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The Geomorphological Assessment: 4.1 The Desk Top Exercise

The document describes the process for conducting a geomorphological assessment of a river channel. The assessment includes both a desktop exercise and field survey. The desktop exercise involves collecting data on the site location and setting, including aerial photos. A field survey involves collecting data on channel characteristics like width, depth, bed and bank materials. Cross sections are surveyed to quantify form. Reach type is assigned based on morphological units observed. The assessment is used to classify the channel and evaluate its condition and stability over time.

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60 views

The Geomorphological Assessment: 4.1 The Desk Top Exercise

The document describes the process for conducting a geomorphological assessment of a river channel. The assessment includes both a desktop exercise and field survey. The desktop exercise involves collecting data on the site location and setting, including aerial photos. A field survey involves collecting data on channel characteristics like width, depth, bed and bank materials. Cross sections are surveyed to quantify form. Reach type is assigned based on morphological units observed. The assessment is used to classify the channel and evaluate its condition and stability over time.

Uploaded by

grace10000
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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4.

The geomorphological assessment


The geomorphological assessment is carried out firstly as a desk top exercise and secondly as
a field exercise.

4.1 The desk top exercise


The desk top exercise is used to collect information relating to the location of the site and its
geomorphological setting. This includes a reach analysis which defines the boundaries and
characteristics of the reach within which the site is located. Using this information the reach is
assigned to a zone class according to Table 1. The zone plus channel type (assessed in the
field) are the main criteria used to classify the site geomorphology. The data is entered into a
summary table (Appendix A).

The desk top exercise should also include an audit of catchment conditions as relevant to
geomorphological change (erosion potential, flow modifications etc.). Aerial photographs
should be examined for general conditions over the length of the reach as well as possible
historical changes to the channel. A scale of 1: 10 000 is necessary if channel features are to be
observed.

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Table 1. Geomorphological Zonation of River Channels (after Rowntree and Wadeson, 1999).

Longitudinal Macro-reach Characteristic channel features


zone characteristics
Valley Gradient Zone
form class class
A. Zonation associated with a ‘normal’profile
Source zone not S Low gradient, upland plateau or upland basin able to store
V10 specified water. Spongy or peaty hydromorphic soils.
Mountain V1, > 0.1 A A very steep gradient stream dominated by vertical flow over
headwater V3 bedrock with waterfalls and plunge pools. Normally first or
stream second order. Reach types include bedrock fall and cascades.
Mountain V1, 0.04 - B Steep gradient stream dominated by bedrock and boulders,
stream V3 0.99 locally cobble or coarse gravels in pools. Reach types include
cascades, bedrock fall, step-pool. Approximate equal
distribution of ‘vertical’and ‘horizontal’flow components.
Transitional V2, 0.02 - C Moderately steep stream dominated by bedrock or boulder.
V3, 0.039 Reach types include plain-bed, pool-rapid or pool riffle.
V4, Confined or semi-confined valley floor with limited flood
V6 plain development.
Upper V4, 0.005 - D Moderately steep, cobble-bed or mixed bedrock-cobble bed
Foothills V6 0.019 channel, with plain-bed, pool-riffle or pool-rapid reach types.
Length of pools and riffles/rapids similar. Narrow flood plain
of sand, gravel or cobble often present.
Lower V8, 0.001 - E Lower gradient mixed bed alluvial channel with sand and
Foothills V10 0.005 gravel dominating the bed, locally may be bedrock controlled.
Reach types typically include pool- riffle or pool-rapid, sand
bars common in pools. Pools of significantly greater extent
than rapids or riffles. Flood plain often present.
Lowland V4, 0.0001- F Low gradient alluvial fine bed channel, typically regime reach
river V8, 0.001 type. May be confined, but fully developed meandering
V10 pattern within a distinct flood plain develops in unconfined
reaches where there is an increased silt content in bed or
banks.
B. Additional zones associated with a rejuvenated profile
Rejuvenated V1, >0.02 A/B/Cr Moderate to steep gradient, confined channel (gorge)
bedrock fall V4 resulting from uplift in the middle to lower reaches of the
/ cascades long profile, limited lateral development of alluvial features,
reach types include bedrock fall, cascades and pool-rapid.
Rejuvenated V2, 0.001 - D/Er Steepened section within middle reaches of the river caused
foothills V3, 0.02 by uplift, often within or downstream of gorge.
V4, Characteristics similar to foothills (gravel/cobble-bed rivers
V6 with pool-riffle/ pool-rapid morphology) but of a higher
order. A compound channel is often present with an active
channel contained within a macro channel activated only
during infrequent flood events. A limited flood plain may be
present between the active and macro-channel.
Upland V8, < 0.005 Fr An upland low gradient channel, often associated with
flood plain V10 uplifted plateau areas as occur beneath the eastern
escarpment.

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4.2 The field survey
Field data is collected at two levels depending on the type of assessment (see Section 6.1).
Channel transect or cross-section surveys are used to quantify the channel form in terms of a
width-depth ratio and entrenchment ratio. Resurvey of these transects will also enable
monitoring of channel change. A more rapid qualitative assessment of channel type and
channel condition is undertaken using prescribed data forms. Data sheets for the field survey
are given in Appendix B. Data collection is summarised below.
General information on the site and conditions at the time of the site visit are recorded
on the first page (Sections 1-4). Basic site details (Section 1) are derived from a 1: 50 000 map
(river name, altitude, lat. long.) or from a GPS (lat. long). Photographs should be taken to
record the characteristics of the site (Section 2). Section 3 classifies the channel in terms of its
flow regime: perennial, seasonal or ephemeral (storm runoff during heavy rains). Section 4
relates to the flow condition at the time of the survey: the level of flow and the clarity of the
water. This information aids in the interpretation of certain evaluations. For example, if the
flows are high, or the clarity of the water is low, it will be difficult to observe the condition of
the stream bed.
The intrinsic geomorphological characteristics of the site required for classification are
recorded in Sections 5 through to 12. Section 5 requires the observer to make a sketch of the
channel plan. A good sketch map and cross-sections are invaluable when assessing change at
some future date. A cross-section template is provided to assist the observer in identifying the
main channel features (Section 6). The channel width dimensions should be recorded in the
appropriate table (Section 7). More accurate data on the channel width and depth can be
obtained from the cross section surveys.
The channel is assigned to a channel type in Section 8. Four channel types are
recognised: bedrock, alluvial, mixed and fixed boulder. Bedrock channels are formed in solid
rock, though there may be loose material present locally. Alluvial channels are formed in sand,
gravel, cobbles or small boulders (the material should be able to move during floods). Mixed
channels consist of alternating bedrock and alluvial sections. Fixed boulder bed channels are
dominated by large boulders which are unlikely to move except during extreme flood events.
Morphological units observed at the site are recorded in Section 9. These are the
morphological features which make up the form of the channel and which determine the type
of physical habitats that will be available to aquatic and riparian organisms. Bars, which are
important depositional features, are recorded separately in Section 17. The assemblage of
morphological units present in the site are used to assign a reach type from the list in Section
10. Where possible the observer should confirm this classification by considering the
characteristics of the reach within which the site is located.
The composition of dominant material making up the bed and bank are recorded in
Section 11 and 12. The bed and bank material are particularly important factors determining
the stability of the channel form and its associated habitats. More detailed information on the
composition of the channel bed can be recorded using the table in Section 18. Whilst the

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entries in Section 11 and 12 will be used to classify the channels and assess potential stability,
the size distribution of sediments as given in Section 18 can be used to monitor changes in bed
condition over time.
Data recorded in Sections 13 to 18 relate to the condition of the channel and refer to
more transitory characteristics that may change during the monitoring period. Riparian and in-
channel vegetation are important factors controlling channel stability. Encroachment of
vegetation on to channel bars is a good indication of long term channel change, or channel
recovery from a major flood. Vegetation condition is recorded in Section 13. Channel
modifications and bank impacts due to external disturbance are assessed used Section 14.
Section 15 and 16 relate to the condition of the banks. Section 15 is used to assess the potential
stability of the banks in terms of their height, slope, material composition and stratification
and vegetation cover. Ratings for each of these factors is combined to derive a bank stability
score. The observed erosion is entered in Section 16.
Channel bars are the main depositional features found within the channels. They
represent local storage of sediment so that a change in the bar classification and bar material
would indicate a significant change in the sediment dynamics of the reach. Channel bars are
assessed using Section 17. Change in bed condition at a finer scale is assessed using Section
18. Bed packing can be used as an indicator of the stability of the bed in respect of erosion.
Loosely packed beds tend to be mobile during floods and probably consist of recently
deposited material. Tightly packed beds are stable under most flows. Embeddedness refers to
the deposition of fine grains around coarse particles (sand around cobble) and indicates an
environment conducive to deposition. It may be a transitory condition dependent on the
balance of the supply of fine sediment and the competence of recent floods to disturb the
larger material. Bed packing can be assessed by kicking the bed or attempting to move
material by hand. Embeddedness is assessed by direct observation. The size distribution of the
bed material requires a more time consuming assessment, but gives a good record against
which change can be assessed. It is necessary to record the diameter of at least 100 randomly
selected clasts (or fine deposits) for both the hydraulic control (riffle, rapid etc.) and the main
bar type if present.
Available habitat is assessed using Section 19 using observations of the type of flow
(depth and surface appearance) and the available cover (related to substrate, vegetation, bank
shape or snags). This rapid assessment could be replaced by a more detailed assessment of
hydraulic habitat using 3-d survey techniques that are being developed for application to the
Ecological Reserve.

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