Fluvial Geomorphology

and Its use in River

Stabilization Part 1
Instructor:
David T. Williams, Ph.D., P.E.
David T. Williams and Associates, Engineers
david@dtwassoc.com

What is Fluvial Geomorphology?

Fluvial Fluvius = River

Geo of or relating to earth, ground or soil

Morphology Study of form and structure

Geomorphology - the study of landforms, the

processes that created them, and the history of their
development.

Fluvial geomorphology - the examination of the

processes that operate in river systems and the
landforms which they create or have created.

Fluvial Geomorphology

Numerous Time Scales

Geologic
Paleo
Historic
Engineering (50 yrs)
Event
Time to Retirement

Things to Remember

A River is part of a System:

System is:

Dynamic
Complex
Thresholds Do Exist
Geomorphology Provides Historical Perspective
Size / Power of Stream is Important

A River is Part of System

The entire watershed forms a system

Rainfall => Runoff (Land Use)

Runoff Transports Sediment (Land
Use/Cover)
Slope / Meanders Impact Transport
Sediment Size Impacts Transport and
Erosion/Deposition
Manmade Features Impact Everything
Nature has its own plans and goals!!!
Its not always what we expect!

River Sizing/Shape Relationships

Lane
Leopold & Wolmann
Schumm
Kennedy
Regime Theory

Channel Forming Discharge

Rosgen/Thorne
Lots of Uncertainty and Discussion

Fluvial Geomorphology

Streams are part of watershed

Changes that impact streams:

Changes in land use

Changes in hydrology
Reservoirs, M&I Outfalls, Irrigation

Diversions into/out of watershed

Timing of delivery M&I outfalls
Hydropower / Detention Basins

Flood Control Features

Lanes Equation
Sediment Load x Bed Sediment Size (D50)
is proportional to
Stream Discharge x Stream Slope

Qs D50 Q S

Lanes Balance

Watershed Location

Upper Watershed Erosion

Middle Watershed Transportation

Produces sediment

Transports most of sediment produced

Lower Watershed Deposition

Delivers sediment to sink

Ocean, lake, delta, broad plain

Watershed Location

Sediment Transport

ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE

Every river/stream reach has
erosion, transport and deposition
occurring at the same time!

Transport Reach

Point or mid-channel bars are always changing

Outer banks erode

Inner banks deposit

Sediment moves from outer bank to inner

banks and bars

Meanders move down valley

What is Stable?

Absolute Stability Doesnt Change in Engineering

Time Scale

Think Concrete / Bed Rock / Etc.

Dynamic Stability Changes but Relationships are

Constant in Engineering Time Scale

Unstable Major Changes in Width, Depth, Flow,

Sediment Transport, Sinuosity, Planform or all of These
are Occurring over a Period of Days, Months or Years

Absolutely Stable

Absolutely Stable

Little Cottonwood Creek, Salt Lake City, UT

Absolutely Stable

Who says concrete channels arent green?

Dynamically Stable

Unstable

WES Stream Invest.

Unstable?

Stability
Rivers

Not Necessarily Constant / The Same

want to be Dynamically Stable

Bank Location
Meander Locations
Sand / Gravel Bars
Anything having to do with location of features

Remember Locations Move under Dynamic

Stability!

Stability
Some

Streams are more Stable

Clay Bed & Banks

Rock Outcrops or Banks

Mountain Streams / Torrents
Steep Sediment Starved Systems

Concrete / Designed Channels

Stability
Less

Stable Systems

Silt Bed & Banks

Sand or Gravel Banks
Any Non-cohesive / Uncemented Banks
Braided Systems
High Sediment Loads Fill Flow Areas
Channels Constantly Moving

Channels without Bedrock Controls

Stability Depends on Perspective

How fast does an unstable river

move?

How long does change take to be

classed stable?

If a river moves at 10 per year its

probably stable until it gets to 50 of
your house!

Stream Stabilization
Rivers

are Mobile

Hard Points
Protect Permanently (Engineering Time)
Concrete
Riprap

Soft Points
Protect for a While then Fail (Melt Away)
Bio-Engineering

System Instability Features

Headcuts

Knick Point

channel bottom erosion progressing upstream

indicating a readjustment of slope, discharge,
and sediment.

location in the thalweg where there is an abrupt

change in elevation.

Incised Channel

Channel that is not hydraulically connected with

its floodplain due to erosion.

Causes of System Instability

Upstream Causes

Downstream Causes

Base level lowering due to cutoffs or

channelization.

Basin wide Causes

Changes in discharge and sediment supply due

to dams or diversions.

Land use change such as urbanization that

alters discharge and sediment.

Complex/ Multiple Causes

System Instability Causes

(Profile Adjustment)

DEGRADATION

Upstream reduction in
sediment load (dams)
Downstream increase
in stream power
(base level change)
Basin-wide reduction
in sediment yield (soil
conservation)

AGGRADATION

Upstream increase in
sediment (construction)
Downstream rise in the
base level (sea level
rise, deposition in
dams)
Basin-wide increase in
sediment yield (soil
erosion)

Local Instability
Definition: Localized instability such as bank
erosion that is not caused due to systemic disequilibrium in the watershed, but results from sitespecific factors or processes. (example, eroding
outer bank in a meandering channel)
Note: Stream bank erosion may also be a symptom
of system instability.

Causes of Local Instability

Stream Bank Erosion

Parallel Flow
Impinging Flow
Piping
Freeze/Thaw (tension cracks)
Sheet Erosion
Rilling/Gullying
Wind Waves
Others

Types of Local Instability

Stream Bank Failure

Rotational Slip (Slumps)

Shallow Slides
Piping Failure
Pop-out Failure
Block Failure (Slab Failure)
Soil/Rock Fall
Wet Earth Flow
Others

Hard Points in Mobile Rivers

What is your Purpose
Restoring River (allows adjustment)
Fixing One Bank in Place
Fixing River Reach in Place
Does it Matter if Concrete or Bio-engineering?

Fixed in Place = Fixed in Place!

Be Careful Who You Criticize!

Biologists & Single Purpose Refuges
Engineers & Single Purpose Projects
Stream Restoration & Fixed Designs

Channel Evolution Model

What Happens to Channels Over

Time?
(Its a Natural Process!)

Simons Modification of
Schumms Model (courtesy, G.
Athanasakes, Stantec)

Stage I

Stage II

Stage III

Stage IV

WES Stream Invest.

Stage V

WES Stream Invest.

Stage V

Coalville, Utah

River Mechanics

Branch of fluvial geomorphology that

quantifies the relationship between process
and form in rivers.

Channel Characteristics and Definitions

Hydrologic Classification
Channel Pattern/Planform
Channel Geometry (cross-section)
Channel Profile (slope)

Channel Process-Form Relationships

Channel Classification

Hydrologic Classification

Arid Zone

Flow Occupancy: 0-50 percent

Ephemeral Streams
Intermittent Streams

Humid Zone

Flow Occupancy: 50-100 percent

Intermittent Streams
Perennial Streams

Channel Geometry

Pools and Riffles (Crossings)

Riffle-Pool channels (sand and gravel)

Step-Pool channels (boulders and cobbles,
steep slopes > 3%-5%)

Cross-Section Shape

Channel Bars

Point bars
Alternate bars
Mid-channel bars

Natural Channel Geometry

(courtesy, G. Athanasakes, Stantec)

Geomorphic Floodplain
1st Terrace

Bankfull Width

Terrace
2nd Terrace
Bankfull Depth

Channel Profile (Slope)

Product of discharge (Q) and slope (S) is

defined as STREAM POWER.

Stream power is the ability of the channel to

do work.

Channel slope is defined as the water

surface slope or the stream bed slope.

Channel ProcessForm Relationships

W = Ca x Qa
D = Cb x Qb
V = Cc x Qc
Qs = Cd x Qd
where:
W = width, Q = water discharge, D = mean
depth,
V = mean velocity, Qs = suspended sediment
load
Ca, Cb, Cc, Cd, a, b, c, d are numerical constants

Copeland Method for Sand Beds

Less than 50% cover on banks

Copeland Method for Sand Beds

More than 50% cover on banks

Copeland Method

Copeland Range of Solutions