CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Atkins, R.J.
Date : 2004.
Title : Eroding or not eroding? Human activity, geomorphology and the sediment budget of Roberts Bank, Fraser River Delta, Canada.
Publication : International Conference on Sediment and Geochemical Budgets in Geomorphology to honour Professor Olav Slaymaker. June 27th - 30th, 2004 The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Issue :
Page(s) :
Abstract
Human activity can have implications for sediment budgets and influence our understanding of geomorphology. The effect of human activity on Roberts Bank, located on the southern margin of the Fraser River Delta, Canada, is an example. Two terminal facilities were constructed in the late 1950’s-early 1960’s near the delta crest of Roberts Bank with causeways linking to the mainland across the tidal flats. Both terminals have been expanded since then. The north-westerly terminal is a coal and container port serving Pacific Rim markets and the south-easterly terminal provides ferry services to Vancouver Island. Large-scale sedimentary bedforms occurring in water depths of 10 to 120 m were first documented in 1975. It has been suggested that these bedforms indicate the delta foreslope is eroding since no sediment sources for the bedforms other than the foreslope sediments themselves have been identified. If the foreslope is eroding, it puts the terminals at risk of being impacted by slope instabilities. This presentation will provide evidence from sediment budget and geomorphic analyses that the bedforms are related to terminal construction, the foreslope does not appear to be eroding and our understanding of human activity can influence our understanding of geomorphology.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology