parte da alta/média bacia do Rio Grande o entalhamento fluvial situa-se entre 40 e 120 m. Valores superiores a 120 m concentram-se principalmente na Serra da Mantiqueira, junto às cabeceiras dos principais rios. O controle litológico sobre a distribuição das classes de amplitude é espacialmente restrito, o que sugere que a tectônica cenozoica é o principal fator controlador da intensidade da incisão fluvial. A boa correspondência entre classes de amplitude e falhas mapeadas indica a atuação de soerguimentos diferenciais entre blocos, com o consequente rebaixamento de níveis de base regionais nos blocos baixos. Esse controle é mais evidente na porção sul da área, com destaque para a zona de cisalhamento de Jesuânia (ENE. Nesse contexto, as áreas mais soerguidas são as porções da Serra da Mantiqueira que reúnem as principais concentrações de amplitudes superiores a 200 m. Mais ao norte merecem destaque as áreas com concentrações anômalas de amplitudes relativamente elevadas ao norte de Três Corações e na média/baixa bacia do Rio Jacaré. No primeiro caso um considerável soerguimento neocenozoico também deve ter ocorrido, enquanto no segundo as amplitudes mais elevadas aparentemente estão relacionadas à retração erosiva de um knickpoint com o consequente rejuvenescimento do relevo. A predominância de amplitudes menores (< 80 m na porção oriental, drenada por afluentes do alto Rio Grande, em relação à porção ocidental (sub-bacia do Rio Sapucaí aparenta estar relacionada à presença de soleiras quartz

Código del Consumidor y transporte fluvial en Loreto, San Martín y Ucayali. Análisis a dos años de su vigencia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Enrique Reátegui Ríos

2013-12-01

Full Text Available El transporte fluvial es una de las principales modalidades de transporte empleada en los departamentos de Loreto, San Martín y Ucayali. El principal problema que afecta al sector es el elevado nivel de informalidad que perjudica a sus usuarios, la mayoría de los cuales se encuentra en situación de pobreza o extrema pobreza. El Indecopi ha desarrollado acciones concretas con la finalidad de lograr una protección y una efectiva defensa de los derechos del consumidor, para lo cual, articula esfuerzos con otras instituciones para garantizar un servicio de transporte fluvial de calidad y seguro. El presente artículo presenta brevemente algunos datos sobre la prestación del servicio de transporte fluvial en los departamentos de Loreto, San Martín y Ucayali, la intervención del INDECOPI y algunas reflexiones respecto al rol que compete al Estado en este sector.

Fluvial sediment transport: Analytical techniques for measuring sediment load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-07-01

Sediment transport data are often used for the evaluation of land surface erosion, reservoir sedimentation, ecological habitat quality and coastal sediment budgets. Sediment transport by rivers is usually considered to occur in two major ways: (1) in the flow as a suspended load and (2) along the bed as a bed load. This publication provides guidance on selected techniques for the measurement of particles moving in both modes in the fluvial environment. The relative importance of the transport mode is variable and depends on the hydraulic and sedimentary conditions. The potential user is directed in the selection of an appropriate technique through the presentation of operating principles, application guidelines and estimated costs. Techniques which require laboratory analysis are grab sample, pump sample, depth sample, point integrated and radioactive tracers. Techniques which will continuously record data are optical backscattering, nuclear transmission, single frequency acoustic and laser diffraction

Diagnostic sedimentary structures of the fluvial-tidal transition zone – Evidence from deposits of the Rhine and Meuse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berg, J.H. van den; Boersma, J.R.; Gelder, A. van

2007-01-01

n mesotidal settings the transition of a coastal plain estuary to the river is marked by the change of a multiple ebb and flood channel configurationto a single channel system. At high river discharge fluvial processes operate, whereas in periods of low discharge the flow is complicated by a

The origin of dose distributions in fluvial sediments, and the prospect of dating single grains from fluvial deposits using optically stimulated luminescence

CERN Document Server

Olley, J M; Roberts, R G

1999-01-01

We examine the causes of the asymmetric distributions of dose observed from measurements of the optically stimulated luminescence emitted by small aliquots of fluvial quartz, and deduce that the asymmetry arises as a result of samples being composed of a mix of mainly well bleached grains with grains that were effectively unbleached at the time of deposition. We demonstrate that the shapes of the dose distributions can be used to assess the likelihood that aliquots consist only of grains that were well-bleached at the time of deposition. The more asymmetric the distribution, the greater the probability that the aliquots with the lowest dose most closely represent the true burial dose. Single grains with differing doses are present in each of the samples examined, and the population with the lowest dose gives an optical age consistent with the expected burial age. This result implies that the beta-dose heterogeneity in these deposits is small, and that the effects of micro-dosimetric variations on optical dati...

Assessment of spatiotemporal variations in the fluvial wash-load component in the 21st century with regard to GCM climate change scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

Mouri, Goro

2015-11-15

For stream water, in which a relationship exists between wash-load concentration and discharge, an estimate of fine-sediment delivery may be obtained from a traditional fluvial wash-load rating curve. Here, we demonstrate that the remaining wash-load material load can be estimated from a traditional empirical principle on a nationwide scale. The traditional technique was applied to stream water for the whole of Japan. Four typical GCMs were selected from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) ensemble to provide the driving fields for the following regional climate models to assess the wash-load component based on rating curves: the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC), the Meteorological Research Institute Atmospheric General Circulation Model (MRI-GCM), the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model (HadGEM) and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) climate model. The simulations consisted of an ensemble, including multiple physics configurations and different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), which was used to produce monthly datasets for the whole country of Japan. The impacts of future climate changes on fluvial wash load in Japanese stream water were based on the balance of changes in hydrological factors. The annual and seasonal variations of the fluvial wash load were assessed from the result of the ensemble analysis in consideration of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission scenarios. The determined results for the amount of wash load increase range from approximately 20 to 110% in the 2040s, especially along part of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan regions. In the 2090s, the amount of wash load is projected to increase by more than 50% over the whole of Japan. The assessment indicates that seasonal variation is particularly important because the rainy and typhoon seasons, which include extreme events, are the dominant seasons. Because fluvial wash-load-component turbidity

Predicting interwell heterogeneity in fluvial-deltaic reservoirs: Outcrop observations and applications of progressive facies variation through a depositional cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knox, P.R.; Barton, M.D. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

1997-08-01

Nearly 11 billion barrels of mobile oil remain in known domestic fluvial-deltaic reservoirs despite their mature status. A large percentage of this strategic resource is in danger of permanent loss through premature abandonment. Detailed reservoir characterization studies that integrate advanced technologies in geology, geophysics, and engineering are needed to identify remaining resources that can be targeted by near-term recovery methods, resulting in increased production and the postponement of abandonment. The first and most critical step of advanced characterization studies is the identification of reservoir architecture. However, existing subsurface information, primarily well logs, provides insufficient lateral resolution to identify low-permeability boundaries that exist between wells and compartmentalize the reservoir. Methods to predict lateral variability in fluvial-deltaic reservoirs have been developed on the basis of outcrop studies and incorporate identification of depositional setting and position within a depositional cycle. The position of a reservoir within the framework of a depositional cycle is critical. Outcrop studies of the Cretaceous Ferron Sandstone of Utah have demonstrated that the architecture and internal heterogeneity of sandstones deposited within a given depositional setting (for example, delta front) vary greatly depending upon whether they were deposited in the early, progradational part of a cycle or the late, retrogradational part of a cycle. The application of techniques similar to those used by this study in other fluvial-deltaic reservoirs will help to estimate the amount and style of remaining potential in mature reservoirs through a quicklook evaluation, allowing operators to focus characterization efforts on reservoirs that have the greatest potential to yield additional resources.

A review on studies of the transport and the form of radionuclides in the fluvial environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsunaga, Takeshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2001-06-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has conducted studies with an aim to contribute to understanding the long-term behavior of atmospherically-derived radionuclides deposited on the ground. The present report reviews a series of studies among them which have especially dealt with the behavior of those radionuclides in a fluvial environment. The studies cited here include investigations of 1) the evaluation of the transport rate of the atmospherically-derived radionuclides from the ground via a river to the downstream areas where the affected water is consumed; 2) the physico-chemical form of the radionuclides in the fluvial environment. An investigation in the Kuji river watershed with {sup 137}Cs, {sup 210}Pb and {sup 7}Be has validated i) the importance of suspended particulate materials in the fluvial discharge of those radionuclides, and ii) a methodology to estimate the discharge of those radionuclides based on the regression analysis with the river water flow rate. From a viewpoint of their distribution between water and suspended particles, the form of radionuclides released by the Chernobyl accident in rivers and lakes in the vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant were analyzed. As a result, a general reasonability and some cautions were suggested when commonly reported distribution ratios obtained in the laboratory and the different environment are applied to describe the partitioning of the radionuclides in specific natural environmental conditions. This experimental investigation in Chernobyl also revealed the role of natural dissolved organics in affecting the dissolution and transport of {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 241}Am through complexation to form soluble species. Further, a chemical equilibrium model was applied to describe this complexation. The similar model was also applied for the behavior of iron and manganese (hydr)oxides in river recharged aquifers which can bear riverborne radionuclides and can influence their migration. The

A review on studies of the transport and the form of radionuclides in the fluvial environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsunaga, Takeshi

2001-06-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has conducted studies with an aim to contribute to understanding the long-term behavior of atmospherically-derived radionuclides deposited on the ground. The present report reviews a series of studies among them which have especially dealt with the behavior of those radionuclides in a fluvial environment. The studies cited here include investigations of 1) the evaluation of the transport rate of the atmospherically-derived radionuclides from the ground via a river to the downstream areas where the affected water is consumed; 2) the physico-chemical form of the radionuclides in the fluvial environment. An investigation in the Kuji river watershed with 137 Cs, 210 Pb and 7 Be has validated i) the importance of suspended particulate materials in the fluvial discharge of those radionuclides, and ii) a methodology to estimate the discharge of those radionuclides based on the regression analysis with the river water flow rate. From a viewpoint of their distribution between water and suspended particles, the form of radionuclides released by the Chernobyl accident in rivers and lakes in the vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant were analyzed. As a result, a general reasonability and some cautions were suggested when commonly reported distribution ratios obtained in the laboratory and the different environment are applied to describe the partitioning of the radionuclides in specific natural environmental conditions. This experimental investigation in Chernobyl also revealed the role of natural dissolved organics in affecting the dissolution and transport of 239,240 Pu, 241 Am through complexation to form soluble species. Further, a chemical equilibrium model was applied to describe this complexation. The similar model was also applied for the behavior of iron and manganese (hydr)oxides in river recharged aquifers which can bear riverborne radionuclides and can influence their migration. The obtained findings and the

Quality-Assurance Plan for the Analysis of Fluvial Sediment by the U. S. Geological Survey Kentucky Water Science Center Sediment Laboratory

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Shreve, Elizabeth A; Downs, Aimee C

2005-01-01

This report describes laboratory procedures used by the U. S. Geological Survey Kentucky Water Science Center Sediment Laboratory for the processing and analysis of fluvial sediment samples for concentration of sand and finer material...

Identifying the source of fluvial terrace deposits using XRF scanning and Canonical Discriminant Analysis: A case study of the Chihshang terraces, eastern Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Queenie; Lee, Jian-Cheng; Hunag, Jyh-Jaan; Wei, Kuo-Yen; Chen, Yue-Gau; Byrne, Timothy B.

2018-05-01

The source of fluvial deposits in terraces provides important information about the catchment fluvial processes and landform evolution. In this study, we propose a novel approach that combines high-resolution Itrax-XRF scanning and Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) to identify the source of fine-grained fluvial terrace deposits. We apply this approach to a group of terraces that are located on the hanging wall of the Chihshang Fault in eastern Taiwan with two possible sources, the Coastal Range on the east and the Central Range on the west. Our results of standard samples from the two potential sources show distinct ranges of canonical variables, which provided a better separation ability than individual chemical elements. We then tested the possibility of using this approach by applying it to several samples with known sediment sources and obtain positive results. Applying this same approach to the fine-grained sediments in Chihshang terraces indicates that they are mostly composed of Coastal Range material but also contain some inputs from the Central Range. In two lowest terraces T1 and T2, the fine-grained deposits show significant Central Range component. For terrace T4, the results show less Central Range input and a trend of decreasing Central Range influences up section. The Coastal Range material becomes dominant in the two highest terraces T7 and T10. Sediments in terrace T5 appear to have been potentially altered by post-deposition chemical alteration processes and are not included in the analysis. Our results show that the change in source material in the terraces deposits was relatively gradual rather than the sharp changes suggested by the composition of the gravels and conglomerates. We suggest that this change in sources is related to the change in dominant fluvial processes that controlled by the tectonic activity.

Determination of burial dose in incompletely bleached fluvial samples using single grains of quartz

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Kristina Jørkov; Murray, A.S.; Bøtter-Jensen, Lars

2007-01-01

We determine the burial dose in three known-age incompletely bleached fluvial samples using single grains of quartz. Estimation of burial dose in incompletely bleached samples requires that the characteristics of the well-bleached part of the distribution are known in order to distinguish between...... well-bleached and poorly bleached grains. It is especially important to investigate if the uncertainties assigned to individual estimates of dose adequately describe the observed variability in well-bleached dose distributions. We investigate this by quantifying the overdispersion in laboratory-bleached...

Sedimentological reservoir characteristics of the Paleocene fluvial/lacustrine Yabus Sandstone, Melut Basin, Sudan

Science.gov (United States)

Mahgoub, M. I.; Padmanabhan, E.; Abdullatif, O. M.

2016-11-01

Melut Basin in Sudan is regionally linked to the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Central and Western African Rift System (CWARS). The Paleocene Yabus Formation is the main oil producing reservoir in the basin. It is dominated by channel sandstone and shales deposited in fluvial/lacustrine environment during the third phase of rifting in the basin. Different scales of sedimentological heterogeneities influenced reservoir quality and architecture. The cores and well logs analyses revealed seven lithofacies representing fluvial, deltaic and lacustrine depositional environments. The sandstone is medium to coarse-grained, poorly to moderately-sorted and sub-angular to sub-rounded, arkosic-subarkosic to sublitharenite. On the basin scale, the Yabus Formation showed variation in sandstone bodies, thickness, geometry and architecture. On macro-scale, reservoir quality varies vertically and laterally within Yabus Sandstone where it shows progressive fining upward tendencies with different degrees of connectivity. The lower part of the reservoir showed well-connected and amalgamated sandstone bodies, the middle to the upper parts, however, have moderate to low sandstone bodies' connectivity and amalgamation. On micro-scale, sandstone reservoir quality is directly affected by textures and diagenetic changes such as compaction, cementation, alteration, dissolution and kaolinite clays pore fill and coat all have significantly reduced the reservoir porosity and permeability. The estimated porosity in Yabus Formation ranges from 2 to 20% with an average of 12%; while permeability varies from 200 to 500 mD and up to 1 Darcy. The understanding of different scales of sedimentological reservoir heterogeneities might contribute to better reservoir quality prediction, architecture, consequently enhancing development and productivity.

Radiocarbon constraints on the coupled growth of sediment and organic carbon reservoirs in fluvial systems

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, M. A.; Kemeny, P. C.; Fischer, W. W.; Lamb, M. P.

2017-12-01

Vast amounts of sediments are stored transiently in fluvial deposits as they move in rivers from source to sink. The timescale(s) of transient storage have the potential to set the cadence for biogeochemical reactions to occur in river sediments. However, the extent to which storage modulates the chemical composition of river sediments remains unclear. In case of the organic carbon (OC) cycle, transient sediment storage may leave an imprint in the radiocarbon (14C) content of riverine particulate OC (POC), offering a potential tool to trace the coupling of sediment storage and biogeochemical cycling in river systems. We investigated the modern and ancient budgets of sediments and POC in the Efi Haukadalsá River catchment in West Iceland to provide new empirical constraints on the role of sediment storage in the terrestrial OC cycle. This field site is attractive because the basaltic bedrock is free of rock-derived (i.e. "petrogenic") POC such that bulk 14C measurements can be interpreted more directly as constraints on catchment OC storage timescales. Additionally, Lake Haukadalsvatn at the outlet of the river catchment has captured sediment for nearly 13 ka, which offers a complementary record of the evolution of climate-sediment-OC linkages since deglaciation. New 14C measurements show that bulk POC in fine grained fluvial deposits within the Haukadalsá catchment is remarkably old (model ages between 1 and 10 ka). This evidence for "aged" POC in floodplain storage is consistent with previous measurements from Lake Haukadalsvatn, which show that POC is aged in the river system by thousands of years prior to deposition in the lake. Additionally, our estimate of the mean transit time of sediments through the river system matches the millennial-scale reservoir age of riverine POC derived from 14C, which implies a tight coupling between sediment storage and the OC cycle. We interpret the long-term increase in the 14C reservoir age of riverine POC over the last 10 ka

Upscaling the Use of Fallout Radionuclides in Soil Erosion and Sediment Budget Investigations: Addressing the Challenge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.E. Walling

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The application of fallout radionuclides in soil erosion investigations and related sediment budget studies has provided a widely used tool for improving understanding of soil erosion and sediment transfer processes. However, most studies using fallout radionuclides undertaken to date have focussed on small areas. This focus on small areas reflects both the issues addressed and practical constraints associated with sample collection and analysis. Increasing acceptance of the important role of fine sediment in degrading aquatic habitats and in the transfer and fate of nutrients and contaminants within terrestrial and fluvial systems has emphasised the need to consider larger areas and the catchment or regional scale. The need to upscale existing approaches to the use of fallout radionuclides to larger areas represents an important challenge. This contribution provides a brief review of existing and potential approaches to upscaling the use of fallout radionuclides and presents two examples where such approaches have been successfully applied. These involve a national scale assessment of soil erosion rates in England and Wales based on 137Cs measurements and an investigation of the sediment budgets of three small/intermediate-size catchments in southern Italy.

Fluvial depositional environment evolving into deltaic setting with marine influences in the buntsandstein of northern vosges (France)

Science.gov (United States)

Gall, Jean-Claude

The Buntsandstein in the Northern Vosges (France) originates mainly in an inland braidplain fluvial environment which passes in the upper part of the sequence into deltaic milieu in the coastal plain along the border of the sea, with the continental environment finally being drowned with the transgression of the shallow sea. The fluvial sedimentation is characterized by the presence of two facies throughout the Buntsandstein : channel facies and overbank plain facies. The channel facies comprises sandy and conglomeratic deposits forming within active streams by strong currents, whereas the overbank plain facies is built up of silty-clayey sandstones or silt/clay originating in stagnant water in abandoned watercourses, ponds, pools and puddles. The significance of particularly the floodplain sediments is subjected to considerable changes throughout the Buntsandstein sequence. There are all stages of transition between overbank plain deposits being only preserved in ghost-like facies as reworked clasts due to effective secondary removal of primarily occasionally formed suspension fines, and an abundance of autochthonous floodplain sediments in the depositional record resulting from favourable conditions of primary origin and secondary preservation. Reworked ventifacts within fluvial channel sediments testify to subordinate aeolian influences in the alluvial plain, with reasonable reworking, however, having removed all in situ traces of wind activity. Declining aridity of palaeoclimate towards the top is indicated by the appearance of violet horizon palaeosols in the Zone-Limite-Violette and the Couches intermédiaires being accompanied by Bröckelbank carbonate breccias originating from concentration of reworked fragments of pedogenic carbonate nodules. Biogenic traces are in the lower part of the sequence mainly present as Planolites burrows in the finer-grained sediments. Palaeosalinities as revealed from boron contents indicate progressively increasing

Using a Geospatial Model to Relate Fluvial Geomorphology to Macroinvertebrate Habitat in a Prairie River—Part 1: Genus-Level Relationships with Geomorphic Typologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna G. N. Meissner

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Modern river ecosystems undergo constant stress from disturbances such as bank stabilization, channelization, dams, and municipal, agricultural, and industrial water use. As these anthropogenic water requirements persist, more efficient methods of characterizing river reaches are essential. Benthic macroinvertebrates are helpful when evaluating fluvial health, because they are often the first group to react to contaminants that can then be transferred through them to other trophic levels. Hence, the purpose of this research is to use a geospatial model to differentiate instream macroinvertebrate habitats, and determine if the model is a viable method for stream evaluation. Through the use of ArcGIS and digital elevation models, the fluvial geomorphology of the Qu’Appelle River in Saskatchewan (SK was assessed. Four geomorphological characteristics of the river were isolated (sinuosity, slope, fractal dimension, and stream width and clustered through Principle Component Analysis (PCA, yielding sets of river reaches with similar geomorphological characteristics, called typologies. These typologies were mapped to form a geospatial model of the river. Macroinvertebrate data were aligned to the locations of the typologies, revealing several relationships with the fluvial geomorphology. A Kruskal-Wallis analysis and post hoc pairwise multiple comparisons were completed with the macroinvertebrate data to pinpoint significant genera, as related to the geospatial model.

Controles fluviales del Rio Cauca en la región de La Mojana.

OpenAIRE

Posada García, Lilian; Rhenals Garrido, Remberto Luis

2006-01-01

Se realiza un análisis de fotografías aéreas, imágenes de satélite y cartografía de diferentes años que permiten identificar procesos importantes de divagación, erosión y sedimentación de la zona estudiada. La variación con el tiempo de las formas del canal (islas y barras), la aparición de complejos de orillares, madreviejas (canales abandonados y sedimentados), canales abandonados, cambios de curso del canal principal, entre otros procesos muestran la gran dinámica fluvial del sistema....

Bank-derived material dominates fluvial sediment in a suburban Chesapeake Bay watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Cashman, M. J.; Gellis, A.; Gorman-Sanisaca, L.; Noe, G. B.; Cogliandro, V.; Baker, A.

2017-12-01

Excess fine sediment is a leading cause of ecological degradation within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Piedmont physiographic province, which includes parts of the Washington, D.C. metro area, has the highest sediment yields in the Chesapeake Bay. In order to effectively employ sediment mitigation measures, it is necessary to identify and quantify the contributions of sediments sources within rapidly urbanizing areas in the Piedmont. This sediment fingerprinting study examines the inputs of various sediment sources to Upper Difficult Run (14.2 km2; 22.6% impervious surface), an urbanized watershed in Fairfax County, Virginia. A source sediment library was constructed from collections of stream bank material, forest soils, and road dust from across the watershed. Target fluvial sediments were collected from fine channel margin deposits and from suspended sediment using an autosampler during 16 storm events from 2008 - 2012. Apportionment of the target samples to the source sediments was performed using Sed_SAT, a publically available toolkit for sediment fingerprinting. Bed sediment was found to be dominated by stream bank sources (mean: 96%), with minor contributions from forest (4%) and no detectable contribution from roads (0%). Suspended fine sediments were also found to predominantly originate from stream bank sources (SSC-weighted mean: 91%), with minor contributions from roads (8%), and negligible contributions from forests (1%). Stream bank sources dominated at all discharges, with the greatest contributions from overland sources found only at low discharges. On the rising limb of the hydrograph and at peak flow, sediment concentrations increased due to increasing contributions of bank material rather than surface erosion caused by overland flow. Results demonstrate that stream bank erosion is responsible for the vast majority of fine sediment occurring in this suburban basin of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This is likely a consequence of storm

Dominant mechanisms for the delivery of fine sediment and phosphorus to fluvial networks draining grassland dominated headwater catchments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perks, M T; Owen, G J; Benskin, C McW H; Jonczyk, J; Deasy, C; Burke, S; Reaney, S M; Haygarth, P M

2015-08-01

Recent advances in monitoring technology have enabled high frequency, in-situ measurements of total phosphorus and total reactive phosphorus to be undertaken with high precision, whilst turbidity can provide an excellent surrogate for suspended sediment. Despite these measurements being fundamental to understanding the mechanisms and flow paths that deliver these constituents to river networks, there is a paucity of such data for headwater agricultural catchments. The aim of this paper is to deduce the dominant mechanisms for the delivery of fine sediment and phosphorus to an upland river network in the UK through characterisation of the temporal variability of hydrological fluxes, and associated soluble and particulate concentrations for the period spanning March 2012-February 2013. An assessment of the factors producing constituent hysteresis is undertaken following factor analysis (FA) on a suite of measured environmental variables representing the fluvial and wider catchment conditions prior to, and during catchment-wide hydrological events. Analysis indicates that suspended sediment is delivered to the fluvial system predominantly via rapidly responding pathways driven by event hydrology. However, evidence of complex, figure-of-eight hysteresis is observed following periods of hydrological quiescence, highlighting the importance of preparatory processes. Sediment delivery via a slow moving, probably sub-surface pathway does occur, albeit infrequently and during low magnitude events at the catchment outlet. Phosphorus is revealed to have a distinct hysteretic response to that of suspended sediment, with sub-surface pathways dominating. However, high magnitude events were observed to exhibit threshold-like behaviour, whereby activation and connection of usually disconnected depositional zones to the fluvial networks results in the movement of vast phosphorus fluxes. Multiple pathways are observed for particulate and soluble constituents, highlighting the

Toward the Validation of Depth-Averaged Three Dimensional, Rans Steady-State Simulations of Fluvial Flows at Natural Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Mateo Villanueva, P. A.; Hradisky, M.

2010-12-01

Simulations of fluvial flows are strongly influenced by geometric complexity and overall uncertainty on measured flow variables, including those assumed to be well known boundary conditions. Often, 2D steady-state models are used for computational simulations of flows at the scale of natural rivers. Such models have been successfully incorporated in iRIC (formerly MD_SWMS), one of the widely used quasi-3D CFD solvers to perform studies of environmental flows. iRIC aids in estimating such quantities as surface roughness and shear stress, which, in turn, can be used to estimate sediment transport. However, the computational results are inherently limited in accuracy because of restricting the computations to 2D, or quasi-3D, space, which can affect the values of these predictions. In the present work we perform computer-based simulations of fluvial flows using OpenFOAM, a free, open source fully 3D CFD software package, and compare our results to predictions obtained from iRIC. First, we study the suitability of OpenFOAM as the main CFD solver to analyze fluvial flows and validate our results for two well documented rectangular channel configurations: the first case consists of a large aspect-ratio channel (ratio of depth over width 0.017, ratio of depth over length 0.0019) with a rectangular obstacle mounted at the bottom wall; the second case involves a large aspect-ratio channel (ratio of depth over width 0.1, ratio of depth over length 0.0025) with cubic obstacles mounted at the lower wall (one obstacle) and upper wall (two obstacles). Secondly, we apply our model to simulation or river at natural scale and compare our results to the output obtained from iRIC to quantify the differences in velocity profiles and other flow parameters when comparable solution techniques are used. Steady-state, RANS k-epsilon models are employed for all simulations.

Selective Leaching of Dissolved Organic Matter From Alpine Permafrost Soils on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yinghui; Xu, Yunping; Spencer, Robert G. M.; Zito, Phoebe; Kellerman, Anne; Podgorski, David; Xiao, Wenjie; Wei, Dandan; Rashid, Harunur; Yang, Yuanhe

2018-03-01

Ongoing global temperature rise has caused significant thaw and degradation of permafrost soils on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Leaching of organic matter from permafrost soils to aquatic systems is highly complex and difficult to reproduce in a laboratory setting. We collected samples from natural seeps of active and permafrost layers in an alpine swamp meadow on the QTP to shed light on the composition of mobilized dissolved organic matter (DOM) by combining optical measurements, ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, radiocarbon (14C), and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our results show that even though the active layer soils contain large amounts of proteins and carbohydrates, there is a selective release of aromatic components, whereas in the deep permafrost layer, carbohydrate and protein components are preferentially leached during the thawing process. Given these different chemical characteristics of mobilized DOM, we hypothesize that photomineralization contributes significantly to the loss of DOM that is leached from the seasonally thawed surface layer. However, with continued warming, biodegradation will become more important since biolabile materials such as protein and carbohydrate are preferentially released from deep-layer permafrost soils. This transition in DOM leachate source and associated chemical composition has ramifications for downstream fluvial networks on the QTP particularly in terms of processing of carbon and associated fluxes.

Characterization of a fluvial aquifer at a range of depths and scales: the Triassic St Bees Sandstone Formation, Cumbria, UK

Science.gov (United States)

Medici, Giacomo; West, L. J.; Mountney, N. P.

2018-03-01

Fluvial sedimentary successions represent porous media that host groundwater and geothermal resources. Additionally, they overlie crystalline rocks hosting nuclear waste repositories in rift settings. The permeability characteristics of an arenaceous fluvial succession, the Triassic St Bees Sandstone Formation in England (UK), are described, from core-plug to well-test scale up to 1 km depth. Within such lithified successions, dissolution associated with the circulation of meteoric water results in increased permeability ( K 10-1-100 m/day) to depths of at least 150 m below ground level (BGL) in aquifer systems that are subject to rapid groundwater circulation. Thus, contaminant transport is likely to occur at relatively high rates. In a deeper investigation (> 150 m depth), where the aquifer has not been subjected to rapid groundwater circulation, well-test-scale hydraulic conductivity is lower, decreasing from K 10-2 m/day at 150-400 m BGL to 10-3 m/day down-dip at 1 km BGL, where the pore fluid is hypersaline. Here, pore-scale permeability becomes progressively dominant with increasing lithostatic load. Notably, this work investigates a sandstone aquifer of fluvial origin at investigation depths consistent with highly enthalpy geothermal reservoirs ( 0.7-1.1 km). At such depths, intergranular flow dominates in unfaulted areas with only minor contribution by bedding plane fractures. However, extensional faults represent preferential flow pathways, due to presence of high connective open fractures. Therefore, such faults may (1) drive nuclear waste contaminants towards the highly permeable shallow (< 150 m BGL) zone of the aquifer, and (2) influence fluid recovery in geothermal fields.

Fluvial sediments characterization of Hornád river in its chosen parts (preliminary study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stela Hanigovská

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of main river sedimentary characteristics is very important source of information for next study or potentialcommercial usage of fluvial sediments. In paper is shown characterization of sediment distribution in chosen part of the river Hornád.Three main facial types were studied and described – gravel, sand and clay. Model created in this study shows that Hornád is a riverwith predominant gravel transport. This model also shows a sufficient amount of gravel for commercial use in some parts of the river.

Controls on fluvial metamorphosis during global warming at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary (56 Ma) in Spain: extreme droughts, extreme floods or both?

Science.gov (United States)

Castelltort, Sebastien; Chen, Chen; Guerit, Laure; Foreman, Brady; Paola, Chris; Adatte, Thierry

2017-04-01

How does global warming change the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events? The response to this question is partly preserved in the geological record. 56 Ma ago, global temperatures increased during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), leading to a major biotic turnover, but how this event affected the nature of extreme events remains unknown. On several continents, fluvial systems with sinuous channels within fine-grained floodplains suddenly transformed at the P-E boundary into apparently coarser-grained braid plains with frequent lateral migrations, washing their muddy floodplains to the seas. This landscape transformation has been related to aridification and intensification of precipitation allowing transport of coarser material as a result of P-E global warming, with important implications for predicting the consequences of current global change. Here we test this hypothesis by quantifying the magnitude of grain size change and flow depth at a representative P-E locality in Northern Spain. We find that the size of pebbles in transport and flow depth remained similar to, or even smaller than, pre-PETM conditions. This suggests that, if more seasonal and extreme precipitation occurred, they are not necessarily borne out in the predicted deeper flow depths and coarser grain sizes, but rather trigger a shift to multiple active channels. However, an alternative or complementary explanation may rest in pollen data found in coeval marine records and which document a dramatic vegetation shift from permanent conifer forests prior to the crisis into periodic vegetation in brief periods of rain during the hyperthermal episode. Such change induced by long periods of intense droughts, could have enhanced erodibility of channel banks by decreasing root-controlled cohesion of fine-grained floodplains and interfluves, promoting their lateral mobility and the observed fluvial metamorphosis. Thus, although water is regarded as the main agent sculpting

Chemistry of volcanic soils used for agriculture in Brava Island (Cape Verde)

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Prudêncio, Maria Isabel; Marques, Rosa; Waerenborgh, João Carlos; José Vieira, Bruno; Dias, Maria Isabel; Rocha, Fernando

2017-04-01

Brava is a small volcanic island located on the south-western part of the Cape Verde archipelago. It is characterized by an irregular plateau between 300 and 976 m above sea level, which is bounded by steep coastal cliffs and cut by fluvial incision in a generally radial drainage pattern. The major volcano-stratigraphic units of the island are: Lower Unit, Middle Unit, Upper Unit, and Sediments. Although Brava is one of the islands with more frequent rainy periods in Cape Verde, the climate is essentially semi-arid, which associated with the rough topography leads to incipient soils. Detailed Fe speciation and chemical composition studies of Cape Verde soils have shown that oxidation is a major weathering mechanism, and high contents of trace elements may occur originated from imbalance of elements in the volcanic parent materials, which can be a threat to the environmental health. The soils mostly used for agriculture in Brava Island are those developed on phonolitic pyroclasts on the plateau and also on sediments. In this work the whole sample (< 2 mm) and the clay-sized fraction (< 2 µm) of these soils were analysed by Mössbauer spectroscopy and neutron activation analysis, aiming to characterize the iron speciation and to determine the concentration and distribution of 30 chemical elements in Brava soils. Mössbauer spectroscopy shows that Fe is more oxidyzed in topsoils developed on sediments (84-87%) than in soils developed on pyroclasts (71-79%). In the clay sized-fraction of all the studied soils only Fe(III) was detected. Iron oxides clearly distinguish the soils derived from the two types of parent materials, hematite being the only Fe oxide present in soils developed on sediments, while maghemite is more abundant in soils developed on pyroclasts. Iron and chromium are depleted in this fine fraction suggesting their occurrence as iron oxides and ferromagnesian minerals present in coarser particles. Among the chemical elements studied, antimony was found

Post Waterflood CO2 Miscible Flood in Light Oil, Fluvial-Dominated Deltaic Reservoir, Class I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bou-Mikael, Sami

2002-02-05

This report demonstrates the effectiveness of the CO2 miscible process in Fluvial Dominated Deltaic reservoirs. It also evaluated the use of horizontal CO2 injection wells to improve the overall sweep efficiency. A database of FDD reservoirs for the gulf coast region was developed by LSU, using a screening model developed by Texaco Research Center in Houston. The results of the information gained in this project is disseminated throughout the oil industry via a series of SPE papers and industry open forums.

Fluvial fluxes of natural radium isotopes and dissolved barium for Ubatuba embayments, Sao Paulo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sousa, Keila Cristina Pinheiro Marchini de

2008-01-01

Radium isotopes are among the most important isotopes in the environment from both radioprotection and geo-hydrological points of view. They are also a powerful tool for studying geohydrological processes and have been used intensively as tracers of groundwater sources that discharge into the coastal ocean.The complex exchange of fluvial, subsurface and seawater within a coastal area directly affects global biogeochemical cycles. Environmental scientists have few tools to accurately quantify such processes and must therefore rely on various tracer techniques. Radium isotopes have been frequently applied as tracers of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). The unique radium signature of SGD is acquired within the subterranean estuary, a mixing zone between fresh groundwater and seawater in coastal aquifers. In this study we determined the fluvial fluxes of the radium isotopes and dissolved barium for Ubatuba embayments, northernmost part of Sao Paulo Bight. The research work was carried out from April/ 2007 to August/ 2007 and covered 17 small rivers sources that belong to the major surface draining system of such coastal area. During this period of investigation, groundwater samples were also collected from 10 sources available in this coastal region. Activity concentrations of 223 Ra in riverine waters discharging to Ubatuba and Caraguatatuba embayments varied from -1 to 335 mBq 1000L -1 (in Cocanha River), while 224 Ra concentrations ranged from 17 mBq 100L -1 to 7270 mBq 100L -1 . Activity concentrations up to 1424 mBq 100L -1 were observed for 226 Ra in riverine waters, while 228 Ra concentrations varied from 1412 mBq 100L -1 to 4058 mBq 100L -1 . Groundwater activity concentrations of 223 Ra varied from 1 mBq 100L -1 to 126 mBq 100L -1 , while 224 Ra ranged from 118 mBq 100L -1 to 3701 mBq 100L -1 . 223 Ra/ 224 Ra activity ratios up to 0.7x10 -1 and 0.2 were observed in riverine and groundwater, respectively. For 226 Ra groundwater activity concentrations

Year-round variations in the fluvial transport load of particulate 137Cs in a forested catchment affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeshi Matsunaga; Takahiro Nakanishi; Mariko Atarashi-Andoh; Erina Takeuchi; Kotomi Muto; Katsunori Tsuduki; Syusaku Nishimura; Jun Koarashi; Shigeyoshi Otosaka; Tsutomu Sato

2016-01-01

Particulate 137 Cs was collected from stream water for 2 years to assess the long-term trend of 137 Cs discharge from a forest after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident. A seasonal increase in the fluvial transport load of particulate 137 Cs in suspended solids (SS) was observed in July-October when rainfall was abundant. The 137 Cs load was controlled by the SS load. This control was attributed to cesium affinity for phyllosilicate clay minerals as verified by the low extractability of particulate 137 Cs. These findings indicate the fluvial particulate 137 Cs load is significantly related to the climate and geomorphological features of Japan. (author)

Human impacts on fluvial systems - A small-catchment case study

Science.gov (United States)

Pöppl, Ronald E.; Glade, Thomas; Keiler, Margreth

2010-05-01

Regulations of nearly two-thirds of the rivers worldwide have considerable influences on fluvial systems. In Austria, nearly any river (or) catchment is affected by humans, e.g. due to changing land-use conditions and river engineering structures. Recent studies of human impacts on rivers show that morphologic channel changes play a major role regarding channelization and leveeing, land-use conversions, dams, mining, urbanization and alterations of natural habitats (ecomorphology). Thus 'natural (fluvial) systems' are scarce and humans are almost always inseparably interwoven with them playing a major role in altering them coincidentally. The main objective of this study is to identify human effects (i.e. different land use conditions and river engineering structures) on river bed sediment composition and to delineate its possible implications for limnic habitats. The study area watersheds of the 'Fugnitz' River (~ 140km²) and the 'Kaja' River (~ 20km²) are located in the Eastern part of the Bohemian Massif in Austria (Europe) and drain into the 'Thaya' River which is the border river to the Czech Republic in the north of Lower Austria. Furthermore the 'Thaya' River is eponymous for the local National Park 'Nationalpark Thayatal'. In order to survey river bed sediment composition and river engineering structures facies mapping techniques, i.e. river bed surface mapping and ecomorphological mapping have been applied. Additionally aerial photograph and airborne laserscan interpretation has been used to create land use maps. These maps have been integrated to a numerical DEM-based spatial model in order to get an impression of the variability of sediment input rates to the river system. It is hypothesized that this variability is primarily caused by different land use conditions. Finally river bed sites affected by river engineering structures have been probed and grain size distributions have been analyzed. With these data sedimentological and ecological

What can we learn from fluvial incision in high mountains?

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, Margret; Gloaguen, Richard; Krbetschek, Matthias

2013-04-01

High and actively deforming mountain ranges attract the attention of geoscientists as they provide natural laboratories of fast evolving process-response systems. Tectonic compressional settings, often linked to perpendicular extension, control the topographic growth and hence, erosion, transport pathways and sedimentation. High altitude differences within short horizontal distances promote material re-organisation and high rates of surface processes. Furthermore, high mountains constitute orographic barriers that affect atmospheric circulations as well as host different climate regimes similar to those of widely separated latitudinal belts. Both cause a high sensitivity of surface processes to changes in climatic conditions. However, feedbacks between climatic and tectonic forcing are complex. Additionally, the dominance of one or the other varies in space and also over time, inheriting various traces of the paleo-morphodynamic conditions to the subsequent process regimes. To unravel the forces driving the evolution of relief in active mountains, numerous studies employ the drainage network of the corresponding mountains as a proxy of landscape evolution. Especially the rates of river incision provide a powerful tool to characterize the surface response and infer causes behind it. Several parameters of river incision are available to describe the fluvial incision at individual sites (e.g. terrace incision rates), along the river course (e.g. longitudinal river profiles, Hack index) and in its perpendicular dimension (e.g. valley cross sections, valley shape ratios). But they require careful interpretation. They are sensitive to both, climatic and tectonic forcing. Therefore, the synopsis of such indices for fluvial incision is essential to evaluate the role of climatic versus tectonic forcing. Here, we use the Panj river system, the major river draining the Pamir mountains of Central Asia, as an example. The Panj experiences high altitude changes of more than 4000

Do river channels decrease in width downstream on Distributive Fluvial Systems? An evaluation of modern mega-fans

Science.gov (United States)

Espinoza, T. N.; Scuderi, L. A.; Weissmann, G. S.; Hartley, A. J.

2014-12-01

Recent studies on aggradational continental sedimentary basins globally show that fluvial deposits in most modern sedimentary basins are dominated Distributive Fluvial Systems (DFS). DFS's are identified by: (1) pattern of channels and floodplain deposits that radiate outward from an apex located where the river enters the sedimentary basin, (2) deposition where an alluvial system becomes unconfined upon entering the sedimentary basin, (3) broadly fan shaped deposit that is convex upward across the DFS and concave upward down-fan, and (4) if the DFS is incised, an intersection point above which the alluvial system is held in an incised valley and below which it distributes sediment across an active depositional lobe. Several papers about DFS hypothesized that rivers on DFS decrease in size down-fan. We are testing this hypothesis through evaluation of LANDSAT and STRM data from large DFS described by Hartley et al (2010). We use ArcGIS to: (1) open the images and merge them together if there are more than one image corresponding to the DFS being studied, (2) use a Maximum Likelihood Analysis in six classes to segment different features on the DFS (e.g. exposed sands, water, vegetation, and other fan environments), (3) isolate the classes that correspond to the active channel belt (e.g., exposed sand bars and water), (4) divide the active channel belt into 1000 m long sections, (5) determine the area of active channel belt in each section, and (6) calculate the average width of the river in each section (e.g., W = area/1000m). We present our result for each DFS river on a graph that shows the change in width downstream. Our final product will be a dataset that contains width versus distance down-fan from the apex for as many of the large DFS from Hartley et al (2010) as possible. If the hypothesis is supported, the decrease in width could have a substantial predictive significance on sandstone geometry in fluvial successions.

Significance of Thermal Fluvial Incision and Bedrock Transfer due to Ice Advection on Greenland Ice Sheet Topography

Science.gov (United States)

Crozier, J. A.; Karlstrom, L.; Yang, K.

2017-12-01

Ice sheet surface topography reflects a complicated combination of processes that act directly upon the surface and that are products of ice advection. Using recently-available high resolution ice velocity, imagery, ice surface elevation, and bedrock elevation data sets, we seek to determine the domain of significance of two important processes - thermal fluvial incision and transfer of bedrock topography through the ice sheet - on controlling surface topography in the ablation zone. Evaluating such controls is important for understanding how melting of the GIS surface during the melt season may be directly imprinted in topography through supraglacial drainage networks, and indirectly imprinted through its contribution to basal sliding that affects bedrock transfer. We use methods developed by (Karlstrom and Yang, 2016) to identify supraglacial stream networks on the GIS, and use high resolution surface digital elevation models as well as gridded ice velocity and melt rate models to quantify surface processes. We implement a numerically efficient Fourier domain bedrock transfer function (Gudmundsson, 2003) to predict surface topography due to ice advection over bedrock topography obtained from radar. Despite a number of simplifying assumptions, the bedrock transfer function predicts the observed ice sheet surface in most regions of the GIS with ˜90% accuracy, regardless of the presence or absence of supraglacial drainage networks. This supports the hypothesis that bedrock is the most significant driver of ice surface topography on wavelengths similar to ice thickness. Ice surface topographic asymmetry on the GIS is common, with slopes in the direction of ice flow steeper than those faced opposite to ice flow, consistent with bedrock transfer theory. At smaller wavelengths, topography consistent with fluvial erosion by surface hydrologic features is evident. We quantify the effect of ice advection versus fluvial thermal erosion on supraglacial longitudinal stream

Spatial and temporal modelling of fluvial aggradation in the Hasli Valley (Swiss Alps) during the last 1300 years

Science.gov (United States)

Llorca, Jaime; Schulte, Lothar; Carvalho, Filipe

2016-04-01

The Haslital delta (upper Aare River catchment, Bernese Alps) progradated into the Lake Brienz after the retreat of the Aare Glacier (post-LGM). Present delta plain geomorphology and spatial distribution of sedimentary facies result from historical fluvial dynamics and aggradation. Over centuries, local communities have struggled to control the Aare floods and to mitigate their effects on the floodplain (by means of raising artificial levees, channelizing the course, creating an underground drainage network, constructing dams at the basin headwaters). This study focuses on the spatial and temporal evolution of sediment dynamics of the floodplain by analyzing fluvial sedimentary records . The internal variability of lithostratigraphic sequences is a key issue to understand hydrological processes in the basin under the effect of environmental and anthropogenic changes of the past. The floodplain lithostratigraphy was reconstructed by coring alongside four cross-sections; each one is composed of more than 25 shallow boreholes (2 m deep) and two long drillings (variable depth, up to 9 m). The chronostratigraphical models were obtained by AMS 14C dating, and information of paleofloods and channel migration were reconstructed from historical sources (Schulte et al., 2015). The identification of different sedimentary facies, associated with the fluvial architecture structures, provides information on variations of vertical and lateral accretion processes (Houben, 2007). The location and geometry of buried channel-levee facies (gravel and coarse sand layers) indicate a significant mobility of the riverbed of the Hasli-Aare river, following an oscillatory pattern during the last millennia. Furthermore, fine sedimentary deposits and peat layers represent the existence of stable areas where floods have a low incidence. Once the different types of deposits were identified, aggradation rates were estimated in order to determine the spatial variability of the accumulation

Fluvial sediment supply to a mega-delta reduced by shifting tropical-cyclone activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Darby, Stephen E; Hackney, Christopher R; Leyland, Julian; Kummu, Matti; Lauri, Hannu; Parsons, Daniel R; Best, James L; Nicholas, Andrew P; Aalto, Rolf

2016-11-10

The world's rivers deliver 19 billion tonnes of sediment to the coastal zone annually, with a considerable fraction being sequestered in large deltas, home to over 500 million people. Most (more than 70 per cent) large deltas are under threat from a combination of rising sea levels, ground surface subsidence and anthropogenic sediment trapping, and a sustainable supply of fluvial sediment is therefore critical to prevent deltas being 'drowned' by rising relative sea levels. Here we combine suspended sediment load data from the Mekong River with hydrological model simulations to isolate the role of tropical cyclones in transmitting suspended sediment to one of the world's great deltas. We demonstrate that spatial variations in the Mekong's suspended sediment load are correlated (r = 0.765, P sediment load reaching the delta is delivered by runoff generated by rainfall associated with tropical cyclones. Furthermore, we estimate that the suspended load to the delta has declined by 52.6 ± 10.2 megatonnes over recent years (1981-2005), of which 33.0 ± 7.1 megatonnes is due to a shift in tropical-cyclone climatology. Consequently, tropical cyclones have a key role in controlling the magnitude of, and variability in, transmission of suspended sediment to the coast. It is likely that anthropogenic sediment trapping in upstream reservoirs is a dominant factor in explaining past, and anticipating future, declines in suspended sediment loads reaching the world's major deltas. However, our study shows that changes in tropical-cyclone climatology affect trends in fluvial suspended sediment loads and thus are also key to fully assessing the risk posed to vulnerable coastal systems.

Investigating the use of the dual-polarized and large incident angle of SAR data for mapping the fluvial and aeolian deposits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Gaber

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Mapping the spatial distributions of the fluvial deposits in terms of particles size as well as imaging the near-surface features along the non-vegetated aeolian sand-sheets, provides valuable geological information. Thus this work aims at investigating the contribution of the dual-polarization SAR data in classifying and mapping the surface sediments as well as investigating the effect of the radar incident-angle on improving the images of the hidden features under the desert sand cover. For mapping the fluvial deposits, the covariance matrix ([C2] using four dual-polarized ALOS/PALSAR-1 scenes cover the Wadi El Matulla, East Qena, Egypt were generated. This [C2] matrix was used to generate a supervised classification map with three main classes (gravel, gravel/sand and sand. The polarimetric scattering response, spectral reflectance and temperatures brightness of these 3 classes were extracted. However for the aeolian deposits investigation, two Radarsat-1 and three full-polarimetric ALOS/PALSAR-1 images, which cover the northwestern sandy part of Sinai, Egypt were calibrated, filtered, geocoded and ingested in a GIS database to image the near-surface features. The fluvial mapping results show that the values of the radar backscattered coefficient (σ° and the degree of randomness of the obtained three classes are increasing respectively by increasing their grain size. Moreover, the large incident angle (θi = 39.7 of the Radarsat-1 image has revealed a meandering buried stream under the sand sheet of the northwestern part of Sinai. Such buried stream does not appear in the other optical, SRTM and SAR dataset. The main reason is the enhanced contrast between the low backscattered return from the revealed meandering stream and the surroundings as a result of the increased backscattering intensity, which is related to the relatively large incident angle along the undulated surface of the study area. All archaeological

Geomorphic Characterization of the FortyMile Wash Alluvial Fan, Nye County, Nevada, In Support of the Yucca Mountain Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cline; De Long; Pelletier; Harrington

2005-01-01

In the event of an unlikely volcanic eruption through the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, contaminated ash would be deposited in portions of the Fortymile Wash drainage basin and would subsequently be redistributed to the Fortymile Wash alluvial fan by fluvial processes. As part of an effort to quantify the transport of contaminated ash throughout the fluvial system, characterization of the Fortymile Wash alluvial fan is required, especially the spatial distribution of fluvial activity over time scales of repository operation, and the rates of radionuclide migration into different soils on the fan. The Fortymile Wash alluvial fan consists of extremely low relief terraces as old as 70 ka. By conducting soils-geomorphic mapping and correlating relative surface ages with available geochronology from the Fortymile Wash fan and adjacent piedmonts, we identified 4 distinct surfaces on the fan. Surface ages are used to predict the relative stability of different areas of the fan to fluvial activity. Pleistocene-aged surfaces are assumed to be fluvially inactive over the 10 kyr time scale, for example. Our mapping and correlation provides a map of the depozone for contaminated ash that takes into account long-term channel migration the time scales of repository operation, and it provides a geomorphic framework for predicting radionuclide dispersion rates into different soils across the fan. The standard model for vertical migration of radionuclides in soil is diffusion; therefore we used diffusion profiles derived from 137 Cs fallout to determine infiltration rates on the various geomorphic surfaces. The results show a strong inverse correlation of the geomorphic surface age and diffusivity values inferred from the 137 Cs profiles collected on the different surfaces of the fan

Zeroing of the TL signal of sediment undergoing fluvial transportation: a laboratory experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gemmell, A.M.D.

1985-01-01

Rates of bleaching of suspended sediment undergoing fluvial transportation in a closed laboratory flume beneath a u.v. lamp were measured. It was found that the speed of zeroing is inversely related to the speed of flow. This is attributed to the effects of flow turbulence in keeping sediment in suspension, thereby reducing the penetration of u.v. radiation, and to the re-entrainment of partially bleached or unbleached sediment into the flow. The time required to reduce TL to the residual levels indicated by sunlamp bleaching experiments are such as to suggest that at faster flows sediments in a heavily-laden stream may never attain a complete bleaching. (author)

Evolution of Subaerial Coastal Fluvial Delta Island Topography into Multiple Stable States Under Influence of Vegetation and Stochastic Hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Moffett, K. B.; Smith, B. C.; O'Connor, M.; Mohrig, D. C.

2014-12-01

Coastal fluvial delta morphodynamics are prominently controlled by external fluvial sediment and water supplies; however, internal sediment-water-vegetation feedbacks are now being proposed as potentially equally significant in organizing and maintaining the progradation and aggradation of such systems. The time scales of fluvial and climate influences on these feedbacks, and of their responses, are also open questions. Historical remote sensing study of the Wax Lake Delta model system (Louisiana, USA) revealed trends in the evolution of the subaerial island surfaces from a non-systematic arrangement of elevations to a discrete set of levees and intra-island platforms with distinct vegetation types, designated as high marsh, low marsh, and mudflat habitat. We propose that this elevation zonation is consistent with multiple stable state theory, e.g. as applied to tidal salt marsh systems but not previously to deltas. According to zonally-distributed sediment core analyses, differentiation of island elevations was not due to organic matter accumulation as in salt marshes, but rather by differential mineral sediment accumulation with some organic contributions. Mineral sediment accumulation rates suggested that elevation growth was accelerating or holding steady over time, at least to date in this young delta, in contrast to theory suggesting rates should slow as elevation increases above mean water level. Hydrological analysis of island flooding suggested a prominent role of stochastic local storm events in raising island water levels and supplying mineral sediment to the subaerial island surfaces at short time scales; over longer time scales, the relative influences of local storms and inland/regional floods on the coupled sediment-water-vegetation system of the subaerial delta island surfaces remain the subject of ongoing study. These results help provide an empirical foundation for the next generation of coupled sediment-water-vegetation modeling and theory.

Distinguishing regional and local sources of pollution by trace metals and magnetic particles in fluvial sediments of the Morava River, Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nováková, Tereza; Matys Grygar, Tomáš; Bábek, O.; Famera, M.; Mihaljevič, M.; Strnad, L.

2013-01-01

Roč. 13, č. 2 (2013), s. 460-473 ISSN 1439-0108 Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : Enrichment factors * Fluvial sediments * Heavy metals * Local sources * Normalisation * Regional contamination Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 2.107, year: 2013

Fluvial Export Variability Of Limiting Nutrient Fluxes To The Indian Ocean From Kelani, Kalu and Gin Rivers Of Sri Lanka

Science.gov (United States)

Ranasinghage, P. N.; Silva, A. N.; Vlahos, P.

2016-12-01

Inorganic `reactive' nutrients hold the highest importance in understanding the role of limiting nutrients in the ocean since they facilitate marine biological productivity and carbon sequestration that would eventually pave the way to regulate the biogeochemical climate feedbacks. Significant inorganic fractions are expected to be exported episodically to the ocean from fluvial fluxes though this is poorly understood. Thus, no considerable amounts of published work regarding the fluxes from Sri Lankan freshwater streams have ever been recorded. A study was carried out to quantify the contribution of Kelani, Kalu and Gin Rivers, three major rivers in the wet zone of Sri Lanka, in exporting major limiting nutrient fluxes to the Indian Ocean; to understand the significance of their variability patterns with rainfall and understand differences in their inputs. The study was conducted during the summer monsoonal period from late August to early November at two-three week intervals where water samples were collected for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphate, silica, sulfate and iron analysis by Colorimetric Spectroscopy. Discharge and rainfall data were retrieved from the Department of Irrigation and Department of Meteorology, Sri Lanka respectively. According to Two Way ANOVA, none of the individual fluxes showed significant differences (p>0.1) both in their temporal and spatial variability suggesting that studied rivers respond similarly in fluvial transportation owing to the similar rainfall intensities observed during the study period in the wet zone. Linear Regression Analysis indicates that only PO43- (p<0.01), SO42- (p<0.01) and NO2-(p<0.01 for Kelani and Kalu; 0.0.1Key words; nutrients, fluvial, fluxes, Redfield ratios

Trends in publications in fluvial geomorphology over two decades: A truly new era in the discipline owing to recent technological revolution?

Science.gov (United States)

Piégay, Hervé; Kondolf, G. Mathias; Minear, J. Toby; Vaudor, Lise

2015-01-01

Trends in the field of fluvial geomorphology have been reviewed by a number of authors, who have emphasized the dramatic change occuring in the field in the last two decades of the twentieth century, largely as a result of technological advances. Nevertheless, no prior authors have systematically compiled data on publications in fluvial geomorphology over a long period and statistically analyzed the resulting data set. In this contribution we present a quantitative analysis of fluvial geomorphology papers published in the twenty-two-year period 1987–2009 in five journals of the discipline with a more specific focus on Geomorphology and Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (ESPL), identifying authorships, geographic origin of authors, and spatial and temporal scales covered. We also documented the tools employed, demonstrating the transformation of the field with the emergence of new tools over this period, and conducted a cluster to highlight links between tools and a set of factors (country of author's origin, journals, time, and spatial and temporal scales). Of the 1717 papers published in the five journals during this period, the results showed an increased diversity in the nationality of the first author, mainly when dealing with present time scale, and channel feature. Our data show a significant change in methods used in the field as a result of the increase in data availability and new sources of information from remote sensing (ground, airborne and, satellite). Clearly, a new era in knowledge production is observed since 2000, showing the emergence of a second period of active quantification and an internationalization of the fields.

Revitalizing a mature oil play: Strategies for finding and producing unrecovered oil in frio fluvial-deltaic sandstone reservoirs at South Texas. Annual report, October 1994--October 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holtz, M.; Knox, P.; McRae, L. [and others

1996-02-01

The Frio Fluvial-Deltaic Sandstone oil play of South Texas has produced nearly 1 billion barrels of oil, yet it still contains about 1.6 billion barrels of unrecovered mobile oil and nearly the same amount of residual oil resources. Interwell-scale geologic facise models of Frio Fluvial-deltaic reservoirs are being combined with engineering assessments and geophysical evaluations in order to determine the controls that these characteristics exert on the location and volume or unrecovered mobile and residual oil. Progress in the third year centered on technology transfer. An overview of project tasks is presented.

Characterization of aquifer heterogeneity in a complex fluvial hydrogeologic system to evaluate migration in ground water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, F.G.; Pavlik, H.F.

1990-01-01

The hydrogeology and extent of ground water contamination were characterized at a site in northern California. Wood preserving compounds, primarily pentachlorophenol (PCP) and creosote, have been detected in the soil and ground water. A plume of dissolved PCP up to 1.5 miles long has been identified south of the plant. The aquifer consists of a complex multizonal system of permeable gravels and sands composed of units from four geologic formations deposited by the ancestral Feather River. Fluvial channel gravels form the principal aquifer zones and contain overbank clay and silt deposits which locally form clay lenses or more continuous aquitards. The geometric mean horizontal hydraulic conductivities for channel gravels range between 120 to 530 feet/day. Mean vertical aquitard hydraulic conductivity is 0.07 feet/day. Ground water flow is generally southward with a velocity ranging from 470 to 1000 feet/year. The spatial distribution of dissolved PCP in the aquifer documents the interactions between major permeable zones. Hydrostratigraphic evidence pointing to the separation of aquifer zones is supported by the major ion chemistry of ground water. The sodium and calcium-magnesium bicarbonate-rich water present in the upper aquifer zones is significantly different in chemical composition from the predominantly sodium chloride-rich water present in the deeper permeable zone. This indicates that hydrodynamic separation exists between the upper and lower zones of the aquifer, limiting the vertical movement of the PCP plume. A numerical ground water model, based on this conceptual hydrogeologic model, was developed to evaluate groundwater transport pathways and for use in the design of a ground water extraction and treatment system. (9 refs., 7 figs., tab.)

Numerical simulation of geomorphic, climatic and anthropogenic drivers of soil distribution on semi-arid hillslopes

Science.gov (United States)

Willgoose, G. R.; Cohen, S.; Svoray, T.; Sela, S.; Hancock, G. R.

2010-12-01

Numerical models are an important tool for studying landscape processes as they allow us to isolate specific processes and drivers and test various physics and spatio-temporal scenarios. Here we use a distributed physically-based soil evolution model (mARM4D) to describe the drivers and processes controlling soil-landscape evolution on a field-site at the fringe between the Mediterranean and desert regions of Israel. This study is an initial effort in a larger project aimed at improving our understanding of the mechanisms and drivers that led to the extensive removal of soils from the loess covered hillslopes of this region. This specific region is interesting as it is located between the Mediterranean climate region in which widespread erosion from hillslopes was attributed to human activity during the Holocene and the arid region in which extensive removal of loess from hillslopes was shown to have been driven by climatic changes during the late-Pleistocene. First we study the sediment transport mechanism of the soil-landscape evolution processes in our study-site. We simulate soil-landscape evolution with only one sediment transport process (fluvial or diffusive) at a time. We find that diffusive sediment transport is likely the dominant process in this site as it resulted in soil distributions that better corresponds to current observations. We then simulate several realistic climatic/anthropogenic scenarios (based on the literature) in order to quantify the sensitivity of the soil-landscape evolution process to temporal fluctuations. We find that this site is relatively insensitive to short term (several thousands of years) sharp, changes. This suggests that climate, rather then human activity, was the main driver for the extensive removal of loess from the hillslopes.

Contrasting vulnerability of drained tropical and high-latitude peatlands to fluvial loss of stored carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Chris D.; Page, Susan E.; Jones, Tim; Moore, Sam; Gauci, Vincent; Laiho, Raija; Hruška, Jakub; Allott, Tim E. H.; Billett, Michael F.; Tipping, Ed; Freeman, Chris; Garnett, Mark H.

2014-11-01

Carbon sequestration and storage in peatlands rely on consistently high water tables. Anthropogenic pressures including drainage, burning, land conversion for agriculture, timber, and biofuel production, cause loss of pressures including drainage, burning, land conversion for agriculture, timber, and biofuel production, cause loss of peat-forming vegetation and exposure of previously anaerobic peat to aerobic decomposition. This can shift peatlands from net CO2 sinks to large CO2 sources, releasing carbon held for millennia. Peatlands also export significant quantities of carbon via fluvial pathways, mainly as dissolved organic carbon (DOC). We analyzed radiocarbon (14C) levels of DOC in drainage water from multiple peatlands in Europe and Southeast Asia, to infer differences in the age of carbon lost from intact and drained systems. In most cases, drainage led to increased release of older carbon from the peat profile but with marked differences related to peat type. Very low DOC-14C levels in runoff from drained tropical peatlands indicate loss of very old (centuries to millennia) stored peat carbon. High-latitude peatlands appear more resilient to drainage; 14C measurements from UK blanket bogs suggest that exported DOC remains young (use changes in the tropics. Data from the UK Peak District, an area where air pollution and intensive land management have triggered Sphagnum loss and peat erosion, suggest that additional anthropogenic pressures may trigger fluvial loss of much older (>500 year) carbon in high-latitude systems. Rewetting at least partially offsets drainage effects on DOC age.

Multi-temporal Soil Erosion Modelling over the Mt Kenya Region with Multi-Sensor Earth Observation Data

Science.gov (United States)

Symeonakis, Elias; Higginbottom, Thomas

2015-04-01

Accelerated soil erosion is the principal cause of soil degradation across the world. In Africa, it is seen as a serious problem creating negative impacts on agricultural production, infrastructure and water quality. Regarding the Mt Kenya region, specifically, soil erosion is a serious threat mainly due to unplanned and unsustainable practices linked to tourism, agriculture and rapid population growth. The soil types roughly correspond with different altitudinal zones and are generally very fertile due to their volcanic origin. Some of them have been created by eroding glaciers while others are due to millions of years of fluvial erosion. The soils on the mountain are easily eroded once exposed: when vegetation is removed, the soil quickly erodes down to bedrock by either animals or humans, as tourists erode paths and local people clear large swaths of forested land for agriculture, mostly illegally. It is imperative, therefore, that a soil erosion monitoring system for the Mt Kenya region is in place in order to understand the magnitude of, and be able to respond to, the increasing number of demands on this renewable resource. In this paper, we employ a simple regional-scale soil erosion modelling framework based on the Thornes model and suggest an operational methodology for quantifying and monitoring water runoff and soil erosion using multi-sensor and multi-temporal remote sensing data in a GIS framework. We compare the estimates of this study with general data on the severity of soil erosion over Kenya and with measured rates of soil loss at different locations over the area of study. The results show that the measured and estimated rates of erosion are generally similar and within the same order of magnitude. They also show that, over the last years, erosion rates are increasing in large parts of the region at an alarming rate, and that mitigation measures are needed to reverse the negative effects of uncontrolled socio-economic practices.

Multi-residues analysis of pre-emergence herbicides in fluvial sediments: application to the mid-Garonne River.

Science.gov (United States)

Devault, Damien A; Merlina, Georges; Lim, Puy; Probst, Jean-Luc; Pinelli, Eric

2007-09-01

Contamination of man and ecosystems by pesticides has become a major environmental concern. Whereas many studies exist on contamination from agriculture, the effects of urban sources are usually omitted. Fluvial sediment is a complex matrix of pollutants but little is known of its recent herbicide content. This study proposes a method for a fast and reliable analysis of herbicides by employing the accelerated solvent extractor (ASE). The aim of the study is to show the impact of a major town (Toulouse) on the herbicide content in the river. In this study, three herbicide families (i.e.s-triazine, substituted ureas and anilides) were analysed in fluvial sediment fractions at 11 sampling sites along the mid-Garonne River and its tributaries. River water contamination by herbicides is minor, except for at three sites located in urban areas. Among the herbicidal families studied, urban and suburban areas are distinguished from rural areas and were found to be the most contaminated sites during the study period, a winter low-water event. The herbicide content of the coarse sediment fractions is about one third of that found in the fine fractions and usually ignored. The distribution of pesticide concentrations across the whole range of particle sizes was investigated to clarify the role of plant remains on the significant accumulation in the coarse fractions.

Geochemical evidence for African dust and volcanic ash inputs to terra rossa soils on carbonate reef terraces, northern Jamaica, West Indies

Science.gov (United States)

Muhs, D.R.; Budahn, J.R.

2009-01-01

The origin of red or reddish-brown, clay-rich, "terra rossa" soils on limestone has been debated for decades. A traditional qualitative explanation for their formation has been the accumulation of insoluble residues as the limestone is progressively dissolved over time. However, this mode of formation often requires unrealistic or impossible amounts of carbonate dissolution. Therefore, where this mechanism is not viable and where local fluvial or colluvial inputs can be ruled out, an external source or sources must be involved in soil formation. On the north coast of the Caribbean island of Jamaica, we studied a sequence of terra rossa soils developed on emergent limestones thought to be of Quaternary age. The soils become progressively thicker, redder, more Fe- and Al-rich and Si-poor with elevation. Furthermore, although kaolinite is found in all the soils, the highest and oldest soils also contain boehmite. Major and trace element geochemistry shows that the host limestones and local igneous rocks are not likely source materials for the soils. Other trace elements, including the rare earth elements (REE), show that tephra from Central American volcanoes is not a likely source either. However, trace element geochemistry shows that airborne dust from Africa plus tephra from the Lesser Antilles island arc are possible source materials for the clay-rich soils. A third, as yet unidentified, source may also contribute to the soils. We hypothesize that older, more chemically mature Jamaican bauxites may have had a similar origin. The results add to the growing body of evidence of the importance of multiple parent materials, including far-traveled dust, to soil genesis.

Modelamiento geoestadístico de los depósitos fluviales de la zona c-formación mugrosa en el área la Cira-Este del Campo La Cira

OpenAIRE

Rojas Suárez, César Augusto

2011-01-01

Mediante algoritmos geoestadísticos se realizo el modelo tridimensional de los yacimientos fluviales de la Zona-C de la Formación Mugrosa en el área Cira-Este del Campo La Cira. Este modelo permitió calcular el aceite original en sitio e identificar las reservas que aun no han sido drenadas en el yacimiento. / Abstract. Geostatistical algorithms were used for making the three-dimensional model for the fluvial deposits of Zona-C of Mugrosa Formation in the Cira-Este area of the Cira Field. Thi...

Application of Geomorphologic Factors for Identifying Soil Loss in Vulnerable Regions of the Cameron Highlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kahhoong Kok

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study is to propose a methodology for identifying vulnerable regions in the Cameron Highlands that are susceptible to soil loss, based on runoff aggregation structure and the energy expenditure pattern of the natural river basin, within the framework of power law distribution. To this end, three geomorphologic factors, namely shear stress and stream power, as well as the drainage area of every point in the basin of interest, have been extracted using GIS, and then their complementary cumulative distributions are graphically analyzed by fitting them to power law distribution, with the purpose of identifying the sensitive points within the basin that are susceptible to soil loss with respect to scaling regimes of shear stress and stream power. It is observed that the range of vulnerable regions by the scaling regime of shear stress is much narrower than by the scaling regime of stream power. This result seems to suggest that shear stress is a scale-dependent factor, which does not follow power law distribution and does not adequately reflect the energy expenditure pattern of a river basin. Therefore, stream power is preferred as a more reasonable factor for the evaluation of soil loss. The methodology proposed in this study can be validated by visualizing the path of soil loss, which is generated from the hillslope process (characterized by the local slope to the valley through a fluvial process (characterized by the drainage area as well as the local slope.

Changing fluvial styles in volcaniclastic successions: A cretaceous example from the Cerro Barcino Formation, Patagonia

Science.gov (United States)

Umazano, A. Martín; Krause, J. Marcelo; Bellosi, Eduardo S.; Perez, Mariano; Visconti, Graciela; Melchor, Ricardo N.

2017-08-01

The Cretaceous Puesto La Paloma (PLPM) and Cerro Castaño (CCM) members (Cerro Barcino Formation, Chubut Group) are pyroclastic-rich, alluvial successions deposited in the Somuncurá-Cañadón Asfalto Basin during sag and endorheic conditions. The PLPM comprises sheet-like tuffaceous sandstone strata, whereas the overlying CCM includes sheet-to ribbon-channel sandstone bodies intercalated within tuffaceous and fine-grained sediments. In this context, the goals of this contribution were: i) to make a detailed documentation of the contrasting sedimentary palaeonvironments; and ii) to infer the allocyclic controls that governed the sedimentation of both units. The study area is located in the western sector of the basin, where six localities, which were studied. Six facies associations were defined including ash-falls, sheet-floods, shallow lakes, aeolian, fluvial channel-belts, and reworked debris-flows. We defined four stratigraphic intervals for the studied sections, denominated 1 to 4 in chronological order of deposition, which increase their thicknesses toward the Puesto Mesa-Cerro León site. The interval 1 (18-42 m thick) corresponds to the PLPM and includes numerous pedogenized sheet-flood deposits, carbonate-rich lacustrine, aeolian sandy facies, and ash-fall beds. The interval 1 is interpreted as an ephemeral and unconfined alluvial system that interacted with aeolian dunes and dry interdune zones. The interval 2 (20-47 m thick) represents the lower part of the CCM. It shows an alternation of fluvial channel-belt deposits and vegetated floodplain facies with sediments originated from sheet-floods, lakes, and few ash-falls and debris-flows. The mean palaeoflow was toward E-SE, except in the northernmost locality where the drainage was towards SW. Proportion of channel-belt bodies ranges from 10 to 36%, reaching higher values in the northern part of the study area, where they are also thicker. The interval 2 represents a permanent, meandering or locally low

Petrology and provenance of the Neogene fluvial succession in Pishin Belt (Katawaz Basin) western Pakistan: Implications for sedimentation in peripheral forelands basins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kasi, Aimal Khan; Kassi, Aktar Muhammad; Friis, Henrik

2017-01-01

Sandstones and conglomerates of the Neogene fluvial succession in Pishin Belt (Katawaz Basin), Pakistan were studied for the first time to understand the composition, provenance and tectonic settings of the source areas. Sandstones of the Miocene Dasht Murgha Group and Pliocene Malthanai Formatio...

Expansión urbana, PRMS y el corredor fluvial del Rio Mapocho inferior /Urban growth, planning instruments and the lower Mapocho River basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Ferrando Acuña

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se analiza la relevancia de los servicios ambientales de los corredores fluviales en el ámbito de la planificación urbana sustentable, al tenor de la realidad y falencias de los instrumentos territoriales vigentes en esta temática. Dados los múltiples servicios ambientales de esto tipo de sistema natural, escasamente valorizado y nada incorporado en los IOT en Chile, al contrario de experiencias extranjeras como las españolas, se rescata y explicitan las características del corredor inferior del Río Mapocho entre la Comuna de Maipú y el Monte desde el punto de vista geomorfológico, hidrológico y ambiental, y se señala la relevancia de su temprana incorporación en los proyectos de urbanización de este territorio, los cuales ya se encuentran en marcha a propósito del progresivo cambio de uso del suelo de rural a urbano. /In Chile there's no correlation between the environmental relevance of the fluvial corridors and its many benefic functions for the urban climate and quality of life of his inhabitants with planning instruments. Consequently these fluvial systems aren't the basis of city planning setting aside its environmental services not only for cities, also for regions and more. The lower Río Mapocho corridor is evaluated considering the land use change in its surroundings. A review is presentes of international experiences on this matter, particularly from Spain.

The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coxon, T.M.; Odhiambo, B.K.; Giancarlo, L.C.

2016-01-01

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight "2"1"0Pb and "1"3"7Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments. - Highlights: �

The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coxon, T.M. [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 (United States); Odhiambo, B.K., E-mail: bkisila@umw.edu [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 (United States); Giancarlo, L.C. [Department of Chemistry, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (United States)

2016-10-15

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight {sup 210}Pb and {sup 137}Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments

Post Waterflood CO2 Miscible Flood in Light Oil, Fluvial-Dominated Deltaic Reservoir (Pre-Work and Project Proposal - Appendix)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bou-Mikael, Sami

2002-02-05

The main objective of the Port Neches Project was to determine the feasibility and producibility of CO2 miscible flooding techniques enhanced with horizontal drilling applied to a Fluvial Dominated Deltaic reservoir. The second was to disseminate the knowledge gained through established Technology Transfer mechanisms to support DOE's programmatic objectives of increasing domestic oil production and reducing abandonment of oil fields.

Regional and long-term patterns of lead concentrations in fluvial, marine and terrestrial systems and humans in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hagner, C. [GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Hydrophysik

2000-07-01

Lead contamination of abiotic and biotic systems has been studied closely since the early 1970s, when lead was firstly perceived as an environmental problem. Lead emission reduction policies were implemented throughout Europe during that time. Nonetheless, analyses of lead loads in aquatic systems, such as the river Elbe, showed no decline over time in either suspended matter or surface sediments. Regional differences in lead concentrations of fluvial systems were found, due to tidal influence, runoff and local emissions. Lead contamination of sediments from the North Sea was highest in estuaries. Concentrations in sediment cores were quite stable down to the depth of background values, due to bioturbation, flow, waves and meandering channels. Terrestrial soils in Europe were highly polluted in industrial and ore mining areas and large cities. No decline in lead concentrations was evident in foraminifers, bladder wrack or fish. It was found that contamination in sediments, mammals and fish was higher in coastal zones than in the open sea. In contrast to in aquatic organisms, positive impacts of lead reduction regulations were detected in terrestrial plants, which adsorbed or took up lead mainly through atmospheric lead deposition. European lead concentrations in plants decreased coincidently with lead emissions. That trend could also be identified in the blood lead levels of the human population in Europe: since 1979 they have declined in every group of the population. Mainly influenced by age, sex and the living environment, overall, the lead loads of humans had never been high enough to cause health danger. (orig.)

The Maya Tropical Forest: Cascading Human impacts from Hillslopes to Floodplains

Science.gov (United States)

Beach, Timothy; Luzzadder-Beach, Sheryl; Doyle, Colin; Krause, Samantha; Brokaw, Nicholas; Yaeger, Jason

2016-04-01

We review the long-term human impact on fluvial systems in the Maya tropical forest region. Although most of this karstic region is drained by groundwater, the southern and coastal margins have several river systems that drain volcanic and metamorphic as well as sedimentary terrains. Some positive environmental impacts of Maya Civilization were the long-term impacts of both landesque capital, like wetland field systems, and other land uses that have enriched many soils. Some negative impacts included stripped soils and eutrophic rivers, both playing out again today with recent deforestation and intensive agriculture. We review trends in the region's fluvial systems, present new evidence on beneficial and detrimental impacts of Maya civilization, and present a new study using LiDAR mapping of fluvial geomorphology of the Belize River. Our new field research comes from the transboundary Rio Bravo watershed of Belize and Guatemala near the border with Mexico. This watershed today is mainly a well preserved tropical forest but from 3,000 to 1000 years ago was partly deforested by Maya cities, farms, roads, fires, and fields. We present studies of soils and sediment movement along slopes, floodplains, and water quality impacts of high dissolved loads of sulfate and calcium. We use AMS dates and soil stratigraphy to date slope and floodplain flux, and we use multiple proxies like pollen and carbon isotopes to reconstruct ancient land use. Aggradation in the floodplain and colluvial deposits began by at least 3,000 years ago and continued until 1100 years ago in several study sites. Some Classic period sites with peak human population and land use intensity experienced less soil erosion, perhaps due to soil conservation, post urban construction, and source reduction. Additional evidence suggests that ancient terraced sites and colluvial slopes that gained upslope sediment and soil nutrients from ancient Maya erosion had greater biodiversity. Lastly, we map fluvial

Radioactivity measurement in soils, sediments and water from Salihli Basin, western Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakac, M.; Kumru, M.N.

2001-01-01

Full text: Salihli Basin (about 3500 km 2 ), which is located latitude 38 deg 25' - 38 deg 35' North and longitude 27 deg 58' - 28 deg 25' East, is found on the river of Gediz the second longest river in Aegean Sea. The Gediz river originates in the vicinity of Murat Mountain and flows into the Aegean Sea in western Turkey. Gediz river carries industry effluents and mine discharges frequently inundates its flood plains. Salihli Basin is also one of the flood plain basins which has these properties The bedrock structure of the basin is composed mainly of metamorphic and volcanic rocks of the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Neogene ages. Uranium deposits in the Koprubasi area (Salihli Basin) of western Turkey occur in fluvial sedimentary rocks, which Lire underlaid by high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Menderes Massif. In the present study, soil, sediment and water samples were collected from the basin, its environment and riverbank. Sediment and soil samples were analysed for uranium, thorium and potassium by gamma-spectroscopy method; for radium by collector chamber method. Water samples were analysed for radium by collector chamber method. Moreover, groundwaters and streams' soils, sediments and waters within the basin were analysed for above natural radioactive elements. The objective of this, study is to determine the level of natural radioactivity in Salihli Basin. Uranium, thorium, potassium und radium concentrations and their frequency distributions were plotted graphically

Estonian soil classification as a tool for recording information on soil cover and its matching with local site types, plant covers and humus forms classifications

Science.gov (United States)

Kõlli, Raimo; Tõnutare, Tõnu; Rannik, Kaire; Krebstein, Kadri

2015-04-01

Estonian soil classification (ESC) has been used successfully during more than half of century in soil survey, teaching of soil science, generalization of soil databases, arrangement of soils sustainable management and others. The Estonian normally developed (postlithogenic) mineral soils (form 72.4% from total area) are characterized by mean of genetic-functional schema, where the pedo-ecological position of soils (ie. location among other soils) is given by means of three scalars: (i) 8 stage lithic-genetic scalar (from rendzina to podzols) separates soils each from other by parent material, lithic properties, calcareousness, character of soil processes and others, (ii) 6 stage moisture and aeration conditions scalar (from aridic or well aerated to permanently wet or reductic conditions), and (iii) 2-3 stage soil development scalar, which characterizes the intensity of soil forming processes (accumulation of humus, podzolization). The organic soils pedo-ecological schema, which links with histic postlithogenic soils, is elaborated for characterizing of peatlands superficial mantle (form 23.7% from whole soil cover). The position each peat soil species among others on this organic (peat) soil matrix schema is determined by mean of 3 scalars: (i) peat thickness, (ii) type of paludification or peat forming peculiarities, and (iii) stage of peat decomposition or peat type. On the matrix of abnormally developed (synlithogenic) soils (all together 3.9%) the soil species are positioned (i) by proceeding in actual time geological processes as erosion, fluvial processes (at vicinity of rivers, lakes or sea) or transforming by anthropogenic and technological processes, and (ii) by 7 stage moisture conditions (from aridic to subaqual) of soils. The most important functions of soil cover are: (i) being a suitable environment for plant productivity; (ii) forming adequate conditions for decomposition, transformation and conversion of falling litter (characterized by humus

Glacial lake outburst floods and fluvial erosion in the Himalaya - insights from the 2016 Bhote Koshi GLOF

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, K. L.; Gimbert, F.; Andermann, C.; Hovius, N.; Adhikari, B. R.

2017-12-01

The Himalaya is a region of rapid erosion where fluvial processes are assumed to be driven by precipitation delivered during the annual Indian Summer Monsoon. However, the rivers in this region are also subject to catastrophic floods caused by the failure of glacial lake and landslide dams. Because these floods are rarely observed, it has been difficult to isolate their impact on the rivers and adjacent hillslopes, and their importance for the long-term evolution of Himalayan valleys is largely unknown. In July 2016, the Bhotekoshi/Sunkoshi River in central Nepal was hit by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) that caused substantial changes to the channel bed, banks, and adjacent hillslopes, causing at least 26 landslides and an average of 11 m of channel widening. The flood passed through a seismic and hydrological observatory installed along the river in June 2015, and we have used the resulting data to constrain the timing, duration, and bedload transport properties of the outburst flood. The impact of the flood on the river can be further observed with hourly time-lapse photographs, daily measurements of suspended sediment load, repeat lidar surveys, and satellite imagery. The outburst flood affected the river on several timescales. In the short term, it transported large amounts of coarse sediment and restructured the river bed during the hours of the flood pulse itself. Over intermediate timescales it resulted in elevated bedload and suspended load transport for several weeks following the flood. Over longer timescales the flood undercut and destabilized the river banks and hillslopes in a number of locations, leading to bank collapses, slumps, and landslides. Our data indicate that impacts of the GLOF far exceed those driven by the annual summer monsoon, likely due to extremely coarse sediment that armors much of the channel. The relatively frequent occurrence of GLOFs and the extremely high discharges relative to monsoon floods suggest that GLOFs may

LAPSUS: soil erosion - landscape evolution model

Science.gov (United States)

van Gorp, Wouter; Temme, Arnaud; Schoorl, Jeroen

2015-04-01

LAPSUS is a soil erosion - landscape evolution model which is capable of simulating landscape evolution of a gridded DEM by using multiple water, mass movement and human driven processes on multiple temporal and spatial scales. It is able to deal with a variety of human landscape interventions such as landuse management and tillage and it can model their interactions with natural processes. The complex spatially explicit feedbacks the model simulates demonstrate the importance of spatial interaction of human activity and erosion deposition patterns. In addition LAPSUS can model shallow landsliding, slope collapse, creep, solifluction, biological and frost weathering, fluvial behaviour. Furthermore, an algorithm to deal with natural depressions has been added and event-based modelling with an improved infiltration description and dust deposition has been pursued. LAPSUS has been used for case studies in many parts of the world and is continuously developing and expanding. it is now available for third-party and educational use. It has a comprehensive user interface and it is accompanied by a manual and exercises. The LAPSUS model is highly suitable to quantify and understand catchment-scale erosion processes. More information and a download link is available on www.lapsusmodel.nl.

Post Waterflood CO2 Miscible Flood in Light Oil, Fluvial-Dominated Deltaic Reservoir (Pre-Work and Project Proposal), Class I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bou-Mikael, Sami

2002-02-05

This project outlines a proposal to improve the recovery of light oil from waterflooded fluvial dominated deltaic (FDD) reservoir through a miscible carbon dioxide (CO2) flood. The site is the Port Neches Field in Orange County, Texas. The field is well explored and well exploited. The project area is 270 acres within the Port Neches Field.

Preservation of Lipid Biomarkers Under Prolonged and Extreme Hyperaridity in Atacama Desert Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhelm, M. B.; Davila, A. F.; Eigenbrode, J. L.; Parenteau, M. N.; Jahnke, L. L.; Summons, R. E.; Liu, X.; Wray, J. J.; Stamos, B.; O'Reilly, S. S.; Williams, A. J.

2015-12-01

Molecular biomarkers are the most direct biosignatures of life on early Earth and a key target in the search for life on Mars. Lipid biomarkers are of particular interest given their ability to survive oxidative degradation and record microbial presence and activity of microorganisms that occurred billions of years ago (Eigenbrode, 2008). Environmental conditions that suspend biotic and abiotic degradative processes prior to lithification can lead to enhanced biomolecular preservation over geological time-scales. The hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile offers a unique environment to investigate lipid biomarker taphonomy under extreme and prolonged dryness. We investigated the accumulation and degree of preservation of lipid biomarkers in million-year-old hyperarid soils where primarily abiotic conditions influence their taphonomy. Soils were extracted and free and membrane bound lipids were analyzed across a vertical profile of 2.5 meters in the Yungay hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert. Due to the extremely low inventory of biomass in Atacama soils, samples were collected by scientists wearing cleanroom suits to minimize anthropogenic contamination during sampling. Fatty acids were found to be well preserved in Yungay soils, and were most abundant in the clay-rich soils at ~2 m depth (~750 ng of fatty acid methyl ester/g of soil). These buried clays layers were fluvially deposited approximately 2 million years ago, and have been excluded from exposure to rainwater and modern surficial processes since their emplacement (Ewing et al., 2008). Monocarboxylic fatty acid, monohydroxy fatty acid, glycerol tetraether, and n-alkane hydrocarbon content was found to change with depth. Lipid biomarker content in deeper soil layers is suggestive of soils having been formed at a time when environmental conditions were capable of supporting active microbial communities and plants. In short, total lipid extracts reveal a remarkable degree of lipid biomarker

Preservation of Lipid Biomarkers Under Prolonged and Extreme Hyperaridity in Atacama Desert Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhelm, Mary Beth

2015-01-01

Molecular biomarkers are the most direct biosignatures of life on early Earth and a key target in the search for life on Mars. Lipid biomarkers are of particular interest given their ability to survive oxidative degradation and record microbial presence and activity of microorganisms that occurred billions of years ago (Eigenbrode, 2008). Environmental conditions that suspend biotic and abiotic degradative processes prior to lithification can lead to enhanced biomolecular preservation over geological time-scales. The hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile offers a unique environment to investigate lipid biomarker taphonomy under extreme and prolonged dryness. We investigated the accumulation and degree of preservation of lipid biomarkers in million-year-old hyperarid soils where primarily abiotic conditions influence their taphonomy. Soils were extracted and free and membrane bound lipids were analyzed across a vertical profile of 2.5 meters in the Yungay hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert. Due to the extremely low inventory of biomass in Atacama soils, samples were collected by scientists wearing cleanroom suits to minimize anthropogenic contamination during sampling. Fatty acids were found to be well preserved in Yungay soils, and were most abundant in the clay-rich soils at approx.2 m depth (approx.750 ng of fatty acid methyl ester/g of soil). These buried clays layers were fluvially deposited approximately 2 million years ago, and have been excluded from exposure to rainwater and modern surficial processes since their emplacement (Ewing et al., 2008). Monocarboxylic fatty acid, monohydroxy fatty acid, glycerol tetraether, and n-alkane hydrocarbon content was found to change with depth. Lipid biomarker content in deeper soil layers is suggestive of soils having been formed at a time when environmental conditions were capable of supporting active microbial communities and plants. In short, total lipid extracts reveal a remarkable degree of

Mapping the geogenic radon potential: methodology and spatial analysis for central Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabó, Katalin Zsuzsanna; Jordan, Gyozo; Horváth, Ákos; Szabó, Csaba

2014-01-01

A detailed geogenic radon potential (GRP) mapping based on field soil gas radon and soil gas permeability measurements was carried out in this study. A conventional continuous variable approach was used in this study for GRP determination and to test its applicability to the selected area of Hungary. Spatial pattern of soil gas radon concentration, soil permeability and GRP and the relationship between geological formations and these parameters were studied by performing detailed spatial analysis. Exploratory data analysis revealed that higher soil gas radon activity concentration and GRP characterizes the mountains and hills than the plains. The highest values were found in the proluvial–deluvial sediments, rock debris on the downhill slopes eroded from hills. Among the Quaternary sediments, which characterize the study area, the fluvial sediment has the highest values, which are also located in the hilly areas. The lowest values were found in the plain areas covered by drift sand, fluvioeolic sand, fluvial sand and loess. As a conclusion, radon is related to the sediment cycle in the study area. A geogenic radon risk map was created, which assists human health risk assessment and risk reduction since it indicates the potential of the source of indoor radon. The map shows that low and medium geogenic radon potential characterizes the study area in central Hungary. High risk occurs only locally. The results reveal that Quaternary sediments are inhomogeneous from a radon point of view, fluvial sediment has medium GRP, whereas the other rock formations such as drift sand, fluioeolic sand, fluvial sand and loess, found in the study area, have low GRP. - Highlights: • First geogenic radon potential map in Hungary. • Low and medium GRP characterizes the study area (Middle Hungary). • Mainly quaternary sediments characterizes the study area. • Radon is related to the erosion and deposition of the sediment cycle

Late quaternary evolution of the Meuse fluvial system and its sediment composition : a reconstruction based on bulk sample geochemistry and forward modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tebbens, L.A.

1999-01-01

All fluvial systems ultimately drain into alluvial basins, where the weathering products of their upstream drainage areas accumulate over a time-span varying from 10 ⁰to 10 ⁶years. Most silted-up alluvial basins are low-gradient deltas that are

Valley-scale morphology drives differences in fluvial sediment budgets and incision rates during contrasting flow regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, M. D.; Pasternack, G. B.

2017-07-01

High-resolution topographic surveys using LiDAR and multibeam sonar can be used to characterize and quantify fluvial change. This study used repeat surveys to explore how topographic change, fluvial processes, sediment budgets, and aggradation and incision rates vary across spatial scales and across two contrasting decadal flow regimes in a regulated gravel/cobble river. A novel method for quantifying digital elevation model uncertainty was developed and applied to a topographic change detection analysis from 2006/2008 to 2014. During this period, which had four modest 3-5 year floods, most sediment was laterally redistributed through bank erosion and channel migration. Erosion primarily occurred in the floodplain (97,000 m3), terraces (80,000 m3), and lateral bars (58,000 m3); while deposition occurred in the adjacent pools (73,000 m3), fast glides (48,000 m3), and runs (36,000 m3). In contrast, significantly higher magnitude and longer duration floods from 1999 to 2006/2008 caused sediment to be displaced longitudinally, with the upstream reaches exporting sediment and the downstream reaches aggrading. The river maintained floodplain connectivity during both periods, despite different processes dominating the type of connectivity. Larger floods promoted overbank scour and avulsion, while smaller floods promoted bank erosion and lateral migration. This study explores and illustrates how the geomorphic response to contrasting flood regimes in a nonuniform river is highly dependent on which landforms are controlling hydraulics.

Recuperación del paisaje con fines de ocio. Parque fluvial del Jarama. Comunidad de Madrid. España

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pinedo, Alejandro

1990-10-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on a rivershore reclamation scheme for an area of the Community of Madrid (Spain. Due to its location not far from the City of Madrid, recreational water based use was proposed as the final use for this disturbed river environment. The reclamation plan proposes the creation of the Jarama River Park (Parque Fluvial del Jarama that would be integrated into the Rivershore Reclamation Program of the Integral Water Plan of Madrid (Plan Integral del Agua en Madrid-PIAM. Several sets of actions are considered for the reclamation of the river and ponds system. Some of them are: — Reclamation of the old railway corridor located along the river. — Reclamation of the river bed and banks. — Reclamation of the Campillo Pond area.

El plan de recuperación de márgenes y riberas que se describe en el presente artículo, trata de salir al paso y aportar soluciones a los cada vez más frecuentes problemas de restauración y aprovechamiento de terrenos degradados que se plantean en los ámbitos urbanos y periurbano. El plan se localiza geográficamente en un área de la Comunidad de Madrid que posee un alto nivel de degradación y al mismo tiempo un gran potencial recreativo, se trata de el Parque Fluvial del Jarama, situado en el tramo del río Jarama comprendido entre la desembocadura del arroyo de la Vega y la del Manzanares; el Parque Fluvial del Jarama constituye la actuación más ambiciosa dentro del Programa de Recuperación de Márgenes del Plan Integral del Agua en Madrid (PIAM y en él se contemplan una serie de actuaciones que se pueden agrupar en los bloques siguientes: — Restauración de la explanación del ferrocarril. — Restauración y adecuación del cauce y márgenes. — Restauración de la Laguna del Campillo.

A chemometric approach to the evaluation of atmospheric and fluvial pollutant inputs in aquatic systems: The Guadalquivir River estuary as a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-Lopez, Jose A.; Garcia-Vargas, Manuel; Moreno, Carlos

2011-01-01

To establish the quality of waters it is necessary to identify both point and non-point pollution sources. In this work, we propose the combination of clean analytical methodologies and chemometric tools to study discrete and diffuse pollution caused in a river by tributaries and precipitations, respectively. During a two-year period, water samples were taken in the Guadalquivir river (selected as a case study) and its main tributaries before and after precipitations. Samples were characterized by analysing nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen, total and volatile suspended solids, carbon species, and heavy metals. Results were used to estimate fluvial and atmospheric inputs and as tracers for anthropic activities. Multivariate analysis was used to estimate the background pollution, and to identify pollution inputs. Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis were used as data exploratory tools, while box-whiskers plots and Linear Discriminant Analysis were used to analyse and distinguish the different types of water samples. - Highlights: → Atmospheric and fluvial inputs of pollutants in Guadalquivir River were identified. → Point (tributary rivers) and non-point sources (rains) were studied. → Nature and extension of anthropogenic pollution in the river were established. - By combining trace environmental analysis and selected chemometric tools atmospheric and fluvial inputs of pollutants in rivers may be identified. The extension of the pollution originated by each anthropic activity developed along the River may be established, as well as the identification of the pollution introduced into the river by the tributary rivers (point sources) and by rains (non-point sources).

Post Waterflood CO2 Miscible Flood in Light Oil, Fluvial-Dominated Deltaic Reservoir (Pre-Work and Project Proposal - Appendix); FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bou-Mikael, Sami

2002-01-01

The main objective of the Port Neches Project was to determine the feasibility and producibility of CO2 miscible flooding techniques enhanced with horizontal drilling applied to a Fluvial Dominated Deltaic reservoir. The second was to disseminate the knowledge gained through established Technology Transfer mechanisms to support DOE's programmatic objectives of increasing domestic oil production and reducing abandonment of oil fields

Fluvial terrace formation in the northern Upper Rhine Graben during the last 20 000 years as a result of allogenic controls and autogenic evolution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erkens, G.; Dambeck, R.; Volleberg, K.P.; Bouman, M.I.T.J.; Bos, J.A.A.; Cohen, K.M.; Hoek, W.Z.

2009-01-01

The northern Upper Rhine Graben hosts a well-preserved Late Weichselian and Holocene fluvial terrace sequence. Terraces differ in elevation, morphology, and overbank sediment characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of allogenic controlling factors versus

Preliminary technical and economic viability for the implantation of fluvial transport of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) for barges in Amazon Region; Avaliacao preliminar de viabilidade tecnico-economica para implantacao de transporte fluvial de GNC (Gas Natual Comprimido) por barcacas na Regiao Amazonica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araujo, Marcos C.C. de; Porto, Paulo L. Lemgruber [Interocean Engenharia e Ship Management, Rio de janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Cunha, Rafael H. da [Metro Rio, RJ (Brazil); Garcia, Rafael M. [Pic Brasil (Brazil); Almeida, Marco A.R. de [Universidade Gama Filho (UGF), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2004-07-01

The isolated regions of the Amazon present difficulties for integration with the electrical system which is creating some economic problems due to the consequent costs of electric generation of subsidies as a function of the fossil fuel use as oils diesel and fuel. A viable option is the use of Natural Gas - NG that is Also available in the region. Its modal of transport possible in the Region North they are for gas-lines or barges. The Compressed Natural Gas transport is distinguished that - CNG for barges was still not tested operationally in Brazil. Soon, to develop a Preliminary Study of Viability Technician - Economic - SVTE for the implantation of fluvial transport of CNG between the cities of Coari and Manaus is basic, therefore it is created strategical alternative for the electric generation in this region. The electric sector, the characteristics of the NG and the transport in this region had been analyzed to support to the work. The gas line and the fluvial transport of CNG for barges in this region are not conflicting, and they in a complementary form can act. The SVTE presented a Liquid Present Value and Internal Tax of very attractive Return justifying its implantation. (author)

Sediment Budget in the Taiwan Strait with High Fluvial Sediment Inputs from Mountainous Rivers: New Observations and Synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuh-Ji Kao

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The shallow Taiwan Strait at the southern opening of the East China Sea (ECS receives abundant sediments from turbid mountainous rivers in Taiwan. The volume of sediment is among the highest sediment yields on the global surface. This large amount of sediment discharged from modern Taiwan (range: 175 - 380 Mt y-1 based on 50-yr data is comparable to that discharged from Changjaing (500 Mt y-1-decreasing in recent decades, underscoring the importance of sediment budget in the Taiwan Strait and sediment flux from Taiwan into the ECS.We documented fluvial mud and sand concentrations during flash flooding with our observations indicating that fluvial materials in Taiwan¡¦s rivers are chiefly composed of mud (> 70 and up to 98 . By contrast, sand fraction dominates (> 85 for most stations surface sediments in the Taiwan Strait. Super typhoon Herb alone delivered 130 Mt of sediments from Choshui, the largest river in Taiwan, yet only insignificant amounts of mud were found at the river mouth six months later. The actions of waves, tides, and currents apparently prevent the deposition of fine grained sediments. Assuming sand occupied 30 (the maximum of the 60 Mt y-1 total sediment input from major western Taiwanese rivers, our annual budget estimate shows that the amount of sand input (18 5 Mt y-1 is comparable to the burial output of sand (12 10 Mt y-1. However, mud burial (6 5 Mt y-1 in the strait is far below the estimated mud input (42 11 Mt y-1, resulting in a significant shortfall. Hydrodynamic conditions were synthesized to explain the distribution pattern of limited mud patches in the strait and to reveal potential pathways by which fine-grain sediment transportation takes place in the seas surrounding Taiwan. A significant shortfall in the mud budget in the Taiwan Strait suggests that ~85 of the fluvial mud left the strait. Alternatively, the 50-year modern sediment flux data used in this study reflects exacerbated sediment flux due to human

Post Waterflood CO2 Miscible Flood in Light Oil, Fluvial-Dominated Deltaic Reservoir (Pre-Work and Project Proposal), Class I; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bou-Mikael, Sami

2002-01-01

This project outlines a proposal to improve the recovery of light oil from waterflooded fluvial dominated deltaic (FDD) reservoir through a miscible carbon dioxide (CO2) flood. The site is the Port Neches Field in Orange County, Texas. The field is well explored and well exploited. The project area is 270 acres within the Port Neches Field

Quaternary Morphodynamics of Fluvial Dispersal Systems Revealed: The Fly River, PNG, and the Sunda Shelf, SE Asia, simulated with the Massively Parallel GPU-based Model 'GULLEM'

Science.gov (United States)

Aalto, R. E.; Lauer, J. W.; Darby, S. E.; Best, J.; Dietrich, W. E.

2015-12-01

During glacial-marine transgressions vast volumes of sediment are deposited due to the infilling of lowland fluvial systems and shallow shelves, material that is removed during ensuing regressions. Modelling these processes would illuminate system morphodynamics, fluxes, and 'complexity' in response to base level change, yet such problems are computationally formidable. Environmental systems are characterized by strong interconnectivity, yet traditional supercomputers have slow inter-node communication -- whereas rapidly advancing Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) technology offers vastly higher (>100x) bandwidths. GULLEM (GpU-accelerated Lowland Landscape Evolution Model) employs massively parallel code to simulate coupled fluvial-landscape evolution for complex lowland river systems over large temporal and spatial scales. GULLEM models the accommodation space carved/infilled by representing a range of geomorphic processes, including: river & tributary incision within a multi-directional flow regime, non-linear diffusion, glacial-isostatic flexure, hydraulic geometry, tectonic deformation, sediment production, transport & deposition, and full 3D tracking of all resulting stratigraphy. Model results concur with the Holocene dynamics of the Fly River, PNG -- as documented with dated cores, sonar imaging of floodbasin stratigraphy, and the observations of topographic remnants from LGM conditions. Other supporting research was conducted along the Mekong River, the largest fluvial system of the Sunda Shelf. These and other field data provide tantalizing empirical glimpses into the lowland landscapes of large rivers during glacial-interglacial transitions, observations that can be explored with this powerful numerical model. GULLEM affords estimates for the timing and flux budgets within the Fly and Sunda Systems, illustrating complex internal system responses to the external forcing of sea level and climate. Furthermore, GULLEM can be applied to most ANY fluvial system to

Genetic interpretations of elemental and chemical differences in a soil chronosequence, California

Science.gov (United States)

Harden, J.W.

1988-01-01

Soils developed on fluvial terraces in central California have similar parent materials, climatic settings, vegetation cover and slopes but range in age from 40,000 to 3,000,000 years. The soils have chemical compositions that change systematically with increasing age. Such chemical differentiation is most likely the result of long-term weathering and mineralogical transformations that occurred since deposition of terrace fills and stabilization of the geomorphic surfaces. The changes in composition with time closely mimic other studies on mineral weathering, in which alkali and alkali-earth elements are lost more rapidly than transitional elements. The relative rates of element loss were determined by changes in element ratios over time. Net losses and gains of elements in different size fractions were monitored by their concentrations relative to Zr, the most stable constituent. Both sand and finer size fractions have lost considerable amounts of Ca, Mg, Na and K. Aluminum appears to have been lost from the sand fraction and gained in the fine fraction over a 3-million-year-time-span. Although there is no evidence for losses of Fe and Ti from sands, there is a net influx of Fe and Ti into finer fractions, probably gained from undetectable yet significant weathering of sand grains. Etching of sand grains, clay mineralogy, and microprobe analyses also indicate that the soils have undergone these chemical transformations during their formation. Mineralogical analyses also mimic other studies on mineral weathering, in which the pyroxenes weather more rapidly than hornblende, which weathers more rapidly than sphene or zircon. ?? 1988.

Paleogeographic and Depositional Model for the Neogene fluvial succession, Pishin Belt Northwest Pakistan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kasi, Aimal Khan; Kassi, Akhtar Muhammad; Umar, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Miocene subaerial sedimentation started after the final closure of Katawaz Remnant Ocean. Based on detailed field data twelve facies were recognized in Neogene successions exposed in Pishin Belt. These facies were further organized into four facies associations i.e. channels, crevasse splay, natural levee...... and floodplain facies associations. Facies associations and variations provided ample evidences to recognize number of fluvial architectural components in the succession e.g., low-sinuosity sandy braided river, mixed-load meandering, high-sinuosity meandering channels, single-story sandstone and/or conglomerate...... channels, lateral accretion surfaces (point bars) and alluvial fans. Neogene sedimentation in the Pishin Belt was mainly controlled by active tectonism and thrusting in response to oblique collision of the Indian Plate with Afghan Block of the Eurasian Plate along the Chaman-Nushki Fault. Post Miocene...

Inputs and Fluvial Transport of Pharmaceutical Chemicals in An Urban Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, G. D.; Shala, L.

2006-05-01

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are classes of emerging chemical contaminants thought to enter the aquatic environment primarily through wastewater treatment plant (WTP) discharges. As the use of drugs is expected to rise with the aging demographics of the human population and with more river water being diverted to meet potable water demands, the presence of PPCPs in surface water is becoming an issue of public concern. The intent of our study was to quantify potential WTP inputs of PPCPs to rivers in the Wasington, DC (USA) region, and to investigate the fluvial transport of PPCPs in the Anacostia River (AR), the mainstem of a highly contaminated urban watershed in Washington, DC. The approach was to sample WTP water at various stages of treatment, and to measure seasonal concentrations of PPCPs in fluvial transport in the AR. Surface water from the AR was collected through the use of automated samplers during normal flow and storm flow regimes near the head of tide of the AR, just upstream from the confluence of the Northeast (NE) and Northwest (NW) Branches, the two prominent drainages in the watershed. The water samples were filtered to separate river particles from water, and the filtered water was extracted using solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. The filters were extracted by sonication in methanol. The SPE and filter extracts were analyzed for a group of widely distributed PPCPs as trimethylsilyl derivatives by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The most frequently detected PPCPs at WTPs included ibuprofen, caffeine, naproxen and triclosan, which ranged from 45 μg/L (caffeine) to 5 μg/L (triclosan) in WTP influent and from 0.08 μg/L (triclosan) to 0.02 μg/L (ibuprofen) in effluent water. Similar PPCPs were detected in both the NE and NW Branches of the AR, but higher concentrations on average were observed in the NE Branch, which receives WTP effluent upstream from the sampling point. The incidence of PPCPs correlated

Which DEM is best for analyzing fluvial landscape development in mountainous terrains?

Science.gov (United States)

Boulton, Sarah J.; Stokes, Martin

2018-06-01

Regional studies of fluvial landforms and long-term (Quaternary) landscape development in remote mountain landscapes routinely use satellite-derived DEM data sets. The SRTM and ASTER DEMs are the most commonly utilised because of their longer availability, free cost, and ease of access. However, rapid technological developments mean that newer and higher resolution DEM data sets such as ALOS World 3D (AW3D) and TanDEM-X are being released to the scientific community. Geomorphologists are thus faced with an increasingly problematic challenge of selecting an appropriate DEM for their landscape analyses. Here, we test the application of four medium resolution DEM products (30 m = SRTM, ASTER, AW3D; 12 m = TanDEM-X) for qualitative and quantitative analysis of a fluvial mountain landscape using the Dades River catchment (High Atlas Mountains, Morocco). This landscape comprises significant DEM remote sensing challenges, notably a high mountain relief, steep slopes, and a deeply incised high sinuosity drainage network with narrow canyon/gorge reaches. Our goal was to see which DEM produced the most representative best fit drainage network and meaningful quantification. To achieve this, we used ArcGIS and Stream Profiler platforms to generate catchment hillshade and slope rasters and to extract drainage network, channel long profile and channel slope, and area data. TanDEM-X produces the clearest landscape representation but with channel routing errors in localised high relief areas. Thirty-metre DEMs are smoother and less detailed, but the AW3D shows the closest fit to the real drainage network configuration. The TanDEM-X elevation values are the closest to field-derived GPS measurements. Long profiles exhibit similar shapes but with minor differences in length, elevation, and the degree of noise/smoothing, with AW3D producing the best representation. Slope-area plots display similarly positioned slope-break knickpoints with modest differences in steepness and concavity

Treatment pf pig slurry in Spain to minimize soil degradation and environmental impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espejo Marin, C.; Garcia Marin, R.

2009-01-01

The pig farms in Spain have experimented on the last years a great development, giving place to a new productive, sanitary, economic and environmental reality. His intensification has generated the presence of farms of great capacity, which generate high quantities of excrements and residues. Due to the dynamism of the sector, the legislative existing frame until ends of the nineties of the past 20th century remains obsolete. For such motive, the Government of Spain established basic standards of management of pig farms (RD 324/2000); regulatory rules for awarding grants to projects that seek to improve environmental management of pig farms (RD 987/2008); and, in December 2008, is approved, in Ministers council, a plan of bio-digestion of excrements, which has as aim decrease the greenhouse gases and reduce the risk of pollution of soils, fluvial riverbeds and underground aquifers. (Author) 9 refs.

Contrasting styles of aeolian, fluvial and marine interaction in the Cutler Group of the Paradox Basin, SE Utah, USA

OpenAIRE

Wakefield, Oliver; Mountney, Nigel

2017-01-01

The Permian-Pennsylvanian Cutler Group of the Paradox foreland basin of southeast Utah is characterised by a variety of styles of interaction between coeval aeolian, fluvial and marine environments that have resulted in the generation and preservation of a complex suite of stratal architectures. Detailed 3D architectural element analysis has enabled the nature of these interactions to be interpreted in order to constrain both the spatial and temporal scale over which competing ...

Sedimentary architecture and optical dating of Middle and Late Pleistocene Rhine-Meuse deposits - Fluvial response to climate change, sea-level fluctuation and glaciation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Busschers, F.S.; Weerts, H.J.T.; Wallinga, J.; Cleveringa, P.; Kasse, C.; Wolf, H.de; Cohen, K.M.

2005-01-01

Eight continuous corings in the west-central Netherlands show a 15 to 25 m thick stacked sequence of sandy to gravelly channel-belt deposits of the Rhine-Meuse system. This succession of fluvial sediments was deposited under net subsiding conditions in the southern part of the North Sea Basin and

Sedimentary architecture and optical dating of Middle and Late Pleistocene Rhine-Meuse deposits fluvial response to climate change, sea-level fluctuation and glaciation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Busschers, F.S.; Weerts, H.J.T.; Wallinga, J.; Kasse, C.; Cleveringa, P.; de Wolf, H.; Cohen, K.M.

2005-01-01

Eight continuous corings in the west-central Netherlands show a 15 to 25 m thick stacked sequence of sandy to gravelly channel-belt deposits of the Rhine-Meuse system. This succession of fluvial sediments was deposited under net subsiding conditions in the southern part of the North Sea Basin and

Multi-scale tectonic controls on fluvial terrace formation in a glacioeustatically-dominated river system: inference from the lower Min¿o terrace record

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Viveen, W.

2013-01-01

The general aim of this thesis is to untangle the interacting effects of climate, glacioeustacy, and regional, and local tectonics on fluvial terrace formation. The NW Iberian lower Miño River valley was chosen as a study site, because for this region, a very detailed, long-term,

The impact of reduction of doublet well spacing on the Net Present Value and the life time of fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifer doublets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, C.J.L.; Maghami Nick, Hamidreza M.; Bruhn, D.F.

This paper evaluates the impact of reduction of doublet well spacing, below the current West Netherlands Basin standard of 1000 to 1500 m, on the Net Present Value (NPV) and the life time of fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifer (HSA) doublets. First, a sensitivity analysis is used to show the possible

Evolution of Early Pleistocene fluvial systems in central Poland prior to the first ice sheet advance – a case study from the Bełchatów lignite mine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goździk Jan

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Deposits formed between the Neogene/Pleistocene transition and into the Early Pleistocene have been studied, mainly on the basis of drillings and at rare, small outcrops in the lowland part of Polish territory. At the Bełchatów lignite mine (Kleszczów Graben, central Poland, one of the largest opencast pits in Europe, strata of this age have long been exposed in extensive outcrops. The present paper is based on our field studies and laboratory analyses, as well as on research data presented by other authors. For that reason, it can be seen as an overview of current knowledge of lowermost Pleistocene deposits at Bełchatów, where exploitation of the Quaternary overburden has just been completed. The results of cartographic work, sedimentological, mineralogical and palynological analyses as well as assessment of sand grain morphology have been considered. All of these studies have allowed the distinction of three Lower Pleistocene series, i.e., the Łękińsko, Faustynów and Krzaki series. These were laid down in fluvial environments between the end of the Pliocene up to the advance of the first Scandinavian ice sheet on central Poland. The following environmental features have been interpreted: phases of river incision and aggradation, changes of river channel patterns, source sediments for alluvia, rates of aeolian supply to rivers and roles of fluvial systems in morphological and geological development of the area. The two older series studied, i.e., Łękińsko and Faustynów, share common characteristics. They were formed by sinuous rivers in boreal forest and open forest environments. The Neogene substratum was the source of the alluvium. The younger series (Krzaki formed mainly in a braided river setting, under conditions of progressive climatic cooling. Over time, a gradual increase of aeolian supply to the fluvial system can be noted; initially, silt and sand were laid down, followed by sand only during cold desert conditions. These

Using geochemical indicators to distinguish high biogeochemical activity in floodplain soils and sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kenwell, Amy [Hydrologic Sciences and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Navarre-Sitchler, Alexis, E-mail: asitchle@mines.edu [Hydrologic Sciences and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Prugue, Rodrigo [Hydrologic Sciences and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Spear, John R. [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Hering, Amanda S. [Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Maxwell, Reed M. [Hydrologic Sciences and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Carroll, Rosemary W.H. [Desert Research Institute, Division of Hydrologic Sciences, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512 (United States); Williams, Kenneth H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2016-09-01

A better understanding of how microbial communities interact with their surroundings in physically and chemically heterogeneous subsurface environments will lead to improved quantification of biogeochemical reactions and associated nutrient cycling. This study develops a methodology to predict potential elevated rates of biogeochemical activity (microbial “hotspots”) in subsurface environments by correlating microbial DNA and aspects of the community structure with the spatial distribution of geochemical indicators in subsurface sediments. Multiple linear regression models of simulated precipitation leachate, HCl and hydroxylamine extractable iron and manganese, total organic carbon (TOC), and microbial community structure were used to identify sample characteristics indicative of biogeochemical hotspots within fluvially-derived aquifer sediments and overlying soils. The method has been applied to (a) alluvial materials collected at a former uranium mill site near Rifle, Colorado and (b) relatively undisturbed floodplain deposits (soils and sediments) collected along the East River near Crested Butte, Colorado. At Rifle, 16 alluvial samples were taken from 8 sediment cores, and at the East River, 46 soil/sediment samples were collected across and perpendicular to 3 active meanders and an oxbow meander. Regression models using TOC and TOC combined with extractable iron and manganese results were determined to be the best fitting statistical models of microbial DNA (via 16S rRNA gene analysis). Fitting these models to observations in both contaminated and natural floodplain deposits, and their associated alluvial aquifers, demonstrates the broad applicability of the geochemical indicator based approach. - Highlights: • Biogeochemical characterization of alluvial floodplain soils and sediments was performed to investigate parameters that may indicate microbial hot spot formation. • A correlation between geochemical parameters (total organic carbon and

Using geochemical indicators to distinguish high biogeochemical activity in floodplain soils and sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenwell, Amy; Navarre-Sitchler, Alexis; Prugue, Rodrigo; Spear, John R.; Hering, Amanda S.; Maxwell, Reed M.; Carroll, Rosemary W.H.; Williams, Kenneth H.

2016-01-01

A better understanding of how microbial communities interact with their surroundings in physically and chemically heterogeneous subsurface environments will lead to improved quantification of biogeochemical reactions and associated nutrient cycling. This study develops a methodology to predict potential elevated rates of biogeochemical activity (microbial “hotspots”) in subsurface environments by correlating microbial DNA and aspects of the community structure with the spatial distribution of geochemical indicators in subsurface sediments. Multiple linear regression models of simulated precipitation leachate, HCl and hydroxylamine extractable iron and manganese, total organic carbon (TOC), and microbial community structure were used to identify sample characteristics indicative of biogeochemical hotspots within fluvially-derived aquifer sediments and overlying soils. The method has been applied to (a) alluvial materials collected at a former uranium mill site near Rifle, Colorado and (b) relatively undisturbed floodplain deposits (soils and sediments) collected along the East River near Crested Butte, Colorado. At Rifle, 16 alluvial samples were taken from 8 sediment cores, and at the East River, 46 soil/sediment samples were collected across and perpendicular to 3 active meanders and an oxbow meander. Regression models using TOC and TOC combined with extractable iron and manganese results were determined to be the best fitting statistical models of microbial DNA (via 16S rRNA gene analysis). Fitting these models to observations in both contaminated and natural floodplain deposits, and their associated alluvial aquifers, demonstrates the broad applicability of the geochemical indicator based approach. - Highlights: • Biogeochemical characterization of alluvial floodplain soils and sediments was performed to investigate parameters that may indicate microbial hot spot formation. • A correlation between geochemical parameters (total organic carbon and

3-D Characterization of Detrital Zircon Grains and its Implications for Fluvial Transport, Mixing, and Preservation Bias

Science.gov (United States)

Markwitz, V.; Kirkland, C. L.; Mehnert, A.; Gessner, K.; Shaw, J.

2017-12-01

Detrital zircon studies can suffer from selective loss of provenance information due to U-Pb age discordance, metamictization, metamorphic overprinting and fluviatile transport processes. The relationship between isotopic composition and zircon grain shape, and how grain shape is modified during transport, is largely unknown. We combine X-ray tomography with U-Pb geochronology to quantify how fluvial transport affects 3-D zircon shape, detrital age signature, and grain density along the Murchison River, whose catchment comprises Eoarchean to Early Paleozoic source rocks in Western Australia. We acquired tomographic volumes and isotopic data from 373 detrital zircons to document changes in size, shape and density in transport direction, and explore how grain shape, age spectra and the proportion of discordant material vary along the channel. Results show that shape characteristics are sensitive to transport distance, stream gradient, proximity to source material, and whether the source consists of primary or recycled zircons. With increasing transport distance, grain lengths decrease more than their widths. Furthermore, the loss of metamict grains occurs at a near constant rate, resulting in a linear increase of mean calculated zircon density by ca. 0.03 g/cm3 per 100 km transport distance. 3-D grain shape is therefore strongly linked to detrital age signature, and mean grain density is a function of the absolute transport distance. 3-D shape characteristics provide valuable information on detrital zircon populations, including the interaction between source materials with fluvial transport processes, which significantly affects preservation bias and, by inference, the representativeness of the sampled data.

The Spatial Distribution of Bed Sediment on Fluvial System: A Mini Review of the Aceh Meandering River

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Muhammad Irham

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Dynamic interactions of hydrological and geomorphological processes in the fluvial system result in accumulated deposit on the bed because the capacity to carry sediment has been exceeded. The bed load of the Aceh fluvial system is primarily generated by mechanical weathering resulting in boulders, pebbles, and sand, which roll or bounce along the river bed forming temporary deposits as bars on the insides of meander bends, as a result of a loss of transport energy in the system. This dynamic controls the style and range of deposits in the Aceh River. This study focuses on the spatial distribution of bed-load transport of the Aceh River. Understanding the spatial distribution of deposits facilitates the reconstruction of the changes in controlling factors during accumulation of deposits. One of the methods can be done by sieve analysis of sediment, where the method illuminates the distribution of sediment changes associated with channel morphology under different flow regimes. Hence, the purpose of this mini review is to investigate how the sediment along the river meander spatially dispersed. The results demonstrate that channel deposits in the Aceh River are formed from four different type of materials: pebble deposited along upstream left bank; sand located on the upstream, downstream, and along meander belts; and silt and clay located along the cut bank of meander bends. Because of different depositional pattern, the distribution of the sediment along the river can be used as a surrogate to identify bank stability, as well as to predict critical geometry for meander bend initiation

Architectural elements and bounding surfaces in fluvial deposits: anatomy of the Kayenta formation (lower jurassic), Southwest Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Miall, Andrew D.

1988-03-01

Three well-exposed outcrops in the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic), near Dove Creek in southwestern Colorado, were studied using lateral profiles, in order to test recent regarding architectural-element analysis and the classification and interpretation of internal bounding surfaces. Examination of bounding surfaces within and between elements in the Kayenta outcrops raises problems in applying the three-fold classification of Allen (1983). Enlarging this classification to a six-fold hierarchy permits the discrimination of surfaces intermediate between Allen's second- and third-order types, corresponding to the upper bounding surfaces of macroforms, and internal erosional "reactivation" surfaces within the macroforms. Examples of the first five types of surface occur in the Kayenta outcrops at Dove Creek. The new classifications is offered as a general solution to the problem of description of complex, three-dimensional fluvial sandstone bodies. The Kayenta Formation at Dove Creek consists of a multistorey sandstone body, including the deposits of lateral- and downstream-accreted macroforms. The storeys show no internal cyclicity, neither within individual elements nor through the overall vertical thickness of the formation. Low paleocurrent variance indicates low sinuosity flow, whereas macroform geometry and orientation suggest low to moderate sinuosity. The many internal minor erosion surfaces draped with mud and followed by intraclast breccias imply frequent rapid stage fluctuation, consistent with variable (seasonal? monsonal? ephemmeral?) flow. The results suggest a fluvial architecture similar to that of the South Saskatchewan River, through with a three-dimensional geometry unlike that interpreted from surface studies of that river.

The legacy of lead (Pb) in fluvial bed sediments of an urban drainage basin, Oahu, Hawaii.

Science.gov (United States)

Hotton, Veronica K; Sutherland, Ross A

2016-03-01

The study of fluvial bed sediments is essential for deciphering the impact of anthropogenic activities on water quality and drainage basin integrity. In this study, a systematic sampling design was employed to characterize the spatial variation of lead (Pb) concentrations in bed sediment of urban streams in the Palolo drainage basin, southeastern Oahu, Hawaii. Potentially bioavailable Pb was assessed with a dilute 0.5 N HCl extraction of the  Pukele (19) > Waiomao (8). Comparisons to sediment quality guidelines and potential toxicity estimates using a logistic regression model (LRM) indicated a significant potential risk of Palolo Stream bed sediments to bottom-dwelling organisms.

Sedimentary architecture and optical dating of Middle and Late Pleistocene Rhine-Meuse deposits – fluvial response to climate change, sea-level fluctuation and glaciation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Busschers, F.S.; Weerts, H.J.T.; Wallinga, J.; Cleveringa, P.; Kasse, C.; Wolf, H. de; Cohen, K.M.

2005-01-01

Eight continuous corings in the west-central Netherlands show a 15 to 25 m thick stacked sequence of sandy to gravelly channel-belt deposits of the Rhine-Meuse system. This succession of fluvial sediments was deposited under net subsiding conditions in the southern part of the North Sea Basin and

Fluvial River Regime in Disturbed River Systems: A Case Study of Evolution of the Middle Yangtze River in Post-TGD (Three Gorges Dam), China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhao, G.; Lu, J; Visser, P.J.

2015-01-01

The fluvial river is a kind of open system that can interact with its outside environments and give response to disturbance from outside on the earth. It can adjust itself to the disturbances outside the system and reflects new characteristics in the process of reaching a new equilibrium. The TGD

Fluvial-Deltaic Strata as a High-Resolution Recorder of Fold Growth and Fault Slip

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Anastasio, D. J.; Kodama, K. P.; Pazzaglia, F. P.

2008-12-01

Fluvial-deltaic systems characterize the depositional record of most wedge-top and foreland basins, where the synorogenic stratigraphy responds to interactions between sediment supply driven by tectonic uplift, climate modulated sea level change and erosion rate variability, and fold growth patterns driven by unsteady fault slip. We integrate kinematic models of fault-related folds with growth strata and fluvial terrace records to determine incremental rates of shortening, rock uplift, limb tilting, and fault slip with 104-105 year temporal resolution in the Pyrenees and Apennines. At Pico del Aguila anticline, a transverse dècollement fold along the south Pyrenean mountain front, formation-scale synorogenic deposition and clastic facies patterns in prodeltaic and slope facies reflect tectonic forcing of sediment supply, sea level variability controlling delta front position, and climate modulated changes in terrestrial runoff. Growth geometries record a pinned anticline and migrating syncline hinges during folding above the emerging Guarga thrust sheet. Lithologic and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) data series from the Eocene Arguis Fm. show cyclicity at Milankovitch frequencies allowing detailed reconstruction of unsteady fold growth. Multiple variations in limb tilting rates from roof ramp and basal dècollement. Along the northern Apennine mountain front, the age and geometry of strath terraces preserved across the Salsomaggiore anticline records the Pleistocene-Recent kinematics of the underlying fault-propagation fold as occurring with a fixed anticline hinge, a rolling syncline hinge, and along-strike variations in uplift and forelimb tilting. The uplifted intersection of terrace deposits documents syncline axial surface migration and underlying fault-tip propagation at a rate of ~1.4 cm/yr since the Middle Pleistocene. Because this record of fault slip coincides with the well-known large amplitude oscillations in global climate that contribute

Obtaining isochrones from pollution signals in a fluvial sediment record: A case study in a uranium-polluted floodplain of the Ploučnice River, Czech Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matys Grygar, T.; Elznicová, J.; Bábek, O.; Hošek, M.; Engel, Z.; Kiss, T.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Integrated approach to assess pollutant distribution in floodplain. • Natural background concentration is a function and not a value. • Concept of local enrichment factors based on local background functions. • Secondary pollution from transient fluvial deposits. - Abstract: Uranium mining and processing in the watershed of the Ploučnice River in the Czech Republic during a well-defined time interval (1969–1989) allowed for a study of pollutant fates in sediments of a meandering river that is otherwise in a nearly natural state. A considerable part of the primary pollution is present in hotspots in the floodplain 10–15 km downstream from the mining district. One of the hotspots was characterised using geoinformatic, geophysical and geochemical means. The floodplain geomorphology and architecture and river channel dynamics were studied to develop an understanding of the formation of the hotspot and evaluate further movement of pollutants in the river system. Local background functions (with Rb or Ti as a predictor) and local enrichment factors (LEFs) were obtained for Ba, Ni, Pb, U and Zn concentrations in unpolluted sediments from the deeper strata of the active floodplain, an abandoned floodplain and an ancient terrace. The most recent (2013) overbank fines in the study area are still considerably enriched in Ni, U and Zn (LEF 3, 6 and 8, respectively), and thus pollution by heavy metals several km downstream of the hotspots continuously increases even though the primary source of pollution was terminated more than 20 years ago. The onset of the primary pollution (the base of the polluted strata) is hence clearly identified in the distal floodplain sediments as persistent and a potentially isochronous pollution signal in the fluvial record, whereas a secondary pollution signal overwrites the expected “primary pollution climax” and “pollution improvement” signals. That inertia of the fluvial system can also be expected in other

Deformaciones neotectónicas en el relieve fluvial de la Llanura Sur de Pinar del Río, Cuba

OpenAIRE

Estévez Cruz, Elmidio; Ordaz Hernández, Alexis; Hernández Santana, José Ramón

2017-01-01

Resumen: Las investigaciones neotectónicas se enfocan a la determinación de los movimientos tectónicos más recientes de la corteza terrestre y poseen un gran significado en el análisis geomorfológico de la estructura del relieve moderno. En las regiones relativamente llanas no siempre resulta fácil el reconocimiento de evidencias de las deformaciones neotectónicas en el relieve fluvial. Desde el punto de vista metodológico, quedó demostrada la eficiencia del empleo de los métodos geológicos, ...

The influence of basin slope and fluvial flow on deltaic built-up processes off mountainous, seasonal rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Bárcenas, Patricia; Macías, Jorge; Fernández-Salas, Luis Miguel; López-González, Nieves; José Lobo, Francisco

2016-04-01

The construction and evolution of submarine deltaic deposits are influenced by a combination of allogenic factors, such as fluvial flow (Q), and autogenic factors, such as basin slope (BS). Numerical simulations of turbidity currents are used to propose a morphodynamic model that quantifies the effect of both the slope and river input variations on the development of small deltaic environments in the northern shelf of the Alborán Sea, western Mediterranean Basin, that are linked to short and mountainous fluvial systems controlled by a seasonal Mediterranean climate. Traditionally, this type of model has been used for simulating hyperpycnal flows (Parker et al. (1986), Kubo (2004), Khan et al. (2005) & Morales et al. (2009)). In this study, the turbidity-HySEA model has been used taken into account the parameter settings and the numerical resolution specified in Bárcenas (2013) and Morales et al. (2009), respectively. These simulations were performed along a time period of eight days under two different fluvial flow conditions (constant and variable flow during the simulation period). Two different types of bathymetric profiles have been considered: a) piecewise linear profile and b) real bathymetric profiles from EM3000D multibeam echosounder data obtained off the present-day and artificial mouths of the Adra River. Five morphometric parameters were measured for each simulation (time and slope necessary for the formation of the topset, offlap break distance to the coastline, distal boundary depth and submarine delta length). The numerical experiments performed demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between the input variables (Q and BS) and the measured morphometric parameters. The morphodynamic of the sedimentary wedges considering the sediment dispersion and the offlap-break distance to the coastline can be represented by two extreme cases with many intermediate cases in between. The first case would be conditioned by proximal sedimentation while in the second

Implications of the fluvial history of the Wacheqsa River for hydrologic engineering and water use at Chavín de Húntar, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras, Daniel A.; Keefer, David K.

2009-01-01

Channeling of water through a variety of architectural features represents a significant engineering investment at the first millennium B.C. ceremonial center of Chavín de Huántar in the Peruvian Central Andes. The site contains extensive evidence of the manipulation of water, apparently for diverse purposes. The present configuration of the two local rivers, however, keeps available water approximately 9m below the highest level of water-bearing infrastructure in the site. Geomorphic and archaeological investigation of the fluvial history of the Wacheqsa River has revealed evidence that the Chavín-era configuration of the Wacheqsa River was different. A substantially higher water level, likely the result of a local impoundment of river water caused by a landslide dam, made the provision of water for the hydrologic system within the site a more readily practical possibility. We review what is known of that system and argue that the fluvial history of the Wacheqsa River is critical to understanding this aspect of hydrologic engineering and ritual practice at Chavín. This study demonstrates the relative rapidity and archaeological relevance of landscape change in a dynamic environment.

Geochemistry of Fluvial Sediments from Geregu, Southwest Nigeria

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Adiotomre Emmanuel E.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Geochemical analysis of fluvial sediments on the banks of River Ero using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry illustrates their maturity, provenance and tectonic setting. The analysed sediment samples show low SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 2.92-2.99 (units FL_A, FL_B and FL_E and high SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 4.064-4.852 (units FL_C, FL_D, FL_F and FL_G. Sediments were geochemically classified as shales (units FL_A, FL_B and FL_E and greywackes (units FL_C, FL_D, FL_F and FL_G. Variability in sediment maturity (FL_F > FL_G >FL_C >FL_D >FL_A > FL_B > FL_E parallels a decreasing order in the ratios of SiO2/Al2O3 and K2O/Al2O3, as well as the proportion of quartz grains and matrix components. Evidence from Al2O3/TiO2, K2O, Rb, La/Co, Th/Co, Cr/ Th, Th/Cr, La/Th-Hf, Th-Hf-Co and rare earth element contents of sediment samples suggest felsic protoliths of upper continental crust in a passive margin tectonic setting. An insignificant contribution of mafic components from the source is, however, inferred based on the Ni and Cr contents of the sediment samples. Combined Eu anomalies <0.85 and (Gd/Ybn ratios <2.0 (1.53- 1.82, average 1.65 suggest post-Archean protoliths.

A consistent magnetic polarity stratigraphy of Plio-Pleistocene fluvial sediments from the Heidelberg Basin (Germany)

Science.gov (United States)

Scheidt, Stephanie; Hambach, Ulrich; Rolf, Christian

2014-05-01

Deep drillings in the Heidelberg Basins provide access to one of the thickest and most complete successions of Quaternary and Upper Pliocene continental sediments in Central-Europe [1]. In absence of any comprehensive chronostratigraphic model, these sediments are so far classified by lithological and hydrogeological criteria. Therefore the age of this sequence is still controversially discussed ([1], [2]). In spite of the fact that fluvial sediments are a fundamental challenge for the application of magnetic polarity stratigraphy we performed a thorough study on four drilling cores (from Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen and nearby Viernheim). Here, we present the results from the analyses of these cores, which yield to a consistent chronostratigraphic framework. The components of natural remanent magnetisation (NRM) were separated by alternating field and thermal demagnetisation techniques and the characteristic remanent magnetisations (ChRM) were isolated by principle component analysis [3]. Due to the coring technique solely inclination data of the ChRM is used for the determination of the magnetic polarity stratigraphy. Rock magnetic proxies were applied to identify the carriers of the remanent magnetisation. The investigations prove the NRM as a stable, largely primary magnetisation acquired shortly after deposition (PDRM). The Matuyama-Gauss boundary is clearly defined by a polarity change in each core, as suggested in previous work [4]. These findings are in good agreement with the biostratigraphic definition of the base of the Quaternary ([5], [6], [7]). The Brunhes-Matuyama boundary could be identified in core Heidelberg UniNord 1 and 2 only. Consequently, the position of the Jaramillo and Olduvai subchron can be inferred from the lithostratigraphy and the development of fluvial facies architecture in the Rhine system. The continuation of the magnetic polarity stratigraphy into the Gilbert chron (Upper Pliocene) allows alternative correlation schemes for the cores

Fluvial reservoir characterization using topological descriptors based on spectral analysis of graphs

Science.gov (United States)

Viseur, Sophie; Chiaberge, Christophe; Rhomer, Jérémy; Audigane, Pascal

2015-04-01

Fluvial systems generate highly heterogeneous reservoir. These heterogeneities have major impact on fluid flow behaviors. However, the modelling of such reservoirs is mainly performed in under-constrained contexts as they include complex features, though only sparse and indirect data are available. Stochastic modeling is the common strategy to solve such problems. Multiple 3D models are generated from the available subsurface dataset. The generated models represent a sampling of plausible subsurface structure representations. From this model sampling, statistical analysis on targeted parameters (e.g.: reserve estimations, flow behaviors, etc.) and a posteriori uncertainties are performed to assess risks. However, on one hand, uncertainties may be huge, which requires many models to be generated for scanning the space of possibilities. On the other hand, some computations performed on the generated models are time consuming and cannot, in practice, be applied on all of them. This issue is particularly critical in: 1) geological modeling from outcrop data only, as these data types are generally sparse and mainly distributed in 2D at large scale but they may locally include high-resolution descriptions (e.g.: facies, strata local variability, etc.); 2) CO2 storage studies as many scales of investigations are required, from meter to regional ones, to estimate storage capacities and associated risks. Recent approaches propose to define distances between models to allow sophisticated multivariate statistics to be applied on the space of uncertainties so that only sub-samples, representative of initial set, are investigated for dynamic time-consuming studies. This work focuses on defining distances between models that characterize the topology of the reservoir rock network, i.e. its compactness or connectivity degree. The proposed strategy relies on the study of the reservoir rock skeleton. The skeleton of an object corresponds to its median feature. A skeleton is

Sandstone-body and shale-body dimensions in a braided fluvial system: Salt wash sandstone member (Morrison formation), Garfield County, Utah

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, J.W.; McCabea, P.J.

1997-01-01

Excellent three-dimensional exposures of the Upper Jurassic Salt Wash Sandstone Member of the Morrison Formation in the Henry Mountains area of southern Utah allow measurement of the thickness and width of fluvial sandstone and shale bodies from extensive photomosaics. The Salt Wash Sandstone Member is composed of fluvial channel fill, abandoned channel fill, and overbank/flood-plain strata that were deposited on a broad alluvial plain of low-sinuosity, sandy, braided streams flowing northeast. A hierarchy of sandstone and shale bodies in the Salt Wash Sandstone Member includes, in ascending order, trough cross-bedding, fining-upward units/mudstone intraclast conglomerates, singlestory sandstone bodies/basal conglomerate, abandoned channel fill, multistory sandstone bodies, and overbank/flood-plain heterolithic strata. Trough cross-beds have an average width:thickness ratio (W:T) of 8.5:1 in the lower interval of the Salt Wash Sandstone Member and 10.4:1 in the upper interval. Fining-upward units are 0.5-3.0 m thick and 3-11 m wide. Single-story sandstone bodies in the upper interval are wider and thicker than their counterparts in the lower interval, based on average W:T, linear regression analysis, and cumulative relative frequency graphs. Multistory sandstone bodies are composed of two to eight stories, range up to 30 m thick and over 1500 m wide (W:T > 50:1), and are also larger in the upper interval. Heterolithic units between sandstone bodies include abandoned channel fill (W:T = 33:1) and overbank/flood-plain deposits (W:T = 70:1). Understanding W:T ratios from the component parts of an ancient, sandy, braided stream deposit can be applied in several ways to similar strata in other basins; for example, to (1) determine the width of a unit when only the thickness is known, (2) create correlation guidelines and maximum correlation lengths, (3) aid in interpreting the controls on fluvial architecture, and (4) place additional constraints on input variables to

Assessing the role of detrital zircon sorting on provenance interpretations in an ancient fluvial system using paleohydraulics - Permian Cutler Group, Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Findlay, C. P., III; Ewing, R. C.; Perez, N. D.

2017-12-01

Detrital zircon age signatures used in provenance studies are assumed to be representative of entire catchments from which the sediment was derived, but the extent to which hydraulic sorting can bias provenance interpretations is poorly constrained. Sediment and mineral sorting occurs with changes in hydraulic conditions driven by both allogenic and autogenic processes. Zircon is sorted from less dense minerals due to the difference in density, and any age dependence on zircon size could potentially bias provenance interpretations. In this study, a coupled paleohydraulic and geochemical provenance approach is used to identify changes in paleohydraulic conditions and relate them to spatial variations in provenance signatures from samples collected along an approximately time-correlative source-to-sink pathway in the Permian Cutler Group of the Paradox Basin. Samples proximal to the uplift have a paleoflow direction to the southwest. In the medial basin, paleocurrent direction indicates salt movement caused fluvial pathways divert to the north and northwest on the flanks of anticlines. Channel depth, flow velocity, and discharge calculations were derived from field measurements of grain size and dune and bar cross-stratification indicate that competency of the fluvial system decreased from proximal to the medial basin by up to a factor of 12. Based upon the paleohydraulic calculations, zircon size fractionation would occur along the transect such that the larger zircons are removed from the system prior to reaching the medial basin. Analysis of the size and age distribution of zircons from the proximal and distal fluvial system of the Cutler Group tests if this hydraulic sorting affects the expected Uncompahgre Uplift age distribution.

Fluvial modulation of hydrodynamics and salt transport in a highly stratified estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carla de Abreu D'Aquino

2010-06-01

de descarga fluvial. Séries temporais de nível da água, correntes e salinidade foram registradas durante 50 horas, em um local aproximadamente 7 km da desembocadura. Dois levantamentos longitudinais de salinidade também foram realizados. Os dados hidrográficos foram utilizados para calcular o fluxo advectivo de sal visando investigar os termos do transporte em função da mudança da descarga fluvial. Os resultados mostram que a estrutura estuarina foi fortemente modulada pela vazão fluvial. O nível da água baixou em torno de 0,5 m durante as primeiras 25 horas em relação direta com o decaimento da enchente do rio. Embora a coluna de água fosse altamente estratificada durante todo o período, e a estratificação aumentou durante as últimas 25 horas. As correntes foram mais intensas, de vazante e uni-direcionais no início, tornando mais fracas bidirecionais à medida que o nível da água baixou, adquirindo um padrão de maré. O transporte total de sal nas primeiras 25 horas foi de -13,6 Kg.m-1.s-1 (sentido do mar, mudando para 3 Kg.m-1.s-1 nas últimas 25 horas (sentido de terra. Foi também notável que o pH no estuário, registrado junto com a salinidade, em torno de 5, indicando que a qualidade da água ficou afetada pela atividade de mineração de carvão que ocorre na bacia hidrográfica.

Between the River and the City. Resilience VS Vulnerability in Settlement Systems of Fluvial Environment

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Filippo Angelucci

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In the presence of increasingly frequent extreme weather phenomena, water management in complex settlement areas, such as those located in a fluvial environment, involves not only the reduction of that area’s fragility but, more importantly, the regeneration of the lost interactions between the physical, economic and social dimensions of the area. Research conducted along the Pescara river has taken up this challenge, reinterpreting the critical environmental situation of the case study areas as the chance to oversee a more ample “water project” which could tackle the vulnerability of the territory by identifying new means of resilience and responsiveness to adverse natural events and by carrying out proactive coexistence scenarios between cities, inhabitants, institutions and natural resources.

The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Coxon, T M; Odhiambo, B K; Giancarlo, L C

2016-10-15

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight (210)Pb and (137)Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments. Copyright © 2016

Fault-sourced alluvial fans and their interaction with axial fluvial drainage: An example from the Plio-Pleistocene Upper Valdarno Basin (Tuscany, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Fidolini, Francesco; Ghinassi, Massimiliano; Aldinucci, Mauro; Billi, Paolo; Boaga, Jacopo; Deiana, Rita; Brivio, Lara

2013-05-01

The present study deals with the fault-sourced, alluvial-fan deposits of the Plio-Pleistocene Upper Valdarno Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy). Different phases of alluvial fan aggradation, progradation and backstep are discussed as possible effects of the interaction among fault-generated accommodation space, sediment supply and discharge variations affecting the axial fluvial drainage. The Upper Valdarno Basin, located about 35 km SE of Florence, is filled with 550 m palustrine, lacustrine and alluvial deposits forming four main unconformity-bounded units (i.e. synthems). The study alluvial-fan deposits belong to the two uppermost synthems (Montevarchi and Torrente Ciuffenna synthems) and are Early to Middle Pleistocene in age. These deposits are sourced from the fault-bounded, NE margin of the basin and interfinger with axial fluvial deposits. Alluvial fan deposits of the Montevarchi Synthem consist of three main intervals: i) a lower interval, which lacks any evidence of a depositional trend and testify balance between the subsidence rate (i.e. fault activity) and the amount of sediment provided from the margin; ii) a coarsening-upward middle interval, pointing to a decrease in subsidence rate associated with an augment in sediment supply; iii) a fining-upward, upper interval (locally preserved), documenting a phase of tectonic quiescence associated with a progressive re-equilibration of the tectonically-induced morphological profile. The basin-scale unconformity, which separates the Montevarchi and Torrente Ciuffenna synthems was due to the entrance of the Arno River into the basin as consequence of a piracy. This event caused a dramatic increase in water discharge of the axial fluvial system, and its consequent embanking. Such an erosional surface started to develop in the axial areas, and propagated along the main tributaries, triggering erosion of the alluvial fan deposits. Alluvial-fan deposits of the Torrente Ciuffenna Synthem accumulated above the

Fluvial Connectivity and Sediment Dispersal within Continental Extensional Basins; Assessment of Controlling Factors using Numerical Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Geurts, A., Jr.; Cowie, P. A.; Gawthorpe, R.; Huismans, R. S.; Pedersen, V. K.

2017-12-01

Progressive integration of drainage networks has been documented in many regional-scale studies of extensional continental systems. While endorheic drainage and lake sedimentation are common features observed in basin stratigraphy, they often disappear from the record due to the development of a through-going river network. Because changes in the fluvial connectivity of extensional basins have profound impact on erosion and sediment dispersal, and thus the feedback between surface processes and tectonics, it is of great importance to understand what controls them. Headward erosion (also called headward capture or river piracy) is often suggested to be the main mechanism causing basins to become interconnected over time with one another and with the regional/coastal drainage network. We show that overspill mechanisms (basin over-filling or lake over-spilling) play a key role in the actively extending central Italian Apennines, even though this area is theoretically favorable for headward erosion (short distances to the coast in combination with rapid surface uplift). In other tectonic settings (e.g. contractional basins and high plateaux) the role of headward erosion in transverse drainage development and integrating endorheic basins has also been increasingly questioned. These two mechanisms predict very different spatio-temporal patterns of sediment dispersal and thus timing of sediment loading (or erosional unloading) along active normal faults, which in turn may influence the locus of subsequent extensional deformation. By means of surface process modelling we develop a process-based understanding of the controls on fluvial connectivity between extensional basins in the central Italian Apennines. We focus on which conditions (tectonic and erosional) favour headward erosion versus overspill and compare our model results with published field evidence for drainage integration and the timing of basin sedimentation/incision.

Evidences of Paleoearthquakes in Palaeolithic settlements within fluvial sequences of the Tagus Basin (Madrid, Central Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Pablo G.; Rodríguez Pascua, M. A.; Pérez López, R.; Giner Robles, J. L.; Roquero, E.; Tapias, F.; López Recio, M.; Rus, I.; Morin, J.

2010-05-01

Multiple evidences of soft-sediment to brittle deformation within the Pleistocene fluvial terraces of the Tagus, Jarama, Tajuña and Manzanares river valleys have been described since the middle 20th Century. Cryoturbation, hydroplastic deformations due to underlying karstic collapses or halokinesis on the substratum of neogene gypsums, and seismic shaking have been proposed to interpret these structures. These deformations are typically concentrated in the +18-20 m terrace levels, and closely linked to well-known Palaeolithic sites, in some cases overlaying and/or affecting true prehistoric settlements (i.e. Arganda, Arriaga and Tafesa sites) within the Jarama and Manzanares valleys. The affected settlements typically display acheulian lithic industry linked to the scavenging of large Pleistocene mammals (i.e. Elephas antiquus). Commonly, deformational structures are concentrated in relatively thin horizons (10-50 cm thick) bracketed by undeformed fluvial sands and gravels. The soft-sediment deformations usually consist on medium to fine sized sands injected and protruded in overlaying flood-plain clayey silts, showing a wide variety of convolutes, injections, sand-dikes, dish and pillar structures, mud volcanoes, faults and folds, some times it is possible to undertake their 3D geometrical analysis due to the exceptional conservation of the structures (Tafesa). Recent geo-archaeological prospecting on the for the Palaeolithic Site of Arriaga (South Madrid City) conducted during the year 2009, let to find out an exceptional horizon of deformation of about 1.20 m thick. It consisted on highly disturbed and pervasively liquefacted sands, which hardly can be attributed to no-seismic processes. The acheulian lithic industry of the Madrid Region have been classically attributed the Late Middle Pleistocene (Comunidad de Madrid, AUDEMA S.A. (Proyecto Arriaga-2009). This is a contribution of GQM-AEQUA.

Fluvial export of radionuclides: impact on sediment storages of the Rhone River and fluxes towards the Mediterranean Sea; Transfert des radionucleides artificiels par voie fluviale: consequences sur les stocks sedimentaires rhodaniens et les exports vers la Mediterranee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rolland, B

2006-02-15

This study deals with the behaviour of trace contaminants originating from chronic liquid releases within fluvial aquatic systems. It focuses on some particle reactive artificial radionuclides that were released by the Marcoule nuclear fuel reprocessing plant during several years mainly prior the end of the nineties and that are still detected in the lower Rhone river. It underlines the decrease of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}Pu and {sup 239+240}Pu fluxes to the Mediterranean Sea in relation with the variations in the chronic liquid releases from Marcoule. The role of flood events on radionuclides exports processes is particularly considered. Over the years 2002 to 2004, floods contributed for 67%, 55%, 68%, 49% and 56% of the mean annual fluxes of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}Pu and {sup 239+240}Pu and natural {sup 7}Be et {sup 210}Pbxs, although these events only represented 5% of time. The removal, during floods, of sediments contaminated by the Marcoule releases contributes on the average for 19%, 44% and 22% of the annual exports of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}Pu and {sup 239+240}Pu towards the Sea. Thus, such sedimentary stocks act as a delayed source term of artificial radioactivity that is currently significant. Determination of the sediments residence times before removal allows to evaluate the Rhone capacity to clear its contaminated stocks. Residence times of 200 years, 100 years and 900 years are estimated to be necessary to totally remove the accumulated {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}Pu and {sup 239+240}Pu, respectively. The location typologies of sediment storages within fluvial systems are also specified. These location are represented on one hand by dams, and on the other hand by river banks and oxbow lakes. Stocks accumulated in dams seem to be removed more easily than those trapped in banks. (author)

Representativeness of soil samples collected to assess mining-related contamination of flood plains in southeast Kansas

Science.gov (United States)

Juracek, Kyle E.

2015-01-01

Historical lead and zinc mining in the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD), located in parts of southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri, and northeast Oklahoma, has resulted in a substantial ongoing input of lead and zinc to the environment (Juracek, 2006; Juracek and Becker, 2009). In response to concern about the mining-related contamination, southeast Cherokee County, Kansas, was listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) National Priority List as a Superfund hazardous waste site (fig. 1). To provide some of the information needed to support remediation efforts in the Cherokee County Superfund site, a study was begun in 2009 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that was requested and funded by USEPA. As part of the study, surficial-soil sampling was used to investigate the extent and magnitude of mining-related lead and zinc contamination in the flood plains of the Spring River and several tributaries within the Superfund site. In mining-affected areas, flood-plain soils had lead and zinc concentrations that far exceeded background levels as well as probable-effects guidelines for toxic aquatic biological effects (Juracek, 2013). Lead- and zinc-contaminated flood plains are a concern, in part, because they represent a long-term source of contamination to the fluvial environment.

Correlation of fluvial sequences in the Mediterranean basin over the last 200 ka and their relationship to climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Macklin, M. G.; Fuller, I. C.; Lewin, J.; Maas, G. S.; Passmore, D. G.; Rose, J.; Woodward, J. C.; Black, S.; Hamlin, R. H. B.; Rowan, J. S.

2002-08-01

This paper presents a new correlation of Late and Middle Pleistocene fluvial sedimentary sequences in Greek, Libyan and Spanish river basins and evaluates river response to climate change over the Last Interglacial-Glacial Cycle. Over the past 200,000 years there have been at least 13 major alluviation episodes in the Mediterranean, although the amplitude, frequency and possibly, duration of these events varied significantly across the region. Parts of Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 5 appears to have been periods of pronounced landscape change in many Mediterranean catchments with major river aggradation occurring at ˜109-111 ka (during OIS 5d) and most notably at ˜88 ka (OIS 5b/5a boundary). Other parts of OIS 5 appear to have been periods of relative fluvial inactivity. OIS 2 and 3 were both characterised by an apparent increase in the number of alluviation events, and this record of river behaviour parallels many other palaeoenvironmental records in the region which also show more frequent climate fluctuations between ˜12 and 65 ka. There is evidence for a high degree of synchrony in major river aggradation events across the Mediterranean in catchments with very different sizes, tectonic regimes and histories. Climate-related changes in catchment hydrology and vegetation cover over the last 200 ka would appear to be the primary control of large-scale (catchment wide) sedimentation over time periods of between 10 3 and 10 4 years.

Quantifying Quaternary Deformation in the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes Using Cosmogenic Nuclide Geochronology and Fluvial Geomorphology

Science.gov (United States)

Dalman, E.; Taylor, M. H.; Veloza-fajardo, G.; Mora, A.

2014-12-01

Northwest South America is actively deforming through the interaction between the Nazca, South American, and Caribbean plates. Though the Colombian Andes are well studied, much uncertainty remains in the rate of Quaternary deformation along the east directed frontal thrust faults hundreds of kilometers in board from the subduction zones. The eastern foothills of the Eastern Cordillera (EC) preserve deformed landforms, allowing us to quantify incision rates. Using 10Be in-situ terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) geochronology, we dated 2 deformed fluvial terraces in the hanging wall of the Guaicaramo thrust fault. From the 10Be concentration and terrace profile relative to local base level, we calculated incision rates. We present a reconstructed slip history of the Guaicaramo thrust fault and its Quaternary slip rate. Furthermore, to quantify the regional Quaternary deformation, we look at the fluvial response to tectonic uplift. Approximately 20 streams along the eastern foothills of the Eastern Cordillera (EC) were studied using a digital elevation model (DEM). From the DEM, longitudinal profiles were created and normalized channel steepness (Ksn) values calculated from plots of drainage area vs. slope. Knickpoints in the longitudinal profiles can record transient perturbations or differential uplift. Calculated Ksn values indicate that the EC is experiencing high rates of uplift, with the highest mean Ksn values occurring in the Cocuy region. Mean channel steepness values along strike of the foothills are related to increasing uplift rates from south to north. In contrast, we suggest that high channel steepness values in the south appear to be controlled by high rates of annual precipitation.

A Middle-Upper Miocene fluvial-lacustrine rift sequence in the Song Ba Rift, Vietnam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lars H., Nielsen; Henrik I., Petersen; Nguyen D., Dau

2007-01-01

The small Neogene Krong Pa graben is situated within the continental Song Ba Rift, which is bounded by strike-slip faults that were reactivated as extensional faults in Middle Miocene time. The 500 m thick graben-fill shows an overall depositional development reflecting the structural evolution...... subsidence rate and possibly a higher influx of water from the axial river systems the general water level in the graben rose and deep lakes formed. High organic preservation in the lakes prompted the formation of two excellent oil-prone lacustrine source-rock units. In the late phase of the graben...... as carrier beds, whereas the braided fluvial sandstones and conglomerates along the graben margins may form reservoirs. The Krong Pa graben thus contains oil-prone lacustrine source rocks, effective conduits for generated hydrocarbons and reservoir sandstones side-sealed by the graben faults toward...

The effects of peat mining on fluvial fish and their environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laine, A.; Sutela, T.; Heikkinen, K.; Karvonen, K.; Huhta, A.; Mutka, T.; Lappalainen, A.

1996-01-01

The effects of peat mining on the quality of the stream bed, benthic fauna and fluvial fish were studied at rifles of the Rivers Iijoki and Kiiminkijoki in 1991-94. The amount of organic matter that accumulated on the bottom increased below peat mining areas. Some shifts were seen also in the composition and density of the benthic fauna. In spite of the increase in the total density of the benthic fauna, the growth of the young salmonids was weaker in the riffles that were affected by peat production. Especially large-sized caddish fly larvae were eaten less and also the stomachs of one- year-old salmon were on the average less full there than in the reference areas. Fish densities varied a lot, and no statistical differences were observed between the loaded and the reference areas. The survival of the stocked 0+ salmon fry, however, decreased along with increasing load from peat mining areas. Below the peat mining areas, also the mortality of the incubated brown trout roe was higher than in the reference areas, most probably because of the siltage of the river bottom

FLUVIAL PROCESSES IN ATTACHMENT BARS IN THE UPPER PARANÁ RIVER, BRAZIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa Cristina Dos Santos

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Bars are semi-submerged fluvial forms associated with the availability of sediments and a temporal dynamic, whose dimensions are controlled by the flow and depth of the channel.  Attachment bars are very common in large anabranching river systems and play an important role in island formation and ecology. The Upper Paraná River exhibits an anabranching pattern characterized by channels of different sizes, separated by islands and bars. The objective of this work is to present the processes involved in the formation and development of attachment bars in Santa Rosa Island, situated in Porto Rico, State of Parana, Southern Brazil. Acquisition campaigns were performed to obtain data on channel hydraulics (ADCP equipment, morphometry (Echo-sound profiles and textural parameters (grain-size analyses at high and medium water levels. Santa Rosa Island divides the flow into two channels of distinct hydraulic and sedimentary dynamics. Flow diversion produces a decrease in flow velocity and consequent sediment deposition near the upstream end of Santa Rosa Island. The formation and maintenance of attachment bars in Santa Rosa Island is related to flow competence reduction and the occurrence of divergent currents. Vegetation cover and flow regime control its permanence. 

A regional sediment transport modeling for fluvial influx and redistribution of suspended radionuclide in the Fukushima coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, Yusuke; Yamanishi, Takafumi; Tsumune, Daisuke; Miyazawa, Yasumasa

2014-01-01

Fluvial discharge from the rivers is viewed as a missing piece for the inventory of the radionuclides in the ocean during the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The land-derived input introduces a time lag behind the direct release through hydrological process because these radionuclides mostly attach to suspended particles (sediments) that are transported quite differently to the dissolved matter in the ocean. We therefore develop a regional sediment transport model consisting of a multi-class non-cohesive sediment transport module, a wave-enhanced bed boundary layer model and a stratigraphy model proposed by Blaas et al. (2007) based on ROMS. (author)

Compound simulation of fluvial floods and storm surges in a global coupled river-coast flood model : Model development and its application to 2007 Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ikeuchi, Hiroaki; Hirabayashi, Yukiko; Yamazaki, Dai; Muis, Sanne; Ward, Philip J.; Winsemius, Hessel C.; Verlaan, Martin; Kanae, Shinjiro

2017-01-01

Water-related disasters, such as fluvial floods and cyclonic storm surges, are a major concern in the world's mega-delta regions. Furthermore, the simultaneous occurrence of extreme discharges from rivers and storm surges could exacerbate flood risk, compared to when they occur separately. Hence, it

Fluvial dispersion of radioactive mill tailings in the seasonally-wet tropics, northern Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

East, T.J.; Cull, R.F.; Murray, A.S.; Duggan, K.

1988-01-01

Erosion of tailings at the Northern Herculaes mine at Moline, abandoned in 1972 has resulted in large present-day input (up to 90g L -1 ) of radioactive sediments into local watercourses after the failure of containment bunds. This has been used as an analogue for predicting the possible fluvial dispersion of mine sediments at existing and future uranium mines in this region, e.g. it is helping to formulate rehabilitation policies at Ranger. The downstream dispersal patterns of radioactive tailings is controlled by the nature of sedimentary environments, the properties of tailing sediments which affect transport and the dilution of flow and sediment from incoming tributaries. A generally consistent relationship exist between the type of sedimentary floodplain environment and the surface gamma dose rates. While dose rates are shown to decrease with distance downstream from the source, there is a tendency for fine particles to be more radioactive. 28 refs., 2 tabs., 9 figs

Investigations of contaminated fluvial sediment deposits: merging of statistical and geomorphic approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryti, Randall T; Reneau, Steven L; Katzman, Danny

2005-05-01

Concentrations of contaminants in sediment deposits can have large spatial variability resulting from geomorphic processes acting over long time periods. Thus, systematic (e.g., regularly spaced sample locations) or random sampling approaches might be inefficient and/or lead to highly biased results. We demonstrate the bias associated with systematic sampling and compare these results to those achieved by methods that merge a geomorphic approach to evaluating the physical system and stratified random sampling concepts. By combining these approaches, we achieve a more efficient and less biased characterization of sediment contamination in fluvial systems. These methods are applied using a phased sampling approach to characterize radiological contamination in sediment deposits in two semiarid canyons that have received historical releases from the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Uncertainty in contaminant inventory was used as a metric to evaluate the adequacy of sampling during these phased investigations. Simple, one-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations were used to estimate uncertainty in contaminant inventory. We also show how one can use stratified random sampling theory to help estimate uncertainty in mean contaminant concentrations.

Interpretation of aerial photographs of Ratnagiri Bay - a case study

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Wagle, B.G.

Aerial photocharacteristics like tonal difference, texture, shape, size, form, pattern, vegetation, soil characteristics and associated features were used to identify fluvial, marine and aeolian features such as tidal flats, mesas, wave...

Aqueous processes at Gusev crater inferred from physical properties of rocks and soils along the Spirit traverse

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrol, N.A.; Farmer, J.D.; Grin, E.A.; Ritcher, L.; Soderblom, L.; Li, R.; Herkenhoff, K.; Landis, G.A.; Arvidson, R. E.

2006-01-01

Gusev crater was selected as the landing site for Spirit on the basis of morphological evidence of long-lasting water activity, including possibly fluvial and lacustrine episodes. From the Columbia Memorial Station to the Columbia Hills, Spirit's traverse provides a journey back in time, from relatively recent volcanic plains showing little evidence for aqueous processes up to the older hills, where rock and soil composition are drastically different. For the first 156 sols, the only evidence of water action was weathering rinds, vein fillings, and soil crust cementation by salts. The trenches of Sols 112-145 marked the first significant findings of increased concentrations of sulfur and magnesium varying in parallel, suggesting that they be paired as magnesium-sulfate. Spirit's arrival at West Spur coincided with a shift in rock and soil composition with observations hinting at substantial amounts of water in Gusev's past. We used the Microscopic Imager data up to Sol 431 to analyze rock and soil properties and infer plausible types and magnitude of aqueous processes through time. We show the role played early by topography and structure. The morphology, texture, and deep alteration shown by the rocks in West Spur and the Columbia Hills Formation (CHF) suggest conditions that are not met in present-day Mars and required a wetter environment, which could have included transport of sulfur, chlorine, and bromine in water, vapor in volcanic gases, hydrothermal circulation, or saturation in a briny fluid containing the same elements. Changing conditions that might have affected flow circulation are suggested by different textural and morphological characteristics between the rocks in the CHF and those of the plains, with higher porosity proxy, higher void ratio, and higher water storage potential in the CHF. Soils were used to assess aqueous processes and water pathways in the top layers of modern soils. We conclude that infiltration might have become more difficult

Reservoir Characterization, Production Characteristics, and Research Needs for Fluvial/Alluvial Reservoirs in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, E.L.; Fowler, M.L.; Jackson, S.R.; Madden, M.P.; Raw-Schatzinger, V.; Salamy, S.P.; Sarathi, P.; Young, M.A.

1999-04-28

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oil Recovery Field Demonstration Program was initiated in 1992 to maximize the economically and environmentally sound recovery of oil from known domestic reservoirs and to preserve access to this resource. Cost-shared field demonstration projects are being initiated in geology defined reservoir classes which have been prioritized by their potential for incremental recovery and their risk of abandonment. This document defines the characteristics of the fifth geological reservoir class in the series, fluvial/alluvial reservoirs. The reservoirs of Class 5 include deposits of alluvial fans, braided streams, and meandering streams. Deposit morphologies vary as a complex function of climate and tectonics and are characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity to fluid flow as a result of extreme variations in water energy as the deposits formed.

Effects of livestock exclusion on density, survival and biomass of the perennial sagebrush grass Hymenachne pernambucense (Poaceae) from a temperate fluvial wetland

Science.gov (United States)

Magnano, Andrea L.; Nanni, Analía S.; Krug, Pamela; Astrada, Elizabeth; Vicari, Ricardo; Quintana, Rubén D.

2018-01-01

In Argentina, the intensification of soybean production has displaced a substantial proportion of cattle ranching to fluvial wetlands such as those in the Delta of the Paraná River. Cattle grazing affects structure and dynamics of native forage plants but there is little information on this impact in populations from fluvial wetlands. This study addresses the effect of cattle ranching on density, survival, mean life-span and aerial biomass of Hymenachne pernambucense (Poaceae), an important forage species in the region. The study was carried out monthly for one year in permanents plots subject to continuous grazing and plots excluded from grazing in the Middle Delta of the Paraná River. In plots excluded from grazing, tillers showed significantly higher population density and survival, and a two-fold increase in mean life-span, while continuous grazing decreased survival of cohorts. The largest contribution to tiller density in ungrazed and grazed populations was made by spring and summer cohorts, respectively. Total and green biomass were significantly higher in the ungrazed population, with highest differences in late spring-early summer. Cattle grazing affected the relationship between tiller density and green biomass suggesting that cattle prefer sprouts because they are more palatable and nutritious than older tissue.

Efeitos das mudanças do uso da terra na biogeoquímica dos corpos d'água da bacia do rio Ji-Paraná, Rondônia Effects of land use changes in the biogeochemistry of fluvial systems of the Ji-Paraná river basin, Rondônia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex Vladimir Krusche

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho discute os efeitos das mudanças do uso do solo na biogequímica dos rios da bacia de drenagem do rio Ji-Paraná (Rondônia. Nesta região, a distribuição espacial do desmatamento e das propriedades do solo resultam em sinais diferentes, possibilitando a divisão dos sistemas fluviais em três grupos: rios com águas pobres em íons e baixo impacto; rios com conteúdo iônico intermediário e impacto médio e rios com elevados conteúdo iônico e impacto antropogênico. As características biogeoquímicas dos rios têm relação significativa com a área de pasto, melhor parâmetro para prever a condutividade elétrica (r² = 0,87 e as concentrações de sódio (r² = 0,75, cloreto (r² = 0,69, potássio (r² = 0,63, fosfato (r² = 0.78, nitrogênio inorgânico (r² = 0.52, carbono inorgânico (r² = 0.81 e carbono orgânico (rain ² = 0.51 dissolvidos. Cálcio e magnésio tiveram sua variância explicada pelas características do solo e pastagem. Nossos resultados indicam que as mudanças observadas na micro-escala constituem "sinais biogeoquímicos" gerados pelo processamento do material nas margens dos rios. A medida em que os rios evoluem para ordens superiores, os sinais persistentes nos canais fluviais estão mais associdados às características da bacia de drenagem (solos e uso da terra. Apesar dos efeitos das mudanças observadas no uso do solo não serem ainda detectáveis na macro-escala (bacia amazônica, a disrupção da estrutura e funcionamento dos ecossistemas é detectável nas micro e meso escalas, com alterações significativas na ciclagem de nutrientes nos ecossistemas fluviais.In this article we present the results of the effects of land use change on the river biogeochemistry of the Ji-Paraná basin (Rondônia. In this region, the spatial distribution of deforestation and soil properties result in different biogeochemical signals, allowing the division of the fluvial systems into three groups: rivers with

Evaluación de requerimientos ecológicos para el diseño de regímenes ambientales de caudales fluviales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Manuel Diez-Hernández

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Las sociedades avanzadas medioambientalmente están reclamando progresivamente una gestión fluvial auténticamente integral, que implemente Planes de Manejo de Cuencas Hidrográficas fundamentados en el paradigma del Régimen Ambiental de Caudales (RAC. Este trabajo sugiere una metodología genérica para establecer RAC confiables, que posibiliten el aprovechamiento hídrico a un coste ecológico admisible. Adicionalmente, plantea los criterios y técnicas preferentes para la evaluación de los requerimientos ecosistémicos de caudal, los cuales componen el RAC mediante el Régimen de Caudales Ecológicos (RCE. La adaptación de estos procedimientos para los ríos de Colombia favorecerá la conservación de su valiosa biodiversidad. / The environmentally advanced societies are claiming progressively an authentically integral fluvial management, that implements Watershed Management Programs based on the paradigm of the Environmental Flows Regime (EFR. This work suggests a generic methodology for the reliable EFR setting, that facilitate the water use with an environmental acceptable cost. Additionally, it outlines the approaches and outstanding techniques for the evaluation of instream flow requirements, which constitute the EFR by means of the Instream Flow Regime (IFR. The adaptation of these approaches to the Colombian rivers will contribute to the conservation of their valuable biodiversity.

A Pleistocene coastal alluvial fan complex produced by Middle Pleistocene glacio-fluvial processes

Science.gov (United States)

Adamson, Kathryn; Woodward, Jamie; Hughes, Philip; Giglio, Federico; Del Bianco, Fabrizio

2014-05-01

A coarse-grained alluvial fan sequence at Lipci, Kotor Bay, in western Montenegro, provides a sedimentary record of meltwater streams draining from the Orjen Massif (1,894 m a.s.l.) to the coastal zone. At Lipci sedimentary evidence and U-series ages have been used alongside offshore bathymetric imagery and seismic profiles to establish the size of the fan and constrain the nature and timing of its formation. Establishing the depositional history of such coastal fans is important for our understanding of cold stage sediment flux from glaciated uplands to the offshore zone, and for exploring the impact of sea level change on fan reworking. There is evidence of at least four phases of Pleistocene glaciation on the Orjen massif, which have been U-series dated and correlated to MIS 12, MIS 6, MIS 5d-2 and the Younger Dryas. A series of meltwater channels delivered large volumes of coarse- and fine-grained limestone sediment from the glaciated uplands into the Bay of Kotor. At the southern margin of the Orjen massif, a series of large (>700 m long) alluvial fans has developed. Some of these extend offshore for up to 600 m. Lipci fan lies downstream of end moraines in the valley immediately above, which were formed by an extensive outlet glacier of the Orjen ice cap during MIS 12. The terrestrial deposits are part of the fan apex (50 m a.s.l.) that lies at the foot of a steep bedrock channel, but the majority of the fan is now more than 25 m below sea level. The terrestrial fan sediments are strongly cemented by multiple generations of calcite precipitates: the oldest U-series ages are infinite indicating that the fan is >350 ka in age. These ages are in agreement with alluvial sedimentary evidence and U-series ages from other fluvial units on Mount Orjen. The terrestrial portion of the Lipci fan surface contains several channels. These are well preserved due to cementation with calcium carbonate. Submarine imagery indicates that the now submerged portion of the fan also

Una revisión de inundaciones fluviales en Chile, período 1574-2012: causas, recurrencia y efectos geográficos

OpenAIRE

Rojas,Octavio; Mardones,María; Arumí,José Luis; Aguayo,Mauricio

2014-01-01

Una revisión bibliográfica de inundaciones fluviales históricas en el período 15742012 a través de diferentes publicaciones, permite analizar, explicar y sistematizar causas o factores detonantes, periodos de recurrencia, distribución y efectos geográficos de las inundaciones acaecidas en Chile continental. Según el factor detonante se identifican 5 tipos principales de inundaciones asociadas a: procesos volcánicos, procesos nivoglaciares, deslizamientos, intervenciones antrópicas y precipita...

The impact of reduction of doublet well spacing on the Net Present Value and the life time of fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifer doublets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willems, C. J. L.; Nick, H. M.; Goense, T.

2017-01-01

This paper evaluates the impact of reduction of doublet well spacing, below the current West Netherlands Basin standard of 1000 - 1500 m, on the Net Present Value (NPV) and the life time of fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifer (HSA) doublets. First, a sensitivity analysis is used to show the possible ...... the potential and risks of HSA doublets. This factor significantly affects doublet life time and net energy production of the doublet....

Geological and Petrophysical Characterization of the Ferron Sandstone for 3-D Simulation of a Fluvial-Deltaic Reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chidsey, Jr, Thomas C.

2001-10-31

The objective of the Ferron Sandstone project was to develop a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, quantitative characterization f fluvial-deltaic reservoir to allow realistic interwell and reservoir-scale models to be developed for improved oil-field development in similar reservoirs world-wide. Quantitative geological and petrophysical information on the Cretaceous Ferron Sandstone in east-central Utah was collected. Both new and existing data was integrated into a three-dimensional model of spatial variations in porosity, storativity, and tensorial rock permeability at a scale appropriate for inter-well to regional-scale reservoir simulation. Simulation results could improve reservoir management through proper infill and extension drilling strategies, reduction of economic risks, increased recovery from existing oil fields, and more reliable reserve calculations.

Influence of forest management on the changes of organic soil properties in border part of Kragle Mokradlo Peatland (Stolowe Mountains National Park, Poland)

Science.gov (United States)

Bogacz, A.; Roszkowicz, M.

2009-04-01

SUMMARY The aim of this work was to determine the properties of organic soils modified by man, muddy and fluvial process. Peat horizons were analyzed and classified by types - and species of peat. Three profiles of shallow peat and peaty gley soils identified. Investigation showed that organic soil developed on a sandy weathered sandstone base according to oligotrophic type of sites. Organic horizons were mixed with sand and separated by sandy layers. Those soils were classified as Sapric Histosols Dystric or Sapric Gleysols Histic (WRB 2006). The throphism of organic soil in this object resulted from both natural factors and anthropo-pedogenesis. key words: peat deposit, organic soils, soil properties, muddy process, sandy layers INTRODUCTION The areas of Stolowe Mountains National Park were influenced by forestry management. Many peatlands in the Park area were drained for forestry before World War II. Several amelioration attempts were undertaken as early as in the nineteenth century. The system of forest roads were built on drained areas. The Kragle Mokradlo Peatland is located in the Skalniak plateau. The object is cut by a melioration ditch. This ditch has been recently blocked to rewet the objects. Several forest roads pass in the close neighbourhood of investigated areas. In a border part of Kragle Mokradlo Peatlands, we can observe artificial spruce habitat. Investigated object represents shallow peat soil developed on sandy basement. The early investigations showed that peaty soils were also covered by sandstone - related deposits, several dozen centimeter thick (BOGACZ 2000). Those layers was developed from sandstone weathered material transported by wind and water. The aim of presented works was to determine the stage of evolution of organic soils on the base on their morphological, physical and chemical properties. MATERIAL AND METHODS Peat soils in different locations (3 profiles, 18 samples) were selected for examination. Peat samples were collected

Seasonal variations in composite riverbank stability in the Lower Jingjiang Reach, China

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Junqiang; Zong, Quanli; Deng, Shanshan; Xu, Quanxi; Lu, Jinyou

2014-11-01

Bank erosion is a key process in a fluvial system in the context of river dynamics and geomorphology. Since the operation of the Three Gorges Project (TGP), the Lower Jingjiang Reach (LJR) below the dam has experienced continuous channel degradation, with the phenomenon of bank erosion occurring frequently in local reaches. Therefore it is necessary to quantitatively investigate seasonal variations in the stability of composite riverbanks along the reach in order to better understand the fluvial processes in the reach. Laboratory tests were conducted for the sampled soils at six riverbanks during a field survey, with various bank soil properties being presented for the first time. These test results show that: the cohesive bank soils are relatively loose due to the high water contents of 28.5-40.0% and the low dry densities of 1.31-1.47 tonnes/m3; and the cohesion or angle of internal friction generally decreases with an increase in water content of the cohesive soil. Based on the measured cross-sectional profiles and interpolated hydrological data, the near-bank hydrodynamic conditions and soil parameters of two typical composite riverbanks were then determined during the 2007 hydrological year. An improved method was proposed for calculating the stability at the mode of cantilever failure for the overhanging block of a composite riverbank, and the stability degrees of these two riverbanks were calculated at different stages. These results reveal that: (i) the incipient velocity of the non-cohesive lower bank had a magnitude of 0.4 m/s, less than the mean near-bank velocity of about 1.0 m/s, which led to intensive basal erosion especially during the flood season; (ii) the cohesive upper bank before failure had sufficient strength to resist direct fluvial erosion, but the failed soil mass deposited in the near-bank zone was disintegrated easily with the submerged immersion and was then transported downstream by fluvial entrainment; (iii) the degree of bank

Soil fertility management: Impacts on soil macrofauna, soil aggregation and soil organic matter allocation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ayuke, F.O.; Brussaard, L.; Vanlauwe, B.; Six, J.; Lelei, D.K.; Kibunja, C.N.; Pulleman, M.M.

2011-01-01

Maintenance of soil organic matter through integrated soil fertility management is important for soil quality and agricultural productivity, and for the persistence of soil faunal diversity and biomass. Little is known about the interactive effects of soil fertility management and soil macrofauna

Efectos de las presas en la dinàmica fluvial del curso bajo del río Ebro

OpenAIRE

Vericat Querol, Damià; Batalla, Ramon J.

2004-01-01

La morfología fluvial del cauce del río Ebro aguas abajo de las presas de Mequinenza y Ribarroja ha experimentado una serie de cambios a lo largo de la segunda mitad del siglo XX, entre los que cabe destacar: a) erosión lateral, b) colonización de zonas activas por vegetación de ribera, y c) disminución de la anchura. Dichos cambios se han producido después de la construcción y cierre de las presas en la década de los setenta. Las presas alteran la magnitud y frecuencia de las cre...

La evolución del paisaje fluvial en la confluencia de los ríos Tajo y Jarama

OpenAIRE

Berrocal Menárguez, Ana Belén

2013-01-01

La tesis doctoral que se presenta realiza un análisis de la evolución del paisaje fluvial de las riberas de los ríos Tajo y Jarama en el entorno de Aranjuez desde una perspectiva múltiple. Contempla y conjuga aspectos naturales, tales como los hidrológicos, geomorfológicos y ecológicos; también culturales, como la regulación hidrológica y la gestión del agua, las intervenciones en cauce y márgenes, la evolución de la propiedad y los cambios de usos del suelo, fundamentalmente. Este análisis h...

Carbon stocks and fluxes in managed peatlands in northern Borneo

Science.gov (United States)

Arn Teh, Yit; Manning, Frances; Cook, Sarah; Zin Zawawi, Norliyana; Sii, Longwin; Hill, Timothy; Page, Susan; Whelan, Mick; Evans, Chris; Gauci, Vincent; Chocholek, Melanie; Khoon Kho, Lip

2017-04-01

Oil palm is the largest agricultural crop in the tropics and accounts for 13 % of current tropical land area. Patterns of land-atmosphere exchange from oil palm ecosystems therefore have potentially important implications for regional and global C budgets due to the large scale of land conversion. This is particularly true for oil palm plantations on peat because of the large C stocks held by tropical peat soils that are potential sensitivity to human disturbance. Here we report preliminary findings on C stocks and fluxes from a long-term, multi-scale project in Sarawak, Malaysia that aims to quantify the impacts of oil palm conversion on C and greenhouse gas fluxes from oil palm recently established on peat. Land-atmosphere fluxes were determined using a combination of top-down and bottom-up methods (eddy covariance, canopy/stem and soil flux measurements, net primary productivity). Fluvial fluxes were determined by quantifying rates of dissolved and particulate organic C export. Ecosystem C dynamics were determined using the intensive C plot method, which quantified all major C stocks and fluxes, including plant and soil stocks, leaf litterfall, aboveground biomass production, root production, stem/canopy respiration, root-rhizosphere respiration, and heterotrophic soil respiration. Preliminary analysis indicates that vegetative aboveground biomass in these 7 year old plantations was 8.9-11.9 Mg C ha-1, or approximately one-quarter of adjacent secondary forest. Belowground biomass was 5.6-6.5 Mg C ha-1; on par with secondary forests. Soil C stocks in the 0-30 cm depth was 233.1-240.8 Mg C ha-1, or 32-36% greater than soil C stocks in secondary forests at the same depth (176.8 Mg C ha-1). Estimates of vegetative aboveground and belowground net primary productivity were 1.3-1.7 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 and 0.8-0.9 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Fruit brunch production was approximately 67 Mg C ha-1over 7 yearsor 9.6 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. Total soil respiration rates were 18 Mg C ha

Effects of ZnO nanoparticles and Zn"2"+ on fluvial biofilms and the related toxicity mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao; Hou, Jun; Dai, Shanshan; Wang, Peifang; Miao, Lingzhan; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang; You, Guoxiang

2016-01-01

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) used in consumer products are largely released into the environment through the wastewater stream. The health hazard of ZnO NPs and the contribution of dissolved Zn"2"+ in toxicity of ZnO NPs has attracted extensive worldwide attention. In this study, the toxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and the effects of dissolved Zn"2"+ on fluvial biofilms were investigated. At the end of the exposure time (21 days), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and bioaccumulation experiments revealed that large quantities of ZnO NPs were adsorbed on the biofilm. The algal biomasses were significantly decreased by six- and eleven-fold compared with the control (1.43 μg/L) by exposure to concentrations of 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn"2"+, respectively. Moreover, under the same exposure conditions, the quantum yields presented contents of 53.33 and 33.33% relative to the control, and a shift in the community composition that manifested as a strong reduction in diatoms was observed from 7 days and reached 15.63 and 6.25% of the control after 21 days of exposure, respectively. The reductions in bacteria viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were noticeably enhanced following exposure to 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn"2"+, respectively. Additionally, the acute and rapid toxicity of Zn"2"+ and the increasing toxicity of the ZnO NPs with increased bioaccumulation were noted in the exposure experiment. - Highlights: • Fluvial biofilm was exposed to ZnO NPs and the dissolved Zn"2"+. • Chl-a and Φ_M decreased at high doses (100 and 7.85 mg/L of ZnO NPs and Zn"2"+). • A shift in the algae community composition was observed at high dosage levels. • The enhanced production of ROS declined the bacteria viability. • Zn"2"+ was more toxic than that of the ZnO-NPs.

The environmental project of the enhancement of the fluvial area: L’Aquila and the Aterno River

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Mastrolonardo

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Il contributo si colloca in un programma interdisciplinare volto alla valorizzazione e la tutela del fiume, attraverso il controllo dei flussi e l’attivazione di simbiosi. Si integrano, con un approccio che parte dalla progettazione ambientale, le tematiche urbane, paesaggistiche, tecnologiche ed ecologiche, per orientare lo sviluppo del territorio in termini di tutela e valorizzazione delle risorse, e per recuperare le discontinuità rappresentata oggi dal fiume, in alcuni contesti urbani, conferendole maggiore riconoscibilità e potenzialità. Nello specifico si indaga il rapporto tra L’Aquila e il fiume Aterno per individuare, a livello locale, le strategie perseguibili per il recupero delle connessioni tra l’ambito fluviale e urbano, per la valorizzazione del territorio e il ripristino della funzionalità dell’acqua nel suo ciclo vitale. 

The eolic fluvial succession and paleoclimatic evolution of Rio Conlara, San Luis, Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiesa, J.

2004-01-01

The outcroping deposits in the ravines of the Conlara River are dominated by silt with subordinated and variable percentages of sand and clays. In the section that is described, at the south of the town of Santa Rosa del Conlara, these materials have been deposited responding generally climatic changing conditions. The base of the profile, assigned to the late Pleistocene, contains extint fauna of the Lujanense and a datation of 8950 B.P., and it is represented by fluvial sandy gravels. The overlaying succession, assigned to the Holocene, shows an intercalation of horizons generated by eolic-loessic deposits and deposits with development of pedogenetic processes. The whole succession shows characteristic of corresponding to a vegetated plain, next to the river flood plain. The discriminated horizons are the result of a detailed sampling and the representation of range parameters of the same ones, in function of the depth, this last one oscillates between 6 and 8 meters. The quaternary deposits of the region, support indistinctly as on the crystalline basement of San Luis range, as on the calcretes assigned to the Neogene [es

Copper, lead and zinc distribution in soils and sediments of the South-Western coast of the Rio de la Plata Estuary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camilion, M.C.; Hurtado, M.A. [CISAUA-UNLP: Centro de Investigaciones de Suelos y Aguas de Uso Agropecuario, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Univ. Nacional de La Plata, La Plata (Argentina); Manassero, M.J. [CIG-UNLP-CONICET: Centro de Investigaciones Geologicas, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Univ. Nacional de La Plata, La Plata (Argentina); Ronco, A.E. [CIMA-UNLP-CONICET: Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Univ. Nacional de La Plata, La Plata (Argentina)

2003-07-01

The compositional study of suspended matter in water from rivers of different latitudes and climates has revealed that the fine fraction reflects both substrate lithology from source areas or topsoil composition along the course. Metal distribution patterns are also strongly related to the clay mineral fate in fluvial aquatic systems. For the particular case of the coastal area of the Rio de la Plata estuary in South America, previous studies have, on the one hand, focused on the analysis of distribution patterns of heavy metals in bottom river sediments and, on the other hand, on the assessment of metal contents in topsoils. The present study was conducted to evaluate the Cu, Pb and Zn distribution in soils and sediments from four drainage basins crossing two differentiated geomorphologic units composed of unconsolidated materials and to understand the metal behaviour. (orig.)

Evidence for a soil microbial terroir in the Chianti Classico district in Tuscany (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Mocali, Stefano; Priori, Simone; Valboa, Giuseppe; Fabiani, Arturo; Pellegrini, Sergio; Puccioni, Sergio; Zombardo, Alessandra; Storchi, Paolo; Costantini, Edoardo

2017-04-01

Originally developed for wine, the terroir concept is becoming popular throughout agri-environmental sciences in many parts of the world, linking the uniqueness and quality of agricultural products to the environment where they are produced. Even thought it is well known that geology, morphology and microclimate influence and diversify the wine characters within a wine district (macro-terroir), recent literature suggests that different soil features can drive wine characters also within the same macro-terroir, at both farm and vineyard scale. However, the drivers beyond these differences remain elusive, and the potential contribution of soil microbes has been ignored until recently. Therefore, in this multidisciplinary work we have tried to assess the possible role of soil microbial communities in vineyards on defining the quality of the wine produced. Soils from 4 different macro-terroir areas located within the Barone Ricasoli farm in Brolio (SI), Tuscany (Central Italy), characterized by different geology and cultivated with the grapevine cultivar Sangiovese, were collected: Fattoio (feldspathic sandstone), Leccio (marine sands), Agresto (limestone), and Ceni (fluvial deposits). Within each terroir, two areas homogeneous for soil features were delimited (Basic terroir unit, BTU) and monitored over 3 years for the soil physico-chemical and biological parameters as well as viticultural parameters. In this work we report the results of the analysis of microbial communities in the 8 BTUs, determined through molecular (PCR-DGGE), metabolic (BIOLOG) and biochemical (microbial respiration, biomass C) techniques. The results showed that each vineyard is characterized by a well defined bacterial community whose structure varies both as a function of different BTUs and terroir areas, depending on soil features. In fact, the vineyards Fattoio 1 and 2 exhibit a very similar bacterial composition between them and stable over time, even for the low total organic matter

Trace element distribution and 235U/238U ratios in Euphrates waters and in soils and tree barks of Dhi Qar province (southern Iraq)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riccobono, Francesco; Perra, Guido; Pisani, Anastasia; Protano, Giuseppe

2011-01-01

fluvial waters and soils 235 U/ 238 U ratio values were within the natural range. → Some geochemical features as U and Pb isotopic ratios distinguished barks from soils. → Results demonstrated that external trace elements and depleted U inputs occurred.

A Conceptual Framework and Classification for the Fluvial-Backwater-Marine Transition in Coastal Rivers Globally

Science.gov (United States)

Howes, N. C.; Georgiou, I. Y.; Hughes, Z. J.; Wolinsky, M. A.

2012-12-01

Channels in fluvio-deltaic and coastal plain settings undergo a progressive series of downstream transitions in hydrodynamics and sediment transport, which is consequently reflected in their morphology and stratigraphic architecture. Conditions progress from uniform fluvial flow to backwater conditions with non-uniform flow, and finally to bi-directional tidal flow or estuarine circulation at the ocean boundary. While significant attention has been given to geomorphic scaling relationships in purely fluvial settings, there have been far fewer studies on the backwater and tidal reaches, and no systematic comparisons. Our study addresses these gaps by analyzing geometric scaling relationships independently in each of the above hydrodynamic regimes and establishes a comparison. To accomplish this goal we have constructed a database of planform geometries including more than 150 channels. In terms of hydrodynamics studies, much of the work on backwater dynamics has concentrated on the Mississippi River, which has very limited tidal influence. We will extend this analysis to include systems with appreciable offshore tidal range, using a numerical hydrodynamic model to study the interaction between backwater dynamics and tides. The database is comprised of systems with a wide range of tectonic, climatic, and oceanic forcings. The scale of these systems, as measured by bankfull width, ranges over three orders of magnitude from the Amazon River in Brazil to the Palix River in Washington. Channel centerlines are extracted from processed imagery, enabling continuous planform measurements of bankfull width, meander wavelength, and sinuosity. Digital terrain and surface models are used to estimate floodplain slopes. Downstream tidal boundary conditions are obtained from the TOPEX 7.1 global tidal model, while upstream boundary conditions such as basin area, relief, and discharge are obtained by linking the databases of Milliman and Meade (2011) and Syvitski (2005). Backwater

Open-water and under-ice seasonal variations in trace element content and physicochemical associations in fluvial bed sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Doig, Lorne E; Carr, Meghan K; Meissner, Anna G N; Jardine, Tim D; Jones, Paul D; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Lindenschmidt, Karl-Erich

2017-11-01

Across the circumpolar world, intensive anthropogenic activities in the southern reaches of many large, northward-flowing rivers can cause sediment contamination in the downstream depositional environment. The influence of ice cover on concentrations of inorganic contaminants in bed sediment (i.e., sediment quality) is unknown in these rivers, where winter is the dominant season. A geomorphic response unit approach was used to select hydraulically diverse sampling sites across a northern test-case system, the Slave River and delta (Northwest Territories, Canada). Surface sediment samples (top 1 cm) were collected from 6 predefined geomorphic response units (12 sites) to assess the relationships between bed sediment physicochemistry (particle size distribution and total organic carbon content) and trace element content (mercury and 18 other trace elements) during open-water conditions. A subset of sites was resampled under-ice to assess the influence of season on these relationships and on total trace element content. Concentrations of the majority of trace elements were strongly correlated with percent fines and proxies for grain size (aluminum and iron), with similar trace element grain size/grain size proxy relationships between seasons. However, finer materials were deposited under ice with associated increases in sediment total organic carbon content and the concentrations of most trace elements investigated. The geomorphic response unit approach was effective at identifying diverse hydrological environments for sampling prior to field operations. Our data demonstrate the need for under-ice sampling to confirm year-round consistency in trace element-geochemical relationships in fluvial systems and to define the upper extremes of these relationships. Whether contaminated or not, under-ice bed sediment can represent a "worst-case" scenario in terms of trace element concentrations and exposure for sediment-associated organisms in northern fluvial systems

Fluvial export of radionuclides: impact on sediment storages of the Rhone River and fluxes towards the Mediterranean Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rolland, B.

2006-02-01

This study deals with the behaviour of trace contaminants originating from chronic liquid releases within fluvial aquatic systems. It focuses on some particle reactive artificial radionuclides that were released by the Marcoule nuclear fuel reprocessing plant during several years mainly prior the end of the nineties and that are still detected in the lower Rhone river. It underlines the decrease of 137 Cs, 238 Pu and 239+240 Pu fluxes to the Mediterranean Sea in relation with the variations in the chronic liquid releases from Marcoule. The role of flood events on radionuclides exports processes is particularly considered. Over the years 2002 to 2004, floods contributed for 67%, 55%, 68%, 49% and 56% of the mean annual fluxes of 137 Cs, 238 Pu and 239+240 Pu and natural 7 Be et 210 Pbxs, although these events only represented 5% of time. The removal, during floods, of sediments contaminated by the Marcoule releases contributes on the average for 19%, 44% and 22% of the annual exports of 137 Cs, 238 Pu and 239+240 Pu towards the Sea. Thus, such sedimentary stocks act as a delayed source term of artificial radioactivity that is currently significant. Determination of the sediments residence times before removal allows to evaluate the Rhone capacity to clear its contaminated stocks. Residence times of 200 years, 100 years and 900 years are estimated to be necessary to totally remove the accumulated 137 Cs, 238 Pu and 239+240 Pu, respectively. The location typologies of sediment storages within fluvial systems are also specified. These location are represented on one hand by dams, and on the other hand by river banks and oxbow lakes. Stocks accumulated in dams seem to be removed more easily than those trapped in banks. (author)

Fluvial response to climate variations and anthropogenic perturbations for the Ebro River, Spain in the last 4,000 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Fei; Kettner, Albert J; Ashton, Andrew; Giosan, Liviu; Ibáñez, Carles; Kaplan, Jed O

2014-03-01

Fluvial sediment discharge can vary in response to climate changes and human activities, which in return influences human settlements and ecosystems through coastline progradation and retreat. To understand the mechanisms controlling the variations of fluvial water and sediment discharge for the Ebro drainage basin, Spain, we apply a hydrological model HydroTrend. Comparison of model results with a 47-year observational record (AD 1953-1999) suggests that the model adequately captures annual average water discharge (simulated 408 m(3)s(-1) versus observed 425 m(3)s(-1)) and sediment load (simulated 0.3 Mt yr(-1) versus observed 0.28 ± 0.04 Mt yr(-1)) for the Ebro basin. A long-term (4000-year) simulation, driven by paleoclimate and anthropogenic land cover change scenarios, indicates that water discharge is controlled by the changes in precipitation, which has a high annual variability but no long-term trend. Modeled suspended sediment load, however, has an increasing trend over time, which is closely related to anthropogenic land cover variations with no significant correlation to climatic changes. The simulation suggests that 4,000 years ago the annual sediment load to the ocean was 30.5 Mt yr(-1), which increased over time to 47.2 Mt yr(-1) (AD 1860-1960). In the second half of the 20th century, the emplacement of large dams resulted in a dramatic decrease in suspended sediment discharge, eventually reducing the flux to the ocean by more than 99% (mean value changes from 38.1 Mt yr(-1) to 0.3 Mt yr(-1)). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A first look at the influence of anthropogenic climate change on the future delivery of fluvial sediment to the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta.

Science.gov (United States)

Darby, Stephen E; Dunn, Frances E; Nicholls, Robert J; Rahman, Munsur; Riddy, Liam

2015-09-01

We employ a climate-driven hydrological water balance and sediment transport model (HydroTrend) to simulate future climate-driven sediment loads flowing into the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) mega-delta. The model was parameterised using high-quality topographic data and forced with daily temperature and precipitation data obtained from downscaled Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations for the period 1971-2100. Three perturbed RCM model runs were selected to quantify the potential range of future climate conditions associated with the SRES A1B scenario. Fluvial sediment delivery rates to the GBM delta associated with these climate data sets are projected to increase under the influence of anthropogenic climate change, albeit with the magnitude of the increase varying across the two catchments. Of the two study basins, the Brahmaputra's fluvial sediment load is predicted to be more sensitive to future climate change. Specifically, by the middle part of the 21(st) century, our model results suggest that sediment loads increase (relative to the 1981-2000 baseline period) over a range of between 16% and 18% (depending on climate model run) for the Ganges, but by between 25% and 28% for the Brahmaputra. The simulated increase in sediment flux emanating from the two catchments further increases towards the end of the 21(st) century, reaching between 34% and 37% for the Ganges and between 52% and 60% for the Brahmaputra by the 2090s. The variability in these changes across the three climate change simulations is small compared to the changes, suggesting they represent a significant increase. The new data obtained in this study offer the first estimate of whether and how anthropogenic climate change may affect the delivery of fluvial sediment to the GBM delta, informing assessments of the future sustainability and resilience of one of the world's most vulnerable mega-deltas. Specifically, such significant increases in future sediment loads could increase the resilience

Soil physical properties affecting soil erosion in tropical soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobo Lujan, D.

2004-01-01

The total vegetated land area of the earth is about 11,500 hectare. Of this, about 12% is in South America. Of this, about 14% is degraded area. Water erosion, chemical degradation, wind erosion, and physical degradation have been reported as main types of degradation. In South America water erosion is a major process for soil degradation. Nevertheless, water erosion can be a consequence of degradation of the soil structure, especially the functional attributes of soil pores to transmit and retain water, and to facilitate root growth. Climate, soil and topographic characteristics determine runoff and erosion potential from agricultural lands. The main factors causing soil erosion can be divided into three groups: Energy factors: rainfall erosivity, runoff volume, wind strength, relief, slope angle, slope length; Protection factors: population density, plant cover, amenity value (pressure for use) and land management; and resistance factors: soil erodibility, infiltration capacity and soil management. The degree of soil erosion in a particular climatic zone, with particular soils, land use and socioeconomic conditions, will always result from a combination of the above mentioned factors. It is not easy to isolate a single factor. However, the soil physical properties that determine the soil erosion process, because the deterioration of soil physical properties is manifested through interrelated problems of surface sealing, crusting, soil compaction, poor drainage, impeded root growth, excessive runoff and accelerated erosion. When an unprotected soil surface is exposed to the direct impact of raindrops it can produce different responses: Production of smaller aggregates, dispersed particles, particles in suspension and translocation and deposition of particles. When this has occurred, the material is reorganized at the location into a surface seal. Aggregate breakdown under rainfall depends on soil strength and a certain threshold kinetic energy is needed to start

Marine intervals in Neogene fluvial deposits of western Amazonia

Science.gov (United States)

Boonstra, Melanie; Troelstra, Simon; Lammertsma, Emmy; Hoorn, Carina

2014-05-01

Amazonia is one of the most species rich areas on Earth, but this high diversity is not homogeneous over the entire region. Highest mammal and tree-alpha diversity is found in the fluvio-lacustrine Pebas system, a Neogene wetland associated with rapid radiation of species. The estuarine to marine origin of various modern Amazonian fish, plants, and invertebrates has been associated with past marine ingressions into this freshwater Pebas system. The exact nature and age of these invasions is, however, debated. Here we present new evidence from fluvial and fluvio-lacustrine deposits of Neogene age in southeast Colombia, that point to periods of widespread marine conditions in western Amazonia. Our evidence is based on an analysis of marine palynomorphs, such as organic linings of foraminifera and dinoflagellate cysts, present in dark sandy clay sediments that outcrop along the Caqueta and Amazon rivers. Characteristically, the foraminiferal linings can be assigned to three benthic morphotypes only, e.g. Ammonia, Elphidium and Trochammina. This low diversity assemblage is associated with estuarine/marginal marine conditions. No distinct marine elements such as shelf or planktonic species were encountered. The observed foraminiferal linings and dinocyst assemblages are typical for a (eutrophic) shallow marine environment, suggesting that the Pebas freshwater wetland system occasionally changed to (marginal) marine. Although some reworked elements are found, a typical Neogene dinocyst taxon is commonly found supporting in situ deposition. Sedimentological features typical for tidal conditions that are reported for sites in Peru and northeastern Brazil likely relate to these marine ingressions. Sea level changes as well as foreland basin development related to Andes formation may have facilitated the entry of marine water during the Neogene.

The volcaniclastic sequence of Aranzazu: Record of the impact of volcanism on Neogene fluvial system in the middle part of the Central Cordillera, Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borrero Pena, Carlos Alberto; Rosero Cespedes, Juan Sebastian; Valencia M, Julian David; Pardo Trujillo, Andres

2008-01-01

The volcaniclastic sequence of Aranzazu (VSA, late Pliocene - early Pleistocene?) was sourced from the northernmost sector of the Machin - Cerro Bravo volcanic complex. The volcaniclastic accumulations filled the pre-existing fault-bend depressions in the surroundings of Aranzazu town (Caldas department, Colombia). A new classification of volcaniclastic deposits is proposed, in which the lahars are defined as volcaniclastic resedimented deposits, and differentiated from the primary volcaniclastic and epiclastic deposits. The updating the sedimentology and rheology of the deposits related with the laharic events is aimed. The VSA stratigraphy is based on the lithofacies identification and the definition of the architectural elements for syn- and inter-eruptive periods. The VSA lower member corresponds to the successive aggradation of syneruptive lahars (SV and SB elements) resulted from re-sedimentation of pumice-rich pyroclastic deposits and transported as debris and hyperconcentrated stream/flood flows. The VSA middle and upper members defined by coal contents were formed during the dominion of inter-eruptive (FF element) over the syn-eruptive (SV and SB elements) periods. They were formed during the reestablishment of the fluvial condition after the syn-eruptive laharic activity. Once the fluvial deposition was strengthened, the necessary conditions for the peat formation were propitious and the coal-bearing bed sets were developed.

The effects of fluvial transport on radionuclide concentrations on different particle size classes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dyer, F.J.; Olley, J.M.

1998-01-01

This paper reports on the effects of grain abrasion and disaggregation on the distribution of 137 Cs with respect to particle size and the effects this may have on the use of 137 Cs for determining the origin of recent sediment. Cs-137 is a product of above ground nuclear testing and has been deposited on the earth's surface by rainfall. On contact with soil, 137 Cs is strongly adsorbed by soil particles and there is a direct correlation between 137 Cs concentration and decreasing particle size. Rapid adsorption means that 137 Cs is preferentially concentrated in surface soils, and it's subsequent redistribution by physical processes rather than chemical has lead to 137 Cs being widely used to study soil erosion

Biodegradability of dissolved organic carbon in permafrost soils and aquatic systems: a meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Vonk, J. E.; Tank, S. E.; Mann, P. J.; Spencer, R. G. M.; Treat, C. C.; Striegl, R. G.; Abbott, B. W.; Wickland, K. P.

2015-12-01

As Arctic regions warm and frozen soils thaw, the large organic carbon pool stored in permafrost becomes increasingly vulnerable to decomposition or transport. The transfer of newly mobilized carbon to the atmosphere and its potential influence upon climate change will largely depend on the degradability of carbon delivered to aquatic ecosystems. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a key regulator of aquatic metabolism, yet knowledge of the mechanistic controls on DOC biodegradability is currently poor due to a scarcity of long-term data sets, limited spatial coverage of available data, and methodological diversity. Here, we performed parallel biodegradable DOC (BDOC) experiments at six Arctic sites (16 experiments) using a standardized incubation protocol to examine the effect of methodological differences commonly used in the literature. We also synthesized results from 14 aquatic and soil leachate BDOC studies from across the circum-arctic permafrost region to examine pan-arctic trends in BDOC. An increasing extent of permafrost across the landscape resulted in higher DOC losses in both soil and aquatic systems. We hypothesize that the unique composition of (yedoma) permafrost-derived DOC combined with limited prior microbial processing due to low soil temperature and relatively short flow path lengths and transport times, contributed to a higher overall terrestrial and freshwater DOC loss. Additionally, we found that the fraction of BDOC decreased moving down the fluvial network in continuous permafrost regions, i.e. from streams to large rivers, suggesting that highly biodegradable DOC is lost in headwater streams. We also observed a seasonal (January-December) decrease in BDOC in large streams and rivers, but saw no apparent change in smaller streams or soil leachates. We attribute this seasonal change to a combination of factors including shifts in carbon source, changing DOC residence time related to increasing thaw-depth, increasing water temperatures later

iSOIL: Interactions between soil related sciences - Linking geophysics, soil science and digital soil mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Dietrich, Peter; Werban, Ulrike; Sauer, Uta

2010-05-01

High-resolution soil property maps are one major prerequisite for the specific protection of soil functions and restoration of degraded soils as well as sustainable land use, water and environmental management. To generate such maps the combination of digital soil mapping approaches and remote as well as proximal soil sensing techniques is most promising. However, a feasible and reliable combination of these technologies for the investigation of large areas (e.g. catchments and landscapes) and the assessment of soil degradation threats is missing. Furthermore, there is insufficient dissemination of knowledge on digital soil mapping and proximal soil sensing in the scientific community, to relevant authorities as well as prospective users. As one consequence there is inadequate standardization of techniques. At the poster we present the EU collaborative project iSOIL within the 7th framework program of the European Commission. iSOIL focuses on improving fast and reliable mapping methods of soil properties, soil functions and soil degradation risks. This requires the improvement and integration of advanced soil sampling approaches, geophysical and spectroscopic measuring techniques, as well as pedometric and pedophysical approaches. The focus of the iSOIL project is to develop new and to improve existing strategies and innovative methods for generating accurate, high resolution soil property maps. At the same time the developments will reduce costs compared to traditional soil mapping. ISOIL tackles the challenges by the integration of three major components: (i)high resolution, non-destructive geophysical (e.g. Electromagnetic Induction EMI; Ground Penetrating Radar, GPR; magnetics, seismics) and spectroscopic (e.g., Near Surface Infrared, NIR) methods, (ii)Concepts of Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) and pedometrics as well as (iii)optimized soil sampling with respect to profound soil scientific and (geo)statistical strategies. A special focus of iSOIL lies on the

Late Pleistocene sea-level changes recorded in tidal and fluvial deposits from Itaubal Formation, onshore portion of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaac Salém Alves Azevedo Bezerra

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThe Pleistocene deposits exposed in the Amapá Coastal Plain (onshore portion of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, northeastern South America were previously interpreted as Miocene in age. In this work, they were named as "Itaubal Formation" and were included in the quaternary coastal history of Amazonia. The study, through facies and stratigraphic analyses in combination with optically stimulated luminescence (single and multiple aliquot regeneration, allowed interpreting this unit as Late Pleistocene tidal and fluvial deposits. The Itaubal Formation, which unconformably overlies strongly weathered basement rocks of the Guianas Shield, was subdivided into two progradational units, separated by an unconformity related to sea-level fall, here named as Lower and Upper Units. The Lower Unit yielded ages between 120,600 (± 12,000 and 70,850 (± 6,700 years BP and consists of subtidal flat, tide-influenced meandering stream and floodplain deposits, during highstand conditions. The Upper Unit spans between 69,150 (± 7,200 and 58,150 (± 6,800 years BP and is characterized by braided fluvial deposits incised in the Lower Unit, related to base-level fall; lowstand conditions remained until 23,500 (± 3,000 years BP. The studied region was likely exposed during the Last Glacial Maximum and then during Holocene, covered by tidal deposits influenced by the Amazon River.

Soil and Soil Water Relationships

OpenAIRE

Easton, Zachary M.; Bock, Emily

2017-01-01

Discusses the relationships between soil, water and plants. Discusses different types of soil, and how these soils hold water. Provides information about differences in soil drainage. Discusses the concept of water balance.

Effects of ZnO nanoparticles and Zn{sup 2+} on fluvial biofilms and the related toxicity mechanisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Hou, Jun, E-mail: hhuhjyhj@126.com [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Dai, Shanshan [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Wang, Peifang, E-mail: pfwang2005@hhu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Miao, Lingzhan; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang; You, Guoxiang [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China)

2016-02-15

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) used in consumer products are largely released into the environment through the wastewater stream. The health hazard of ZnO NPs and the contribution of dissolved Zn{sup 2+} in toxicity of ZnO NPs has attracted extensive worldwide attention. In this study, the toxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and the effects of dissolved Zn{sup 2+} on fluvial biofilms were investigated. At the end of the exposure time (21 days), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and bioaccumulation experiments revealed that large quantities of ZnO NPs were adsorbed on the biofilm. The algal biomasses were significantly decreased by six- and eleven-fold compared with the control (1.43 μg/L) by exposure to concentrations of 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn{sup 2+}, respectively. Moreover, under the same exposure conditions, the quantum yields presented contents of 53.33 and 33.33% relative to the control, and a shift in the community composition that manifested as a strong reduction in diatoms was observed from 7 days and reached 15.63 and 6.25% of the control after 21 days of exposure, respectively. The reductions in bacteria viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were noticeably enhanced following exposure to 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn{sup 2+}, respectively. Additionally, the acute and rapid toxicity of Zn{sup 2+} and the increasing toxicity of the ZnO NPs with increased bioaccumulation were noted in the exposure experiment. - Highlights: • Fluvial biofilm was exposed to ZnO NPs and the dissolved Zn{sup 2+}. • Chl-a and Φ{sub M} decreased at high doses (100 and 7.85 mg/L of ZnO NPs and Zn{sup 2+}). • A shift in the algae community composition was observed at high dosage levels. • The enhanced production of ROS declined the bacteria viability. • Zn{sup 2+} was more toxic than that of the ZnO-NPs.

Soil metagenomics and tropical soil productivity

OpenAIRE

Garrett, Karen A.

2009-01-01

This presentation summarizes research in the soil metagenomics cross cutting research activity. Soil metagenomics studies soil microbial communities as contributors to soil health.C CCRA-4 (Soil Metagenomics)

New data on the chronology of the Vale do Forno sedimentary sequence (Lower Tejo River terrace staircase) and its relevance as a fluvial archive of the Middle Pleistocene in western Iberia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cunha, Pedro; Martins, Antonio; Buylaert, Jan-Pieter

2017-01-01

The Vale do Forno archaeological sites (Alpiarça, central Portugal) document the earliest human occupation in the Lower Tejo River, well established in geomorphological and environmental terms, within the Middle Pleistocene. In a staircase of six fluvial terraces, the Palaeolithic sites were found...

Analises dos padrões e estilos de canais a partir da paisagem geomorfológica fluvial na Bacia do Rio UNA/PE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Cassiano Silva

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Os estilos fluviais refletem a fisiografia estrutural da rede de drenagem controladas pelos estratos rochosos, retratando na paisagem sua dinâmica, assim como os padrões de canais, que podem ser alterados por processos geomorfológicos, climáticos e antrópicos. O quadro dos estilos fluvial fornece um modelo geomorfológico dos processos espaciais e temporais biofísicos para gestão e planejamento das bacias hidrográficas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as influências do comportamento no canal da bacia do rio Una localizado no Nordeste do Estado de Pernambuco, a partir da investigação das feições da drenagem como reflexo da transferência de matéria e energia entre distintos compartimentos e setores do ambiente fluvial. A metodologia baseou-se em (Brierley & Fryirs, 2005, a partir da avaliação do índice de sinuosidade, mapeamento dos estilos e das feições fluviais, perfis longitudinais e trabalhos de observação em campo. Assim, constatou-se que a influência estrutural na rede de drenagem da referida bacia comandou a retilineidade do canal Una, com quebra no gradiente topográfico, inflexão do canal e vales encaixados. Nesse ambiente, constatou que a produção e deposição dos sedimentos estão vinculados as influências do clima tropical.

The Atlas of Natural Hazards and Risks of Austria: first results for fluvial and pluvial floods

Science.gov (United States)

Mergili, Martin; Tader, Andreas; Glade, Thomas; Neuhold, Clemens; Stiefelmeyer, Heinz

2015-04-01

Incoherent societal adaptation to natural processes results in significant losses every year. A better knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of hazards and risks, and of particular hot spots in a given region or period, is essential for reducing adverse impacts. Commonly, different hazard and risk estimations are performed within individual approaches based on tailor-made concepts. This works well as long as specific cases are considered. The advantage of such a procedure is that each individual hazard and risk is addressed in the best possible manner. The drawback, however, consists in the fact that the results differ significantly in terms of quality and accuracy and therefore cannot be compared. Hence, there is a need to develop a strategy and concept which uses similar data sources of equivalent quality in order to adequately analyze the different natural hazards and risks at broader scales. The present study is aiming to develop such a platform. The project Risk:ATlas focuses on the design of an atlas visualizing the most relevant natural hazards and, in particular, possible consequences for the entire territory of Austria. Available as a web-based tool and as a printed atlas, it is seen as a key tool to improve the basis for risk reduction, risk adaptation and risk transfer. The atlas is founded on those data sets available for the entire territory of Austria at a consistent resolution and quality. A 1 m resolution DEM and the official cadastre and building register represent the core, further data sets are employed according to the requirements for each natural hazard and risk. In this contribution, the methodology and the preliminary results for fluvial and pluvial floods and their consequences to buildings for three selected test areas in different types of landscapes (rural, urban and mountainous) are presented. Flooding depths expected for annualities of 30, 100 and 300 are derived from existing data sets for fluvial floods and are computed

Probing the Gaps: A Synthesis of Well-known and Lesser-known Hydrological Feedbacks Influencing Vegetation Patterning and Long-term Geomorphic Change in Low-gradient Fluvial Landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, L.; Christensen, A.; Harvey, J. W.; Ma, H.; Newman, S.; Saunders, C.; Twilley, R.

2017-12-01

Emergence of vegetation patterning in fluvial landscapes is a classic example of how autogenic processes can drive long term fluvial and geomorphic adjustments in aquatic ecosystems. Studies elucidating the physics of flow through vegetation patches have produced understanding of how patterning in topography and vegetation commonly emerges and what effect it has on long term geomorphic change. However, with regard to mechanisms underlying pattern existence and resilience, several knowledge gaps remain, including the role of landscape-scale flow-vegetation feedbacks, feedbacks that invoke additional biogeochemical or biological agents, and determination of the relative importance of autogenic processes relative to external drivers. Here we provide a synthesis of the processes over a range of scales known to drive vegetation patterning and sedimentation in low gradient fluvial landscapes, emphasizing recent field and modeling studies in the Everglades, FL and Wax Lake Delta, LA that address these gaps. In the Everglades, while flow routing and sediment redistribution at the patch scale is known to be a primary driver of vegetation pattern emergence, landscape-scale routing of flow, as driven by the landscape's connectivity, can set up positive feedbacks that influence the rate of pattern degradation. Recent flow release experiments reveal that an additional feedback, involving phosphorus concentrations, flow, and floating vegetation communities that are abundant under low phosphorus, low flow conditions further stabilizes the alternative landscape states established through local scale sediment redistribution. Biogeochemistry-vegetation-sediment feedbacks may also be important for geomorphic development of newly emerging landscapes such as the Wax Lake Delta. There, fine sediment deposition shapes hydrogeomorphic zones with vegetation patterns that stimulate the growth of biofilm, while biofilm characteristics override the physical characteristics of vegetation

Assessment the effect of homogenized soil on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport

Science.gov (United States)

Mohawesh, O.; Janssen, M.; Maaitah, O.; Lennartz, B.

2017-09-01

Soil hydraulic properties play a crucial role in simulating water flow and contaminant transport. Soil hydraulic properties are commonly measured using homogenized soil samples. However, soil structure has a significant effect on the soil ability to retain and to conduct water, particularly in aggregated soils. In order to determine the effect of soil homogenization on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport, undisturbed soil samples were carefully collected. Five different soil structures were identified: Angular-blocky, Crumble, Angular-blocky (different soil texture), Granular, and subangular-blocky. The soil hydraulic properties were determined for undisturbed and homogenized soil samples for each soil structure. The soil hydraulic properties were used to model soil water transport using HYDRUS-1D.The homogenized soil samples showed a significant increase in wide pores (wCP) and a decrease in narrow pores (nCP). The wCP increased by 95.6, 141.2, 391.6, 3.9, 261.3%, and nCP decreased by 69.5, 10.5, 33.8, 72.7, and 39.3% for homogenized soil samples compared to undisturbed soil samples. The soil water retention curves exhibited a significant decrease in water holding capacity for homogenized soil samples compared with the undisturbed soil samples. The homogenized soil samples showed also a decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity. The simulated results showed that water movement and distribution were affected by soil homogenizing. Moreover, soil homogenizing affected soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport. However, field studies are being needed to find the effect of these differences on water, chemical, and pollutant transport under several scenarios.

Proyecto MOP: "Concesión de defensas fluviales y carretera Ribera Norte Río Bío-Bío, sector Chiguayante-Puente Viejo"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Lira Olmo

2000-08-01

Full Text Available Como se indica en la Editorial, el tema central a tratar en esta edición es la perspectiva urbana en relación a los "frentes de agua" de la región y de la intercomuna Concepción-Talcahuano; y particularmente uno de los programas más emblemáticos que se están proyectando actualmente en la región: el de "Defensas Fluviales y Carretera Ribera Norte del río Bío-Bío, Chiguayante-Puente Viejo".

Sedimentology of the upper Karoo fluvial strata in the Tuli Basin, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Bordy, Emese M.; Catuneanu, Octavian

2001-08-01

The sedimentary rocks of the Karoo Supergroup in the Tuli Basin (South Africa) may be grouped in four stratigraphic units: the basal, middle and upper units, and the Clarens Formation. This paper presents the findings of the sedimentological investigation of the fluvial terrigenous clastic and chemical deposits of the upper unit. Evidence provided by primary sedimentary structures, palaeontological record, borehole data, palaeo-flow measurements and stratigraphic relations resulted in the palaeo-environmental reconstruction of the upper unit. The dominant facies assemblages are represented by sandstones and finer-grained sediments, which both can be interbedded with subordinate intraformational coarser facies. The facies assemblages of the upper unit are interpreted as deposits of a low-sinuosity, ephemeral stream system with calcretes and silcretes in the dinosaur-inhabited overbank area. During the deposition of the upper unit, the climate was semi-arid with sparse precipitation resulting in high-magnitude, low-frequency devastating flash floods. The current indicators of the palaeo-drainage system suggest flow direction from northwest to southeast, in a dominantly extensional tectonic setting. Based on sedimentologic and biostratigraphic evidence, the upper unit of the Tuli Basin correlates to the Elliot Formation in the main Karoo Basin to the south.

Enhancing the natural removal of As in a reactive fluvial confluence receiving acid drainage

Science.gov (United States)

Abarca, M. I.; Arce, G.; Montecinos, M.; Guerra, P. A.; Pasten, P.

2014-12-01

Fluvial confluences are natural reactors that can determine the fate of contaminants in watersheds receiving acid drainage. Hydrological, hydrodynamic and chemical factors determine distinct conditions for the formation of suspended particles of iron and aluminum oxyhydroxides. The chemical and physical properties of these particle assemblages (e.g. particle size, chemical composition) can vary according to inflow mixing ratios, hydrodynamic velocity profiles, and chemical composition of the flows mixing at the confluence. Due to their capacity to sorb metals, it is important to identify the optimal conditions for removing metals from the aqueous phase, particularly arsenic, a contaminant frequently found in acid drainage. We studied a river confluence in the Lluta watershed, located in the arid Chilean Altiplano. We performed field measurements and laboratory studies to find optimal mixing ratio for arsenic sorption onto oxyhydroxide particles at the confluence between the Azufre (pH=2, As=2 mg/L) and the Caracarani river (pH=8, Ascontaminants. An analogy between confluences and coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation drinking water plants could be used to engineer such intervention.Acknowledgements: Proyecto Fondecyt 1130936 and Proyecto CONICYT FONDAP 15110020

Soil microbiology and soil health assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Soil scientists have long recognized the importance of soil biology in ecological health. In particular, soil microbes are crucial for many soil functions including decomposition, nutrient cycling, synthesis of plant growth regulators, and degradation of synthetic chemicals. Currently, soil biologis...

Soil pollution and soil protection

OpenAIRE

Haan, de, F.A.M.; Visser-Reijneveld, M.I.

1996-01-01

This book was compiled from lecture handouts prepared for the international postgraduate course on soil quality, entitled 'Soil Pollution and Soil Protection' given jointly by the universities of Wageningen (The Netherlands), Gent and Leuven (Belgium), under the auspices of the international Training Centre (PHLO) of Wageningen Agricultural University.Of the three environmental compartments air, water and soil, it is soil that varies most in composition under natural conditions. The effects o...

Fire as a long-term stewardship issue for soils contaminated with radionuclides in the western U.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shafer, David S.; DuBois, David; Etyemezian, Vic; Kavouras, Ilias; Miller, Julianne J.; Nikolich, George; Stone, Mark

2007-01-01

(particularly from annual plants). The potential risk to site workers from convective heat dispersion of radionuclide contaminants is an immediate concern during a fire. Long-term, post-fire concerns include potential changes in windblown suspension properties of contaminated soil particles after fires because of loss of vegetation cover and changes in soil properties, and soil erosion from surface water runoff and fluvial processes. (authors)

Soil shrinkage characteristics in swelling soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taboada, M.A.

2004-01-01

The objectives of this presentation are to understand soil swelling and shrinkage mechanisms, and the development of desiccation cracks, to distinguish between soils having different magnitude of swelling, as well as the consequences on soil structural behaviour, to know methods to characterize soil swell/shrink potential and to construct soil shrinkage curves, and derive shrinkage indices, as well to apply them to assess soil management effects

Biodegradability of dissolved organic carbon in permafrost soils and waterways: a meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Vonk, J. E.; Tank, S. E.; Mann, P. J.; Spencer, R. G. M.; Treat, C. C.; Striegl, R. G.; Abbott, B. W.; Wickland, K. P.

2015-06-01

As Arctic regions warm, the large organic carbon pool stored in permafrost becomes increasingly vulnerable to thaw and decomposition. The transfer of newly mobilized carbon to the atmosphere and its potential influence upon climate change will largely depend on the reactivity and subsequent fate of carbon delivered to aquatic ecosystems. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a key regulator of aquatic metabolism and its biodegradability will determine the extent and rate of carbon release from aquatic ecosystems to the atmosphere. Knowledge of the mechanistic controls on DOC biodegradability is however currently poor due to a scarcity of long-term data sets, limited spatial coverage of available data, and methodological diversity. Here, we performed parallel biodegradable DOC (BDOC) experiments at six Arctic sites (16 experiments) using a standardized incubation protocol to examine the effect of methodological differences used as common practice in the literature. We further synthesized results from 14 aquatic and soil leachate BDOC studies from across the circum-arctic permafrost region to examine pan-Arctic trends in BDOC. An increasing extent of permafrost across the landscape resulted in higher BDOC losses in both soil and aquatic systems. We hypothesize that the unique composition of permafrost-derived DOC combined with limited prior microbial processing due to low soil temperature and relatively shorter flow path lengths and transport times, resulted in higher overall terrestrial and freshwater BDOC loss. Additionally, we found that the fraction of BDOC decreased moving down the fluvial network in continuous permafrost regions, i.e. from streams to large rivers, suggesting that highly biodegradable DOC is lost in headwater streams. We also observed a seasonal (January-December) decrease in BDOC losses in large streams and rivers, but no apparent change in smaller streams and soil leachates. We attribute this seasonal change to a combination of factors including

Non-Fluvial Controls of Erosion, Sediment Transport and Fluvial Morphology in a mid-Atlantic Piedmont Watershed, White Clay Creek, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, K.; Affinito, R. A.; Pizzuto, J. E.; Stotts, S.; Henry, T.; Krauthauser, M.; O'Neal, M. A.

2017-12-01

Quantifying contemporary sediment budgets is essential for restoration and ecosystem management of mid-Atlantic watersheds, but relevant processes and controls are poorly understood. In the 153 km2 White Clay Creek watershed in southeastern Pennsylvania, longitudinal profiles reflect migration of knickpoints though bedrock over Quaternary timescales. In bank exposures along stream valleys, saprolite, bedrock, and matrix-supported cobbly and bouldery diamicton (likely colluvial) commonly underlie finer-grained clay, silt, sand, and gravel deposits of valley floor depositional environments. Overbank sedimentation rates were quantified by measuring the thickness of sediment deposited over the roots of floodplain trees. The sampled trees range in age from 25-270 years with median sediment accumulation rates of approximately 2 mm/yr (range 0-10 mm/yr). Rates of bank retreat (measured from historical aerial imagery or root-exposure dendrochronology) vary from 6-36 cm/yr, with median rates of 10 cm/yr. While bank erosion rates are subject to a variety of controls, including channel curvature, the density of riparian trees, and freeze-thaw processes, the strongest influence appears to be the grain size and thickness of bouldery diamicton exposed along the toes of retreating banks. Cobbles and boulders supplied by eroding diamicton also mantle the bed of the channel, such that 33- 80% of the bed material remains immobile at bankfull stage. A conceptual model of fluvial processes and sediment budgets for these channels must account for the watershed's history of changing climate, tectonics, and land use, requiring mapping of bedrock, colluvium, former mill dam sediments, and other non-alluvial deposits and controls. Efforts to apply hydraulic geometry principles (requiring a precise adjustment to contemporary hydraulic and sediment regime) or to treat these channels as traditional "threshold" rivers are unlikely to be successful.

La vegetación como indicador de la Geomorfología Fluvial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan José Neiff

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Aguas abajo de la confluencia con el río Paraguay, el Paraná se expande en una ancha planicie lateral que, durante las inundaciones extraordinarias completa un área 2-10 veces mayor que el área ocupada por las aguas en los períodos de bajantes extraordinarias, en los que el curso queda aislado de la planicie inundable. El propósito de esta contribución es presentar las características más salientes de este tramo entrelazado del río, usando las unidades de paisaje y los tipos de vegetación, como indicadores de las formas del relieve. Imágenes satelitales Landsat TM5 y TM7 procesadas con el SIG IDRISI, de la inundación extrema de 1998 y de la sequía extrema de 2001, fueron usadas para la clasificación de los tipos de vegetación, usando el criterio propuesto por CET (Clasificación Ecológica de Tierras. Observaciones de campo fueron realizadas en ambas fases hidrológicas para obtener la posición topográfica de las unidades de vegetación y de los ensambles de comunidades vegetales. Nosotros encontramos que los albardones están ocupados por tipos de bosques, mientras que los bañados y cuerpos de aguas someros están cubiertos por plantas herbáceas y que las praderas flotantes de vegetación flotante libre, como el aguapé, crecen en lagos conectados al río una o más veces en el año. La vegetación acuática del curso principal es muy pobre como consecuencia del flujo del río y las fluctuaciones de nivel del agua. Sólo pequeñas manchas de carrizo se encontraron creciendo en barras de arena. La interrelación entre la vegetación y las formas del relieve es muy dinámica, con cambios drásticos en períodos de décadas o aún de pocos años, dependiendo del caudal y de la carga de sólidos transportados. En otro sentido, la vegetación fluvial tiene un importante rol en la fijación de depósitos fluviales y como núcleos de acreción en las barras o para entender la obstrucción de pequeños cursos de agua en la planicie

Soil structural behaviour of flooded soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taboada, M.A.

2004-01-01

The objectives of this presentation are to: identify factors determining of the structural behaviour of flooded soils, as compared to those acting in upland soils; analyse the influence of reductive processes on aggregate stabilising agents; discuss mechanisms of structural deterioration and recovery during the flooding-drying cycle, on the basis of a case study: cattle trampling effects in the flooding Pampa of Argentina. Flooded soils, now known as Hydric soils, are characteristic of wetlands and irrigated fields cropped to rice (paddy soils). In them, water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year. Hydric soils belong to different taxa of the FAO-UNESCO Soil Map (2000). Fluvisols, Planosols and Gleysols are widespread distributed in the globe. The generation of redoximorphic features is due to different causes in each of them. Fluvisols are covered part of the year by surface water from river overflows; Planosols are soils having an impervious Bt horizon, supporting perched water during short periods; and Gleysols are soils affected by stagnant water tables during long periods

Soil-ecological risks for soil degradation estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Trifonova, Tatiana; Shirkin, Leonid; Kust, German; Andreeva, Olga

2016-04-01

Soil degradation includes the processes of soil properties and quality worsening, primarily from the point of view of their productivity and decrease of ecosystem services quality. Complete soil cover destruction and/or functioning termination of soil forms of organic life are considered as extreme stages of soil degradation, and for the fragile ecosystems they are normally considered in the network of their desertification, land degradation and droughts /DLDD/ concept. Block-model of ecotoxic effects, generating soil and ecosystem degradation, has been developed as a result of the long-term field and laboratory research of sod-podzol soils, contaminated with waste, containing heavy metals. The model highlights soil degradation mechanisms, caused by direct and indirect impact of ecotoxicants on "phytocenosis- soil" system and their combination, frequently causing synergistic effect. The sequence of occurring changes here can be formalized as a theory of change (succession of interrelated events). Several stages are distinguished here - from heavy metals leaching (releasing) in waste and their migration downward the soil profile to phytoproductivity decrease and certain phytocenosis composition changes. Phytoproductivity decrease leads to the reduction of cellulose content introduced into the soil. The described feedback mechanism acts as a factor of sod-podzolic soil self-purification and stability. It has been shown, that using phytomass productivity index, integrally reflecting the worsening of soil properties complex, it is possible to solve the problems dealing with the dose-reflecting reactions creation and determination of critical levels of load for phytocenosis and corresponding soil-ecological risks. Soil-ecological risk in "phytocenosis- soil" system means probable negative changes and the loss of some ecosystem functions during the transformation process of dead organic substance energy for the new biomass composition. Soil-ecological risks estimation is

Operation disturbance by wind turbines of fixed radars from civil aviation, national defense, Meteo-France, and maritime and fluvial harbors and navigation (PNM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

Wind turbines and the movement of their blades can have penalizing effects on the processing of radars data. These disturbances can have a strong impact on the air, maritime and fluvial safety, on the protection of the territory and on the prevention of natural hazards. Reports made by the national agency of frequencies (ANFR) have established recommendations for the definition of protection areas (5 km) and coordination areas (5 to 30 km) which have to be taken into consideration prior to any project of wind turbine. (J.S.)

Influence of Stabilized Biosolids Application on Availability of Phosphorus, Copper, and Zinc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Shaheen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this study was to examine the influence of sewage sludge (SS and stabilized SS application on Olsen-P and DTPA-extractable Cu and Zn in relation to soil type, sewage source, mixing rate and incubation time. Two different SS were mixed with amendments by mixing rates 10 and 25%. These amendments include coal fly ash (CFA, bentonite (B, sugar beet factory lime (SBFL, calcium carbonate, rice straw (RS, water hyacinth (WH, and cotton stalks (CS. Treated and untreated SS had been applied to fluvial and calcareous soil with application rate 2.5% and incubated for one and two month. After incubation, soil samples were analyzed for Olsen-P and DTPA-extractable Cu and Zn. Application of SS increased significantly Olsen-P and DTPA extractable Cu and Zn compared to control. Application of stabilized SS increased significantly Olsen-P, with high increasing rate with SBFL and WH-stabilized SS. Stabilized-SS decreased significantly Cu and Zn availability compared to mono SS treatment. Bentonite-, SBFL and CFA-stabilized SS were the highest among inorganic treatments for reducing available Cu and Zn either in fluvial or calcareous soil, while WH and RS-stabilized SS treatment were the most suitable organic ones for reducing DTPA-extractable Cu and Zn.

Peat compaction in deltas : implications for Holocene delta evolution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Asselen, S.

2010-01-01

Many deltas contain substantial amounts of peat, which is the most compressible soil type. Therefore, peat compaction potentially leads to high amounts of subsidence in deltas. The main objective of this research was to quantify subsidence due to peat compaction in Holocene fluvial-deltaic settings

Concentrations of selected metals in Quaternary-age fluvial deposits along the lower Cheyenne and middle Belle Fourche Rivers, western South Dakota, 2009-10

Science.gov (United States)

Stamm, John F.; Hoogestraat, Galen K.

2012-01-01

The headwaters of the Cheyenne and Belle Fourche Rivers drain the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, an area that has been affected by mining and ore-milling operations since the discovery of gold in 1875. A tributary to the Belle Fourche River is Whitewood Creek, which drains the area of the Homestake Mine, a gold mine that operated from 1876 to 2001. Tailings discharged into Whitewood Creek contained arsenopyrite, an arsenic-rich variety of pyrite associated with gold ore, and mercury used as an amalgam during the gold-extraction process. Approximately 18 percent of the tailings that were discharged remain in fluvial deposits on the flood plain along Whitewood Creek, and approximately 25 percent remain in fluvial deposits on the flood plain along the Belle Fourche River, downstream from Whitewood Creek. In 1983, a 29-kilometer (18-mile) reach of Whitewood Creek and the adjacent flood plain was included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priority List of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, commonly referred to as a "Superfund site." Listing of this reach of Whitewood Creek was primarily in response to arsenic toxicity of fluvial deposits on the flood plain. Lands along the lower Cheyenne River were transferred to adjoining States and Tribes in response to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1999. An amendment in 2000 to WRDA required a study of sediment contamination of the Cheyenne River. In response to the WRDA amendment, the U.S. Geological Survey completed field sampling of reference sites (not affected by mine-tailing disposal) along the lower Belle Fourche and lower Cheyenne Rivers. Reference sites were located on stream terraces that were elevated well above historical stream stages to ensure no contamination from historical mining activity. Sampling of potentially contaminated sites was performed on transects of the active flood plain and adjacent terraces that could

Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils

Science.gov (United States)

Corstanje, Ron; Mercer, Theresa G.; Rickson, Jane R.; Deeks, Lynda K.; Newell-Price, Paul; Holman, Ian; Kechavarsi, Cedric; Waine, Toby W.

2017-09-01

Soil condition or quality determines its ability to deliver a range of functions that support ecosystem services, human health and wellbeing. The increasing policy imperative to implement successful soil monitoring programmes has resulted in the demand for reliable soil quality indicators (SQIs) for physical, biological and chemical soil properties. The selection of these indicators needs to ensure that they are sensitive and responsive to pressure and change, e.g. they change across space and time in relation to natural perturbations and land management practices. Using a logical sieve approach based on key policy-related soil functions, this research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of British soils in terms of their capacity to deliver ecosystem goods and services. The resultant prioritised list of physical SQIs was tested for robustness, spatial and temporal variability, and expected rate of change using statistical analysis and modelling. Seven SQIs were prioritised: soil packing density, soil water retention characteristics, aggregate stability, rate of soil erosion, depth of soil, soil structure (assessed by visual soil evaluation) and soil sealing. These all have direct relevance to current and likely future soil and environmental policy and are appropriate for implementation in soil monitoring programmes.

Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Corstanje

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Soil condition or quality determines its ability to deliver a range of functions that support ecosystem services, human health and wellbeing. The increasing policy imperative to implement successful soil monitoring programmes has resulted in the demand for reliable soil quality indicators (SQIs for physical, biological and chemical soil properties. The selection of these indicators needs to ensure that they are sensitive and responsive to pressure and change, e.g. they change across space and time in relation to natural perturbations and land management practices. Using a logical sieve approach based on key policy-related soil functions, this research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of British soils in terms of their capacity to deliver ecosystem goods and services. The resultant prioritised list of physical SQIs was tested for robustness, spatial and temporal variability, and expected rate of change using statistical analysis and modelling. Seven SQIs were prioritised: soil packing density, soil water retention characteristics, aggregate stability, rate of soil erosion, depth of soil, soil structure (assessed by visual soil evaluation and soil sealing. These all have direct relevance to current and likely future soil and environmental policy and are appropriate for implementation in soil monitoring programmes.

Operation disturbance by wind turbines of fixed radars from civil aviation, national defense, Meteo-France, and maritime and fluvial harbors and navigation (PNM); Perturbations par les aerogenerateurs du fonctionnement des radars fixes de l'Aviation civile, de la Defense nationale, de Meteo-France et des ports et navigation maritime et fluviale (PNM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2008-07-01

Wind turbines and the movement of their blades can have penalizing effects on the processing of radars data. These disturbances can have a strong impact on the air, maritime and fluvial safety, on the protection of the territory and on the prevention of natural hazards. Reports made by the national agency of frequencies (ANFR) have established recommendations for the definition of protection areas (5 km) and coordination areas (5 to 30 km) which have to be taken into consideration prior to any project of wind turbine. (J.S.)

Soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freudenschuss, A.; Huber, S.; Riss, A.; Schwarz, S.; Tulipan, M.

2002-01-01

Environmental soil surveys in each province of Austria have been performed, soils of about 5,000 sites were described and analyzed for nutrients and pollutants, the majority of these data are recorded in the soil information system of Austria (BORIS) soil database, http://www.ubavie.gv.at/umweltsituation/boden/boris), which also contains a soil map of Austria, data from 30 specific investigations mainly in areas with industry and results from the Austria - wide cesium investigation. With respect to the environmental state of soils a short discussion is given, including two geographical charts, one showing which sites have soil data (2001) and the other the cadmium distribution in top soils according land use (forest, grassland, arable land, others). Information related to the soil erosion, Corine land cover (Europe-wide land cover database), evaluation of pollutants in soils (reference values of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Pb, Tl, Va, Zn, AOX, PAH, PCB, PCDD/pcdf, dioxin), and relevant Austrian and European standards and regulations is provided. Figs. 2, Tables 4. (nevyjel)

Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Emily Moghaddas; Ken Hubbert

2014-01-01

When managing for resilient forests, each soil’s inherent capacity to resist and recover from changes in soil function should be evaluated relative to the anticipated extent and duration of soil disturbance. Application of several key principles will help ensure healthy, resilient soils: (1) minimize physical disturbance using guidelines tailored to specific soil types...

Soil pollution and soil protection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haan, de F.A.M.; Visser-Reijneveld, M.I.

1996-01-01

This book was compiled from lecture handouts prepared for the international postgraduate course on soil quality, entitled 'Soil Pollution and Soil Protection' given jointly by the universities of Wageningen (The Netherlands), Gent and Leuven (Belgium), under the auspices of the international

Cross-cutting activities: Soil quality and soil metagenomics

OpenAIRE

Motavalli, Peter P.; Garrett, Karen A.

2008-01-01

This presentation reports on the work of the SANREM CRSP cross-cutting activities "Assessing and Managing Soil Quality for Sustainable Agricultural Systems" and "Soil Metagenomics to Construct Indicators of Soil Degradation." The introduction gives an overview of the extensiveness of soil degradation globally and defines soil quality. The objectives of the soil quality cross cutting activity are: CCRA-4 (Soil Metagenomics)

Soil invertebrates as bioindicators of urban soil quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santorufo, Lucia; Van Gestel, Cornelis A.M.; Rocco, Annamaria; Maisto, Giulia

2012-01-01

This study aimed at relating the abundance and diversity of invertebrate communities of urban soils to chemical and physical soil characteristics and to identify the taxa most sensitive or tolerant to soil stressors. The invertebrate community of five urban soils in Naples, Italy, was sampled. To assess soil quality invertebrate community indices (Shannon, Simpson, Menhinick and Pielou indices), Acarina/Collembola ratios, and the soil biological quality index (QBS) were calculated. The chemical and physical characteristics of the soils strongly differed. Abundance rather than taxa richness of invertebrates were more affected by soil characteristics. The community was more abundant and diverse in the soils with high organic matter and water content and low metal (Cu, Pb, Zn) concentrations. The taxa more resistant to the urban environment included Acarina, Enchytraeids, Collembola and Nematoda. Collembolans appeared particularly sensitive to changing soil properties. Among the investigated indices, QBS seems most appropriate for soil quality assessment. - Highlights: ► The abundance and diversity of invertebrate communities was related to properties and metal contents of urban soils. ► Several (biodiversity) indices were calculated and compared to evaluate soil quality. ► Metal contamination affected invertebrate density and diversity. ► The taxa more tolerant to metal contamination were Acarina, Enchytraeids, Collembola and Nematoda. ► The soil biological quality index QBS index was most appropriate for soil quality assessment. - Soil metal contamination negatively affected soil invertebrate abundance and diversity.

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rattan Lal

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Feeding the world population, 7.3 billion in 2015 and projected to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, necessitates an increase in agricultural production of ~70% between 2005 and 2050. Soil degradation, characterized by decline in quality and decrease in ecosystem goods and services, is a major constraint to achieving the required increase in agricultural production. Soil is a non-renewable resource on human time scales with its vulnerability to degradation depending on complex interactions between processes, factors and causes occurring at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Among the major soil degradation processes are accelerated erosion, depletion of the soil organic carbon (SOC pool and loss in biodiversity, loss of soil fertility and elemental imbalance, acidification and salinization. Soil degradation trends can be reversed by conversion to a restorative land use and adoption of recommended management practices. The strategy is to minimize soil erosion, create positive SOC and N budgets, enhance activity and species diversity of soil biota (micro, meso, and macro, and improve structural stability and pore geometry. Improving soil quality (i.e., increasing SOC pool, improving soil structure, enhancing soil fertility can reduce risks of soil degradation (physical, chemical, biological and ecological while improving the environment. Increasing the SOC pool to above the critical level (10 to 15 g/kg is essential to set-in-motion the restorative trends. Site-specific techniques of restoring soil quality include conservation agriculture, integrated nutrient management, continuous vegetative cover such as residue mulch and cover cropping, and controlled grazing at appropriate stocking rates. The strategy is to produce “more from less” by reducing losses and increasing soil, water, and nutrient use efficiency.

100 kyr fluvial cut-and-fill terrace cycles since the Middle Pleistocene in the southern Central Andes, NW Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Tofelde, Stefanie; Schildgen, Taylor F.; Savi, Sara; Pingel, Heiko; Wickert, Andrew D.; Bookhagen, Bodo; Wittmann, Hella; Alonso, Ricardo N.; Cottle, John; Strecker, Manfred R.

2017-09-01

Fluvial fill terraces in intermontane basins are valuable geomorphic archives that can record tectonically and/or climatically driven changes of the Earth-surface process system. However, often the preservation of fill terrace sequences is incomplete and/or they may form far away from their source areas, complicating the identification of causal links between forcing mechanisms and landscape response, especially over multi-millennial timescales. The intermontane Toro Basin in the southern Central Andes exhibits at least five generations of fluvial terraces that have been sculpted into several-hundred-meter-thick Quaternary valley-fill conglomerates. New surface-exposure dating using nine cosmogenic 10Be depth profiles reveals the successive abandonment of these terraces with a 100 kyr cyclicity between 75 ± 7 and 487 ± 34 ka. Depositional ages of the conglomerates, determined by four 26Al/10Be burial samples and U-Pb zircon ages of three intercalated volcanic ash beds, range from 18 ± 141 to 936 ± 170 ka, indicating that there were multiple cut-and-fill episodes. Although the initial onset of aggradation at ∼1 Ma and the overall net incision since ca. 500 ka can be linked to tectonic processes at the narrow basin outlet, the superimposed 100 kyr cycles of aggradation and incision are best explained by eccentricity-driven climate change. Within these cycles, the onset of river incision can be correlated with global cold periods and enhanced humid phases recorded in paleoclimate archives on the adjacent Bolivian Altiplano, whereas deposition occurred mainly during more arid phases on the Altiplano and global interglacial periods. We suggest that enhanced runoff during global cold phases - due to increased regional precipitation rates, reduced evapotranspiration, or both - resulted in an increased sediment-transport capacity in the Toro Basin, which outweighed any possible increases in upstream sediment supply and thus triggered incision. Compared with two

Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) - Magnesic Soils

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — Magnesic soils is a subset of the SSURGO dataset containing soil family selected based on the magnesic content and serpentinite parent material. The following soil...

Mercury methylation and demethylation by periphyton biofilms and their host in a fluvial wetland of the St. Lawrence River (QC, Canada)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamelin, Stéphanie; Planas, Dolors; Amyot, Marc

2015-01-01

Wetlands in large rivers are important sites of production of the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg), and the periphyton growing on wetland macrophytes are increasingly recognized as key players in this production and transfer in food webs. Information is lacking about mercury methylation (K m ) and demethylation (K d ) rates in periphytic biofilms from the Northern Hemisphere, as well as about the drivers of net MeHg production, hampering ecosystem modeling of Hg cycling. Mercury methylation and demethylation rates were measured in periphytic biofilms growing on submerged plants in a shallow fluvial lake located in a temperate cold region (St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada). Incubations were performed in situ within macrophyte beds using low-level spikes of 199 HgO and Me 200 Hg stable isotopes as tracers. A direct relationship was observed between K m (0.002 to 0.137 d −1 ) and [MeHg] in periphyton. A similar relationship was found between K d (0.096 to 0.334 d −1 ) and [inorganic Hg]. Periphyton of Lake St. Pierre reached high levels of net MeHg production that were two orders of magnitude higher than those found in local sediment. This production varied through the plant growing season and was mainly driven by environmental variables such as depth of growth, available light, dissolved oxygen, temperature, plant community structure, and productivity of the habitat. - Highlights: • Periphyton Hg methylation and demethylation were studied in a large fluvial lake. • Addition of stable Hg isotopes was used to obtain in situ rates for these processes. • Net methylation was higher in periphyton than in local sediments. • Methylation and demethylation rates fluctuated during the summer. • Key drivers of rates were depth, light, temperature, and community structure

Mercury methylation and demethylation by periphyton biofilms and their host in a fluvial wetland of the St. Lawrence River (QC, Canada)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamelin, Stéphanie; Planas, Dolors [GRIL, Département de sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8 (Canada); Amyot, Marc [GRIL, Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada)

2015-04-15

Wetlands in large rivers are important sites of production of the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg), and the periphyton growing on wetland macrophytes are increasingly recognized as key players in this production and transfer in food webs. Information is lacking about mercury methylation (K{sub m}) and demethylation (K{sub d}) rates in periphytic biofilms from the Northern Hemisphere, as well as about the drivers of net MeHg production, hampering ecosystem modeling of Hg cycling. Mercury methylation and demethylation rates were measured in periphytic biofilms growing on submerged plants in a shallow fluvial lake located in a temperate cold region (St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada). Incubations were performed in situ within macrophyte beds using low-level spikes of {sup 199}HgO and Me{sup 200}Hg stable isotopes as tracers. A direct relationship was observed between K{sub m} (0.002 to 0.137 d{sup −1}) and [MeHg] in periphyton. A similar relationship was found between K{sub d} (0.096 to 0.334 d{sup −1}) and [inorganic Hg]. Periphyton of Lake St. Pierre reached high levels of net MeHg production that were two orders of magnitude higher than those found in local sediment. This production varied through the plant growing season and was mainly driven by environmental variables such as depth of growth, available light, dissolved oxygen, temperature, plant community structure, and productivity of the habitat. - Highlights: • Periphyton Hg methylation and demethylation were studied in a large fluvial lake. • Addition of stable Hg isotopes was used to obtain in situ rates for these processes. • Net methylation was higher in periphyton than in local sediments. • Methylation and demethylation rates fluctuated during the summer. • Key drivers of rates were depth, light, temperature, and community structure.

Anatomy and dimensions of fluvial crevasse-splay deposits: Examples from the Cretaceous Castlegate Sandstone and Neslen Formation, Utah, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, C. E.; Mountney, N. P.; Hodgson, D. M.; Colombera, L.

2017-04-01

Crevasse-splay deposits form a volumetrically significant component of many fluvial overbank successions (up to 90% in some successions).Yet the relationships between the morphological form of accumulated splay bodies and their internal facies composition remains poorly documented from ancient successions. This work quantifies lithofacies distributions and dimensions of exhumed crevasse-splay architectural elements in the Campanian Castlegate Sandstone and Neslen Formation, Mesaverde Group, Utah, USA, to develop a depositional model. Fluvial crevasse-splay bodies thin from 2.1 m (average) to 0.8 m (average) and fine from a coarsest recorded grain size of lower-fine sand to fine silt away from major trunk channel bodies. Internally, the preserved deposits of splays comprise laterally and vertically variable sandstone and siltstone facies associations: proximal parts are dominated by sharp and erosional-based sandstone-prone units, which may be structureless or may comprise primary current lineation on beds and erosional gutter casts; medial parts comprise sets of climbing-ripple strata and small scale deformed beds; distal parts comprise sets of lower-stage plane beds and complex styles of lateral grading into fine-grained floodbasin siltstones and coals. Lithofacies arrangements are used to establish the following: (i) recognition criteria for crevasse-splay elements; (ii) criteria for the differentiation between distal parts of crevasse-splay bodies and floodplain fines; and (iii) empirical relationships with which to establish the extent (ca. 500 m long by 1000 m wide) and overall semi-elliptical planform shape of crevasse-splay bodies. These relationships have been established by high-resolution stratigraphic correlation and palaeocurrent analysis to identify outcrop orientation with respect to splay orientation. This permits lateral changes in crevasse-splay facies architecture to be resolved. Facies models describing the sedimentology and architecture of

Isolation and identification of soil fungi isolates from forest soil for flooded soil recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Hazwani Aziz, Nor; Zainol, Norazwina

2018-04-01

Soil fungi have been evaluated for their ability in increasing and recovering nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in flooded soil and in promoting the growth of the host plant. Host plant was cultivated in a mixture of fertile forest soil (nutrient-rich soil) and simulated flooded soil (nutrient-poor soil) in an optimized soil condition for two weeks. The soil sample was harvested every day until two weeks of planting and was tested for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration. Soil fungi were isolated by using dilution plating technique and was identified by Biolog’s Microbial Systems. The concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was found to be increasing after two weeks by two to three times approximately from the initial concentration recorded. Two fungi species were identified with probability more than 90% namely Aspergillus aculeatus and Paecilomyces lilacinus. Both identified fungi were found to be beneficial in enhancing plant growth and increasing the availability of nutrient content in the soil and thus recovering the nutrient content in the flooded soil.

Predicting Soil-Air and Soil-Water Transport Properties During Soil Vapor Extraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Tjalfe

Increased application of in-situ technology for control and removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the subsurface has made the understanding of soil physical properties and their impact upon contaminant transport even more important. Knowledge of contaminant transport is important when...... properties of undisturbed soil from more easily measurable soil properties are developed. The importance of soil properties with respect to contaminant migration during remediation by soil vapor extraction (SVE) in the unsaturated zone was investigated using numerical simulations....

Soil forensics: How far can soil clay analysis distinguish between soil vestiges?

Science.gov (United States)

Corrêa, R S; Melo, V F; Abreu, G G F; Sousa, M H; Chaker, J A; Gomes, J A

2018-03-01

Soil traces are useful as forensic evidences because they frequently adhere to individuals and objects associated with crimes and can place or discard a suspect at/from a crime scene. Soil is a mixture of organic and inorganic components and among them soil clay contains signatures that make it reliable as forensic evidence. In this study, we hypothesized that soils can be forensically distinguished through the analysis of their clay fraction alone, and that samples of the same soil type can be consistently distinguished according to the distance they were collected from each other. To test these hypotheses 16 Oxisol samples were collected at distances of between 2m and 1.000m, and 16 Inceptisol samples were collected at distances of between 2m and 300m from each other. Clay fractions were extracted from soil samples and analyzed for hyperspectral color reflectance (HSI), X-ray diffraction crystallographic (XRD), and for contents of iron oxides, kaolinite and gibbsite. The dataset was submitted to multivariate analysis and results were from 65% to 100% effective to distinguish between samples from the two soil types. Both soil types could be consistently distinguished for forensic purposes according to the distance that samples were collected from each other: 1000m for Oxisol and 10m for Inceptisol. Clay color and XRD analysis were the most effective techniques to distinguish clay samples, and Inceptisol samples were more easily distinguished than Oxisol samples. Soil forensics seems a promising field for soil scientists as soil clay can be useful as forensic evidence by using routine analytical techniques from soil science. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A History of Pebbles and Silt – Fluvial Sediment Transport, Hydropower and Technical Expertise at the Austrian Danube and its Tributaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schoder Angelika

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The paper investigates experts’ perceptions of hydropower, sediment regime, and their interaction in the 20th century with an environmental historical approach, based on various case studies at both the Danube River and one of its tributaries, and on a review of contemporary literature authored by engineers. Results show that questions of sediment continuity have engaged planners of hydropower plants since the advent of this technology, and decisions were at any time influenced by multiple interests (navigation, electricity demand, nature conservation. In such an intricate fluvial landscape, phenomena like reservoir sedimentation and riverbed incision can be approached as “legacies” of past technical interventions, which limit the options of current and future river management.

Effect of different soil washing solutions on bioavailability of residual arsenic in soils and soil properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Jinwoo; Yang, Kyung; Jho, Eun Hea; Nam, Kyoungphile

2015-11-01

The effect of soil washing used for arsenic (As)-contaminated soil remediation on soil properties and bioavailability of residual As in soil is receiving increasing attention due to increasing interest in conserving soil qualities after remediation. This study investigates the effect of different washing solutions on bioavailability of residual As in soils and soil properties after soil washing. Regardless of washing solutions, the sequential extraction revealed that the residual As concentrations and the amount of readily labile As in soils were reduced after soil washing. However, the bioassay tests showed that the washed soils exhibited ecotoxicological effects - lower seed germination, shoot growth, and enzyme activities - and this could largely be attributed to the acidic pH and/or excessive nutrient contents of the washed soils depending on washing solutions. Overall, this study showed that treated soils having lower levels of contaminants could still exhibit toxic effects due to changes in soil properties, which highly depended on washing solutions. This study also emphasizes that data on the As concentrations, the soil properties, and the ecotoxicological effects are necessary to properly manage the washed soils for reuses. The results of this study can, thus, be utilized to select proper post-treatment techniques for the washed soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of groundwater flow and stream depletion in L-shaped fluvial aquifers

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chao-Chih; Chang, Ya-Chi; Yeh, Hund-Der

2018-04-01

Understanding the head distribution in aquifers is crucial for the evaluation of groundwater resources. This article develops a model for describing flow induced by pumping in an L-shaped fluvial aquifer bounded by impermeable bedrocks and two nearly fully penetrating streams. A similar scenario for numerical studies was reported in Kihm et al. (2007). The water level of the streams is assumed to be linearly varying with distance. The aquifer is divided into two subregions and the continuity conditions of the hydraulic head and flux are imposed at the interface of the subregions. The steady-state solution describing the head distribution for the model without pumping is first developed by the method of separation of variables. The transient solution for the head distribution induced by pumping is then derived based on the steady-state solution as initial condition and the methods of finite Fourier transform and Laplace transform. Moreover, the solution for stream depletion rate (SDR) from each of the two streams is also developed based on the head solution and Darcy's law. Both head and SDR solutions in the real time domain are obtained by a numerical inversion scheme called the Stehfest algorithm. The software MODFLOW is chosen to compare with the proposed head solution for the L-shaped aquifer. The steady-state and transient head distributions within the L-shaped aquifer predicted by the present solution are compared with the numerical simulations and measurement data presented in Kihm et al. (2007).

GRAIN-SIZE MEASUREMENTS OF FLUVIAL GRAVEL BARS USING OBJECT-BASED IMAGE ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Castro

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Traditional techniques for classifying the average grain size in gravel bars require manual measurements of each grain diameter. Aiming productivity, more efficient methods have been developed by applying remote sensing techniques and digital image processing. This research proposes an Object-Based Image Analysis methodology to classify gravel bars in fluvial channels. First, the study evaluates the performance of multiresolution segmentation algorithm (available at the software eCognition Developer in performing shape recognition. The linear regression model was applied to assess the correlation between the gravels’ reference delineation and the gravels recognized by the segmentation algorithm. Furthermore, the supervised classification was validated by comparing the results with field data using the t-statistic test and the kappa index. Afterwards, the grain size distribution in gravel bars along the upper Bananeiras River, Brazil was mapped. The multiresolution segmentation results did not prove to be consistent with all the samples. Nonetheless, the P01 sample showed an R2 =0.82 for the diameter estimation and R2=0.45 the recognition of the eliptical ft. The t-statistic showed no significant difference in the efficiencies of the grain size classifications by the field survey data and the Object-based supervised classification (t = 2.133 for a significance level of 0.05. However, the kappa index was 0.54. The analysis of the both segmentation and classification results did not prove to be replicable.

Diel hysteresis between soil respiration and soil temperature in a biological soil crust covered desert ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Chao; Li, Xinrong; Zhang, Peng; Chen, Yongle

2018-01-01

Soil respiration induced by biological soil crusts (BSCs) is an important process in the carbon (C) cycle in arid and semi-arid ecosystems, where vascular plants are restricted by the harsh environment, particularly the limited soil moisture. However, the interaction between temperature and soil respiration remains uncertain because of the number of factors that control soil respiration, including temperature and soil moisture, especially in BSC-dominated areas. In this study, the soil respiration in moss-dominated crusts and lichen-dominated crusts was continuously measured using an automated soil respiration system over a one-year period from November 2015 to October 2016 in the Shapotou region of the Tengger Desert, northern China. The results indicated that over daily cycles, the half-hourly soil respiration rates in both types of BSC-covered areas were commonly related to the soil temperature. The observed diel hysteresis between the half-hourly soil respiration rates and soil temperature in the BSC-covered areas was limited by nonlinearity loops with semielliptical shapes, and soil temperature often peaked later than the half-hourly soil respiration rates in the BSC-covered areas. The average lag times between the half-hourly soil respiration rates and soil temperature for both types of BSC-covered areas were two hours over the diel cycles, and they were negatively and linearly related to the volumetric soil water content. Our results highlight the diel hysteresis phenomenon that occurs between soil respiration rates and soil temperatures in BSC-covered areas and the negative response of this phenomenon to soil moisture, which may influence total C budget evaluations. Therefore, the interactive effects of soil temperature and moisture on soil respiration in BSC-covered areas should be considered in global carbon cycle models of desert ecosystems.

PCBs and OCPs in sediment cores from the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada: evidence of fluvial inputs and time lag in delivery to coring sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Lebeuf, Michel; Nunes, Teresa

2005-03-15

Three sediment cores were collected along the longitudinal axis of the Laurentian Trough in the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary (LSLE) and an additional one at the junction of the Estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. After core-slicing, each sediment layer was analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and Mirex. 210Pb activity was also measured in these sediments, which allowed us to confirm that these cores were too much affected by the overall impact of surface mixing to be dated. Nevertheless, POP sedimentary profiles in cores from the LSLE upstream stations showed well-defined subsurface peak concentrations. Apparently, the peak inputs of POPs to these sediment cores had occurred after the years of maximum sales and production of these chemicals in North America, suggesting a time lag in the delivery of POPs to the LSLE sediments. Concentrations of POPs in the LSLE surface sediments as well as POP inventories in sediment cores decreased in the seaward direction, confirming that the head of the LSLE acts as a sink for sediments and associated constituents. Surface concentrations of sigmaPCBs, sigmaDDTs, and HCB in the most upstream core were on average similar to those reported in two fluvial lakes of the St. Lawrence River but were between 12 and 39 times lower than those from Lake Ontario. For Mirex, the surface concentration in that core was 5 and 130 times lower than the average values found in the fluvial lakes and Lake Ontario, respectively. Differences between Lake Ontario sediment cores and the most upstream core from the LSLE were much smaller on the basis of POP inventories than surface concentrations of POPs, but were still important. The total burdens of POPs in LSLE sediments below the 200 m isobath were 8704 kg for sigmaPCBs, 1825 kg for sigmaDDTs, 319 kg for HCB, and 27.5 kg for Mirex. These values represent

Fluvial trace fossils in the Middle Siwalik (Sarmatian-Pontian) of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Sediment fills of contrasted composition (clay and sand) co-exist ... cal, enigmatic tubes in Facies-4 indicate singular dominance but for the .... and upper B horizons of the soil profile is indi- cated by the ... Longer term stability in the groundwater conditions, ..... carbonate cement from the Indian Siwalik; Palaeogeogr.

Soil archives of a Fluvisol, part II. Archaeostratigraphical model of the subsurface of the medieval city centre of Vlaardingen, the Netherlands

Science.gov (United States)

Kluiving, Sjoerd; De Ridder, Tim; van Dasselaar, Marcel; Prins, Maarten

2017-04-01

drowning phase in the 13th century, as a reaction to it, inhabitants started to raise the surface (Kluiving et al, 2016). In this presentation we discuss new coring and micromorphological data from the city center of Vlaardingen, and we aim to fine tune the flooding history in the town in the Late Medieval period in two approaches: 1. combining micromorphological results with new coring data: 2. testing archaeostratigraphical model of Vlaardingen Stadshart (Kluiving et al, 2016), focussing on Late Medieval fluvial systems, 2, 3 and 3.1. Reference Kluiving, S.J., Ridder, T. de, Dasselaar, M. van, Roozen, S. and Prins, M. 2016. Soil archives of a Fluvisol: subsurface analysis and soil history of the medieval city centre of Vlaardingen, the Netherlands - an integral approach. SOIL, 2, 271-285, 2016. doi:10.5194/soil-2-271-2016

Leslie Cemetery and Francisco distributary fluvial channels in the Petersburg Formation (Pennsylvanian) of Gibson County, Indiana, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eggert, D L

1984-01-01

The Leslie Cemetery Channel is a small distributary fluvial channel that is partly contemporaneous with the Springfield Coal member of the Petersburg Formation (Pennsylvanian) and splits the seam into two seams. This channel is 1-6 miles (1.6-10 km) wide and extends 30 miles (48 km) in the subsurface. Overbank and channel fill deposits consisting of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone split the coal into two seams up to 40-50 ft (12-15 m) apart in places. The lower seam is a low-sulphur coal. Adjacent to this channel is the unsplit coal, which is as much as 9 ft (3 m) thick. Beneath the Leslie Cemetery Channel and the Springfield coal is the slightly older Francisco Channel (new name), which is younger than the next lower coal. This channel is filled with a fining-upward sandstone as much as 75 ft (23 m) thick. The positions of these stacked channels were determined by the differential compaction of earlier sediments. 20 references.

Development of soil taxation and soil classification as furthered by the Austrian Soil Science Society

Science.gov (United States)

Baumgarten, Andreas

2013-04-01

Soil taxation and soil classification are important drivers of soil science in Austria. However, the tasks are quite different: whereas soil taxation aims at the evaluation of the productivity potential of the soil, soil classification focusses on the natural development and - especially nowadays - on functionality of the soil. Since the foundation of the Austrian Soil Science Society (ASSS), representatives both directions of the description of the soil have been involved in the common actions of the society. In the first years it was a main target to improve and standardize field descriptions of the soil. Although both systems differ in the general layout, the experts should comply with identical approaches. According to this work, a lot of effort has been put into the standardization of the soil classification system, thus ensuring a common basis. The development, state of the art and further development of both classification and taxation systems initiated and carried out by the ASSS will be shown.

SOIL Geo-Wiki: A tool for improving soil information

Science.gov (United States)

Skalský, Rastislav; Balkovic, Juraj; Fritz, Steffen; See, Linda; van der Velde, Marijn; Obersteiner, Michael

2014-05-01

Crowdsourcing is increasingly being used as a way of collecting data for scientific research, e.g. species identification, classification of galaxies and unravelling of protein structures. The WorldSoilProfiles.org database at ISRIC is a global collection of soil profiles, which have been 'crowdsourced' from experts. This system, however, requires contributors to have a priori knowledge about soils. Yet many soil parameters can be observed in the field without specific knowledge or equipment such as stone content, soil depth or color. By crowdsourcing this information over thousands of locations, the uncertainty in current soil datasets could be radically reduced, particularly in areas currently without information or where multiple interpretations are possible from different existing soil maps. Improved information on soils could benefit many research fields and applications. Better soil data could enhance assessments of soil ecosystem services (e.g. soil carbon storage) and facilitate improved process-based ecosystem modeling from local to global scales. Geo-Wiki is a crowdsourcing tool that was developed at IIASA for land cover validation using satellite imagery. Several branches are now available focused on specific aspects of land cover validation, e.g. validating cropland extent or urbanized areas. Geo-Wiki Pictures is a smart phone application for collecting land cover related information on the ground. The extension of Geo-Wiki to a mobile environment provides a tool for experts in land cover validation but is also a way of reaching the general public in the validation of land cover. Here we propose a Soil Geo-Wiki tool that builds on the existing functionality of the Geo-Wiki application, which will be largely designed for the collection and sharing of soil information. Two distinct applications are envisaged: an expert-oriented application mainly for scientific purposes, which will use soil science related language (e.g. WRB or any other global reference

Soil hydraulic properties of Cuban soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz, M.E.; Medina, H.

2004-01-01

Because soil hydraulic properties are indispensable for determining soil water retention and soil water movement, their input for deterministic crop simulation models is essential. From these models is possible to access the effect of the weather changes, soil type or different irrigation schedules on crop yields. With these models, possibilities are provided to answer questions regarding virtual 'what happen if' experiments with a minimum of fieldwork. Nevertheless, determining soil hydraulic properties can be very difficult owing to unavailability of necessary equipment or the lack of personal with the proper knowledge for those tasks. These deficiencies are a real problem in developing countries, and even more so when there is not enough financial possibilities for research work. This paper briefly presents the way these properties have been accessed for Cuban soils, which methods have been used and the work now in progress. (author)

Forest soils

Science.gov (United States)

Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Michael C. Amacher

2009-01-01

Productive soils are the foundation of sustainable forests throughout the United States. Forest soils are generally subjected to fewer disturbances than agricultural soils, particularly those that are tilled, so forest soils tend to have better preserved A-horizons than agricultural soils. Another major contrast between forest and agricultural soils is the addition of...

Clay-illuvial soils in the Polish and international soil classifications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kabała Cezary

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Soil with a clay-illuvial subsurface horizon are the most widespread soil type in Poland and significantly differ in morphology and properties developed under variable environmental conditions. Despite the long history of investigations, the rules of classification and cartography of clay-illuvial soils have been permanently discussed and modified. The distinction of clay-illuvial soils into three soil types, introduced to the Polish soil classification in 2011, has been criticized as excessively extended, non-coherent with the other parts and rules of the classification, hard to introduce in soil cartography and poorly correlated with the international soil classifications. One type of clay-illuvial soils (“gleby płowe” was justified and recommended to reintroduce in soil classification in Poland, as well as 10 soil subtypes listed in a hierarchical order. The subtypes may be combined if the soil has diagnostic features of more than one soil subtypes. Clear rules of soil name generalization (reduction of subtype number for one soil were suggested for soil cartography on various scales. One of the most important among the distinguished soil sub-types are the “eroded” or “truncated” clay-illuvial soils.

Soil structural quality assessment for soil protection regulation

Science.gov (United States)

Johannes, Alice; Boivin, Pascal

2017-04-01

Soil quality assessment is rapidly developing worldwide, though mostly focused on the monitoring of arable land and soil fertility. Soil protection regulations assess soil quality differently, focusing on priority pollutants and threshold values. The soil physical properties are weakly considered, due to lack of consensus and experimental difficulties faced with characterization. Non-disputable, easy to perform and inexpensive methods should be available for environmental regulation to be applied, which is unfortunately not the case. As a consequence, quantitative soil physical protection regulation is not applied, and inexpensive soil physical quality indicators for arable soil management are not available. Overcoming these limitations was the objective of a research project funded by the Swiss federal office for environment (FOEN). The main results and the perspectives of application are given in this presentation. A first step of the research was to characterize soils in a good structural state (reference soils) under different land use. The structural quality was assessed with field expertise and Visual Evaluation of the Soil Structure (VESS), and the physical properties were assessed with Shrinkage analysis. The relationships between the physical properties and the soil constituents were linear and highly determined. They represent the reference properties of the corresponding soils. In a second step, the properties of physically degraded soils were analysed and compared to the reference properties. This allowed defining the most discriminant parameters departing the different structure qualities and their threshold limits. Equivalent properties corresponding to these parameters but inexpensive and easy to determine were defined and tested. More than 90% of the samples were correctly classed with this method, which meets, therefore, the requirements for practical application in regulation. Moreover, result-oriented agri-environmental schemes for soil quality

Visual soil evaluation and soil compaction research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

M.L. Guimarães, Rachel; Keller, Thomas; Munkholm, Lars Juhl

2017-01-01

Following on from discussions that took place during the 19th International Conference of the International Soil Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO) in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 2012, the ISTRO working groups “Visual Soil Examination and Evaluation” (VSEE) and “Subsoil Compaction” decided...... to organize a joint workshop. The present special issue is an outcome from the workshop on “Soil structural quality of tropical soils: Visual evaluation methods and soil compaction prevention strategies” that was held 26–29 May 2014 in Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. There has been a long-lasting interest in Visual...... Soil Evaluation (VSE). An ISTRO working group was established more than 30 years ago with the objectives to exchange knowledge and experiences on field methods of visual-tactile soil assessment and to foster international cooperation on new or refined methods. The three previous meeting of the group...

[Microscopic soil fungi - bioindicators organisms contaminated soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Donerian, L G; Vodianova, M A; Tarasova, Zh E

In the paper there are considered methodological issues for the evaluation of soil biota in terms of oil pollution. Experimental studies have shown that under the exposure of a various levels of oil pollution meeting certain gradations of the state and optimal alteration in microbocenosis in sod-podzolic soils, there is occurred a transformation of structure of the complex of micromycetes and the accumulation of toxic species, hardly typical for podzolic soils - primarily represantatives of the genus Aspergillus (A.niger and A. versicolor), Paecilomyces (P.variotii Bainer), Trichoderma (T.hamatum), the genus of phytopathogens Fusarium (F.oxysporum), dermatophytes of genus Sporothrix (S. schenckii) and dark-colored melanin containing fungi of Dematiaceae family. Besides that there are presented data on the study of microbiocenosis of the urban soil, the urban soil differed from the zone soil, but shaped in similar landscape and climatic conditions, and therefore having a tendency to a similar response from the side of microorganisms inhabiting the soil. Isolated complex of soil microscopic fungi is described by many authors as a complex, characteristic for soils of megalopolises. This allowed authors of this work to suggest that in urban soils the gain in the occurrence of pathogenic species micromycetes also increases against a background of chronic, continuously renewed inflow of petroleum hydrocarbons from various sources of pollution. Because changes in the species composition of micromycetes occurred in accordance with the increasing load of oil, so far as microscopic soil fungi can be recommended as a bioindicator organisms for oil. In the article there is also provided information about the distinctive features of modern DNA identification method of soil microscopic fungi and accepted in our country methodology of isolation of micromycetes with the use of a nutrient Czapek medium.

SoilInfo App: global soil information on your palm

Science.gov (United States)

Hengl, Tomislav; Mendes de Jesus, Jorge

2015-04-01

ISRIC ' World Soil Information has released in 2014 and app for mobile de- vices called 'SoilInfo' (http://soilinfo-app.org) and which aims at providing free access to the global soil data. SoilInfo App (available for Android v.4.0 Ice Cream Sandwhich or higher, and Apple v.6.x and v.7.x iOS) currently serves the Soil- Grids1km data ' a stack of soil property and class maps at six standard depths at a resolution of 1 km (30 arc second) predicted using automated geostatistical mapping and global soil data models. The list of served soil data includes: soil organic carbon (), soil pH, sand, silt and clay fractions (%), bulk density (kg/m3), cation exchange capacity of the fine earth fraction (cmol+/kg), coarse fragments (%), World Reference Base soil groups, and USDA Soil Taxonomy suborders (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105992). New soil properties and classes will be continuously added to the system. SoilGrids1km are available for download under a Creative Commons non-commercial license via http://soilgrids.org. They are also accessible via a Representational State Transfer API (http://rest.soilgrids.org) service. SoilInfo App mimics common weather apps, but is also largely inspired by the crowdsourcing systems such as the OpenStreetMap, Geo-wiki and similar. Two development aspects of the SoilInfo App and SoilGrids are constantly being worked on: Data quality in terms of accuracy of spatial predictions and derived information, and Data usability in terms of ease of access and ease of use (i.e. flexibility of the cyberinfrastructure / functionalities such as the REST SoilGrids API, SoilInfo App etc). The development focus in 2015 is on improving the thematic and spatial accuracy of SoilGrids predictions, primarily by using finer resolution covariates (250 m) and machine learning algorithms (such as random forests) to improve spatial predictions.

Shaping an Optimal Soil by Root-Soil Interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Kemo; White, Philip J; Whalley, William R; Shen, Jianbo; Shi, Lei

2017-10-01

Crop production depends on the availability of water and mineral nutrients, and increased yields might be facilitated by a greater focus on roots-soil interactions. Soil properties affecting plant growth include drought, compaction, nutrient deficiency, mineral toxicity, salinity, and submergence. Plant roots respond to the soil environment both spatially and temporally by avoiding stressful soil environments and proliferating in more favorable environments. We observe that crops can be bred for specific root architectural and biochemical traits that facilitate soil exploration and resource acquisition, enabling greater crop yields. These root traits affect soil physical and chemical properties and might be utilized to improve the soil for subsequent crops. We argue that optimizing root-soil interactions is a prerequisite for future food security. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dryland soil microbial communities display spatial biogeographic patterns associated with soil depth and soil parent material

Science.gov (United States)

Steven, Blaire; Gallegos-Graves, La Verne; Belnap, Jayne; Kuske, Cheryl R.

2013-01-01

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are common to drylands worldwide. We employed replicated, spatially nested sampling and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to describe the soil microbial communities in three soils derived from different parent material (sandstone, shale, and gypsum). For each soil type, two depths (biocrusts, 0–1 cm; below-crust soils, 2–5 cm) and two horizontal spatial scales (15 cm and 5 m) were sampled. In all three soils, Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria demonstrated significantly higher relative abundance in the biocrusts, while Chloroflexi and Archaea were significantly enriched in the below-crust soils. Biomass and diversity of the communities in biocrusts or below-crust soils did not differ with soil type. However, biocrusts on gypsum soil harbored significantly larger populations of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria and lower populations of Cyanobacteria. Numerically dominant operational taxonomic units (OTU; 97% sequence identity) in the biocrusts were conserved across the soil types, whereas two dominant OTUs in the below-crust sand and shale soils were not identified in the gypsum soil. The uniformity with which small-scale vertical community differences are maintained across larger horizontal spatial scales and soil types is a feature of dryland ecosystems that should be considered when designing management plans and determining the response of biocrusts to environmental disturbances.

Tafonomía sobre asociaciones de vertebrados registradas en trampas fluviales de la Región Pampeana (Buenos Aires, Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pomi, L. H.

2008-12-01

Full Text Available We describe a new taphonomic mode from a fluvial system developed in channel terraces located at the Pampean Region (Quequén Grande River, Buenos Aires, Argentina associated with natural vertical cavities («marmits». We analyzed a recent (mainly aquatic vertebrate assemblage accumulated in these cavities, which operate as bone traps. Our observations suggest that these traps have accumulated isolated specimens and live or dead complete individuals during high hydric regime (torrential rains. Skeletal part representation indicates that exists a bone selection. We compare the element differential survey with different variables (structural bone density, original representation in a skeleton, size, form and volume, concluding that selection was associated with floating capabilities of missing bones (e.g. vertebrae.Se da a conocer un nuevo modo tafonómico reconocido en un sistema fluvial ubicado en la Región Pampeana (provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Éste se encuentra asociado a cavidades verticales (marmitas desarrolladas en terrazas del canal principal del río Quequén Grande. Se estudió una asociación de vertebrados actuales (en su mayoría de hábitos acuáticos acumulados en estas cavidades, las cuales actuaron como trampas para los especímenes. El estudio de la muestra y observaciones realizadas in situ, sugieren que dicha trampa acumuló individuos completos (vivos o muertos y especímenes aislados durante eventos de alto régimen hídrico (lluvias torrenciales. La representación de partes anatómicas indica una selección de elementos. Se comparó la supervivencia diferencial de cada elemento con diferentes variables (densidad ósea estructural, representación original en el esqueleto, tamaño, forma y volumen, concluyendo que la selección observada se produjo por la capacidad de flotación de los elementos ausentes (p. ej., vértebras.

Why is the influence of soil macrofauna on soil structure only considered by soil ecologists ?

OpenAIRE

Bottinelli, N.; Jouquet, Pascal; Capowiez, Y.; Podwojewski, Pascal; Grimaldi, Michel; Peng, X.

2015-01-01

These last twenty years have seen the development of an abundant literature on the influence of soil macrofauna on soil structure. Amongst these organisms, earthworms, termites and ants are considered to play a key role in regulating the physical, chemical and microbiological properties of soils. Due to these influential impacts, soil ecologists consider these soil macro-invertebrates as ‘soil engineers’ and their diversity and abundance are nowadays considered as relevant bioindi...

Estimation of soil-soil solution distribution coefficient of radiostrontium using soil properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Nao K; Uchida, Shigeo; Tagami, Keiko

2009-02-01

We propose a new approach for estimation of soil-soil solution distribution coefficient (K(d)) of radiostrontium using some selected soil properties. We used 142 Japanese agricultural soil samples (35 Andosol, 25 Cambisol, 77 Fluvisol, and 5 others) for which Sr-K(d) values had been determined by a batch sorption test and listed in our database. Spearman's rank correlation test was carried out to investigate correlations between Sr-K(d) values and soil properties. Electrical conductivity and water soluble Ca had good correlations with Sr-K(d) values for all soil groups. Then, we found a high correlation between the ratio of exchangeable Ca to Ca concentration in water soluble fraction and Sr-K(d) values with correlation coefficient R=0.72. This pointed us toward a relatively easy way to estimate Sr-K(d) values.

Soil tension mediates isotope fractionation during soil water evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Gaj, Marcel; McDonnell, Jeffrey

2017-04-01

Isotope tracing of the water cycle is increasing in its use and usefulness. Many new studies are extracting soil waters and relating these to streamflow, groundwater recharge and plant transpiration. Nevertheless, unlike isotope fractionation factors from open water bodies, soil water fractionation factors are poorly understood and until now, only empirically derived. In contrast to open water evaporation where temperature, humidity and vapor pressure gradient define fractionation (as codified in the well-known Craig and Gordon model), soil water evaporation includes additionally, fractionation by matrix effects. There is yet no physical explanation of kinetic and equilibrium fraction from soil water within the soil profile. Here we present a simple laboratory experiment with four admixtures of soil grain size (from sand to silt to clay). Oven-dried samples were spiked with water of known isotopic composition at different soil water contents. Soils were then stored in sealed bags and the headspace filled with dry air and allowed to equilibrate for 24hours. Isotopic analysis of the headspace vapor was done with a Los Gatos Inc. water vapor isotope analyzer. Soil water potential of subsamples were measured with a water potential meter. We show for the first time that soil tension controls isotope fractionation in the resident soil water. Below a Pf 3.5 the δ-values of 18O and 2H of the headspace vapor is more positive and increases with increasing soil water potential. Surprisingly, we find that the relationship between soil tension and equilibrium fractionation is independent of soil type. However, δ-values of each soil type plot along a distinct evaporation line. These results indicate that equilibrium fractionation is affected by soil tension in addition to temperature. Therefore, at high soil water tension (under dry conditions) equilibrium fractionation is not consistent with current empirical formulations that ignore these effects. These findings may have

Nd, Sr-isotopic provenance and trace element geochemistry of Amazonian foreland basin fluvial sands, Bolivia and Peru: Implications for ensialic Andean orogeny

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, A.R.; Sharma, M.; DeCelles, P.G.

1990-01-01

Nd and Sr isotopes and the trace element contents, including the rare earths, were determined for fluvial sands of lithic arenite composition from the Madre de Dios foreland basin of Bolivia and Peru. On standard petrologic ternary diagrams, the sands fall in the recycled orogen provenance field and thus are similar to typical ancient foreland basin composition. The average rare earth elemental pattern of the sands is identical to the upper continental crustal average, as estimated from post-Archean composite shales of different continents. Ratio of Th/U, Co/Th, La/Sc and Th/Sc of the fluvial sands are intermediate between an average magmatic arc and an upper crustal average compositions. The dispersion of some trace elemental patterns in the sands can be attributed to fractionation of dense minerals, including zircon, during the sedimentation process. The variations of Nd isotopes in conjunction with the petrographic parameters of lithic metamorphic (Lm) and volcanic (Lv) fragments allow a two-fold classification of the sands. These two sand types can be interpreted in terms of mixing among three different provenances: one volcanic rock-suit with less negative ε Nd (O) parameter than the other volcanic suite, and a third metasedimentary source with ε Nd (O) value of around -12, which is considered to be similar to the average western Brazilian shield composition. Thus the overall compositions of the sands has been modeled as mechanical mixtures of two components, an Andean magmatic arc and the Brazilian shield-derived metasediments. The model is strongly supported by a plot of ε Nd (O) versus ε Sr (O) of the sands. In this plot, the Type 1 and 2 sands define two coherent hyperbolic trends contiguous with two different portions of the Andean magmatic trend. (orig./WB)

Soil! Get the Scoop - The Soil Science Society of America's International Year of Soils Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Lindbo, David L.; Hopmans, Jan; Olson, Carolyn; Fisk, Susan; Chapman, Susan; van Es, Harold

2015-04-01

Soils are a finite natural resource and are nonrenewable on a human time scale. Soils are the foundation for food, animal feed, fuel and natural fiber production, the supply of clean water, nutrient cycling and a range of ecosystem functions. The area of fertile soils covering the world's surface is limited and increasingly subject to degradation, poor management and loss to urbanization. Increased awareness of the life-supporting functions of soil is called for if this trend is to be reversed and so enable the levels of food production necessary to meet the demands of population levels predicted for 2050. The Soil Science Society of America is coordinating with the Global Soil Partnership and other organizations around the world to celebrate the 2015 International Year of Soils and raise awareness and promote the sustainability of our limited soil resources. We all have a valuable role in communicating vital information on soils, a life sustaining natural resource. Therefore, we will provide resources to learn about soils and help us tell the story of soils. We will promote IYS on social media by sharing our posts from Facebook and Twitter. Additionally SSSA developed 12 monthly themes that reflect the diverse value of soils to our natural environment and society. Each month has information on the theme, a lesson plan, and other outreach activities. All information is available on a dedicated website www.soil.org/IYS. The site will be updated constantly throughout the year.

Effects of fluvial processes in different order river valleys on redistribution and storage of particle-bound radioactive caesium-137 in area of significant Chernobyl fallout and impact on linked rivers with lower contamination levels

Science.gov (United States)

Belyaev, Vladimir; Golosov, Valentin; Shamshurina, Evgeniya; Ivanov, Maxim; Ivanova, Nadezhda; Bezukhov, Dmitry; Onda, Yuichi; Wakiyama, Yoshifumi; Evrard, Olivier

2015-04-01

Detailed investigations of the post-fallout fate of radionuclide contamination represent an important task in terms of environmental quality assessment. In addition, particle-bound radionuclides such as the most widespread anthropogenic isotope caesium-137 can be used as tracers for quantitative assessment of different sediment redistribution processes. In landscapes of humid plains with agriculture-dominated land use the post-fallout redistribution of caesium-137 is primarily associated with fluvial activity of various scales in cascade systems starting from soil erosion on cultivated hillslopes through gully and small dry valley network into different order perennial streams and rivers. Our investigations in the so-called Plavsk hotspot (area of very high Chernobyl caesium-137 contamination within the Plava River basin, Tula Region, Central European Russia) has been continuing for more than 15 years by now, while the time passed since the Chernobyl disaster and associated radioactive fallout (1986) is almost 29 years. Detailed information on the fluvial sediment and associated caesium-137 redistribution has been obtained for case study sites of different size from individual cultivated slopes and small catchments of different size (2-180 km2) to the entire Plava River basin scale (1856 km2). It has been shown that most of the contaminated sediment over the time passed since the fallout has remained stored within the small dry valleys of the 1-4 Hortonian order and local reservoirs (>70%), while only about 5% reached the 5-6 order valleys (main tributaries of the Plava River) and storage of the Plava floodplain itself represents as low as 0.3% of the basin-scale total sediment production from eroded cultivated hillslopes. Nevertheless, it has been shown that contaminated sediment yield from the Plava River basin exerts significant influence on less polluted downstream-linked river system. Recent progress of the investigations involved sampling of 7 detailed depth

Progress towards GlobalSoilMap.net soil database of Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adhikari, Kabindra; Bou Kheir, Rania; Greve, Mogens Humlekrog

2012-01-01

Denmark is an agriculture-based country where intensive mechanized cultivation has been practiced continuously for years leading to serious threats to the soils. Proper use and management of Danish soil resources, modeling and soil research activities need very detailed soil information. This study...... presents recent advancements in Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) activities in Denmark with an example of soil clay mapping using regression-based DSM techniques. Several environmental covariates were used to build regression rules and national scale soil prediction was made at 30 m resolution. Spatial...... content mapping, the plans for future soil mapping activities in support to GlobalSoilMap.net project initiatives are also included in this paper. Our study thought to enrich and update Danish soil database and Soil information system with new fine resolution soil property maps....

Impact of Soil Texture on Soil Ciliate Communities