Headcut retreat in a semiarid watershed in the southwestern United States since 1935

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
Within the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) survey data was available to quantify the retreat of the 3 most prominent headcuts in sub-watershed 63.011 from 1935 to 2006. The headcuts serve as major sediment sources and were investigated to identify and understand factors controlling retreat rate in this watershed. The data was incorporated and analyzed in a geographical information system (GIS). The headcuts have retreated persistently since 1935. A power relationship was fitted by regression correlating the retreat rate with the product of contributing drainage area and areal precipitation for precipitation exceeding a threshold intensity. This site specific relationship may not apply universally in other regions. Headcut retreat was not induced by external forcing. The data did not allow timing or identification of initial causes for headcut retreat. Data suggests that all 3 headcuts will continue to retreat in the future.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Catena (Giessen), issn : 0341-8162, 2011, vol. 87, n°. 1, p. 1-10, nombre de pages : 10, Références bibliographiques : 35 ref.

Date :
2011

Editeur :
Pays édition : Allemagne, Cremlingen-Destedt, Catena