Quantification of Geomorphological Changes of Sefidroud River and Investigation of Their Relationship with Hydraulic Characteristics of Flood Events

Amani, Khabat; Hosseini, Seiyed Mossa; Yamani, Mojtaba; Maghsoudi, Mehran

doi:10.61186/jeer.14.4.39

year 14, Issue 4 (Winter 2024) E.E.R. 2024, 14(4): 39-61 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.61186/jeer.14.4.39

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Amani K, Hosseini S M, Yamani M, Maghsoudi M. Quantification of Geomorphological Changes of Sefidroud River and Investigation of Their Relationship with Hydraulic Characteristics of Flood Events. E.E.R. 2024; 14 (4) :39-61
URL: http://magazine.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-858-en.html

Quantification of Geomorphological Changes of Sefidroud River and Investigation of Their Relationship with Hydraulic Characteristics of Flood Events

Khabat Amani

, Seiyed Mossa Hosseini ^*

, Mojtaba Yamani

, Mehran Maghsoudi

Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran c Professor of Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran , smhosseini@ut.ac.ir

Abstract: (1206 Views)

Introduction

Rivers are dynamic geomorphological systems that continuously change due to various influencing parameters. Morphological changes in the river channel primarily involve adjustments in channel width, depth, slope, and river planform. The extent of lateral migration of the river channel depends on factors such as bank resistance to erosion, the duration and magnitude of flow, the curvature radius of the channel, and the flow capacity to transport sediments. Quantifying geomorphological changes in rivers with an emphasis on flood hydraulics requires detailed analysis and complex modeling of the dynamic interactions between water flow, sediment deposition, and riverbed alterations. Flood severity, characterized by high discharge, significant flow depth, and extreme flow velocities, can have substantial impacts on riverbed structures, including changes in depth, width, channel meanders, as well as sediment transport and deposition. The Sefidroud River is one of the largest rivers in Iran, directly and indirectly affecting the lives of a significant population. Throughout history, there has been a strong inclination to settle near this river, with numerous urban and rural settlements located along its course. The occurrence of frequent floods in the past and the river's tendency to alter its channel, especially in the lowland regions, make the delineation of floodplains and prediction of future river behavior essential aspects of this research. Therefore, identifying and quantifying the geomorphological changes of the Sefidroud River and investigating the relationship between these changes and flood severity during mid-term return periods are key objectives of this study.
2- Results
In the present study, four indices were calculated and used to quantify the river's morphological changes: channel braiding index (B), channel sinuosity index (P), lateral migration rate, and channel stability. The study reaches showed minimal variation in terms of the braiding index, with the Yasaval reach having the highest value, which is 0.07 higher than the Astaneh reach, which had the lowest value. The lower braiding indices of the Gilvan and Astaneh reaches, compared to Yasaval, can be attributed to the higher severity of human activities in the riverbed and the presence of the Sefidroud Dam upstream of the Astaneh branch. Regarding the channel sinuosity index (P), there is an inverse relationship between flow severity and shear stress with the sinuosity index. Reaches with lower flow severity and reduced shear stress tend to have higher sinuosity. Concerning the lateral migration rate, the results showed that this index is strongly influenced by the morphology and topography of the riverbanks. In the Yasaval and Gilvan reaches, which flow through mountainous regions, the lateral migration rate is lower (1.3 and 1.93, respectively) due to the rougher and more restrictive topography. The equations related to channel stability and migration rate indicate an inverse relationship: as the channel's migration increases, its stability decreases, and vice versa. Flood severity, which is the product of flow velocity and depth, can lead to significant changes in the river channel, meanders, and sediment distribution. The results indicate that, contrary to expectations, in areas with higher flood severity during a 25-year return period, river channel changes are less pronounced. This phenomenon is related to factors such as channel depth and longitudinal slope. Deeper channels, where flood severity is greater, exhibit higher stability and therefore experience fewer changes. In contrast, wider and shallower sections of the river, with slower flow, tend to undergo more substantial alterations.
3- Discussion and Conclusion
Numerous studies have been conducted on river morphology changes across various regions worldwide, employing a wide range of methods. In this study, several of these methods were used to quantify and examine the geomorphological changes in the selected study reaches. However, a key aspect of this research is the relationship between flood severity and geomorphological changes in rivers. Most studies in this field have focused on the impact of one or several extreme flood events on river channel changes, typically employing a before-and-after comparative approach. However, this research utilizes hydraulic modeling, based on validated 1:1000 maps and hydrometric data, to comprehensively examine the overall effect of flood severity on river morphology and channel changes. The results were then compared with geomorphological change maps, providing a broader perspective on the relationship between flood dynamics and river morphology.
The results indicate that the braiding index of the Yasaval stretch is higher than the other two due to lower human interference and the presence of sediment bars and multi-threaded flows. The sinuosity index in the Astaneh stretch was higher due to the floodplain morphology of the riverbanks, which also contributed to a higher lateral migration rate. In contrast, the Gilvan and Yasaval stretches, with their more confined banks, showed greater stability and lower sinuosity and lateral migration rates.The study also examined the relationship between the geomorphological indices of the river and flood severity during mid-term return periods. Contrary to expectations, in areas with higher flood severity, channel changes were less pronounced. This can be attributed to the influence of channel geometry and longitudinal slope. In deeper sections of the river, morphological changes are less likely, resulting in greater stability. Additionally, in steeper slopes, both base flow and flood flows exhibit higher velocities, leading to greater channel incision. Deeper channels are more capable of handling floods with shorter return periods, reducing the likelihood of overflow and the formation of new channels.

Keywords: Quantitative Geomorphology, Flood severity, Sefidroud River, Hydraulic Modeling.

Full-Text [PDF 1883 kb] (99 Downloads)

Received: 2024/09/27 | Published: 2024/12/21

References

1. Aguiar, F. C., Martins, M. J., Silva, P. C., & Fernandes, M. R. (2016). Riverscapes downstream of hydropower dams: Effects of altered flows and historical land-use change. Landscape and Urban Planning, 153, 83-98. [DOI:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.04.009]

2. Baker, V. R., & Costa, J. E. (2020). Flood power. In Catastrophic flooding (pp. 1-21). Routledge. [DOI:10.4324/9781003020325-1]

3. Brierley, G. J., & Fryirs, K. A. (2013). Geomorphology and river management: applications of the river styles framework. John Wiley & Sons.

4. Deodhar, L. A., & Kale, V. S. (1999). Downstream adjustments in allochthonous rivers: Western Deccan Trap upland region, India. Varieties of fluvial form, 295-315.

5. Dufour, S., Rinaldi, M., Piégay, H., & Michalon, A. (2015). How do river dynamics and human influences affect the landscape pattern of fluvial corridors? Lessons from the Magra River, Central-Northern Italy. Landscape and Urban Planning, 134, 107-118. [DOI:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.10.007]

6. Fernandes, M. R., Aguiar, F. C., Martins, M. J., Rivaes, R., & Ferreira, M. T. (2020). Long-term human-generated alterations of Tagus River: Effects of hydrological regulation and land-use changes in distinct river zones. Catena, 188, 104466. [DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2020.104466]

7. Forget, M. (2013). The role of historical sources in the understanding of the fluvial dynamics of a great plain river. The case of the Argentinian Parana. Geomorphologie-Relief Processus Environnement, (4), 445-462. [DOI:10.4000/geomorphologie.10399]

8. Friend, P. F., & Sinha, R. (1993). Braiding and meandering parameters. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 75(1), 105-111. [DOI:10.1144/GSL.SP.1993.075.01.05]

9. Gharbi, M., Soualmia, A., Dartus, D., & Masbernat, L. (2016). Comparison of 1D and 2D hydraulic models for floods simulation on the Medjerda Riverin Tunisia. J. Mater. Environ. Sci, 7(8), 3017-3026.

10. Giardino, J. R., & Lee, A. A. (2011). Rates of channel migration on the Brazos River. Yangling: Department of Geology & Geophysics, Texas A & M University.

11. Gurnell, A. M., & Petts, G. E. (2002). Island-dominated landscapes of large floodplain rivers, a European perspective. Freshwater Biology, 47(4), 581-600. [DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2427.2002.00923.x]

12. Gupta, A., Kale, V. S., & Rajaguru, S. N. (1999). The Narmada River, India, through space and time. Varieties of fluvial form, 114-143.

13. Halwas, K. L., & Church, M. (2002). Channel units in small, high gradient streams on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Geomorphology, 43(3-4), 243-256. [DOI:10.1016/S0169-555X(01)00136-2]

14. Hassan, M. A., Smith, B. J., Hogan, D. L., Luzi, D. S., Zimmermann, A. E., & Eaton, B. C. (2007). 18 Sediment storage and transport in coarse bed streams: scale considerations. Developments in Earth Surface Processes, 11, 473-496. [DOI:10.1016/S0928-2025(07)11137-8]

15. Hooke, J. M., & Redmond, C. E. (1989). Use of cartographic sources for analysing river channel change with examples from Britain. In Historical change of large alluvial rivers, Western Europe (pp. 79-93).

16. http://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=getRecordDetail&idt=19434166

17. Islam, A., Sarkar, B., Saha, U. D., Islam, M., & Ghosh, S. (2021). Can an annual flood induce changes in channel geomorphology? Natural Hazards, 1-28. [DOI:10.1007/s11069-021-05089-7]

18. Jackson, R. G. (1975). Hierarchical attributes and a unifying model of bed forms composed of cohesionless material and produced by shearing flow. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 86(11), 1523-1533. GSA Bulletin (1975) 86 (11): 1523-1533. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<1523:HAAAUM>2.0.CO;2 https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<1523:HAAAUM>2.0.CO;2 [DOI:10.1130/0016-7606(1975)862.0.CO;2]

19. Kale, V. S. (1990). Morphological and hydrological characteristics of some allochthonous river channels, western Deccan Trap upland region, India. Geomorphology, 3(1), 31-43. [DOI:10.1016/0169-555X(90)90030-T]

20. Knighton, D. (2014). Fluvial forms and processes: a new perspective. Routledge. [DOI:10.4324/9780203784662]

21. Kochel, R. C. (1988). Geomorphic impact of large floods: review and new perspectives on magnitude and frequency. Flood Geomorphology. John Wiley & Sons New York. 1988. p 169-187. 9 fig, 2 tab, 43 ref. NSF Grant EAR 77-23025.

22. Kong, D., Latrubesse, E. M., Miao, C., & Zhou, R. (2020). Morphological response of the Lower Yellow River to the operation of Xiaolangdi Dam, China. Geomorphology, 350, 106931. [DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.106931]

23. Kyuka, T., Okabe, K., Shimizu, Y., Yamaguchi, S., Hasegawa, K., & Shinjo, K. (2020). Dominating factors influencing rapid meander shift and levee breaches caused by a record-breaking flood in the Otofuke River, Japan. Journal of Hydro-environment Research, 31, 76-89. [DOI:10.1016/j.jher.2020.05.003]

24. Labbe, J. M., Hadley, K. S., Schipper, A. M., Leuven, R. S., & Gardiner, C. P. (2011). Influence of bank materials, bed sediment, and riparian vegetation on channel form along a gravel-to-sand transition reach of the Upper Tualatin River, Oregon, USA. Geomorphology, 125(3), 374-382. [DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.10.013]

25. Lallias-Tacon, S., Liébault, F., & Piégay, H. (2017). Use of airborne LiDAR and historical aerial photos for characterising the history of braided river floodplain morphology and vegetation responses. Catena, 149, 742-759. [DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2016.07.038]

26. Magdaleno, F., & Fernández-Yuste, J. A. (2011). Meander dynamics in a changing river corridor. Geomorphology, 130(3-4), 197-207. [DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.03.016]

27. Magliulo, P., Bozzi, F., & Pignone, M. (2016). Assessing the planform changes of the Tammaro River (southern Italy) from 1870 to 1955 using a GIS-aided historical map analysis. Environmental Earth Sciences, 75, 1-19. [DOI:10.1007/s12665-016-5266-5]

28. Mendoza, A., Soto-Cortes, G., Priego-Hernandez, G., & Rivera-Trejo, F. (2019). Historical description of the morphology and hydraulic behavior of a bifurcation in the lowlands of the Grijalva River Basin, Mexico. Catena, 176, 343-351. [DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2019.01.033]

29. Newson, M. D., & Large, A. R. (2006). 'Natural 'rivers, 'hydro morphological quality 'and river restoration: a challenging new agenda for applied fluvial geomorphology. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms: The Journal of the British Geomorphological Research Group, 31(13), 1606-1624. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1430 [DOI:10.1002/esp.1430.]

30. Richards, K. (1999). The magnitude-frequency concept in fluvial geomorphology: a component of a degenerating research programme?. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie. Supplementband, (115), 1-18. [DOI:10.1127/zfgsuppl/115/1999/1]

31. http://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=getRecordDetail&idt=6201564

32. Rajaguru, S. N., Gupta, A., Kale, V. S., Mishra, S., Ganjoo, R. K., Ely, L. L., ... & Baker, V. R. (1995). Channel form and processes of the flood‐dominated Narmada River, India. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 20(5), 407-421. [DOI:10.1002/esp.3290200503]

33. Rinaldi, M. (2003). Recent channel adjustments in alluvial rivers of Tuscany, Central Italy. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms: The Journal of the British Geomorphological Research Group, 28(6), 587-608. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.464 [DOI:10.1002/esp.464.]

34. Samela, C., Troy, T. J., & Manfreda, S. (2017). Geomorphic classifiers for flood-prone areas delineation for data-scarce environments. Advances in water resources, 102, 13-28. [DOI:10.1016/j.advwatres.2017.01.007]

35. Sarma, J. N., & Basumallick, S. (1984). Bankline migration of the Burhi Dihing river, Assam. Indian Journal of Earth Science, 11, 199-206.

36. Sinha, R. (1996). Channel avulsion and floodplain structure in the Gandak-Kosi interfan, north Bihar plains, India. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie. Supplementband, (103), 249-268. http://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=getRecordDetail&idt=6319521

37. Schumm, S. A. (1977). The Fluvial System.

38. Taillefumier, F., & Piégay, H. (2003). Contemporary land use changes in prealpine Mediterranean mountains: a multivariate GIS-based approach applied to two municipalities in the Southern French Prealps. Catena, 51(3-4), 267-296. [DOI:10.1016/S0341-8162(02)00168-6]

39. Tealdi, S., Camporeale, C., & Ridolfi, L. (2011). Long-term morphological river response to hydrological changes. Advances in water resources, 34(12), 1643-1655. [DOI:10.1016/j.advwatres.2011.08.011]

41. Uribelarrea, D., Pérez-González, A., & Benito, G. (2003). Channel changes in the Jarama and Tagus rivers (central Spain) over the past 500 years. Quaternary Science Reviews, 22(20), 2209-2221. [DOI:10.1016/S0277-3791(03)00153-7]

42. WOOD‐SMITH, R. D., & Buffington, J. M. (1996). Multivariate geomorphic analysis of forest streams: implications for assessment of land use impacts on channel condition. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 21(4), 377-393. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199604)21:4<377::AID-ESP546>3.0.CO;2-2 [DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199604)21:43.0.CO;2-2]

43. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199604)21:4<377::AID-ESP546>3.0.CO;2-2 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199604)21:4<377::AID-ESP546>3.0.CO;2-2 [DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199604)21:43.0.CO;2-2]

44. Ziliani, L., & Surian, N. (2016). Reconstructing temporal changes and prediction of channel evolution in a large Alpine river: The Tagliamento River, Italy. Aquatic sciences, 78, 83-94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-015-0431-6 [DOI:10.1007/s00027-015-0431-6.]

45. Zlinszky, A., & Timár, G. (2013). Historic maps as a data source for socio-hydrology: a case study of the Lake Balaton wetland system, Hungary. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 17(11), 4589-4606. [DOI:10.5194/hess-17-4589-2013]