Unifying Criterion for the Velocity Reversal Hypothesis in Gravel-Bed Rivers
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Volume 135, Issue 1
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that velocity reversals provide a mechanism for maintaining pool-riffle morphology in gravel-bed rivers—an important habitat for salmonids, which are at risk in many places worldwide and that are the focus of extensive environmental legislation in Europe and North America. However, the occurrence of velocity reversals has been controversial for over 3 decades. We present a simple one-dimensional criterion that unifies and explains previous disparate findings regarding the occurrence of velocity reversals. Results show that reversal depends critically on the ratio of riffle-to-pool width, residual pool depth (difference between pool and riffle elevations), and on the depth of flow over the riffle, suggesting that land management activities which alter channel form or divert water from the channel can have negative impacts on the sustainability of pool-riffle habitat in gravel-bed rivers.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for this research was provided by the Chilean Government “Beca Presidente de la República para Estudios en el Extranjero,” the DeVlieg Foundation, EULA Center from the University of Concepción, Chile, and the University of Idaho, United States. Additional support was provided by a congressional award: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (Award No. UNSPECIFIEDP116Z010107) Advanced Computing and Modeling Laboratory at the University of Idaho, the National Science FoundationNSF Idaho EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Grant Grand Challenge Initiative, 2005–2008; and by the National Science Foundation under Award No. NSFEPS-0447689. The reviewers’ detailed comments are gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 1 • January 2009
Pages: 66 - 70
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 25, 2007
Accepted: May 7, 2008
Published online: Jan 1, 2009
Published in print: Jan 2009
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