The response of headwater stream channels to urbanization in the humid tropics

Abstract

AbstractAnalysis of the bankfull cross‐sections of headwater streams in Ado‐Ekiti region of Southwestern Nigeria and their comparison with data from other tropical environments and temperate latitudes reveal that the channel capacities of streams in the humid tropics are relatively smaller than those of temperate regions, averaging 1.51 m2 with a coefficient of variation of 87 per cent. This is attributed to the small stream discharge, the predominantly low and highly seasonal flows of the streams, the low shear stress of stream load, and the stabilizing and protective influence of riparian vegetation and surface incrustations. The chanel capacities of the urban streams (mean = 1.13m2) are about 47 per cent smaller than those of the natural streams (mean = 2.12 m2) in the same ecological zone. In terms of hydraulic efficiency, the urban streams also have relatively inefficient cross‐sections and larger width/depth ratios than their rural or natural counterparts. Resurveys of seventeen monumented cross‐sections reveal that while channel shoulder width increased by only 6 per cent over a one‐year period, channel depth and capacity decreased by 16 per cent and 4 per cent respectively; the observed decrease in channel size occurs entirely in the channel depth dimension. Thus the response of stream channels to the urbanization of small headwater catchments in the humid tropics is probably more of vertical accretion of channel bed and reduction in channel capacity rather than the widely‐reported anomalous enlargement of urban streams through channel widening. The rapid rate of channel aggradation is attributed to excessive rates of sediment production and delivery to streams in urbanized catchments in the humid tropics, rapid deposition of sediments during small runoff events and on the falling stage of storm hydrographs, and the inability of the streams to evacuate the sediments delivered to them despite the increased discharge and peak flow associated with urbanization. The low competence of the urban streams is attributed to the predominance of low flows, very gentle bed slopes, and most importantly the widespread dumping of refuse into the channels thereby reducing flow velocity and promoting backwater flooding, ponding, and sedimentation. The correlations between drainage basin area, a surrogate for stream discharge, and channel capacity are very strong for the rural watersheds, and the regression analysis indicates a tendency towards a steady‐state isometric relationship. Urban channels are, to a large extent, in disequilibrium with the urban hydrological state. However, spatial variations in the degree of urbanization of the catchments, and, therefore in runoff volume and velocity, exercise strong control on channel width, depth, and size. A model of the sequence of stream channel adjustment to the urbanization of small headwater catchments in the humid tropics is presented.