Mediated equilibrium: The influence of riparian vegetation and wood on the long-term evolution and behaviour of a near-pristine river

Andrew P. Brooks*, Gary J. Brierley

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

108 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Analysis of the contemporary geomorphology, vegetation and in-channel wood within the relatively pristine Thurra River in southeastern Australia provides insight into river behaviour prior to European disturbance. This sand-bed river has an extremely low channel capacity with a pronounced pool-riffle morphology. Lateral migration rates are low (11-24 mm a-1), as are floodplain aggradation rates (average = 0.27 mm a-1). Sedimentological evidence is used to place contemporary channel dynamics within a 16 ka evolutionary framework. The floodplain has continuously aggraded over this interval, despite a number of avulsions and numerous meander cutoffs. Avulsions occur on a timeframe of once in 5 ka or more, while cutoffs occur around once in 1 ka. The morphology and evolution of the Thurra River are appraised in terms of a mediated equilibrium condition, in which channel capacity, hydraulics, bedload transport rates, bank erosion rates and in-channel deposition are substantially influenced by vegetation and wood within the channel and on the floodplain.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)343-367
Number of pages25
JournalEarth Surface Processes and Landforms
Volume27
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2002

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