Bigelow Watershed Geomorphology

Projects: sediment terrain wood basin reach

Basin Scale Dynamics

Basin scale studies have focused on the role of river confluences in creating aquatic habitat and rejuvenation of such habitat from natural disturbance (fires and floods).

Basin dynamics gallery:

Fires and subsequent erosion were historically responsible for creating and maintaining terrestrial and aquatic habitats across much of the Western US

Post-fire erosion creates a tributary fan that rejuvinates the NF Boise River mainstem with sediment and wood

Typical tributary fan effectss on mainstem environment

Debris fan patterns in the Oregon Coast Range

Confluence environments could be a component of channel typing, where effects and spacing will differ based on watershed size

The probability of a tributary effects can be estimated based on the size of the tributary relative to the main stem

Wide basins will have have more tributary effects compared to linear basins

Tributary effects are generally destructive in the short term, but constructive over the long term, Meager Creek slide photo by Dave Tucker

Links to basin scale dynamics studies:

Bigelow P., L. Benda, D. Miller, and K. Burnett. 2007. On debris flows, river networks, and the spatial structure of channel morphology. Forest Science 53(2): 220-238.

Benda L., K. Andras, D. Miller, and P. Bigelow. 2004. Confluence effects in rivers: interactions of basin scale, network geometry, and disturbance regimes. Water Resources Research 40(5): 1-15.

Benda L., D. Miller, P. Bigelow, and K. Andras. 2003. Effects of post-fire erosion on channel environments. Journal of Forest Ecology and Management 178: 105-119.

Projects: sediment terrain wood basin reach