Turbulence Descriptions in Two Cobble-Bed River Reaches

Abstract

The hydrodynamic flow field in streams and rivers influences many ecological processes including organism dispersal, habitat use, and resource acquisition. Understanding the linkages between hydrodynamic and ecological processes is essential for developing effective restoration and management tools. Despite the pervasive influence of flow velocity and turbulence, the details of natural stream flow fields as they apply to ecological concepts are poorly understood. In this study, velocity and turbulence distributions were investigated at two spatial scales using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. The measurements were collected in two cobble-bed rivers with mean depths of approximately