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In the past two decades, major flood events have occurred on the lower Colorado River, a dramatic shift from the low flows and moderate floods associated with prior decades of river regulation. This study uses repeat aerial photography and Geographic Information System analysis to examine the planform channel response of the upper Colorado River delta (limitrophe reach) to this recently altered hydrology. Results indicate that channel contraction has been the dominant planform process in recent decades, but periodic floods resulted in channel expansion (1981–1988; 1997–2000) or likely reduced the channel contraction measured between successive aerial photographs (1976–1981; 1988–1994). Sinuosity adjustments...
Riverine riparian vegetation has changed throughout the southwestern United States, prompting concern about losses of habitat and biodiversity. Woody riparian vegetation grows in a variety of geomorphic settings ranging from bedrock-lined channels to perennial streams crossing deep alluvium and is dependent on interaction between ground-water and surface-water resources. Historically, few reaches in Arizona, southern Utah, or eastern California below 1530 m elevation had closed gallery forests of cottonwood and willow; instead, many alluvial reaches that now support riparian gallery forests once had marshy grasslands and most bedrock canyons were essentially barren. Repeat photography using more than 3000 historical...
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The Gunnison River in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BCNP) near Montrose, Colorado is a mixed gravel and bedrock river with ephemeral side tributaries. Flow rates are controlled immediately upstream by a diversion tunnel and three reservoirs. The management of the hydraulic control structures has decreased low-frequency, high-stage flows, which are the dominant geomorphic force in bedrock channel systems. We developed a simple model to estimate the extent of sediment mobilization at a given flow in the BCNP and to evaluate changes in the extent and frequency of sediment mobilization for flow regimes before and after flow regulation in 1966. Our methodology provides a screening process for identifying...
This study explores how the relationship between flow and riparian vegetation varies along a montane river. We mapped occurrence of woody riparian plant communities along 58 km of the San Miguel River in southwest- ern Colorado. We determined the recurrence interval of inundation for each plant community by combining step-back- water hydraulic modeling at 4 representative reaches with Log-Pearson analysis of 4 stream gaging stations. Finally, we mapped bottomland surficial geology and used a Geographic Information System to overlay the coverages of geology and vegetation. Plant communities were distinctly arrayed along the hydrologic gradient. The Salix exigua Nuttall (sand- bar willow) community occurred mostly...
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The combined influence of tree-clearing, road construction, snowmaking, and machine-grading can cause increased flow and sediment loads along streams in or adjacent to commercial ski resorts. These changes to stream channels can increase bank failures, bed material size, pool scour, and, in extreme cases, channel incision. We used field data from the White River National Forest in Colorado, which includes several major ski resorts, to test the hypothesis that ski slope development causes a significant difference in bank stability, undercut banks, fine sediment, wood load, pool residual depth, and particle size (D84) between the ski area project streams and reference streams. We further hypothesize that the changes...
This study explores how the relationship between flow and riparian vegetation varies along a montane river. We mapped occurrence of woody riparian plant communities along 58 km of the San Miguel River in southwest- ern Colorado. We determined the recurrence interval of inundation for each plant community by combining step-back- water hydraulic modeling at 4 representative reaches with Log-Pearson analysis of 4 stream gaging stations. Finally, we mapped bottomland surficial geology and used a Geographic Information System to overlay the coverages of geology and vegetation. Plant communities were distinctly arrayed along the hydrologic gradient. The Salix exigua Nuttall (sand- bar willow) community occurred mostly...
    map background search result map search result map Assessment of coarse sediment mobility in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, Colorado. The impacts of ski slope development on stream channel morphology in the White River National Forest, Colorado, USA Assessment of coarse sediment mobility in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, Colorado. The impacts of ski slope development on stream channel morphology in the White River National Forest, Colorado, USA