Natural Degradation in Arkansas River, Oklahoma

Degradation in an alluvial river is generally in a state of non-equilibrium. The reservoir intercepts all sediments coming from the upstream, while holding up the water, and releases clear water to the downstream channel. River bed continues to lower as a result of more sediments leaving than entering. A determination of magnitude and rate of channel-bed degradation downstream of a dam or reservoir is important to understand the geomorphic response of the channel to the alterations imposed by reservoirs and other possible implications. This paper explains about channel degradation in Arkansas River, Oklahoma. The flowlines of Arkansas River in Oklahoma were observed for a long-term period. The channel degradation was observed below Keystone Lake dam to 80.5 miles downstream. It was also found that the Arkansas River in Oklahoma has experienced the greatest degradation of 12.2 feet in the past 27 years below 6.5 miles of Webbers Falls dam.