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Flood geomorphology of the Katherine Gorge, Northern Territory, Australia
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1987
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EngineeringGeomorphologyKatherine GorgePhysical GeographyFluvial ProcessEarth ScienceRegional GeologySocial SciencesGeological DataGsa Bulletin 1987Landscape ProcessesHydrogeologyNorthern TerritoryGeographyGeologyEnvironmental GeologyHydrologySedimentologyEarth SciencesApplied GeomorphologyFlood Risk ManagementFlooded Area
Research Article| June 01, 1987 Flood geomorphology of the Katherine Gorge, Northern Territory, Australia VICTOR R. BAKER; VICTOR R. BAKER 1Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G. PICKUP G. PICKUP 2CSIRO, Central Australian Laboratory, P.O. Box 2111, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia 5750 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information VICTOR R. BAKER 1Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 G. PICKUP 2CSIRO, Central Australian Laboratory, P.O. Box 2111, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia 5750 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1987) 98 (6): 635–646. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1987)98<635:FGOTKG>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 Email Permissions Search Site Citation VICTOR R. BAKER, G. PICKUP; Flood geomorphology of the Katherine Gorge, Northern Territory, Australia. GSA Bulletin 1987;; 98 (6): 635–646. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1987)98<635:FGOTKG>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 The Katherine Gorge is a narrow, deep canyon system developed in resistant sandstone. The tropical monsoonal climate results in rare flood events of very large magnitude. These floods flush sand-sized sediment as washload through the gorge, but local accumulations are preserved as slack-water deposits at tributary mouths. Paleoflood hydrologic analysis of the deposits, employing step-backwater flow modeling, allows quantitative estimates to be made of geomorphically significant flows. For an annual exceedence probability of 10−2, the gorge may experience discharges of 6,000 m3/s, mean velocities of 7.5 m/s, flow depths of 15 to 45 m, stream powers per unit area as great as 1 × 104 watts/m2, and bed shear stresses of 1.5 × 103 N/m2. Such flows are required to transport boulders 3 m or more in intermediate diameter that occur at large-scale riffles. At maximum stage, pools reach depths of 45 m and are preferentially developed at vertical joint intersections in the rock, probably through intense hydraulic action. Pool-and-riffle development thus reflects the channel boundary characteristics for extreme flow conditions. Additional indicators of especially intense flow phenomena include potholes, flutes, abraded facets on rock bar surfaces, and scabland development on upland bedrock surfaces. 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.