Underlying geomorphic processes relevant to the formation and maintenance of backwater habitats are relatively poorly understood, particularly the effects of peak-flow magnitude and duration; sediment deposition and erosion; base-flow magnitude and variability; and antecedent conditions on habitat availability and conditions. Knowledge of sediment dynamics in important river reaches is critical to understanding the effects of flow regimes on endangered fish habitats.
The goal of the sediment monitoring program is to provide information with which to evaluate changes in the magnitude, timing, and size distribution of sediment delivery to the Gunnison and Green River systems resulting from water-resource development and land use changes in the basin, and their potential effects on the riverine ecosystem, specifically as they relate to recovery of the endangered fishes.
OBJECTIVES:
- Determine the availability of historic sediment data for the key sites on the Colorado, Gunnison, and Green Rivers near Green River, Utah. This objective includes an evaluation of the data to determine their utility for developing sediment-transport equations, evaluating trends in sediment transport, and evaluating how variations (wet and dry years) in annual hydrographs affect sediment transport.
- Support the evaluation of the effects of the flows and sediment movement on the morphometric and bed-material characteristics of Gunnison and Green Rivers.
- Determine if there is any distinction between sediment load estimates computed from daily sediment data, sediment transport equations, and empirical bedload transport equations.
- Evaluate the dynamics of sediment movement in the study reaches by collecting and analyzing data to compute sediment load, including suspended-sediment loads computed using daily samples and loads estimated using sediment transport equations. Water-surface slope and bed-material samples will be collected at two sites to support bedload calculations using published sediment-transport equations.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Summary of fluvial sediment collected at selected sites on the Gunnison River in Colorado and the Green and Duchesne Rivers in Utah, Water Years 2005-2008
Summary of sediment data from the Yampa river and upper Green river basins, Colorado and Utah, 1993-2002
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Underlying geomorphic processes relevant to the formation and maintenance of backwater habitats are relatively poorly understood, particularly the effects of peak-flow magnitude and duration; sediment deposition and erosion; base-flow magnitude and variability; and antecedent conditions on habitat availability and conditions. Knowledge of sediment dynamics in important river reaches is critical to understanding the effects of flow regimes on endangered fish habitats.
The goal of the sediment monitoring program is to provide information with which to evaluate changes in the magnitude, timing, and size distribution of sediment delivery to the Gunnison and Green River systems resulting from water-resource development and land use changes in the basin, and their potential effects on the riverine ecosystem, specifically as they relate to recovery of the endangered fishes.
OBJECTIVES:
- Determine the availability of historic sediment data for the key sites on the Colorado, Gunnison, and Green Rivers near Green River, Utah. This objective includes an evaluation of the data to determine their utility for developing sediment-transport equations, evaluating trends in sediment transport, and evaluating how variations (wet and dry years) in annual hydrographs affect sediment transport.
- Support the evaluation of the effects of the flows and sediment movement on the morphometric and bed-material characteristics of Gunnison and Green Rivers.
- Determine if there is any distinction between sediment load estimates computed from daily sediment data, sediment transport equations, and empirical bedload transport equations.
- Evaluate the dynamics of sediment movement in the study reaches by collecting and analyzing data to compute sediment load, including suspended-sediment loads computed using daily samples and loads estimated using sediment transport equations. Water-surface slope and bed-material samples will be collected at two sites to support bedload calculations using published sediment-transport equations.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Summary of fluvial sediment collected at selected sites on the Gunnison River in Colorado and the Green and Duchesne Rivers in Utah, Water Years 2005-2008
The Colorado River Basin provides habitat for 14 native fish, including four endangered species protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 - Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), bonytail (Gila elegans), and humpback chub (Gila cypha). These endangered fish species once thrived in the Colorado River system, but water-resource development,AuthorsCory A. Williams, Steven J. Gerner, John G. ElliottSummary of sediment data from the Yampa river and upper Green river basins, Colorado and Utah, 1993-2002
The water resources of the Upper Colorado River Basin have been extensively developed for water supply, irrigation, and power generation through water storage in upstream reservoirs during spring runoff and subsequent releases during the remainder of the year. The net effect of water-resource development has been to substantially modify the predevelopment annual hydrograph as well as the timing anAuthorsJohn G. Elliott, Steven P. Anders - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.