Articles | Volume 9, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1323-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1323-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
30 Sep 2021
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 30 Sep 2021
| 30 Sep 2021
Sand mining far outpaces natural supply in a large alluvial river
Christopher R. Hackney
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
Grigorios Vasilopoulos
Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
Sokchhay Heng
Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Vasudha Darbari
Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
Samuel Walker
Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
Daniel R. Parsons
Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
Related authors
No articles found.
Joshua M. Wolstenholme, Christopher J. Skinner, David J. Milan, Robert E. Thomas, and Daniel R. Parsons
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2132, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2132, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Leaky wooden dams are a type of natural flood management intervention that aim to reduce flood risk downstream by temporarily holding back water during a storm event and releasing it afterwards. These structures alter the river hydrology, and therefore the geomorphology, yet often this is excluded from numerical models. Here we show that by not simulating geomorphology we are currently underestimating the efficacy of these structures to reduce the flood peak and store water.
Solomon H. Gebrechorkos, Julian Leyland, Simon J. Dadson, Sagy Cohen, Louise Slater, Michel Wortmann, Philip J. Ashworth, Georgina L. Bennett, Richard Boothroyd, Hannah Cloke, Pauline Delorme, Helen Griffith, Richard Hardy, Laurence Hawker, Stuart McLelland, Jeffrey Neal, Andrew Nicholas, Andrew J. Tatem, Ellie Vahidi, Yinxue Liu, Justin Sheffield, Daniel R. Parsons, and Stephen E. Darby
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3099–3118, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3099-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3099-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluated six high-resolution global precipitation datasets for hydrological modelling. MSWEP and ERA5 showed better performance, but spatial variability was high. The findings highlight the importance of careful dataset selection for river discharge modelling due to the lack of a universally superior dataset. Further improvements in global precipitation data products are needed.
Charlotte Lyddon, Nguyen Chien, Grigorios Vasilopoulos, Michael Ridgill, Sogol Moradian, Agnieszka Olbert, Thomas Coulthard, Andrew Barkwith, and Peter Robins
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 973–997, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-973-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-973-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Recent storms in the UK, like Storm Ciara in 2020, show how vulnerable estuaries are to the combined effect of sea level and river discharge. We show the combinations of sea levels and river discharges that cause flooding in the Conwy estuary, N Wales. The results showed flooding was amplified under moderate conditions in the middle estuary and elsewhere sea state or river flow dominated the hazard. Combined sea and river thresholds can improve prediction and early warning of compound flooding.
Xuxu Wu, Jonathan Malarkey, Roberto Fernández, Jaco H. Baas, Ellen Pollard, and Daniel R. Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 231–247, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-231-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-231-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The seabed changes from flat to rippled in response to the frictional influence of waves and currents. This experimental study has shown that the speed of this change, the size of ripples that result and even whether ripples appear also depend on the amount of sticky mud present. This new classification on the basis of initial mud content should lead to improvements in models of seabed change in present environments by engineers and the interpretation of past environments by geologists.
Elena Bastianon, Julie A. Hope, Robert M. Dorrell, and Daniel R. Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1115–1140, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1115-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1115-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Biological activity in shallow tidal environments significantly influence sediment dynamics and morphology. Here, a bio-morphodynamic model is developed that accounts for hydro-climate variations in biofilm development to estimate the effect of biostabilisation on the bed. Results reveal that key parameters such as growth rate and temperature strongly influence the development of biofilm under a range of disturbance periodicities and intensities, shaping the channel equilibrium profile.
Chengbin Zou, Paul Carling, Zetao Feng, Daniel Parsons, and Xuanmei Fan
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-119, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-119, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change is causing mountain lakes behind glacier barriers to drain through ice tunnels as catastrophe floods, threatening people and infrastructure downstream. Understanding of how process works can mitigate the impacts by providing advanced warnings. A laboratory study of ice tunnel development improved understanding of how floods evolve. The principles of ice tunnel development were defined numerically and can be used to better model natural floods leading to improved prediction.
Alexander J. Horton, Nguyen V. K. Triet, Long P. Hoang, Sokchhay Heng, Panha Hok, Sarit Chung, Jorma Koponen, and Matti Kummu
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 967–983, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-967-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-967-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We studied the cumulative impact of future development and climate change scenarios on discharge and floods in the Cambodian Mekong floodplain. We found that hydropower impacts dominate, acting in opposition to climate change impacts to drastically increase dry season flows and reduce wet season flows even when considering the higher RCP8.5 level. The consequent reduction in flood extent and duration may reduce regional flood risk but may also have negative impacts on floodplain productivity.
Chloe Leach, Tom Coulthard, Andrew Barkwith, Daniel R. Parsons, and Susan Manson
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 5507–5523, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5507-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5507-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Numerical models can be used to understand how coastal systems evolve over time, including likely responses to climate change. However, many existing models are aimed at simulating 10- to 100-year time periods do not represent a vertical dimension and are thus unable to include the effect of sea-level rise. The Coastline Evolution Model 2D (CEM2D) presented in this paper is an advance in this field, with the inclusion of the vertical coastal profile against which the water level can be altered.
Sepehr Eslami, Piet Hoekstra, Herman W. J. Kernkamp, Nam Nguyen Trung, Dung Do Duc, Hung Nguyen Nghia, Tho Tran Quang, Arthur van Dam, Stephen E. Darby, Daniel R. Parsons, Grigorios Vasilopoulos, Lisanne Braat, and Maarten van der Vegt
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 953–976, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-953-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-953-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Increased salt intrusion jeopardizes freshwater supply to the Mekong Delta, and the current trends are often inaccurately associated with sea level rise. Using observations and models, we show that salinity is highly sensitive to ocean surge, tides, water demand, and upstream discharge. We show that anthropogenic riverbed incision has significantly amplified salt intrusion, exemplifying the importance of preserving sediment budget and riverbed levels to protect deltas against salt intrusion.
Wietse I. van de Lageweg, Stuart J. McLelland, and Daniel R. Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 203–215, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-203-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-203-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Sticky sediments are an important component of many rivers and coasts. Stickiness depends on many factors including the presence of micro-organisms, also known as biofilms. We performed a laboratory study to better understand the role of biofilms in controlling sediment transport and dynamics. We find that sand with biofilms requires significantly higher flow velocities to be mobilised compared to uncolonised sand. This will help improve predictions of sediment in response to currents and waves.
W. A. Marra, S. J. McLelland, D. R. Parsons, B. J. Murphy, E. Hauber, and M. G. Kleinhans
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 389–408, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-389-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-389-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater seepage creates valleys with typical theater-shaped valley heads, which are found on Earth and on Mars. For a better interpretation of these systems, we conducted scale experiments on the formation such valleys. We find that entire landscapes, instead of just the shape of the valleys, provide insights into the source of groundwater. Landscapes filled with valleys indicate a local groundwater source in contrast to sparsely dissected landscapes formed by a distal source of groundwater.
Related subject area
Physical: Geomorphology (including all aspects of fluvial, coastal, aeolian, hillslope and glacial geomorphology)
Acceleration of coastal-retreat rates for high-Arctic rock cliffs on Brøggerhalvøya, Svalbard, over the past decade
The impact of bedrock meander cutoffs on 50 kyr scale incision rates, San Juan River, Utah
How water, temperature, and seismicity control the preconditioning of massive rock slope failure (Hochvogel)
Large structure simulation for landscape evolution models
Terrace formation linked to outburst floods at the Diexi palaeo-landslide dam, upper Minjiang River, eastern Tibetan Plateau
Pliocene shorelines and the epeirogenic motion of continental margins: a target dataset for dynamic topography models
Decadal-scale decay of landslide-derived fluvial suspended sediment after Typhoon Morakot
Role of the forcing sources in morphodynamic modelling of an embayed beach
A machine learning approach to the geomorphometric detection of ribbed moraines in Norway
Stream hydrology controls on ice cliff evolution and survival on debris-covered glaciers
Time-varying drainage basin development and erosion on volcanic edifices
Geomorphic risk maps for river migration using probabilistic modeling – a framework
Evolution of submarine canyons and hanging-wall fans: insights from geomorphic experiments and morphodynamic models
Riverine sediment response to deforestation in the Amazon basin
Physical modeling of ice-sheet-induced salt movements using the example of northern Germany
Downstream rounding rate of pebbles in the Himalaya
Post-fire Variability in Sediment Transport by Ravel in the Diablo Range
A physics-based model for fluvial valley width
Implications for the resilience of modern coastal systems derived from mesoscale barrier dynamics at Fire Island, New York
Quantifying the migration rate of drainage divides from high-resolution topographic data
Validating floc settling velocity models in rivers and freshwater wetlands
Long-term monitoring (1953–2019) of geomorphologically active sections of Little Ice Age lateral moraines in the context of changing meteorological conditions
Coevolving edge rounding and shape of glacial erratics: the case of Shap granite, UK
A simple model for faceted topographies at normal faults based on an extended stream-power law
Geomorphic indices for unveiling fault segmentation and tectono-geomorphic evolution with insights into the impact of inherited topography, Ulsan Fault Zone, Korea
Dimensionless argument: a narrow grain size range near 2 mm plays a special role in river sediment transport and morphodynamics
Path length and sediment transport estimation from DEMs of difference: a signal processing approach
Influence of cohesive clay on wave–current ripple dynamics captured in a 3D phase diagram
Statistical characterization of erosion and sediment transport mechanics in shallow tidal environments – Part 1: Erosion dynamics
Statistical characterization of erosion and sediment transport mechanics in shallow tidal environments – Part 2: Suspended sediment dynamics
Geomorphological and hydrological controls on sediment export in earthquake-affected catchments in the Nepal Himalaya
Optimization of passive acoustic bedload monitoring in rivers by signal inversion
River suspended-sand flux computation with uncertainty estimation, using water samples and high-resolution ADCP measurements
Stochastic properties of coastal flooding events – Part 2: Probabilistic analysis
Field monitoring of pore water pressure in fully and partly saturated debris flows at Ohya landslide scar, Japan
Analysis of autogenic bifurcation processes resulting in river avulsion
Bedload transport fluctuations, flow conditions, and disequilibrium ratio at the Swiss Erlenbach stream: results from 27 years of high-resolution temporal measurements
Stochastic properties of coastal flooding events – Part 1: convolutional-neural-network-based semantic segmentation for water detection
Coexistence of two dune scales in a lowland river
Alpine hillslope failure in the western US: insights from the Chaos Canyon landslide, Rocky Mountain National Park, USA
Barchan swarm dynamics from a Two-Flank Agent-Based Model
Using repeat UAV-based laser scanning and multispectral imagery to explore eco-geomorphic feedbacks along a river corridor
Numerical modelling of the evolution of a river reach with a complex morphology to help define future sustainable restoration decisions
Method to evaluate large-wood behavior in terms of the convection equation associated with sediment erosion and deposition
Effects of seasonal variations in vegetation and precipitation on catchment erosion rates along a climate and ecological gradient: insights from numerical modeling
On the use of convolutional deep learning to predict shoreline change
On the use of packing models for the prediction of fluvial sediment porosity
Automated riverbed composition analysis using deep learning on underwater images
Marsh-induced backwater: the influence of non-fluvial sedimentation on a delta's channel morphology and kinematics
Spatial and temporal variations in rockwall erosion rates derived from cosmogenic 10Be in medial moraines at five valley glaciers around Pigne d'Arolla, Switzerland
Juditha Aga, Livia Piermattei, Luc Girod, Kristoffer Aalstad, Trond Eiken, Andreas Kääb, and Sebastian Westermann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 1049–1070, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1049-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1049-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Coastal rock cliffs on Svalbard are considered to be fairly stable; however, long-term trends in coastal-retreat rates remain unknown. This study examines changes in the coastline position along Brøggerhalvøya, Svalbard, using aerial images from 1970, 1990, 2010, and 2021. Our analysis shows that coastal-retreat rates accelerate during the period 2010–2021, which coincides with increasing storminess and retreating sea ice.
Aaron T. Steelquist, Gustav B. Seixas, Mary L. Gillam, Sourav Saha, Seulgi Moon, and George E. Hilley
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 1071–1089, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1071-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1071-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The rates at which rivers erode their bed can be used to interpret the geologic history of a region. However, these rates depend significantly on the time window over which you measure. We use multiple dating methods to determine an incision rate for the San Juan River and compare it to regional rates with longer timescales. We demonstrate how specific geologic events, such as cutoffs of bedrock meander bends, are likely to preserve material we can date but also bias the rates we measure.
Johannes Leinauer, Michael Dietze, Sibylle Knapp, Riccardo Scandroglio, Maximilian Jokel, and Michael Krautblatter
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 1027–1048, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1027-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1027-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Massive rock slope failures are a significant alpine hazard and change the Earth's surface. Therefore, we must understand what controls the preparation of such events. By correlating 4 years of slope displacements with meteorological and seismic data, we found that water from rain and snowmelt is the most important driver. Our approach is applicable to similar sites and indicates where future climatic changes, e.g. in rain intensity and frequency, may alter the preparation of slope failure.
Julien Coatléven and Benoit Chauveau
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 995–1026, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-995-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-995-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The aim of this paper is to explain how to incorporate classical water flow routines into landscape evolution models while keeping numerical errors under control. The key idea is to adapt filtering strategies to eliminate anomalous numerical errors and mesh dependencies, as confirmed by convergence tests with analytic solutions. The emergence of complex geomorphic structures is now driven exclusively by nonlinear heterogeneous physical processes rather than by random numerical artifacts.
Jingjuan Li, John D. Jansen, Xuanmei Fan, Zhiyong Ding, Shugang Kang, and Marco Lovati
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 953–971, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-953-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-953-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we investigated the geomorphology, sedimentology, and chronology of Tuanjie (seven terraces) and Taiping (three terraces) terraces in Diexi, eastern Tibetan Plateau. Results highlight that two damming and three outburst events occurred in the area during the late Pleistocene, and the outburst floods have been a major factor in the formation of tectonically active mountainous river terraces. Tectonic activity and climatic changes play a minor role.
Andrew Hollyday, Maureen E. Raymo, Jacqueline Austermann, Fred Richards, Mark Hoggard, and Alessio Rovere
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 883–905, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-883-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-883-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Sea level was significantly higher during the Pliocene epoch, around 3 million years ago. The present-day elevations of shorelines that formed in the past provide a data constraint on the extent of ice sheet melt and the global sea level response under warm Pliocene conditions. In this study, we identify 10 escarpments that formed from wave-cut erosion during Pliocene times and compare their elevations with model predictions of solid Earth deformation processes to estimate past sea level.
Gregory A. Ruetenik, Ken L. Ferrier, and Odin Marc
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 863–881, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-863-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-863-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Fluvial sediment fluxes increased dramatically in Taiwan during Typhoon Morakot in 2009, which produced some of the heaviest landsliding on record. We analyzed fluvial discharge and suspended sediment concentration data at 87 gauging stations across Taiwan to quantify fluvial sediment responses since Morakot. In basins heavily impacted by landsliding, rating curve coefficients sharply increased during Morakot and then declined exponentially with a characteristic decay time of <10 years.
Nil Carrion-Bertran, Albert Falqués, Francesca Ribas, Daniel Calvete, Rinse de Swart, Ruth Durán, Candela Marco-Peretó, Marta Marcos, Angel Amores, Tim Toomey, Àngels Fernández-Mora, and Jorge Guillén
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 819–839, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-819-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-819-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The sensitivity to the wave and sea-level forcing sources in predicting a 6-month embayed beach evolution is assessed using two different morphodynamic models. After a successful model calibration using in situ data, other sources are applied. The wave source choice is critical: hindcast data provide wrong results due to an angle bias, whilst the correct dynamics are recovered with the wave conditions from an offshore buoy. The use of different sea-level sources gives no significant differences.
Thomas J. Barnes, Thomas V. Schuler, Simon Filhol, and Karianne S. Lilleøren
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 801–818, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-801-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-801-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we use machine learning to automatically outline landforms based on their characteristics. We test several methods to identify the most accurate and then proceed to develop the most accurate to improve its accuracy further. We manage to outline landforms with 65 %–75 % accuracy, at a resolution of 10 m, thanks to high-quality/high-resolution elevation data. We find that it is possible to run this method at a country scale to quickly produce landform inventories for future studies.
Eric Petersen, Regine Hock, and Michael G. Loso
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 727–745, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-727-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-727-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice cliffs are melt hot spots that increase melt rates on debris-covered glaciers which otherwise see a reduction in melt rates. In this study, we show how surface runoff streams contribute to the generation, evolution, and survival of ice cliffs by carving into the glacier and transporting rocky debris. On Kennicott Glacier, Alaska, 33 % of ice cliffs are actively influenced by streams, while nearly half are within 10 m of streams.
Daniel O'Hara, Liran Goren, Roos M. J. van Wees, Benjamin Campforts, Pablo Grosse, Pierre Lahitte, Gabor Kereszturi, and Matthieu Kervyn
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 709–726, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-709-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-709-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding how volcanic edifices develop drainage basins remains unexplored in landscape evolution. Using digital evolution models of volcanoes with varying ages, we quantify the geometries of their edifices and associated drainage basins through time. We find that these metrics correlate with edifice age and are thus useful indicators of a volcano’s history. We then develop a generalized model for how volcano basins develop and compare our results to basin evolution in other settings.
Brayden Noh, Omar Wani, Kieran B. J. Dunne, and Michael P. Lamb
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 691–708, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-691-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-691-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we propose a framework for generating risk maps that provide the probabilities of erosion due to river migration. This framework uses concepts from probability theory to learn the river migration model's parameter values from satellite data while taking into account parameter uncertainty. Our analysis shows that such geomorphic risk estimation is more reliable than models that do not explicitly consider various sources of variability and uncertainty.
Steven Y. J. Lai, David Amblas, Aaron Micallef, and Hervé Capart
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 621–640, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-621-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-621-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study explores the creation of submarine canyons and hanging-wall fans on active faults, which can be defined by gravity-dominated breaching and underflow-dominated diffusion processes. The study reveals the self-similarity in canyon–fan long profiles, uncovers Hack’s scaling relationship and proposes a formula to estimate fan volume using canyon length. This is validated by global data from source-to-sink systems, providing insights into deep-water sedimentary processes.
Anuska Narayanan, Sagy Cohen, and John R. Gardner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 581–599, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-581-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-581-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates the profound impact of deforestation in the Amazon on sediment dynamics. Novel remote sensing data and statistical analyses reveal significant changes, especially in heavily deforested regions, with rapid effects within a year. In less disturbed areas, a 1- to 2-year lag occurs, influenced by natural sediment shifts and human activities. These findings highlight the need to understand the consequences of human activity for our planet's future.
Jacob Hardt, Tim P. Dooley, and Michael R. Hudec
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 559–579, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-559-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-559-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the reaction of salt structures on ice sheet transgressions. We used a series of sandbox models that enabled us to experiment with scaled-down versions of salt bodies from northern Germany. The strongest reactions occurred when large salt pillows were partly covered by the ice load. Subsurface salt structures may play an important role in the energy transition, e.g., as energy storage. Thus, it is important to understand all processes that affect their stability.
Prakash Pokhrel, Mikael Attal, Hugh D. Sinclair, Simon M. Mudd, and Mark Naylor
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 515–536, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-515-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-515-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Pebbles become increasingly rounded during downstream transport in rivers due to abrasion. This study quantifies pebble roundness along the length of two Himalayan rivers. We demonstrate that roundness increases with downstream distance and that the rates are dependent on rock type. We apply this to reconstructing travel distances and hence the size of ancient Himalaya. Results show that the ancient river network was larger than the modern one, indicating that there has been river capture.
Hayden L. Jacobson, Danica L. Roth, Gabriel Walton, Margaret Zimmer, and Kerri Johnson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2694, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2694, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Loose grains travel farther after a fire because no vegetation is left to stop them. This matters since loose grains at the base of a slope can turn into a debris flow if it rains. To find if grass growing back after a fire had different impacts on grains of different sizes on slopes of different steepness, we dropped thousands of natural grains and measured how far they went. Large grains went farther 7 months after the fire than 11 months after, and small grain movement didn’t change much.
Jens Martin Turowski, Aaron Bufe, and Stefanie Tofelde
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 493–514, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-493-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-493-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Fluvial valleys are ubiquitous landforms, and understanding their formation and evolution affects a wide range of disciplines from archaeology and geology to fish biology. Here, we develop a model to predict the width of fluvial valleys for a wide range of geographic conditions. In the model, fluvial valley width is controlled by the two competing factors of lateral channel mobility and uplift. The model complies with available data and yields a broad range of quantitative predictions.
Daniel J. Ciarletta, Jennifer L. Miselis, Julie C. Bernier, and Arnell S. Forde
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 449–475, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-449-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-449-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We reconstructed the evolution of Fire Island, a barrier island in New York, USA, to identify drivers of landscape change. Results reveal Fire Island was once divided into multiple inlet-separated islands with distinct features. Later, inlets closed, and Fire Island’s landscape became more uniform as human activities intensified. The island is now less mobile and less likely to resist and recover from storm impacts and sea level rise. This vulnerability may exist for other stabilized barriers.
Chao Zhou, Xibin Tan, Yiduo Liu, and Feng Shi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 433–448, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-433-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The drainage-divide stability provides new insights into both the river network evolution and the tectonic and/or climatic changes. Several methods have been proposed to determine the direction of drainage-divide migration. However, how to quantify the migration rate of drainage divides remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a new method to calculate the migration rate of drainage divides from high-resolution topographic data.
Justin A. Nghiem, Gen K. Li, Joshua P. Harringmeyer, Gerard Salter, Cédric G. Fichot, Luca Cortese, and Michael P. Lamb
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-524, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-524, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Fine sediment grains in freshwater can cohere into faster settling particles called flocs, but floc settling velocity theory has not been fully validated. Data from the Wax Lake Delta verify a semi-empirical model relying on turbulence and geochemical factors. We showed that the representative grain diameter within flocs relies on floc structure and that floc internal flow follows a model in which flocs consist of permeable grain clusters, thus improving a physics-based settling velocity model.
Moritz Altmann, Madlene Pfeiffer, Florian Haas, Jakob Rom, Fabian Fleischer, Tobias Heckmann, Livia Piermattei, Michael Wimmer, Lukas Braun, Manuel Stark, Sarah Betz-Nutz, and Michael Becht
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 399–431, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-399-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-399-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We show a long-term erosion monitoring of several sections on Little Ice Age lateral moraines with derived sediment yield from historical and current digital elevation modelling (DEM)-based differences. The first study period shows a clearly higher range of variability of sediment yield within the sites than the later periods. In most cases, a decreasing trend of geomorphic activity was observed.
Paul A. Carling
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 381–397, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-381-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-381-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Edge rounding in Shap granite glacial erratics is an irregular function of distance from the source outcrop in northern England, UK. Block shape is conservative, evolving according to block fracture mechanics – stochastic and silver ratio models – towards either of two attractor states. Progressive reduction in size occurs for blocks transported at the sole of the ice mass where the blocks are subject to compressive and tensile forces of the ice acting against a bedrock or till surface.
Stefan Hergarten
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-336, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-336, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Faceted topographies are impressing footprints of active tectonics in geomorphology. This paper investigates the evolution of faceted topographies at normal faults and its interaction with the river network theoretically and numerically. As a main result beyond several relations for the the geometry of facets, the horizontal displacement associated to normal faults is crucial for the dissection of initially polygonal facets into triangular facets bounded by almost parallel rivers.
Cho-Hee Lee, Yeong Bae Seong, John Weber, Sangmin Ha, Dong-Eun Kim, and Byung Yong Yu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-198, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-198, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Geomorphic indices were used to understand topographic changes in response to tectonic activity. We applied indices to evaluate the relative tectonic intensity of Ulsan Fault Zone, one of the most active fault zones in Korea. We divided the UFZ into five segments based on spatial variation in intensity. We modelled the landscape evolution of study area and interpreted tectono-geomorphic history that the northern part of the UFZ experienced asymmetric uplift, while the southern part did not.
Gary Parker, Chenge An, Michael P. Lamb, Marcelo H. Garcia, Elizabeth H. Dingle, and Jeremy G. Venditti
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 367–380, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
River morphology has traditionally been divided by the size 2 mm. We use dimensionless arguments to show that particles in the 1–5 mm range (i) are the finest range not easily suspended by alluvial flood flows, (ii) are transported preferentially over coarser gravel, and (iii), within limits, are also transported preferentially over sand. We show how fluid viscosity mediates the special status of sediment in this range.
Lindsay Marie Capito, Enrico Pandrin, Walter Bertoldi, Nicola Surian, and Simone Bizzi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 321–345, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-321-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-321-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We propose that the pattern of erosion and deposition from repeat topographic surveys can be a proxy for path length in gravel-bed rivers. With laboratory and field data, we applied tools from signal processing to quantify this periodicity and used these path length estimates to calculate sediment transport using the morphological method. Our results highlight the potential to expand the use of the morphological method using only remotely sensed data as well as its limitations.
Xuxu Wu, Jonathan Malarkey, Roberto Fernández, Jaco H. Baas, Ellen Pollard, and Daniel R. Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 231–247, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-231-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-231-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The seabed changes from flat to rippled in response to the frictional influence of waves and currents. This experimental study has shown that the speed of this change, the size of ripples that result and even whether ripples appear also depend on the amount of sticky mud present. This new classification on the basis of initial mud content should lead to improvements in models of seabed change in present environments by engineers and the interpretation of past environments by geologists.
Andrea D'Alpaos, Davide Tognin, Laura Tommasini, Luigi D'Alpaos, Andrea Rinaldo, and Luca Carniello
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 181–199, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-181-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-181-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment erosion induced by wind waves is one of the main drivers of the morphological evolution of shallow tidal environments. However, a reliable description of erosion events for the long-term morphodynamic modelling of tidal systems is still lacking. By statistically characterizing sediment erosion dynamics in the Venice Lagoon over the last 4 centuries, we set up a novel framework for a synthetic, yet reliable, description of erosion events in tidal systems.
Davide Tognin, Andrea D'Alpaos, Luigi D'Alpaos, Andrea Rinaldo, and Luca Carniello
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 201–218, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-201-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-201-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Reliable quantification of sediment transport processes is necessary to understand the fate of shallow tidal environments. Here we present a framework for the description of suspended sediment dynamics to quantify deposition in the long-term modelling of shallow tidal systems. This characterization, together with that of erosion events, allows one to set up synthetic, yet reliable, models for the long-term evolution of tidal landscapes.
Emma L. S. Graf, Hugh D. Sinclair, Mikaël Attal, Boris Gailleton, Basanta Raj Adhikari, and Bishnu Raj Baral
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 135–161, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-135-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-135-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using satellite images, we show that, unlike other examples of earthquake-affected rivers, the rivers of central Nepal experienced little increase in sedimentation following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. Instead, a catastrophic flood occurred in 2021 that buried towns and agricultural land under up to 10 m of sediment. We show that intense storms remobilised glacial sediment from high elevations causing much a greater impact than flushing of earthquake-induced landslides.
Mohamad Nasr, Adele Johannot, Thomas Geay, Sebastien Zanker, Jules Le Guern, and Alain Recking
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 117–134, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-117-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-117-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrophones are used to monitor sediment transport in the river by listening to the acoustic noise generated by particle impacts on the riverbed. However, this acoustic noise is modified by the river flow and can cause misleading information about sediment transport. This article proposes a model that corrects the measured acoustic signal. Testing the model showed that the corrected signal is better correlated with bedload flux in the river.
Jessica Laible, Guillaume Dramais, Jérôme Le Coz, Blaise Calmel, Benoît Camenen, David J. Topping, William Santini, Gilles Pierrefeu, and François Lauters
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2348, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2348, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Suspended-sand fluxes in rivers vary with time and space, complicating their measurement. The proposed method captures the vertical and lateral variations of suspended-sand concentration throughout a river cross section. It merges water samples taken at various positions throughout the cross section with high-resolution acoustic velocity and discharge measurements. The method also determines the sand flux uncertainty and can be easily applied to other sites using the available open-source code.
Byungho Kang, Rusty A. Feagin, Thomas Huff, and Orencio Durán Vinent
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 105–115, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-105-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-105-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We provide a detailed characterization of the frequency, intensity and duration of flooding events at a site along the Texas coast. Our analysis demonstrates the suitability of relatively simple wave run-up models to estimate the frequency and intensity of coastal flooding. Our results validate and expand a probabilistic model of coastal flooding driven by wave run-up that can then be used in coastal risk management in response to sea level rise.
Shunsuke Oya, Fumitoshi Imaizumi, and Shoki Takayama
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 67–86, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-67-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-67-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The monitoring of pore water pressure in fully and partly saturated debris flows was performed at Ohya landslide scar, central Japan. The pore water pressure in some partly saturated flows greatly exceeded the hydrostatic pressure. The depth gradient of the pore water pressure in the lower part of the flow was generally higher than the upper part of the flow. We conclude that excess pore water pressure is present in many debris flow surges and is an important mechanism in debris flow behavior.
Gabriele Barile, Marco Redolfi, and Marco Tubino
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 87–103, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-87-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-87-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
River bifurcations often show the closure of one branch (avulsion), whose causes are still poorly understood. Our model shows that when one branch stops transporting sediments, the other considerably erodes and captures much more flow, resulting in a self-sustaining process. This phenomenon intensifies when increasing the length of the branches, eventually leading to branch closure. This work may help to understand when avulsions occur and thus to design sustainable river restoration projects.
Dieter Rickenmann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 11–34, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-11-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-11-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Field measurements of the bedload flux with a high temporal resolution in a steep mountain stream were used to analyse the transport fluctuations as a function of the flow conditions. The disequilibrium ratio, a proxy for the solid particle concentration in the flow, was found to influence the sediment transport behaviour, and above-average disequilibrium conditions – associated with a larger sediment availability on the streambed – substantially affect subsequent transport conditions.
Byungho Kang, Rusty A. Feagin, Thomas Huff, and Orencio Durán Vinent
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Coastal flooding can cause significant damage to coastal ecosystems, infrastructure, and communities and is expected to increase in frequency with the acceleration of sea level rise. In order to respond to it, it is crucial to measure and model their frequency and intensity. Here, we show deep-learning techniques can be successfully used to automatically detect flooding events from complex coastal imagery, opening the way to real-time monitoring and data acquisition for model development.
Judith Y. Zomer, Bart Vermeulen, and Antonius J. F. Hoitink
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1283–1298, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1283-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1283-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary bedforms that are superimposed on large, primary dunes likely play a large role in fluvial systems. This study demonstrates that they can be omnipresent. Especially during peak flows, they grow large and can have steep slopes, likely affecting flood risk and sediment transport dynamics. Primary dune morphology determines whether they continuously or intermittently migrate. During discharge peaks, the secondary bedforms can become the dominant dune scale.
Matthew C. Morriss, Benjamin Lehmann, Benjamin Campforts, George Brencher, Brianna Rick, Leif S. Anderson, Alexander L. Handwerger, Irina Overeem, and Jeffrey Moore
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1251–1274, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1251-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1251-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we investigate the 28 June 2022 collapse of the Chaos Canyon landslide in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. We find that the landslide was moving prior to its collapse and took place at peak spring snowmelt; temperature modeling indicates the potential presence of permafrost. We hypothesize that this landslide could be part of the broader landscape evolution changes to alpine terrain caused by a warming climate, leading to thawing alpine permafrost.
Dominic T. Robson and Andreas C. W. Baas
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2900, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2900, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We present simulations of large populations (swarms) of a type of sand dune known as barchans. Our findings reveal that the rate at which sand moves inside an asymmetric barchan is vital to the behaviour of swarms and that many observed properties of the dunes can be explained by similar rates. We also show that different directions of the wind and the density of dunes added to swarms play important roles in shaping their evolution.
Christopher Tomsett and Julian Leyland
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1223–1249, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1223-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1223-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Vegetation influences how rivers change through time, yet the way in which we analyse vegetation is limited. Current methods collect detailed data at the individual plant level or determine dominant vegetation types across larger areas. Herein, we use UAVs to collect detailed vegetation datasets for a 1 km length of river and link vegetation properties to channel evolution occurring within the study site, providing a new method for investigating the influence of vegetation on river systems.
Rabab Yassine, Ludovic Cassan, Hélène Roux, Olivier Frysou, and François Pérès
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1199–1221, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1199-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1199-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Predicting river morphology evolution is very complicated, especially for mountain rivers with complex morphologies such as the Lac des Gaves reach in France. A 2D hydromorphological model was developed to reproduce the channel's evolution and provide reliable volumetric predictions while revealing the challenge of choosing adapted sediment transport and friction laws. Our model can provide decision-makers with reliable predictions to design suitable restoration measures for this reach.
Daisuke Harada and Shinji Egashira
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1183–1197, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1183-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1183-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper proposes a method for describing large-wood behavior in terms of the convection equation and the storage equation, which are associated with active sediment erosion and deposition. Compared to the existing Lagrangian method, the proposed method can easily simulate the behavior of large wood in the flow field with active sediment transport. The method is applied to the flood disaster in the Akatani River in 2017, and the 2-D flood flow computations are successfully performed.
Hemanti Sharma and Todd A. Ehlers
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1161–1181, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1161-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1161-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Seasonality in precipitation (P) and vegetation (V) influences catchment erosion (E), although which factor plays the dominant role is unclear. In this study, we performed a sensitivity analysis of E to P–V seasonality through numerical modeling. Our results suggest that P variations strongly influence seasonal variations in E, while the effect of seasonal V variations is secondary but significant. This is more pronounced in moderate and least pronounced in extreme environmental settings.
Eduardo Gomez-de la Peña, Giovanni Coco, Colin Whittaker, and Jennifer Montaño
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1145–1160, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1145-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1145-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Predicting how shorelines change over time is a major challenge in coastal research. We here have turned to deep learning (DL), a data-driven modelling approach, to predict the movement of shorelines using observations from a camera system in New Zealand. The DL models here implemented succeeded in capturing the variability and distribution of the observed shoreline data. Overall, these findings indicate that DL has the potential to enhance the accuracy of current shoreline change predictions.
Christoph Rettinger, Mina Tabesh, Ulrich Rüde, Stefan Vollmer, and Roy M. Frings
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1097–1115, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1097-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Packing models promise efficient and accurate porosity predictions of fluvial sediment deposits. In this study, three packing models were reviewed, calibrated, and validated. Only two of the models were able to handle the continuous and large grain size distributions typically encountered in rivers. We showed that an extension by a cohesion model is necessary and developed guidelines for successful predictions in different rivers.
Alexander A. Ermilov, Gergely Benkő, and Sándor Baranya
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1061–1095, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1061-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1061-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A novel, artificial-intelligence-based riverbed sediment analysis methodology is introduced that uses underwater images to identify the characteristic sediment classes. The main novelties of the procedure are as follows: underwater images are used, the method enables continuous mapping of the riverbed along the measurement vessel’s route contrary to conventional techniques, the method is cost-efficient, and the method works without scaling.
Kelly M. Sanks, John B. Shaw, Samuel M. Zapp, José Silvestre, Ripul Dutt, and Kyle M. Straub
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1035–1060, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1035-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1035-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
River deltas encompass many depositional environments (like channels and wetlands) that interact to produce coastal environments that change through time. The processes leading to sedimentation in wetlands are often neglected from physical delta models. We show that wetland sedimentation constrains flow to the channels, changes sedimentation rates, and produces channels more akin to field-scale deltas. These results have implications for the management of these vulnerable coastal landscapes.
Katharina Wetterauer and Dirk Scherler
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1013–1033, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1013-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1013-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In glacial landscapes, debris supply rates vary spatially and temporally. Rockwall erosion rates derived from cosmogenic 10Be concentrations in medial moraine debris at five Swiss glaciers around Pigne d'Arolla indicate an increase in erosion from the end of the Little Ice Age towards deglaciation but temporally more stable rates over the last ∼100 years. Rockwall erosion rates are higher where rockwalls are steep and north-facing, suggesting a potential slope and temperature control.
Cited articles
Anthony, E. J., Brunier, G., Besset, M., Goichot, M., Dussouillez, P., and
Nguyen, V. L.: Linking rapid erosion of the Mekong River delta to human
activities, Nat. Publ. Gr., 5, 14745, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14745, 2015.
Ashraf, M. A., Maah, M. J., Yusoff, I., Wajid, A., and Mahmood, K.: Sand
mining effects, causes and concerns: A case study from Bestari Jaya, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia, Sci. Res. Essays, 6, 1216–1231, 2011.
Bagnold, R. A.: An empirical correlation of bedload transport rates in flumes
and natural rivers, P. Roy. Soc. A, 372, 453–473, 1980.
Barman, B., Kumar, B., and Sarma, A. K.: Turbulent flow structures and
geomorphic characteristics of a mining affected alluvial channel, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 43, 1811–1824, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4355, 2018.
Bendixen, M., Best, J. L., Hackney, C. R., and Iversen, L. L.: Time is running out for sand, Nature, 571, 29–31, https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-02042-4, 2019.
Best, J.: Anthropogenic stresses on the world's big rivers, Nat. Geosci., 12, 7–21, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0262-x, 2019.
Best, J. and Darby, S. E.: The Pace of Human-Induced Change in Large Rivers:
Stresses, Resilience, and Vulnerability to Extreme Events, One Earth, 2, 510–514, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.021, 2020.
Bhattacharya, J. P., Miall, A. D., Ferron, C., Gabriel, J., Randazzo, N.,
Kynaston, D., Jicha, B. R., and Singer, B. S.: Time-stratigraphy in point
sourced river deltas: Application to sediment budgets, shelf construction,
and paleo-storm records, Earth-Sci. Rev., 199, 102985,
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EARSCIREV.2019.102985, 2019.
Bisht, A.: Conceptualizing sand extractivism: Deconstructing an emerging
resource frontier, Extract. Indust. Soc., 8, 100904, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2021.100904, 2021.
Bravard, J.-P., Goichot, M., and Gaiillot, S.: Geography of sand and gravel
mining in the Lower Mekong River, EchoGéo, 26, 1–20, https://doi.org/10.4000/echogeo.13659, 2013.
Bridge, J. S.: The interaction between channel geometry, water flow, sediment transport and deposition in braided rivers, Geol. Soc. Lond. Spec. Publ., 75, 13–71, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1993.075.01.02, 1993.
Brunier, G., Anthony, E. J., Goichot, M., Provansal, M., and Dussouillez, P.:
Recent morphological changes in the Mekong and Bassac river channels, Mekong
delta: The marked impact of river-bed mining and implications for delta
destabilisation, Geomorphology, 224, 177–191,
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.GEOMORPH.2014.07.009, 2014.
Bussi, G., Darby, S. E., Whitehead, P. G., Jin, L., Dadson, S. J., Voepel, H. E., Vasilopoulos, G., Hackney, C. R., Hutton, C., Berchoux, T., Parsons, D. R., and Nicholas, A.: Impact of dams and climate change on suspended sediment flux to the Mekong delta, Sci. Total Environ., 755, 142468,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142468, 2021.
Dai, A. and Trenberth, K. E.: Estimates of freshwater discharge from
continents: Latitudinal and seasonal variations, J. Hydrometerol., 3, 660–687, https://doi.org/10.1175/1525-7541(2002)003<0660:EOFDFC>2.0.CO;2, 2002.
Darby, S. E., Hackney, C. R., Leyland, J., Kummu, M., Lauri, H., Parsons, D.
R., Best, J. L., Nicholas, A. P., and Aalto, R.: Fluvial sediment supply to a
mega-delta reduced by shifting tropical-cyclone activity, Nature, 539, 276–279, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19809, 2016.
Duan, H., Cao, Z., Shen, M., Liu, D., and Xiao, Q.: Detection of illicit sand
mining and the associated environmental effects in China's fourth largest
freshwater lake using daytime and nighttime satellite images, Sci. Total
Environ., 647, 606–618, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.359, 2019.
Eslami, S., Hoekstra, P., Nguyen Trung, N., Ahmed Kantoush, S., Van Binh, D., Duc Dung, D., Tran Quang, T., and van der Vegt, M.: Tidal amplification and salt intrusion in the Mekong Delta driven by anthropogenic sediment starvation, Sci. Rep., 9, 18746, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55018-9, 2019.
Ha, D. T., Ouillon, S., and Van Vinh, G.: Water and suspended sediment budgets in the lower mekong from high-frequency measurements (2009–2016),
Water, 10, 846, https://doi.org/10.3390/w10070846, 2018.
Hackney, C. R., Darby, S. E., Parsons, D. R., Leyland, J., Best, J. L., Aalto, R., Nicholas, A. P., and Houseago, R. C.: River bank instability from
unsustainable sand mining in the lower Mekong River, Nat. Sustain., 3, 217–225, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0455-3, 2020.
Haffner, A.: Kingdom of sand, South East Asian Globe, 3rd December, available at:
https://southeastasiaglobe.com/a-kingdom-built-on-sand/?pico_new_user=true&pico_ui=verified (last access: 5 January 2021), 2020.
Jordan, C., Tiede, J., Lojek, O., Visscher, J., Apel, H., Nguyen, H. Q., Quang, C. N. X., and Schlurmann, T.: Sand mining in the Mekong Delta revisited – current scales of local sediment deficits, Sci. Rep., 9, 17823, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53804-z, 2019.
Koehnken, L. and Rintoul, M.: Impacts of Sand Mining on Ecosystem Structure,
Process & Biodiversity in Rivers, available at:
https://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/sand_mining_impacts_on_world_rivers__final_.pdf (last access: 14 August 2019), 2018.
Koehnken, L., Rintoul, M. S., Goichot, M., Tickner, D., Loftus, A., and Acreman, M. C.: Impacts of riverine sand mining on freshwater ecosystems: A
review of the scientific evidence and guidance for future research, River Res. Appl., 36, 362–370, https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3586, 2020.
Kondolf, G. M., Rubin, Z. K., and Minear, J. T.: Dams on the Mekong:
Cumulative sediment starvation, Water Resour. Res., 50, 5158–5169,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR014651, 2014.
Kondolf, G. M., Schmitt, R. J. P., Carling, P., Darby, S., Arias, M., Bizzi,
S., Castelletti, A., Cochrane, T. A., Gibson, S., Kummu, M., Oeurng, C., Rubin, Z., and Wild, T.: Changing sediment budget of the Mekong: Cumulative
threats and management strategies for a large river basin, Sci. Total Environ., 625, 114–134, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2017.11.361, 2018.
Kondols, G. M.: The reclamation concept in regulation of gravel mining in California, J. Environ. Plan. Manage., 36, 395–406, https://doi.org/10.1080/09640569308711954, 1993.
Loc, H. H., Van Binh, D., Park, E., Shrestha, S., Dung, T. D., Son, V. H.,
Truc, N. H. T., Mai, N. P., and Seijger, C.: Intensifying saline water
intrusion and drought in the Mekong Delta: From physical evidence to policy
outlooks, Sci. Total Environ., 757, 143919, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143919, 2021.
Mekong River Commission: Manual Water Level time-series dataset for the Kratie [014901] monitoring station in Cambodia [data set], available at:
https://portal.mrcmekong.org/data-catalogue?q=17c0ffe74e224b50a9e3142fc404262b&size=n_20_n (last access: 20 January 2021), 2021a.
Mekong River Commission: Daily discharge time-series dataset for the Kratie [014901] monitoring station in Cambodia [data set], available at:
https://portal.mrcmekong.org/data-catalogue?q=fca7bee14dcf43a59263158f18a88509&size=n_20_n
(last access: 20 January 2021), 2021b.
Mialhe, F., Gunnell, Y., Navratil, O., Choi, D., Sovann, C., Lejot, J., Gaudou, B., Se, B., and Landon, N.: Spatial growth of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(1973–2015): Patterns, rates, and socio-ecological consequences, Land Use
Policy, 87, 104061, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104061, 2019.
Miatto, A., Schandl, H., Fishman, T., and Tanikawa, H.: Global patterns and
trends for non-metallic minearls used for construction, J. Indust. Ecol., 21, 924–937, https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12471, 2017.
Milliman, J. D. and Farnsworth, K. L.: River discharge to the coastal ocean,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2011.
MRC: The Flow of the Mekong, Mekong River Commission Secretariat, Vientiane, Laos, available at: https://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/report-management-develop/MRC-IM-No2-the-flow-of-the-mekong.pdf (last access: 10 October 2019), 2009.
Nittrouer, J. A., Allison, M. A., and Campanella, R.: Bedform transport rates
for the lowermost Mississippi River, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 113, 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JF000795, 2008.
Nuon, V., Lek, S., Ngor, P. B., So, N., and Grenouillet, G.: Fish Community
Responses to Human-Induced Stresses in the Lower Mekong Basin, Water, 12, 3522, https://doi.org/10.3390/w12123522, 2020.
Park, E., Loc Ho, H., Tran, D. D., Yang, X., Alcantara, E., Merino, E., and
Son, V. H.: Dramatic decrease of flood frequency in the Mekong Delta due to
river-bed mining and dyke construction, Sci. Total Environ., 723, 138066, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138066, 2020.
Peduzzi, P.: Sand, rarer than one thinks, Environ. Dev., 11, 208–218, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2014.04.001, 2014.
Planet Team: Planet Application Program Interface: In Space for Life on Earth, San Francisco, CA, available at: https://api.planet.com (last access: 14 January 2021), 2018.
Räsänen, T. A., Someth, P., Lauri, H., Koponen, J., Sarkkula, J., and
Kummu, M.: Observed river discharge changes due to hydropower operations in
the Upper Mekong Basin, J. Hydrol., 545, 28–41, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JHYDROL.2016.12.023, 2017.
Schmitt, R. J. P., Rubin, Z., and Kondolf, G. M.: Losing ground – scenarios
of land loss as consequence of shifting sediment budgets in the Mekong
Delta, Geomorphology, 294, 58–69, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.04.029, 2017.
Torres, A., Brandt, J., Lear, K., and Liu, J.: A looming tragedy of the sand
commons, Science, 357, 970–971, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao0503, 2017.
UNEP: Sand and Sustainability: Finding New Solutions for Environmental
Governance of Global Sand Resources, available at:
https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/28163, last access: 3 November 2019.
Vasilopoulos, G., Quan, Q. L., Parsons, D. R., Darby, S. E., Tri, V. P. D., Hung, N. N., Haigh, I. D., Voepel, H. E., Nicholas, A. P., and Aalto, R.: Establishing sustainable sediment budgets is critical for climate-resilient mega-deltas, Environ. Res. Lett., 16, 064089, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac06fc, 2021.
Walling, D. E. and Fang, D.: Recent trends in the suspended sediment loads of the world's rivers, Global Planet. Change, 39, 111–126,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8181(03)00020-1, 2003.
Xin, W. and Park, E.: Shrinking Tonlé Sap and the recent intensification
of sand mining in the Cambodian Mekong River, Sci. Total Environ., 777, 146180, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146180, 2021.
Short summary
Unsustainable sand mining poses a threat to the stability of river channels. We use satellite imagery to estimate volumes of material removed from the Mekong River, Cambodia, over the period 2016–2020. We demonstrate that current rates of extraction now exceed previous estimates for the entire Mekong Basin and significantly exceed the volume of sand naturally transported by the river. Our work highlights the importance of satellite imagery in monitoring sand mining activity over large areas.
Unsustainable sand mining poses a threat to the stability of river channels. We use satellite...
