Topographic, suspended-sediment, GIS, and hydrologic data from the Rio Grande in the Big Bend region

These data were collected as part of a long-term physical science program focused on the physical river dynamics within the Rio Grande in the Big Bend region of Texas, United States, and Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico. These data were compiled to perform analyses of geomorphic change, construct hydrologic/hydraulic models, analyze sediment-transport, and evaluate changes to riparian vegetation within the Rio Grande in the Big Bend region. Objective(s) of our study were to quantify the magnitude and timing of changes in hydrology, sediment transport, channel form, and vegetation change within the Rio Grande over multiple temporal and spatial scales. These data represent annual measurements of cross-sectional channel and floodplain topography, channel width delineations made on aerial photographs, suspended-sediment transport measurements, water-surface elevation data, high-resolution topography of select study sites made with terrestrial lidar, and vegetation maps. Channel cross sections were made in three survey reaches between 2009 and 2020 (Castolon, Solis, and Rio Grande Village survey reaches). Channel width delineations were made in three study reaches based on aerial photographs collected between 1941 and 2019 to evaluate historical changes in channel width (Dean and Schmidt, 2011). Two of the aerial photograph study reaches overlap with the Castolon and Rio Grande Village survey reaches. Suspended-sediment samples and continuous acoustical sediment-transport measurements were collected between 2010 and 2022 at four locations (two mainstem and two tributary locations) to evaluate sediment-transport dynamics during floods. The two mainstem measurement stations exist within the Castolon and Rio Grande Village survey reaches. The two tributary measurement sites exist in Terlingua and Tornillo Creeks. Water surface elevations were collected using pressure transducers at eight locations to calibrate hydraulic models and predict inundation discharges of near channel surfaces. Seven of the transducers were located within the Castolon, Solis, and Rio Grande Village survey reaches. The eighth transducer was located within Boquillas Canyon within an additional hydraulic modeling study reach (Blythe, 2018). Terrestrial lidar surveys were made at six locations within Boquillas Canyon in 2015 and 2020 to quantify topographic change in these areas. Two digital elevation models (DEMs) were constructed within Boquillas Canyon and serve as the topographic boundary conditions within two study reaches analyzed by Blythe (2018). Vegetation distribution maps were made over a 77-km length of river using 2020 multi-spectral aerial imagery to evaluate vegetation expansion since the 2008 channel-resetting flood. Vegetation-species distribution maps were made at the six terrestrial lidar study sites based on 2021 field mapping, and 2020 multi-spectral imagery to link vegetation establishment to topographic changes. These data can be used to analyze changes in channel and floodplain form, sediment transport, and in the spatial distribution of riparian vegetation.