HR: 10:50h
AN: H42A-03 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: The importance of channel non-uniformity in riverine ecosystems
AU: * Pasternack, G B
EM: gpast@ucdavis.edu
AF: Univ California at Davis, 211 Veihmeyer Hall, LAWR 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
AB: A key aspect of the hierarchical controls on riverine ecosystems that has been undervalued in both river science and restoration is the role of channel non-uniformity. As the water depth to bed grain size ratio decreases, channel non-uniformity takes over as a dominant control on hydraulic, geomorphic, and ecologic processes in rivers. As a case in point, the degree of channel degradation and habitat loss that ensues after dams are built may be directly related to maintenance of channel non-uniformity. The study reported here evaluated channel change at different spatial (submeter to km) and temporal (seasonal to interdecadal) scales in a regulated, but still dynamic, gravel-cobble river. The objectives were to (1) determine the cause of the persistence of riffles and pools even as the channel incised more than 10 m over 70 years and (2) evaluate the linkage between channel change and anadromous fish habitat in such a dynamic setting. The study area was the top 10.5 km of the Yuba River below Englebright Dam. Although this dam has blocked bedload transport into the reach for 65 years causing significant channel incision, a residual of 17.7 million m3 of sediment remains in the study reach due to historical hydraulic mining for gold. The approach used was to combine the knowledge gained at multiple scales using different methods, including historical aerial photo analysis, channel DEM analysis and differencing, 2D hydrodynamic modeling, hydraulic geometry analysis, fish observations, process-based hydrogeomorphic monitoring, and sediment transport experiments. These diverse methods revealed an array of mechanisms contributing to channel change and habitat rejuvenation, most notable including flow-convergence routing responsible for maintaining riffles and pools over a range of flows. Anadromous fish were observed to shift their pattern of habitat utilization in response to channel change in predictable ways. The primary lesson for river management is that more emphasis needs to be placed on the role of channel non-uniformity in monitoring programs as well as for river restoration.
DE: 0439 Ecosystems, structure and dynamics (4815)
DE: 0481 Restoration
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects (4802, 4902)
DE: 1825 Geomorphology: fluvial (1625)
DE: 1856 River channels (0483, 0744)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting