- Library Home /
- Search Collections /
- Open Collections /
- Browse Collections /
- UBC Theses and Dissertations /
- Riparian disturbance sensitivity index for gravel-bed...
Open Collections
UBC Theses and Dissertations
UBC Theses and Dissertations
Riparian disturbance sensitivity index for gravel-bed river morphology Bailey, Chad Elliot
Abstract
This thesis is an investigation of the sensitivity of alluvial single-thread gravel-bed rivers with noncohesive banks to riparian disturbances. A riparian disturbance is any natural or anthropogenic disturbance that causes a significant removal of large coniferous trees from the riparian corridor and potentially leads to decreased bank strength and planform morphology towards a braided system. A theoretical riparian disturbance sensitivity index is formulated and tested in terms of its validity in estimating the sensitivity of the rivers by means of change in width from a historic "natural" condition to a present day disturbed condition. The riparian disturbance sensitivity index is tested through the use of case studies at the reach level collected within the province of British Columbia. A methodology is suggested for collecting the necessary data to apply towards the sensitivity index. The methodology includes reach longitudinal and cross-sectional surveys, grain size analysis, discharge analysis through watershed delineation and regionalization techniques, and historic aerial photo analysis. Fourteen out of fifteen data sets used in this study are satisfactory data sets that fit the assumptions necessary to apply the index. Even though there are large uncertainties in the accuracy of the field collected data, the proposed sensitivity index appeared to perform well when tested against the case study data sets. The role of large, or "catastrophic," floods is examined with two flood related indices: flash flood magnitude index and peak/mean ratio. The results lend support towards the theory of vegetation as a control of alluvial channel morphology, in comparison to the control of large floods.
Item Metadata
Title |
Riparian disturbance sensitivity index for gravel-bed river morphology
|
Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
|
Date Issued |
2003
|
Description |
This thesis is an investigation of the sensitivity of alluvial single-thread gravel-bed rivers
with noncohesive banks to riparian disturbances. A riparian disturbance is any natural or
anthropogenic disturbance that causes a significant removal of large coniferous trees
from the riparian corridor and potentially leads to decreased bank strength and planform
morphology towards a braided system. A theoretical riparian disturbance sensitivity
index is formulated and tested in terms of its validity in estimating the sensitivity of the
rivers by means of change in width from a historic "natural" condition to a present day
disturbed condition.
The riparian disturbance sensitivity index is tested through the use of case studies at the
reach level collected within the province of British Columbia. A methodology is
suggested for collecting the necessary data to apply towards the sensitivity index. The
methodology includes reach longitudinal and cross-sectional surveys, grain size analysis,
discharge analysis through watershed delineation and regionalization techniques, and
historic aerial photo analysis. Fourteen out of fifteen data sets used in this study are
satisfactory data sets that fit the assumptions necessary to apply the index.
Even though there are large uncertainties in the accuracy of the field collected data, the
proposed sensitivity index appeared to perform well when tested against the case study
data sets. The role of large, or "catastrophic," floods is examined with two flood related
indices: flash flood magnitude index and peak/mean ratio. The results lend support
towards the theory of vegetation as a control of alluvial channel morphology, in
comparison to the control of large floods.
|
Extent |
10743879 bytes
|
Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
|
Language |
eng
|
Date Available |
2009-10-29
|
Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
|
DOI |
10.14288/1.0063629
|
URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
|
Graduation Date |
2003-11
|
Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
|
Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.