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Sediment Mobility and River Corridor Assessment for a 140-Kilometer Segment of the Main-Stem Klamath River Below Iron Gate Dam, California

Open-File Report 2020-1141
Water Availability and Use Science Program
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201141

Links

  • Document: Report (12.7 MB pdf)
  • Appendixes:
    • Table 1.1 (5 KB csv) — Discharge measurements with an accuracy rating of fair (±8%) or better for the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam CA (USGS 11516530) gaging station for water years 2016 to 2019.
    • Table 1.2 (5 KB csv) — Discharge measurements with an accuracy of fair (±8%) or better for the Klamath River near Seiad Valley CA (USGS 11520500) gaging station for water years 2016 to 2019.
  • Related Work: USGS web interface — U.S. Geological Survey, 2020, National Water Information System
  • Data Releases:
    • USGS data release — Sediment mobility and river corridor assessment for a 140-km segment of the mainstem Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam, CA – database of geomorphic features 2010
    • USGS data release — Sediment mobility and river corridor assessment for a 140-km segment of the mainstem Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam, CA – vegetation mapping 2005, 2009, 2016
  • Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

Abstract

This river corridor assessment documents sediment mobility and river response to flood disturbance along a 140-kilometer segment of the main-stem Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam, California. Field and remote sensing methods were used to assess fundamental indicators of active sediment transport and river response to a combination of natural runoff events and reservoir releases during the study period from 2005 to 2019. Discharge measurements at two gaged sites and bed-material samples at two ungaged sites provided direct and indirect evidence of mobile bed conditions, scour and fill, and surface flushing of fine sediment. Available remote-sensing datasets collected in 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2016 were used to determine sediment storage, flood inundation boundaries, and provide indirect evidence of flood-induced scour. These datasets validate channel-maintenance flows defined by Shea and others (2016). During the study period, flows greater than or equal to 6,030 cubic feet per second mobilized the substrate, caused localized scour, and flushed fine sediment from bar surfaces. Flows greater than or equal to 10,400 cubic feet per second stripped vegetation from bars and floodplains and produced deeper scour. Flood disturbance within the study reach is produced by the combined effect of natural flows and reservoir releases, which resulted in mobile bed conditions during the study period. Periodic scour and substrate disturbance are considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be integral for managing disease-induced mortality of juvenile and adult salmonids. Substrate conditions conducive to parasites that host infectious diseases, particularly Ceratonova shasta, occur periodically. Additional studies are required to determine whether disease prevalence can be mitigated by well-timed reservoir releases. Study results are useful for interpreting linkages among physical and biological processes and for evaluating the effectiveness of flow management targeted to improve river bed conditions for endangered salmonid populations.

Suggested Citation

Curtis, J., Poitras, T., Bond, S., and Byrd, K., 2021, Sediment mobility and river corridor assessment for a 140-kilometer segment of the main-stem Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020–1141, 38 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201141.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Findings
  • Implications
  • Summary and Conclusions
  • References Cited
  • Appendix 1
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Sediment mobility and river corridor assessment for a 140-kilometer segment of the main-stem Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam, California
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2020-1141
DOI 10.3133/ofr20201141
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) California Water Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center
Description Report: viii, 38 p.; 2 Data Releases; Related Work
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial Klamath River
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details