In deltas and estuaries throughout the world, a fluvial-to-tidal transition zone (FTTZ) exists where both the river discharge and the tidal motion drive the flow. It is unclear how bedform characteristics are impacted by changes in tidal flow strength, and how this is reflected in the hydraulic roughness. To understand bedform geometry and variability in the FTTZ and possible impacts on hydraulic roughness, we assess dune variability from multibeam bathymetric surveys, and we use a calibrated 2D hydrodynamic model (Delft3D-FM) of a sand-bedded lowland river (Fraser River, Canada). We focus on a period of low river discharge during which tidal impact is strong. We find that the fluvial-tidal to tidal regime change is not directly reflected in dune height, but local patterns of increasing and decreasing dune height are present. The calibrated model is able to predict local patterns of dune heights using tidally-averaged values of bed shear stress. However, the spatially variable dune morphology hampers local dune height predictions. The fluvial-to-tidal regime change is reflected in dune shape, where dunes have lower leeside angles and are more symmetrical in the tidal regime. Those tidal effects do not significantly impact the reach-scale roughness, and predicted dune roughness using dune height and length is similar to the dune roughness inferred from model calibration. Hydraulic model performance with a calibrated, constant roughness is not improved by implementing dune-derived bed roughness. Instead, large-scale river morphology may explain differences in model roughness and corresponding estimates from dune predictors.

Dunes dominate the bed of sandy rivers and they respond to flow by changing shape and size, modifying flow and sediment transport dynamics of rivers. Our understanding and ability to predict dune adaptation, particularly dune growth and decay, remains incomplete. Here we investigate dune growth from an initial flatbed in a laboratory setting by continuously mapping the 3D bed topography using a line laser scanner combined with a 3D camera. High-resolution profiles of flow velocity and sediment concentration providing both bedload and suspended sediment fluxes were obtained by deploying Acoustic Concentration and Velocity Profiler technology. Our analysis reveals that the magnitude of the dune slipface angle, which determines flow separation and controls turbulence production, adjusts to the imposed flow at time scales similar to the evolution of dune height and length. The initiation of a flow separation zone intensifies through scour, and results in acceleration of the dune growth. Gradients in sediment transport and the rate of dune growth are inherently linked to spatial variations in slipface angles. During dune growth, the slipface angle evolves differently than the ratio of dune height to length, which immediately reaches its equilibrium value after dune initiation.