Influence of vegetation on spatial patterns of sediment deposition in deltaic islands during flood

Abstract

River deltas are shaped by the interaction between flow and sediment transport. This morphodynamic interaction is potentially affected by freshwater marsh vegetation (e.g. Sagittaria spp.and Typha spp. in the Mississippi delta, USA) on the exposed surfaces of emergent deltaic islands. The vulnerability of deltaic islands is a result of external forces like large storms, sea level rise, and trapping of sediment in upstream reservoirs. These factors can strongly determine the evolution of the deltaic system by influencing the coupling between vegetation dynamics and morphology. In the last few years, models have been developed to describe the dynamics of salt marsh geomorphology coupled with vegetation growth while the effect of freshwater vegetation on deltaic islands and marshes remains unexplored. Here we use a numerical flow and sediment transport model to determine how vegetation affects the spatial distribution of sediment transport and deposition on deltaic surfaces during flood. Our modeling results show that, for an intermediate value of relative vegetation height and density, sedimentation rate increases at the head of the delta. On the other hand, large values of relative vegetation height and density promote more sedimentation at the delta shoreline. A logical extension of our results is that over time intermediate values of relative vegetation height and density will create a steeper-sloped delta due to sediment trapping at the delta head, whereas relatively taller vegetation will create a larger, but flatter delta due to sediment deposition at the shoreline. This suggests intermediate relative vegetation height and density may create more resilient deltas with higher average elevations.