Sediment Transfer in Steep Upland Catchments (Northern England, UK): Landform and Sediment Source Coupling

Abstract

Headwater catchments have been viewed as active geomorphic environments which generate high sediment yields, however, direct measurements in such settings are rarely undertaken. The dynamics of sediment supply and transfer in steep, UK upland catchments are assessed in this chapter using a series of detailed short-term sediment budget studies. It is demonstrated that sediment transfer in these catchments is relatively inefficient and high rates of erosion and sediment transport only manifest themselves at the local scale. Sediment yields are episodic and often associated with extreme rainfall events. Low sediment fluxes are usually the result of poor coupling between slopes and channels; and headwater and lowland sediment systems. It is concluded that the understanding of upland sediment systems requires full-component sediment budgets carried out at nested scales which link headwater and valley sediment systems.