Sediment Mobility and River Corridor Assessment for a 140-Kilometer Segment of the Main-Stem Klamath River Below Iron Gate Dam, California
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
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 |