Article
Continental-scale relationship between bankfull width and drainage area for single-thread alluvial channels
Water Resources Research
(2014)
Abstract
We explore the bankfull width (Wbf) versus drainage area (Ada) relationship across a range of climatic and geologic environments and ask (1) is the relationship between ln(Wbf) and ln(Ada) best described by a linear function and (2) can a reliable relationship be developed for predicting Wbf with Ada as the only independent variable. The principal data set for this study was compiled from regional curve studies and other reports that represent 1018 sites (1 m ≤ Wbf ≤ 110 m and 0.50 km2 ≤ Ada ≤ 22,000 km2) in the continental United States. Two additional data sets were used for validation. After dividing the data into small, medium, and large-size basins which, respectfully, correspond to Ada < 4.95 km2, 4.95 km2 ≤ Ada < 337 km2, and Ada ≥ 337 km2, regression lines from each data set were compared using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). A second ANCOVA was performed to determine if mean annual precipitation (P) is an extraneous factor in the Wbf versus Adarelationship.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2014
DOI
DOI: 10.1002/2013WR013916
Citation Information
Peter Richard Wilcock. "Continental-scale relationship between bankfull width and drainage area for single-thread alluvial channels" Water Resources Research Vol. 50 Iss. 2 (2014) p. 919 - 936 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/peter_wilcock/171/