Geomorphology is the study of the formation and evolution of landforms on Earth's surface. In the Pacific Northwest, volcanoes, tectonic movement, glaciers, rain, snow, wind, vegetation, animals, and people all shape the landscape at different scales of time and space. Of particular interest in the region is the form and processes of rivers, a branch of the science termed fluvial geomorphology. Rivers are extremely important to the people, plants, and animals in the Pacific Northwest, providing water for ecosystems and transporting sometimes large amounts of sediment downstream.
To understand how rivers move and change over time, the USGS is studying river hydraulics, sediment transport in rivers from the mountains to the ocean, the role of large wood in influencing river shape, impacts on the aquatic ecology and fish in rivers, and how river flooding worsens or improves over time.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Sumas River Sediment Load
Elwha River Sediment Monitoring
Sauk River Sediment
White River Bioenergetics
Cedar River Peak Flow Management
Mount Rainier Fluvial Geomorphology and River Sedimentation
Below are publications associated with this project.
Effect of a levee setback on aquatic resources using two-dimensional flow and bioenergetics models
The timing of scour and fill in a gravel-bedded river measured with buried accelerometers
Geomorphic analysis of the river response to sedimentation downstream of Mount Rainier, Washington
Geomorphic response to flow regulation and channel and floodplain alteration in the gravel-bedded Cedar River, Washington, USA
Geomorphic and hydrologic study of peak-flow management on the Cedar River, Washington
River turbidity and sediment loads during dam removal
Dam decommissioning has become an important means for removing unsafe or obsolete dams and for restoring natural fluvial processes, including discharge regimes, sediment transport, and ecosystem connectivity [Doyle et al., 2003]. The largest dam-removal project in history began in September 2011 on the Elwha River of Washington State (Figure 1a). The project, which aims to restore the river ecosys
Changes in sediment volume in Alder Lake, Nisqually River Basin, Washington, 1945-2011
Sediment load from major rivers into Puget Sound and its adjacent waters
Elwha River dam removal-Rebirth of a river
Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington- Biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Channel-conveyance capacity, channel change, and sediment transport in the lower Puyallup, White, and Carbon Rivers, western Washington
Sediment Loading from Crab Creek and Other Sources to Moses Lake, Washington, 2007 and 2008
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Geomorphology is the study of the formation and evolution of landforms on Earth's surface. In the Pacific Northwest, volcanoes, tectonic movement, glaciers, rain, snow, wind, vegetation, animals, and people all shape the landscape at different scales of time and space. Of particular interest in the region is the form and processes of rivers, a branch of the science termed fluvial geomorphology. Rivers are extremely important to the people, plants, and animals in the Pacific Northwest, providing water for ecosystems and transporting sometimes large amounts of sediment downstream.
Geomorphology & Sediment Transport(Public domain.) To understand how rivers move and change over time, the USGS is studying river hydraulics, sediment transport in rivers from the mountains to the ocean, the role of large wood in influencing river shape, impacts on the aquatic ecology and fish in rivers, and how river flooding worsens or improves over time.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Sumas River Sediment Load
The Issue: A large, clay-rich active landslide on the western flank of Sumas Mountain in Whatcom County, Washington, is a significant source of sediment to Swift Creek and the salmon-bearing Sumas River. The landslide contains naturally occurring serpentinite that weathers to chrysotile asbestos and elevated levels of metals. The asbestos load in water as well as deposits along the banks and flood...Elwha River Sediment Monitoring
The Issue: The Elwha River Restoration Project is the largest single restoration action planned for the Puget Sound region in the foreseeable future and is a high priority for the Puget Sound Partnership. Beginning in 2011, two large dams on the Elwha River in Clallam County, Washington, will be removed by the National Park Service over about two and a half years. During removal, sediment...Sauk River Sediment
Fine-grained sediments in the lower reach of the Sauk River are adversely affecting the health and spawning of Chinook salmon. Climate change and forestry practices have been proposed as suspected causes of a reported increase in sediment loading to the river. To determine the amount and timing of suspended-sediment loading to the river and possible connections to adverse effects on Chinook salmon...White River Bioenergetics
The White River Basin is located in western Washington and drains an area of about 500 square miles. Rivers in the White River Basin are fed by melt water from glaciers on Mt. Rainier, runoff from snowmelt and rain, and groundwater discharge. Beginning in the early to mid-twentieth century, the White River from river mile (RM) 9 to its confluence with the Puyallup River was extensively channelized...Cedar River Peak Flow Management
The Cedar River watershed provides two-thirds of the water supply for the greater Seattle metropolitan region, in addition to being home to numerous federally listed salmon species. The City of Seattle, through Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), works closely with the Cedar River Instream Flow Commission (IFC) to adaptively manage flows on the Cedar River. Seattle operates its water management...Mount Rainier Fluvial Geomorphology and River Sedimentation
To provide information for management efforts to reduce flooding and improve aquatic habitat in the Lower Puyallup River Basin (Puyallup, Carbon and White Rivers), Pierce County and other stakeholders are looking for river-system management options that consider the system's flood-carrying capacity and trends in sedimentation. To assist, the USGS is building a computerized hydraulic model of the... - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 15Effect of a levee setback on aquatic resources using two-dimensional flow and bioenergetics models
Watershed restoration is the focus of many resource managers and can include a multitude of restoration actions each with specific restoration objectives. For the White River flowing through the cities of Pacific and Sumner, Washington, a levee setback has been proposed to reconnect the river with its historical floodplain to help reduce flood risks, as well as provide increased habitat for federaAuthorsRobert W. Black, Christiana R. Czuba, Christopher S. Magirl, Sarah McCarthy, Hans Berge, Kyle ComanorThe timing of scour and fill in a gravel-bedded river measured with buried accelerometers
A device that measures the timing of streambed scour and the duration of sediment mobilization at specific depths of a streambed was developed using data-logging accelerometers placed within the gravel substrate of the Cedar River, Washington, USA. Each accelerometer recorded its orientation every 20 min and remained stable until the surrounding gravel matrix mobilized as sediment was transportedAuthorsAndrew S. Gendaszek, Christopher S. Magirl, Christiana R. Czuba, Christopher P. KonradGeomorphic analysis of the river response to sedimentation downstream of Mount Rainier, Washington
A study of the geomorphology of rivers draining Mount Rainier, Washington, was completed to identify sources of sediment to the river network; to identify important processes in the sediment delivery system; to assess current sediment loads in rivers draining Mount Rainier; to evaluate if there were trends in streamflow or sediment load since the early 20th century; and to assess how rates of sediAuthorsJonathan A. Czuba, Christopher S. Magirl, Christiana R. Czuba, Christopher A. Curran, Kenneth H. Johnson, Theresa D. Olsen, Halley K. Kimball, Casey C. GishGeomorphic response to flow regulation and channel and floodplain alteration in the gravel-bedded Cedar River, Washington, USA
Decadal- to annual-scale analyses of changes to the fluvial form and processes of the Cedar River in Washington State, USA, reveal the effects of flow regulation, bank stabilization, and log-jam removal on a gravel-bedded river in a temperate climate. During the twentieth century, revetments were built along ~ 60% of the lower Cedar River's length and the 2-year return period flow decreased by 47%AuthorsAndrew S. Gendaszek, Christopher S. Magirl, Christiana R. CzubaGeomorphic and hydrologic study of peak-flow management on the Cedar River, Washington
Assessing the linkages between high-flow events, geomorphic response, and effects on stream ecology is critical to river management. High flows on the gravel-bedded Cedar River in Washington are important to the geomorphic function of the river; however, high flows can deleteriously affect salmon embryos incubating in streambed gravels. A geomorphic analysis of the Cedar River showed evidence of hAuthorsChristopher S. Magirl, Andrew S. Gendaszek, Christiana R. Czuba, Christopher P. Konrad, Mathieu D. MarineauRiver turbidity and sediment loads during dam removal
Dam decommissioning has become an important means for removing unsafe or obsolete dams and for restoring natural fluvial processes, including discharge regimes, sediment transport, and ecosystem connectivity [Doyle et al., 2003]. The largest dam-removal project in history began in September 2011 on the Elwha River of Washington State (Figure 1a). The project, which aims to restore the river ecosys
AuthorsJonathan A. Warrick, Jeffrey J. Duda, Christopher S. Magirl, Chris A. CurranChanges in sediment volume in Alder Lake, Nisqually River Basin, Washington, 1945-2011
The Nisqually River drains the southwest slopes of Mount Rainier, a glaciated stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of western Washington. The Nisqually River was impounded behind Alder Dam when the dam was completed in 1945 and formed Alder Lake. This report quantifies the volume of sediment deposited by the Nisqually and Little Nisqually Rivers in their respective deltas in Alder Lake since 1945. FAuthorsJonathan A. Czuba, Theresa D. Olsen, Christiana R. Czuba, Christopher S. Magirl, Casey C. GishSediment load from major rivers into Puget Sound and its adjacent waters
Each year, an estimated load of 6.5 million tons of sediment is transported by rivers to Puget Sound and its adjacent waters—enough to cover a football field to the height of six Space Needles. This estimated load is highly uncertain because sediment studies and available sediment-load data are sparse and historically limited to specific rivers, short time frames, and a narrow range of hydrologicAuthorsJonathan A. Czuba, Christopher S. Magirl, Christiana R. Czuba, Eric E. Grossman, Christopher A. Curran, Andrew S. Gendaszek, Richard S. DinicolaElwha River dam removal-Rebirth of a river
After years of planning for the largest project of its kind, the Department of the Interior will begin removal of two dams on the Elwha River, Washington, in September 2011. For nearly 100 years, the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams have disrupted natural processes, trapping sediment in the reservoirs and blocking fish migrations, which changed the ecology of the river downstream of the dams. All fiveAuthorsJeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. MagirlCoastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington- Biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
This report includes chapters that summarize the results of multidisciplinary studies to quantify and characterize the current (2011) status and baseline conditions of the lower Elwha River, its estuary, and the adjacent nearshore ecosystems prior to the historic removal of two long-standing dams that have strongly influenced river, estuary, and nearshore conditions. The studies were conducted asAuthorsJeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. MagirlChannel-conveyance capacity, channel change, and sediment transport in the lower Puyallup, White, and Carbon Rivers, western Washington
Draining the volcanic, glaciated terrain of Mount Rainier, Washington, the Puyallup, White, and Carbon Rivers convey copious volumes of water and sediment down to Commencement Bay in Puget Sound. Recent flooding in the lowland river system has renewed interest in understanding sediment transport and its effects on flow conveyance throughout the lower drainage basin. Bathymetric and topographic datAuthorsJonathan A. Czuba, Christiana R. Czuba, Chistopher S. Magirl, Frank D. VossSediment Loading from Crab Creek and Other Sources to Moses Lake, Washington, 2007 and 2008
The average sediment-accumulation rate on the bed of Moses Lake since 1980, based on the identification of Mount St. Helens ash in lakebed cores, was 0.24 inches per year. Summed over the lake surface area, the average sediment-accumulation rate on the lakebed is 190,000 tons per year. Based on USGS stream-gaging station data, the average annual sediment load to Moses Lake from Crab Creek was 32,0AuthorsChristopher S. Magirl, Stephen E. Cox, Mark C. Mastin, Raegan L. Huffman - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.