Analysis of river planforms in the New Madrid region and possible relations to tectonic warping across the loess bluffs and within the meander belt of the Mississippi River
- Miami Univ., Oxford, OH (United States). Dept. of Geology
Stream channel planforms measured from such streams as the Hatchie (H), L'Anguille (LA), St. Francis, White (W) and Little Red (LR) rivers provide a way to study influences of topographic warping between the loess bluffs that bound the Mississippi river valley. Planforms are analyzed using sinuosity, Richardson analysis, and pattern. Pattern changes include transitions from braided to meandering and meandering to straight. Sinuosities of the W and LR rivers show a transition from low sinuosity, [1.3, 1.4] to higher sinuosity [2.6, 2.8], over a short distance, as they cross the bluffs from the uplands to the Western Lowlands. On the east, the Hatchie changes from a braided to meandering pattern upon crossing the bluffs. Its sinuosity varies from a low of about 1.4 to a high of 2.2, coincident with a marsh area. The LA river flows on the west side of Crowley's Ridge and is paralleled by the St. Francis river on the east. These rivers, with very different drainage areas and sinuosities, show matching meander bends at similar wavelengths along Crowley's Ridge. The bends are about 10 km in 1/2 wavelength suggesting some extraordinary influence on pattern perpendicular to the ridge. Richardson analysis indicates that features with a 1/2 wavelength of 2 km may control several rivers' bending patterns. These features are analyzed to determine their spatial relations with one another.
- OSTI ID:
- 5017948
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9303210--
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 25:3; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540310 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ARKANSAS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGY
GEOMORPHOLOGY
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN
MISSOURI
MORPHOLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
RIVERS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TENNESSEE
USA
WATERSHEDS