Journal
GEOMORPHOLOGY
Volume 108, Issue 3-4, Pages 273-281Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.02.014
Keywords
Ice jams; Fluvial geomorphology; Hydraulic geometry; Dendrogeomorphology; Ice scars; High boreal
Funding
- NSERC (National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada)
- FQRNT (Fonds Quebecois de Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies)
- Hydro-Quebec
- Ouranos
- ArcticNet
- Northern Student Training Program of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada
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River ice jams are generally perceived as significant erosive events and are well known to impact both channel morphology and geometry. However, the extent of these impacts and the frequency of events required to maintain erosion-induced morphologies remain unexplored in most cold region watersheds. In this study, we investigated downstream variations in channel width, cross-sectional area, depth, and geomorphological characteristics in a small high-boreal basin. We coupled these observations to dendrochronological data on ice jam frequency. Our results show that channels affected by ice erosion appear enlarged and present an important retreat of the upper bank. Such enlarged channels present a typical two-level, ice-scoured morphology when ice jams recur more often than once every 5 years. By contrast, channels appear unaffected when ice jams are less frequent. These results suggest that ice jams maintain ice-scoured and enlarged morphologies once a minimal frequency-of-occurrence threshold is exceeded. We therefore conclude that ice jam frequencies should be taken into account in order to better define the role of ice as a geomorphological agent in cold environments. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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