HR: 16:30h
AN: H24B-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Suspended Sediment Transport Distance in Watersheds
AU: * Whiting, P J
EM: peter.whiting@case.edu
AF: Dept. of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
AU: Matisoff, G
EM: gerald.matisoff@case.edu
AF: Dept. of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106
AB: Data from rivers and streams in a variety of settings and of various sizes have been compiled and suggest that the distance suspended sediment travels during single excursions can be estimated from the settling velocity of the sedimentary particles and the depth and average flow velocity of the channels. Particle travel distance has been determined from the downstream variation in concentration of distinctive tracers - fallout radionuclides and metals - associated with the fine sediment. The concentration of tracers decreases exponentially with distance downstream in accord with integrated point-sources as a basis for modeling transport distance. In a portion of Old Woman Creek in Ohio (~50 km2), suspended sediment traveled 2-17 km during thunderstorm runoff. In the Gold Forks River in Idaho (~ 390 km2), suspended sediment traveled 60 km during the peak of the snowmelt hydrograph. Transport distances dropped to 12 km as discharge waned to baseflow. In the Yellowstone River basin (~125,000 km2), suspended sediment traveled 5 km in the headwaters to 1300 km along the mainstem. Synthesis of the findings from the range of sites yields a generalizable result that can be used to infer the length of stream reaches likely to be affected by landscape disturbances. In turn, this insight can be used to guide monitoring programs and other investigations.
DE: 1625 Geomorphology and weathering (0790, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1886)
DE: 1862 Sediment transport (4558)
DE: 1879 Watershed
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005