Autogenic incision and terrace formation resulting from abrupt late-glacial base-level fall, lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin, USA

Faulkner, Douglas J.; Larson, Phillip H.; Jol, Harry M.; Running, Garry L.; Loope, Henry M.; Goble, Ronald J.

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.04.016

Cited by 46 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Hence, terrace surfaces created through upstream knickpoint migration are diachronous -become progressively younger upstream despite being a physically continuous unit. Similar results have been reported from field studies (Faulkner et al, 2016;Pazzaglia, 2013). In comparison, incision initiated near-synchronously along the entire experimental channel when triggered by a change in upstream boundary conditions (IQ w , DQ s,in ; Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…A common application of fluvial-terrace mapping is to reconstruct paleolongitudinal channel profiles from terrace remnants (e.g., Faulkner et al, 2016;Hanson et al, 2006;Pederson et al, 2006;Poisson and Avouac, 2004). These profiles are thought to be representative of the former channel profiles, ideally reflecting their geometries immediately prior to a perturbation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such changes in channelbed elevation can be triggered by changes at the upstream end of the river, namely the sediment-to-water-discharge ratio, Q s,in /Q w (Eq. 1; e.g., Dey et al, 2016;Scherler et al, 2015;Schildgen et al, 2016;Tofelde et al, 2017), or by base-level changes at the downstream end (e.g., Fisk, 1944;Merritts et al, 1994;Shen et al, 2012). Drivers for terrace formation through the first mechanism include climatically driven variability in Q w (Hanson et al, 2006;Penck and Brückner, 1909;Scherler et al, 2015;Schildgen et al, 2016;Tofelde et al, 2017) and variability in Q s,in , due to, for example, changes in regolith-production rates on hillslopes (Bull, 1991;Norton et al, 2016;Savi et al, 2015), changes in vegetation cover (Fuller et al, 1998;Garcin et al, 2017;Huntington, 1907), exposure of additional regolith following glacier retreat Savi et al, 2014;Schildgen et al, 2002), or changes in landslide activity (e.g., Bookhagen et al, 2006;McPhillips et al, 2014;Scherler et al, 2016;Schildgen et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Drivers for terrace formation through the first mechanism include climatically driven variability in Q w (Hanson et al, 2006;Penck and Brückner, 1909;Scherler et al, 2015;Schildgen et al, 2016;Tofelde et al, 2017) and variability in Q s,in , due to, for example, changes in regolith-production rates on hillslopes (Bull, 1991;Norton et al, 2016;Savi et al, 2015), changes in vegetation cover (Fuller et al, 1998;Garcin et al, 2017;Huntington, 1907), exposure of additional regolith following glacier retreat Savi et al, 2014;Schildgen et al, 2002), or changes in landslide activity (e.g., Bookhagen et al, 2006;McPhillips et al, 2014;Scherler et al, 2016;Schildgen et al, 2016). River incision and terrace cutting through an upstream-migrating knickzone have been related to changes in glacioeustatic sea level (Fisk, 1944;Merritts et al, 1994;Shen et al, 2012) or lake level (Farabaugh and Rigsby, 2005). In some cases, internal dynamics of the system, sometimes referred to as "autogenic processes", lead to terrace formation that cannot be directly linked to external forcing (e.g., Erkens et al, 2009;Limaye and Lamb, 2016;Malatesta et al, 2017;Patton and Schumm, 1981;Womack and Schumm, 1977).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alluvial channel response to environmental perturbations: fill-terrace formation and sediment-signal disruption

et al. 2019

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The sensitivity of fluvial systems to tectonic and climatic boundary conditions allows us to use the geomorphic and stratigraphic records as quantitative archives of past climatic and tectonic conditions. Thus, fluvial terraces that form on alluvial fans and floodplains as well as the rate of sediment export to oceanic and continental basins are commonly used to reconstruct paleoenvironments. However, we currently lack a systematic and quantitative understanding of the transient evolution of fluvial systems and their associated sediment storage and release in response to changes in base level, water input, and sediment input. Such knowledge is necessary to quantify past environmental change from terrace records or sedimentary deposits and to disentangle the multiple possible causes for terrace formation and sediment deposition. Here, we use a set of seven physical experiments to explore terrace formation and sediment export from a single, braided channel that is perturbed by changes in upstream water discharge or sediment supply, or through downstream base-level fall. Each perturbation differently affects (1) the geometry of terraces and channels, (2) the timing of terrace cutting, and (3) the transient response of sediment export from the basin. In general, an increase in water discharge leads to near-instantaneous channel incision across the entire fluvial system and consequent local terrace cutting, thus preserving the initial channel slope on terrace surfaces, and it also produces a transient increase in sediment export from the system. In contrast, a decreased upstream sediment-supply rate may result in longer lag times before terrace cutting, leading to terrace slopes that differ from the initial channel slope, and also lagged responses in sediment export. Finally, downstream base-level fall triggers the upstream propagation of a diffuse knickzone, forming terraces with upstream-decreasing ages. The slope of terraces triggered by base-level fall mimics that of the newly adjusted active channel, whereas slopes of terraces triggered by a decrease in upstream sediment discharge or an increase in upstream water discharge are steeper compared to the new equilibrium channel. By combining fillterrace records with constraints on sediment export, we can distinguish among environmental perturbations that would otherwise remain unresolved when using just one of these records.Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alluvial channel response to environmental perturbations: fill-terrace formation and sediment-signal disruption

et al. 2019

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“…The background geomorphic history of the MRB has resulted in a landscape underlain primarily by glacial till and glaciofluvial sands that are now exposed to erosion by ongoing fluvial response to abrupt, postglacial base-level fall (~13.4 ka; e.g., [5,6]). The UMR is, therefore, naturally primed to produce of flow networks; (3) evaluating major land-use and land-cover changes within changed areas of the stream network; (4) identifying those areas of highest potential for erosive point sources in the modern watershed informed by Belmont et al [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping and Analyzing Stream Network Changes in Watonwan River Watershed, Minnesota, USA

Yuan

Larson

Mulvihill

et al. 2017

IJGI

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Abstract:Much of the Watonwan River tributary system to the upper Mississippi River basin (UMR), and the fluvial systems to which it drains, are listed as impaired under the United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act303(d) and/or by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. In addition, eutrophic conditions and excessive sedimentation rates exist in Lake Pepin, a riverine lake to which the UMR drains. Thus, understanding the hydrogeomorphic change throughout the UMR is vital in order to establish appropriate efforts to mitigate environmental hazards downstream. This study attempts to evaluate hydrogeomorphic change at the watershed scale in the Watonwan River watershed between 1855 and the near present. Historical plat maps, digital elevation models (DEMs), aerial images, soil/topographic characteristics, land-use change, and field surveys are analyzed. Surficial hydrologic features digitized from historical plat maps are compared with contemporary stream networks extracted from high-resolution DEMs. Scale effects are investigated using multi-resolution (1 m, 3 m, 8.5 m, and 30 m) DEMs, with 8.5 m DEMs being ideal for watershed scale analysis, and 1-3 m DEMs being ideal for subwatershed analysis. There has been a substantial hydrogeomorphic change in the watershed since 1855, but most significantly, we interpret that the highest rates of erosion occur in the eastern watershed, where knickzone propagation has produced substantial relief.

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2020

Rivers in the Landscape

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Autogenic incision and terrace formation resulting from abrupt late-glacial base-level fall, lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin, USA

Cited by 46 publications

References 83 publications

Alluvial channel response to environmental perturbations: fill-terrace formation and sediment-signal disruption

Alluvial channel response to environmental perturbations: fill-terrace formation and sediment-signal disruption

Mapping and Analyzing Stream Network Changes in Watonwan River Watershed, Minnesota, USA

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