Modeling the Evolution of Incised Streams. III: Model Application
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 6
Abstract
Incision and the ensuing widening of alluvial stream channels represent important forms of channel adjustment. Two accompanying papers have presented a robust computational model for simulating the long-term evolution of incised and restored or rehabilitated stream corridors. This work reports on applications of the model to two incised streams in northern Mississippi, James Creek, and the Yalobusha River, to assess: (1) its capability to simulate the temporal progression of incised streams through the different stages of channel evolution; and (2) model performance when available input data regarding channel geometry and physical properties of channel boundary materials are limited (in the case of James Creek). Model results show that temporal changes in channel geometry are satisfactorily simulated. The mean absolute deviation (MAD) between observed and simulated changes in thalweg elevations is for the Yalobusha River and for James Creek, which is approximately 8.1 and 23% of the average degradation of the respective streams. The MAD between observed and simulated changes in channel top width is 5.7% of the channel top width along the Yalobusha River and 31% of the channel top width along James Creek. The larger discrepancies for James Creek are mainly due to unknown initial channel geometry along its upper part. The model applications also emphasize the importance of accurate characterization of channel boundary materials and geometry.
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Acknowledgments
Funds for the Yalobusha River work were provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District under Reimbursable Agreement No. UNSPECIFIED00-OA-6408-008 (ARS Project No. UNSPECIFIED6408-13000-010-08R). Funds for the James Creek study were provided by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under Reimbursable Agreement No. UNSPECIFIED58-6408-2-0029 (ARS Project No. UNSPECIFIED6408-13000-012-15R). The writers would like to thank Brian Bell, Bret Bledsoe, David Biedenharn, Bernard Booth, Kari Christman, Charlie Dawson, Micah Fendiesen, Mark Griffith, Jasper Hardison, Lisa Hubbard, Igor Jaromillo, Nick Jokay, Lauren Klimetz, Tony Layzell, Rob Neely, Keith Parker, Tony Rohs, and Geoff Waite for assisting with fieldwork. They would also like to thank Kim Caviness, Vance Justice, Fred Theurer, and Yong-Ping Yuan for conducting and assisting with the AnnAGNPS simulations, respectively. Finally, we would like to thank Chester Watson and the NRCS Monroe County District for making data available.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 6 • June 2009
Pages: 476 - 486
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Feb 22, 2008
Accepted: Nov 5, 2008
Published online: Feb 3, 2009
Published in print: Jun 2009
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