Response of river-dominated delta channel networks to permanent changes in river discharge

Edmonds, Doug; Slingerland, Rudy; Best, Jim; Parsons, Dan; Smith, Norm

Abstract

Using numerical experiments, we investigate how river-dominated delta channel networks are likely to respond to changes in river discharge predicted to occur over the next century as a result of environmental change. Our results show for a change in discharge up to 60% of the initial value, a decrease results in distributary abandonment in the delta, whereas an increase does not significantly affect the network. However, an increase in discharge beyond a threshold of 60% results in channel creation and an increase in the density of the distributary network. This behavior is predicted by an analysis of an individual bifurcation subject to asymmetric water surface slopes in the bifurcate arms. Given that discharge in most river basins will change by less than 50% in the next century, our results suggest that deltas in areas of increased drought will be more likely to experience significant rearrangement of the delta channel network. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.

Citation

Edmonds, D., Slingerland, R., Best, J., Parsons, D., & Smith, N. (2010). Response of river-dominated delta channel networks to permanent changes in river discharge. Geophysical research letters, 37(12), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL043269

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 13, 2010
• Online Publication Date: Jun 23, 2010
• Publication Date: Jun 23, 2010
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Geophysical research letters
• Print ISSN: 0094-8276
• Electronic ISSN: 1944-8007
• Publisher: American Geophysical Union
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 37
• Issue: 12
• Article Number: ARTN L12404
• Pages: 1-5
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL043269
• Keywords: REF 2014 submission, River delta, Bifurcation, Stability
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/463971
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2010GL043269/abstract;jsessionid=826BB545E6FA1DC188CCCA7D645DD592.f02t04
• Additional Information: An edited version of this paper was published by AGU. Copyright (2010) American Geophysical Union. Doug Edmonds, Rudy Slingerland, Jim Best, Dan Parsons and Norm Smith, (2010), Response of river-dominated delta channel networks to permanent changes in river discharge, Geophysical research letters, Volume 37, issue 12, L12404, Digital Object Identifier 10.1029/2010GL043269. To view the published open abstract, go to http://dx.doi.org and enter the DOI.