loading page

Morphodynamic stage threshold for confined mountain rivers can be identified using geomorphic covariance structure analysis
  • Gregory Pasternack,
  • Joni Gore,
  • Jason Wiener
Gregory Pasternack
University of California Davis

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Joni Gore
University of California Davis
Author Profile
Jason Wiener
University of California Davis
Author Profile

Abstract

Does river topography have stage thresholds for maintaining fluvial landforms, and if so how can they be quantified? Geomorphic covariance structure analysis offers a novel, systematic framework for evaluating nested topographic patterns in river corridors. In this study, a threshold in mountain river stage was hypothesized to exist; above this stage landform structure is organized to be freely self-maintaining via flow convergence routing morphodynamics. A 13.2 km segment of the canyon-confined Yuba River, California, was studied using 2944 cross-sections. Geomorphic covariance structure analysis was carried out on a meter-resolution topographic model to test the hypothesis. A critical stage threshold governing flow convergence routing morphodynamics was evident in several metrics. Below this threshold, narrow/high “nozzle” and wide/low “oversized” landforms that are out-of-phase with flow convergence routing morphodynamics dominated (excluding “normal channel”), while above it wide/high “wide bar” and narrow/low “constricted pool” landforms consistent with the flow convergence mechanism were dominant. Three-level nesting of co-located base-bankfull-flood stage landforms was dictated by canyon confinement, with nozzle-nozzle-nozzle nesting as the top permutation, excluding normal channel. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a significantly different and highly effective approach to finding process-based fluvial thresholds that can complement pre-existing methods, such as estimating incipient sediment motion, to get at more powerful dynamics controlling fluvial landforms structure.