Predicting delta avulsions: Implications for coastal wetland restoration

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2009 Predicting delta avulsions: Implications for coastal wetland restoration Douglas A. Edmonds; Douglas A. Edmonds 1Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David C.J.D. Hoyal; David C.J.D. Hoyal 2Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company, 3120 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas 77098, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ben A. Sheets; Ben A. Sheets 3School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Rudy L. Slingerland Rudy L. Slingerland 1Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Douglas A. Edmonds 1Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA David C.J.D. Hoyal 2Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company, 3120 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas 77098, USA Ben A. Sheets 3School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Rudy L. Slingerland 1Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 15 Dec 2008 Revision Received: 27 Mar 2009 Accepted: 02 Apr 2009 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2009 Geological Society of America Geology (2009) 37 (8): 759–762. https://doi.org/10.1130/G25743A.1 Article history Received: 15 Dec 2008 Revision Received: 27 Mar 2009 Accepted: 02 Apr 2009 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Douglas A. Edmonds, David C.J.D. Hoyal, Ben A. Sheets, Rudy L. Slingerland; Predicting delta avulsions: Implications for coastal wetland restoration. Geology 2009;; 37 (8): 759–762. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G25743A.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 River deltas create new wetlands through a continuous cycle of delta lobe extension, avulsion, and abandonment, but the mechanics and timing of this cycle are poorly understood. Here we use physical experiments to quantitatively define one type of cycle for river-dominated deltas. The cycle begins as a distributary channel and its river mouth bar prograde basinward. Eventually the mouth bar reaches a critical size and stops prograding. The stagnated mouth bar triggers a wave of bed aggradation that moves upstream and increases overbank flows and bed shear stresses on the levees. An avulsion occurs as a time-dependent failure of the levee, where the largest average bed shear stress has been applied for the longest time (R2 = 0.93). These results provide a guide for predicting the growth of intradelta lobes, which can be used to engineer the creation of new wetlands within the delta channel network and improve stratigraphic models of deltas. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.