Gradients in stream power influence lateral and downstream sediment flux in floods

Research Article| November 01, 2015 Gradients in stream power influence lateral and downstream sediment flux in floods John D. Gartner; John D. Gartner * 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA *E-mail: John.D.Gartner.GR@dartmouth.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar William B. Dade; William B. Dade 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Carl E. Renshaw; Carl E. Renshaw 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Francis J. Magilligan; Francis J. Magilligan 2Department of Geography, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eirik M. Buraas Eirik M. Buraas 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information John D. Gartner * 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA William B. Dade 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Carl E. Renshaw 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Francis J. Magilligan 2Department of Geography, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Eirik M. Buraas 1Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA *E-mail: John.D.Gartner.GR@dartmouth.edu Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 14 May 2015 Revision Received: 10 Sep 2015 Accepted: 17 Sep 2015 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2015 Geological Society of America Geology (2015) 43 (11): 983–986. https://doi.org/10.1130/G36969.1 Article history Received: 14 May 2015 Revision Received: 10 Sep 2015 Accepted: 17 Sep 2015 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation John D. Gartner, William B. Dade, Carl E. Renshaw, Francis J. Magilligan, Eirik M. Buraas; Gradients in stream power influence lateral and downstream sediment flux in floods. Geology 2015;; 43 (11): 983–986. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G36969.1 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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Locations of landslides, bank failures, and floodplain deposition during recent intense flooding in Vermont and Colorado (USA) were spatially nonuniform, indicating that some reaches are more prone to these types of geologic hazards. These three key flood effects signal redistribution of sediment across landscapes, reflecting hillslope-channel coupling and the sources and/or sinks of material. We show that spatial gradients in total stream power (Ω) provide critical additional information beyond at-a-point Ω magnitudes for predicting which reaches are likely to be susceptible to these hazards during floods. Field tests in four rivers (watershed areas 0.8–180 km2) indicate that downstream increases in Ω coincide with erosion and mass wasting into channels, and downstream decreases in Ω are associated with floodplain deposition. Our analytical approach, supported by field evidence, predicts geologic hazards and, more broadly, sources and sinks of material along rivers. These are critical concerns from a practical and theoretical standpoint. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.