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Geomorphic analysis of the Middle Rio Grande - Elephant Butte Reach, New Mexico

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dc.contributor.authorOwen, Tracy Elizabeth, author
dc.contributor.authorJulien, Pierre, advisor
dc.contributor.authorThornton, Christopher, committee member
dc.contributor.authorRathburn, Sara, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T08:06:08Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T08:06:08Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractThe Elephant Butte Reach spans about 30 miles, beginning from the South Boundary of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (River Mile 73.9) to the "narrows" of the Elephant Butte Reservoir (River Mile 44.65), in central New Mexico. Sediment plugs occasionally form along the Middle Rio Grande, completely blocking the main channel of the river. In 1991, 1995, and 2005, the Tiffany Plug was initiated at the upstream end of the Elephant Butte Reach. In 2008, the Bosque del Apache Plug formed just upstream of the Elephant Butte Reach. Sediment plugs occur at the location of a constriction or channel aggradation (Burroughs 2011). As aggradation within the Elephant Butte Reach is known to contribute to a decrease in channel capacity (Reclamation 2007), it is important to understand the influences of Elephant Butte Reservoir levels on channel aggradation/degradation in order to decrease the potential for future sediment plug formation. Further understanding of the historical and spatial changes within Elephant Butte Reach, along with a better understanding of the influences of Elephant Butte Reservoir levels on channel aggradation/degradation, are essential for improvement in future river management practices along the Middle Rio Grande. Using aerial photographs, survey data, reservoir water surface elevation data, and bed material data, the following objectives are addressed in this study: 1. Quantify temporal changes in channel widths and sinuosity from 1935 to 2010. 2. Quantify change in channel slope temporally. 3. Quantify rate of aggradation/degradation in response to a change in base-level (i.e., change in reservoir water surface elevation). 4. Quantify aggradation/degradation wave propagation upstream. 5. Quantify spatial and temporal trends in bed material grain size. From 1935 to 2010, channel widths and sinuosity decrease over time. The majority of the Reach's channel slope decreases from 1935 to 2010; the downstream-most stretch of the channel, closest to Elephant Butte Reservoir, alternates between increasing and decreasing channel slopes. As the Elephant Butte Reservoir level (base-level) increases, the channel aggrades in response. As the base-level decreases, the channel degrades. The rates of aggradation and degradation vary between different periods of base-level changes, and are quantified within the report. When the base-level changes a wave of aggradation/degradation travels upstream. The rate of wave propagation upstream varies relative to the rate of base-level change, and is quantified within the report for four sets of aggradation/degradation waves. Bed material samples obtained from cross-section surveys and at the San Acacia and San Marcial gauges showed a coarsening at a rate of about 0.03 mm/year. In the downstream direction, bed material became slightly finer. The median bed material grain size ranged from 0.11 mm to 0.26 mm.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierOwen_colostate_0053N_11056.pdf
dc.identifierETDF2012500078CVEE
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/65348
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relationwwdl
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectdegradation
dc.subjectgeomorphology
dc.subjectElephant Butte Reach
dc.subjectaggradation
dc.subjectbase-line change
dc.subjectRio Grande
dc.titleGeomorphic analysis of the Middle Rio Grande - Elephant Butte Reach, New Mexico
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineCivil and Environmental Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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