Search USGS⌕ Search

Geology topics

W. R. Osterkamp

Publications and source records attributed to W. R. Osterkamp.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS1985

Bottomland vegetation distribution along Passage Creek, Virginia, in relation to fluvial landforms

Persistent distribution patterns of woody vegetation within the bottomland forest of Passage Creek, Virginia, were related to fluvial landforms, channel geometry, streamflow characteristics, and sediment—size characteristics. Vegetation patterns were determined from species presence as observed in transects and traverses on landforms developed along the stream. Distinct species distributional patterns were found on four common fluvial geomorphic landforms: depositional bar, active—channel shelf, floodplain, and terrace. Independent hydrologic characteristics (flow duration and flood frequency) were determined for each of the landforms. Vegetation data were analyzed by binary discriminant analysis, principal components analysis, and detrended correspondence analysis. Results and related field observations suggest that certain species are significantly associated with specific fluvial landforms. Vegetation patterns appear to develop more as a result of hydrologic processes associated with each fluvial landform rather than from sediment—size characteristics. Flood disturbance may be an important factor in maintaining the vegetation patterns, which may therefore be used as indicators for particular hydrogeomorphic site conditions.

Ecology↗
USGS1985

Magnitude and frequency of debris flows, and areas of hazard on Mount Shasta, northern California

Debris flows on Mount Shasta, northern California, have occurred frequently during the late Holocene in response to rapid runoff from melting snow and ice. Glacial-meltwater streams that deeply incise unstable pyroclastic and related flow deposits typically from debris flows when high discharge rates cause slope failures within steep-walled gorges. The landslide material either adsorbs streamflow quickly and becomes a slurry or it briefly dams the stream and converts to a debris flow as breaching occurs. All glacial-meltwater streams on Mount Shasta have been repeated debris-flow activity during the last 500 years. During this period, large-magnitude, potentially destructive flows on Mount Shasta have occurred at a rate of four per century, but smaller flows contained by stream channels may be 10 to 20 times more numerous. The smaller debris flows on Mount Shasta pose little hazard to human life or property, whereas larger, out-of-channel flows could cause minor damage. Only the City of McCloud and inhabited areas on the Whitney-Bolam fan appear to be threatened by possible debris-flow activity. None of the streams lacking glacial meltwater have had significant debris-flow activity during late Holocene time. Sediment yields from upper fan areas of Mount Shasta are very high, but most of the sediment, moved by debris flows from upper slopes is redeposited on lower fan areas, locally causing extensive and rapid aggradation of the fan surface. Little sediment enters a through-flowing stream network. Correspondingly high denudation rates in the sediment source areas for debris flows (the deep gorges) suggest that a high frequency of debris flows may be unique in recent centuries. (USGS)

California↗
USGS1984

Geomorphic and vegetative characteristics along three northern Virginia streams

Geometry, sediment, and woody-vegetation data were collected from bottomland geomorphic surfaces at valley sections along three gaged perennial streams of northern Virginia. The basins of the streams differ widely in topography and physiography; mean discharges vary from 0.196 to 323 m 3 per sec. Prevalent surfaces identified were the depositional bar, the active-channel shelf, the flood plain, and terraces. The stages corresponding to active-channel–shelf levels were equivalent to flow durations of 5% to 13%. Stages corresponding to flood-plain levels were equivalent to discharges with 1.4- to 2.0-yr recurrence intervals. The discharge data and statistical tests of geomorphic-surface, sediment, and vegetative data suggest that the various alluvial features are formed and maintained by hydraulically controlled sorting processes.

Virginia↗
USGS1984

Movement of tractive sediment from disturbed lands

The Smoky Creek basin of the coal area of northeastern Tennessee shows extensive evidence of tractive movement of coarse sediment from mined tributary basins into the main channel. Coal-rich gravel bars and flood-plain debris are common below tributaries. Using a combination of techniques including channel-geometry and bar measurements, sediment sampling for rock-debris and coal size distributions, and botanical dating of flood events and geomorphic features, an average annual yield of 65 metric tons per square kilometer (187 tons per square mile) for tractively moved sediment has been calculated for the period 1977 to 1982. This value, 8 percent of the total sediment load, is probably an underestimate owing to the method of calculation. Slightly more than half of the traction load is coal, which moves through the basin within a few years. Rock debris, however, appears to require years to decades to move similar distances.

Tennessee↗
USGS1982

Sediment and channel-geometry investigations for the Kansas River bank stabilization study, Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado

Analysis of hydrologic data from the Kansas River basin suggests that the channels of the lower Solomon, Saline, and Smoky Hill Rivers have narrowed and stabilized as a result of construction of upstream reservoirs. The Kansas River channel, however, remains relatively unstable and locally active. Streamflow regulation and sediment trapping by reservoirs are possible causes of changes occurring at various Kansas River sites. An inferred deficiency of the suspended-sediment load, however, is likely to cause continuing instability. Suspended sediment in the Kansas River apparently is too sparse to form and maintain stable alluvial banks. The deficiency probably results in an increase of bed material movement, general channel widening, and local braiding. Significant channel degradation is lacking at most sites, but may occur in response to long-term (decades-to-centuries) regulation. Recent degradation near Bonner Springs, Kans., may be the result of sand and gravel removal. Any imposed changes that shorten the channel or reduce the suspended-sediment discharge of the Kansas River are expected to cause additional channel instability. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1982

Perennial-streamflow characteristics related to channel geometry and sediment in Missouri River basin

Geometry, channel-sediment, and discharge data were collected and compiled from 252 streamflow-gaging stations in the Missouri River basin. The sites represent the complete ranges of hydrologic and geologic conditions found in the basin. The data were analyzed by computer to yield equations relating various discharge characteristics to variables of channel geometry and bed and bank material. The equations provide discharge as the dependent variable for the purpose of making estimates of discharge characteristics at ungaged sites. Results show that channel width is best related to variables of discharge, but that reduction of standard errors can be achieved by considering channel-sediment properties, channel gradient, and discharge variability. The channel-material variables do not exert uniform effects on width-discharge relations and, therefore, are considered as sediment-data groups, or stream types, rather than as terms in multiple power-function equations. Relative to streamflow, narrowest channels occur when streams of steady discharge transport sufficient silt and clay to form stable, cohesive banks but have a small tractive load of sand and coarser sizes. Stable channels also are associated with high channel gradients, which cause high channel roughness and bed and bank armouring by coarse particle sizes. The widest, most unstable channels are found with streams that apparently transport of large tractive load of sand sizes. The downstream rates of change of width with discharge reflect these trends, suggesting that a given bed-material load necessitates a minimum width over which the tractive material can be moved.

Missouri River basin↗
USGS1982

Streamflow characteristics related to channel geometry of streams in western United States

Assessment of surface-mining and reclamation activities generally requires extensive hydrologic data. Adequate streamflow data from instrumented gaging stations rarely are available, and estimates of surface- water discharge based on rainfall-runoff models, drainage area, and basin characteristics sometimes have proven unreliable. Channel-geometry measurements offer an alternative method of quickly and inexpensively estimating stream-flow characteristics for ungaged streams. The method uses the empirical development of equations to yield a discharge value from channel-geometry and channel-material data. The equations are developed by collecting data at numerous streamflow-gaging sites and statistically relating those data to selected discharge characteristics. Mean annual runoff and flood discharges with selected recurrence intervals can be estimated for perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral streams. The equations were developed from data collected in the western one-half of the conterminous United States. The effect of the channel-material and runoff characteristics are accounted for with the equations.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1979

Variation of alluvial-channel width with discharge and character of sediment

Use of channel measurements to estimate discharge characteristics of alluvial streams has shown that little agreement exists for the exponent of the width-discharge relation. For the equation Q = aWAb, where Q is mean discharge and WA is active-channel width, it is proposed that the exponent, b, should be of fixed value for most natural, perennial, alluvial stream channels and that the coefficient, a, varies with the characteristics of the bed and bank material. Three groups of perennial stream channels with differing characteristics were selected for study using consistent procedures of data collection. A common feature of the groups was general channel stability, that is, absence of excessive widening by erosive discharges. Group 1 consisted of 32 channels of gradient exceeding 0.0080, low suspended-sediment discharge, high channel roughness, and low discharge variability. Group 2 consisted of 13 streams in Kansas having at least 70 percent silt and clay in the bed material and having similar discharge variability, climate, gradient, and riparian vegetation. Group 3, in southern Missouri, consisted of discharge channels of 18 springs having similar conditions of very low discharge variability, climate and vegetation, but variable bed and bank material. Values for the exponent for the three groups of data are 1.98, 1.97, and 1.97, respectively, whereas values of the coefficients are 0.017, 0.042, and 0.011 when discharge is expressed in cubic meters per second and width is in meters. The relation for high-gradient channels (group 1) is supported by published data from laboratory flumes. The similarity of the three values of the exponent demonstrates that a standard exponent of 2.0, significant to two figures, is reasonable for the width-mean discharge relation of perennial, alluvial stream channels, and that the exponent is independent of other variables. Using a fixed exponent of 2.0, a family of simple power-function equations was developed expressing the manner in which channel sediment affects the width-discharge relation.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1978

Guidelines for the use of structural versus regression analysis in geomorphic studies

Simple-regression and structural analysis are similar methods of developing a linear relation from a bivariant group of data. Regression analysis is a useful curve-fitting technique, but often is misapplied to geomorphic data sets. When error components can be identified for both variables, the statistical technique of structural analysis is preferred. If regression results are available, conversion to a structural analysis can be made either manually or by computer. Use of computer-generated data sets permits the construct ion of curves relating variation between regression and structural analyses to the range of data of the independent variable. The data have randomly imposed error components of specified standard deviation and a slope of the lin-ear relation that simulates gradient-discharge relations of natural alluvial streams. The empirically developed curves can be used to determine the need for structural analysis of real geomorphic data sets.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1977

Effect of channel material on width-discharge relations for perennial streams, with emphasis on streams in Kansas -- a progress report

Using consistent procedures for width measurement at established streamflow-gaging stations, data were compiled to develop a power-function relation between width and mean discharge for high-gradient perennial streams. High-gradient channels, which generally exhibit low variability for most factors influencing the width-discharge relation, were selected to define a standard exponent in the power-function equation. Regression analysis of silt-clay channels of Kansas gave an exponent similar to that determined for high-gradient streams, thus supporting the use of a standard exponent. To account for the effect of sediment on channel morphology, silt-clay percentages of bed and bank material from 98 perennial streams of the western and midwestern United States were introduced into the standard width-discharge relations. Bed and bank cohesiveness, as indicated by silt-clay content, is considered a measure of channel resistance to erosion. Multiple-regression analysis of data limited to Kansas streams yielded an equation more typical of stable conditions than that of the larger area, because widespread destructive flooding and channel widening have not occurred in Kansas recently. The regression equations provide refinement to the channel-geometry technique of estimating discharge characteristics of ungaged basins. The equations also provide a means of anticipating changes in channel morphology resulting from hydraulic structures.

Kansas↗