Effect of Floodwater Extraction on Mountain Stream Morphology
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 129, Issue 11
Abstract
Floodwater is often extracted for consumptive purposes from western mountain streams in the United States. The long-term extraction of floodwater may alter the morphological and ecological balance of such streams. Scale model experiments based on eight mountain gravel-bed streams in Idaho were conducted to test the effects of floodwater extraction on stream morphology. The model channel transported a poorly sorted mix of model “gravel,” as well as copious amounts of model “sand.” The channel had a discontinuous floodplain, developed its own bar morphology, and contained large model colluvium as well as a bedrock platform. A mobile-bed equilibrium was first developed using a repeated hydrograph. The experiment was then repeated using a sliding cutoff discharge. The discharges in the hydrograph that were below a given cutoff discharge were reduced to 30% of bankfull discharge. By raising the cutoff discharge, it was possible to study the effect of increasing severity of floodwater extraction on stream morphology. The experiments indicated an increase in sand content on the bed surface and a decrease in the standard deviation of fluctuations in bed elevation with increasing severity of floodwater extraction.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 129 • Issue 11 • November 2003
Pages: 885 - 895
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 13, 2001
Accepted: Apr 1, 2002
Published online: Oct 15, 2003
Published in print: Nov 2003
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