Geomorphic Assessment of the St. Francis River: Between Wappapello Lake and Lake City
Abstract
The St. Francis River is a complex system that lies in the historic floodplain of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The basin has undergone extensive anthropogenic modifications, including reservoir construction, large-scale channelization, and construction of leveed floodways. Several analyses of available gage data, lidar data, and historical research have provided a picture of geomorphic trends and an overall understanding of the rivers stability. The types of analysis used to determine trends included yearly low stage plots, stage-duration curves, specific gage analysis, water surface slopes, and stream power changes. The results from these analyses were synthesized to develop an overall assessment of the reach. Channel cutoffs resulted in a significant decrease in channel length and sinuosity and triggered geomorphic change throughout the river. Immediately following channelization, dramatic decreasing trends in stage were observed for Fisk and Dekyns Store, while St. Francis and Holly Island began to aggrade. Slopes and stream power were significantly increased for the upper portion of the study area and showed a decreasing trend for the lower reach.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 07, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1205192
Entities
People
- Christopher P. Haring
- David S. Biedenharn
- Holly K. Enlow
- J. M. Lamport
- Kyle Raburn
- Nathaniel Wetzel
- Sarah E. Girdner
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center
- United States Army Corps of Engineers