Suspended sediment sources and transport distances in the Yellowstone River basin

Research Article| March 01, 2005 Suspended sediment sources and transport distances in the Yellowstone River basin Peter J. Whiting; Peter J. Whiting 1Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gerald Matisoff; Gerald Matisoff 1Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar William Fornes; William Fornes 1Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Frederick M. Soster Frederick M. Soster 2Department of Geology and Geography, DePauw University, 602 South College Avenue, Greencastle, Indiana 46135, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Peter J. Whiting 1Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA Gerald Matisoff 1Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA William Fornes 1Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA Frederick M. Soster 2Department of Geology and Geography, DePauw University, 602 South College Avenue, Greencastle, Indiana 46135, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 13 Apr 2004 Revision Received: 08 Jul 2004 Accepted: 10 Jul 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2005) 117 (3-4): 515–529. https://doi.org/10.1130/B25623.1 Article history Received: 13 Apr 2004 Revision Received: 08 Jul 2004 Accepted: 10 Jul 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Peter J. Whiting, Gerald Matisoff, William Fornes, Frederick M. Soster; Suspended sediment sources and transport distances in the Yellowstone River basin. GSA Bulletin 2005;; 117 (3-4): 515–529. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B25623.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The activity of fallout radionuclides (7Be, 137Cs, and 210Pb) was measured on upland and floodplain soils and on suspended sediments to quantify sources of fine sediment and to estimate sediment transport distances in stream channels in the Yellowstone River basin. Samples were collected seven times during snowmelt and runoff at nine locations from the headwaters of Soda Butte Creek to Billings, Montana, a 423-km-long reach of channel. The inventory of radionuclides in soil increases with precipitation and is highest in the headwaters. The activity of radio-nuclides in suspended sediment decreases downstream, and more activity is observed earlier than later in the flood hydrograph.The radionuclide activity of sediment derived from erosion of upland soils differs from that derived from bank erosion. Fine suspended sediment has an intermediate radionuclide signature that is quantified in terms of the relative contribution of these two sources of fine sediment. At sites high in the drainage, soils contribute 50% to the suspended load and this value decreases to 11%–26% downstream. Fine sediment transport distances were calculated from the exponential decrease in radionuclide concentration below a point source. Transport distances increase from a few kilometers in the headwaters to hundreds of kilometers downstream. These estimates are consistent with transport distances estimated from the settling velocity of the particles and from the distribution of mine tailings downstream from a dam failure. This study of a large watershed confirms earlier results from smaller basins and suggests that transport distances increase with basin size. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.