Downstream Hydraulic Geometry of Clay-Dominated Cohesive Bed Rivers

Abstract

Empirical downstream hydraulic geometry equations for consolidated clay-dominated cohesive bed (nonalluvial) natural streams are presented using data from six rivers in eastern Ontario, Canada and four rivers from other regions. The width exponent (0.57) was comparable to the exponents reported for previous studies; however, the depth exponent (0.52) was greater for clay-dominated cohesive bed than for typical alluvial gravel-bed and sand-bed rivers. The width to depth ratio of smaller channels