Rates and Patterns of Contemporary Floodplain Sedimentation: A Case Study of the River Culm, Devon, UK

A variety of methods have been used to document contemporary rates of overbank sedimentation along an 11 km reach of the floodplain of the River Culm in Devon, UK. These have included measurements of the conveyance loss of suspended sediment between upstream and downstream measuring stations, the us...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:GeoJournal 1989-07, Vol.19 (1), p.53-62
Main Authors: Walling, D. E., Bradley, S. B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bgi / Prodig
Core samples
Drainage basins
Financial budgets
Floodplains
Fluvial deposition
Fluvial forms and processes
Freshwater
Geomorphology
Physical geography
Sediment deposition
Sediment transport
Sediments
Surface areas
Suspended solids
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A variety of methods have been used to document contemporary rates of overbank sedimentation along an 11 km reach of the floodplain of the River Culm in Devon, UK. These have included measurements of the conveyance loss of suspended sediment between upstream and downstream measuring stations, the use of sediment traps, and the application of caesium-137 measurements to estimate the rate of accumulation of fine sediment over the past 30 years. The resultant data point to sedimentation rates typically of the order of 1500 g m⁻² year⁻¹ or 1.5 mm year⁻². Values in excess of 15000 g m⁻² year⁻¹ or 15 mm year⁻¹ have been documented in closed depressions and in backwater embayments close to the channel, whereas minimal deposition and even scour may occur along those areas that function as secondary channels during floodplain inundation.
ISSN:0343-2521
1572-9893
DOI:10.1007/bf00620549