HR: 0800h
AN: H51E-0802    [Abstracts]
TI: Modeling Step-pool Sequences in Mountain Channels
AU: * Chin, A
EM: chin@tamu.edu
AF: Texas A&M University, Department of Geography, College Station, TX 77843, United States
AU: Gao, P
EM: pegao@maxwell.syr.edu
AF: Syracuse University, Department of Geography, Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
AB: Mountain channels are characterized by a preponderance of steps and pools that produce a striking, repetitive staircase-like longitudinal profile. Although the rhythmic character of the step-pool streambed has long attracted the attention of scientists, few studies have successfully quantified the nature and significance of this spatial rhythmicity. This paper develops a statistical model to describe and predict the rhythmic step-pool morphology in a range of environmental settings. Time series analytic techniques applied to streambed profiles from California, Oregon, Washington, and Italy indicate that an ARIMA (1, 1, 0) model is capable of describing the step-pool sequences. These successful applications suggest the utility of modeling step-pool sequences with autoregressive moving average techniques, and more generally with time-series analysis. Such models are potentially useful in the design, management, and restoration of steep channels. Because mountain streams are important habitats for sensitive aquatic species, results of this study can also have implications for ecological management of mountain watersheds.
DE: 1825 Geomorphology: fluvial (1625)
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1856 River channels (0483, 0744)
DE: 1872 Time series analysis (3270, 4277, 4475)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting