The timing and magnitude of coarse sediment transport events within an upland, temperate gravel-bed river

Abstract

This paper describes the application of a new instrument to continuously measure bedload transport, an impact sensor, to a 72 km 2 test catchment in the Yorkshire Dales, northern England. Data from a network of impact sensors are linked to repeat surveys of channel morphological response, to get a better understanding of the conditions that lead to sediment generation and transfer. Results suggest certain areas of the catchment act as key sediment sources at the annual time scale, with material being quickly delivered to the lower parts of the catchment along the steep bedrock channel. Sediment transfer within the tributaries occurs in significantly smaller magnitudes than within the main channel; but it moves more frequently and at different times of the year, with transfer rates being strongly conditioned by larger-scale valley geomorphology. The lower 5.6 km reach sees a significant reduction in gradient and a widening of the valley. This permits significant accumulation within the channel, which has persisted for many years. This lower reach is very sensitive to changes in sediment supply and there is good agreement between changes in bedload transport data and the surveyed channel response. These observations have major implications for how river management projects should be developed in upland environments, especially those where large-scale geomorphological controls have a major impact upon the sediment transfer process. Evidence suggests that where river management restricts lateral movement of the channel and transfer of sediment into floodplain storage, changes in sediment supply can lead to areas of severe accumulation, acceleration of bank erosion and exacerbated flood risk.