CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Burge, L.M.; and Lapointe, M.
Date : 2003.
Title : Wandering river variability: Principal component analysis of channel characteristics.
Publication : 'On the Edge' Conference. Joint Meeting of the ACMLA, CAG, CCA and CRSA. May 27 to May 31, 2003. University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia.
Issue :
Page(s) :
Abstract
Wandering rivers contain multiple channel sections, with seasonal or perennial anabranches around semi-permanent islands, connected by single channel reaches. Variability of in-channel characteristics (hydraulic geometry, energy, grainsize and sediment mobility) among 45 reaches of the wandering Renous River were analyzed using principal component analysis. The first three PCA axes captured 94.1 % (63.2 %, 23.0 %, and 7.9 %, respectively) of the total variance. PCA axis one was interpreted as being driven by channel energy and sediment mobility and was highly correlated with specific stream power, shear stress, water surface slope, and bed slope. Axis two was interpreted as being driven by channel efficiency and grainsize and was negatively correlated with bed D50, bedload D50, width-depth ratio, and friction factor. ANOVA showed that the PCA loadings for main-channels and side-channels differed on PCA axis two. Bedwaves drive energy and sediment mobility in main-channels, while energy and sediment mobility in side-channels was driven by their creation, maintenance, and abandonment. The in-channel characteristics of wandering rivers cannot be summarized by a single process, like lateral accretion for meandering rivers, but instead a mosaic of in-channel characteristics is produced through the creation, maintenance and abandonment of side-channels and the creation of bedwaves in main-channels.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology