Channel changes in badlands

Abstract

Research Article| June 01, 1983 Channel changes in badlands ALAN D. HOWARD; ALAN D. HOWARD 1Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GORDON KERBY GORDON KERBY 2Environmental Quality Division, Virginia Division of Highways and Transportation, Richmond, Virginia 23219 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1983) 94 (6): 739–752. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1983)94<739:CCIB>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation ALAN D. HOWARD, GORDON KERBY; Channel changes in badlands. GSA Bulletin 1983;; 94 (6): 739–752. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1983)94<739:CCIB>2.0.CO;2 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 Stripping of the vegetation and soil from a 13-hectare site in Virginia underlain by coastal plain sediments created a rapidly evolving badland topography. Two types of channels developed: (1) sand-bed alluvial channels were graded to transport the bed material load supplied from slope erosion with available runoff, but they also generally eroded their beds slowly, and (2) steeper, bedrock-floored channels incised rapidly. In bedrock channels the erosion rate was proportional to the 4/9ths power of drainage area and the 2/3rds power of gradient. These exponents are consistent with a model in which the erosion rate is proportional to the bed shear during high flows.Due to rapid mass wasting and reduced runoff, the alluvial channels became as much as 50% steeper during the winter than the summer, with an attendant yearly cycle of winter aggradation and summer entrenchment. The gradients, their seasonal variability, and their downstream hydraulic geometry were consistent with the predictions of total load transport formulas for sand beds and high loads. The hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels in the Virginia badlands were similar to that on the Morrison Formation in the western United States. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.