Location
Eccles Conference Center
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu
Start Date
4-1-2014 4:25 PM
End Date
4-1-2014 4:30 PM
Description
The lower Bear River plays a large agricultural and socioeconomic role within the Cache Valley. Studying changes in the River’s flow, depth, surrounding vegetation, and river cross section is absolutely imperative in that these changes can have large impacts on the valley’s agricultural and economic well-being. The purpose of this cross section data study is to map the geometry of different portions of the Lower Bear River to be able to compare the data from year to year to understand how the changes in the river cross section correlate with seasonal variation of river flow. We obtained data through setting up three monitoring sites along the River, and measuring cross section data using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) as well as surveying equipment to measure river bank, water surface, and surrounding land elevation. After obtaining the data, we then digitally converted and organized it into formats that allowed for it to be graphically represented on a basic x y plane where the x axis represents distance away from the benchmark point, and where y represents elevation with reference to the benchmark point. From these graphs, changes in the river bed, banks, and river water depth are able to be inferred visually. Similarly quantitative correlations between year to year measurements are able to be observed in the organized numerical data. The findings from this work illustrate changes in the river cross section that could possess pertinence to changes in river flow and depth. Changes in the river cross section come about primarily because of natural erosion, and also erosion attributed to human influence. Mapping the river cross section at different points allows us to see what amount of change in the river cross section is normal and what is not. By this we hope to be able to establish a cross section variance norm, which will then give us the opportunity to see differences in the cross section of the river that have a potential to have an either positive or negative lasting effect.
Included in
Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons, Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons
Mapping the Lower Bear River Cross Section
Eccles Conference Center
The lower Bear River plays a large agricultural and socioeconomic role within the Cache Valley. Studying changes in the River’s flow, depth, surrounding vegetation, and river cross section is absolutely imperative in that these changes can have large impacts on the valley’s agricultural and economic well-being. The purpose of this cross section data study is to map the geometry of different portions of the Lower Bear River to be able to compare the data from year to year to understand how the changes in the river cross section correlate with seasonal variation of river flow. We obtained data through setting up three monitoring sites along the River, and measuring cross section data using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) as well as surveying equipment to measure river bank, water surface, and surrounding land elevation. After obtaining the data, we then digitally converted and organized it into formats that allowed for it to be graphically represented on a basic x y plane where the x axis represents distance away from the benchmark point, and where y represents elevation with reference to the benchmark point. From these graphs, changes in the river bed, banks, and river water depth are able to be inferred visually. Similarly quantitative correlations between year to year measurements are able to be observed in the organized numerical data. The findings from this work illustrate changes in the river cross section that could possess pertinence to changes in river flow and depth. Changes in the river cross section come about primarily because of natural erosion, and also erosion attributed to human influence. Mapping the river cross section at different points allows us to see what amount of change in the river cross section is normal and what is not. By this we hope to be able to establish a cross section variance norm, which will then give us the opportunity to see differences in the cross section of the river that have a potential to have an either positive or negative lasting effect.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2014/2014Posters/32