GM5.3 | Human impact on earth surface processes and landforms
Human impact on earth surface processes and landforms
Co-organized by SSS3
Convener: Ronald Pöppl | Co-conveners: Annegret LarsenECSECS, Jantiene Baartman, Marco Cavalli
Orals
| Wed, 17 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST)
 
Room -2.33
Posters on site
| Attendance Tue, 16 Apr, 16:15–18:00 (CEST) | Display Tue, 16 Apr, 14:00–18:00
 
Hall X3
Posters virtual
| Attendance Tue, 16 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) | Display Tue, 16 Apr, 08:30–18:00
 
vHall X3
Orals |
Wed, 14:00
Tue, 16:15
Tue, 14:00
It is clear that human impact on earth surface processes is almost ubiquitous. At present the scale of human impacts upon geomorphic systems is considerably larger than at any point in the past with a plenitude of either direct or indirect impacts on the systems’ structure and function. This session aims to provide a platform for studies on the role of humans as agents of geomorphic change and associated environmental feedbacks. We also welcome studies which conceptionally discuss the importance of geomorphology as a discipline within the overall Anthropocene debate. We look for both, conceptional contributions, and quantitative approaches, e.g. based on modelling and/or field surveys, addressing the effects of human agency on all geomorphological process domains (aeolian, fluvial, cryospheric, coastal, hillslope). This could include, but is not limited to the effects of construction works, river engineering, land use/management, or climate change. Moreover, this session especially welcomes studies contrasting natural and human dominated systems.

Orals: Wed, 17 Apr | Room -2.33

Chairpersons: Ronald Pöppl, Annegret Larsen, Jantiene Baartman
14:00–14:05
14:05–14:15
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EGU24-1900
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Highlight
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On-site presentation
John Gillies, Eden Furtak-Cole, and George Nikolich

The Salton Sea in California’s Imperial and Riverside counties is a large endorheic lake with significant areas of exposed shoreline.  The exposed shoreline and surrounding desert are potential sources of wind-blown dust that can contribute to degraded air quality as the emissions create high concentrations of particulate matter ≤10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (i.e., PM10), which is a federally regulated pollutant in the USA.  The Salton Sea’s water surface height is lowering at an accelerating rate.  The decreasing volume of water leads to increased shoreline exposure with the potential for high wind speed events to cause dust emissions. This increases the potential for degradation of air quality with respect to PM10 mass concentrations within the basin potentially elevating the health risk to the surrounding population.  The State of California has implemented the Salton Sea Management Plan that has several phases of development to protect air quality and ecosystem values at the Salton Sea.  California Department of Water Resources (DWR) began a series of projects at the Salton Sea designed to limit dust emissions from shoreline areas deemed vulnerable to wind erosion and dust emissions based on evaluation of soil textural properties and in situ measurements of PM10 emissivity.  To protect sandy surfaces vulnerable to wind erosion, surface roughening based on the super-positioning of non-erodible roughness elements onto the exposed sediments of the shoreline has been implemented.  The non-erodible elements are bales of straw sourced from agricultural producers in the vicinity.  They are rectangular prisms of dimensions 0.41 m high, 1.12 m long, and 0.55 m wide. 

To evaluate the effectiveness of the roughness arrays, designed initially to offer 95% reduction in sand transport and dust emissions compared to the unprotected surface, computational fluid dynamics modeling was carried out to quantify the reduction in surface shear stress and dust emission potential due to the presence of the roughness.  In addition, in situ measurements of sand flux and PM10 concentrations were collected to corroborate the simulation results.  Air flow across the roughness array for three freestream wind speeds and three wind direction angles was simulated using CFD in OpenFOAM.  The mean shear stress reduction compared to the surface without roughness for the three freestream wind speeds and wind directions was 62% (±1%), 66% (±0.2%), and 79% (±1%), for 225°, 270°, and 315° wind directions, respectively.  The greatest probability for high wind speed events is expected from the wind direction range 225° to 315°. The mean reduction in total PM10 emission for these three conditions were: 73% (±4%), 85% (±2%), and 80% (±2%).  In situ measurements suggest control effectiveness is even greater as saltation has not been recorded within the roughness for the range of observed wind speed, and there is no indication that PM10 has been emitted from the protected surfaces.  This suggests that large size superposed roughness has effectively modified the dust emission potential of these susceptible surfaces and provides the protection needed to ensure that the exposed shoreline does not contribute to the regional PM10 burden.

How to cite: Gillies, J., Furtak-Cole, E., and Nikolich, G.: Large Scale Modification of the Salton Sea Shoreline to Reduce the Potential for Dust Emissions, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-1900, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-1900, 2024.

14:15–14:25
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EGU24-2678
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On-site presentation
Edward Park

Sand mining has accelerated in recent years primarily due to population increase and rapid urbanization. To meet demand, the rate of sand extraction often exceeds the rate of natural replenishment with serious environmental consequences. In this review paper, the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), a global hotspot for sand mining with a prolonged history of intensive riverbed extraction, is used as a representative case study to highlight the extent and compounded impacts of this activity. Sand mining budgets from literature present significant discrepancies, with estimates for the entire delta varying from around 8.5 to 42.2 Mm3/yr. These variances can be attributed to the challenges in the actual measurement of mining rates and the deployment of disparate methods across studies. Moreover, the widespread practice of illegal sand mining in the region further exacerbates the mismatch in budget calculations. Consequences of such mining activities manifest as deeply-incised riverbeds leading to riverbank and coastal erosion. Moreover, the massive sediment removal has resulted in river water level reductions, disrupted hydrological connectivity, and diminished floodplain inundation. The augmented backwater effect, a result of riverbed lowering, amplifies saltwater intrusion in dry seasons. While the physical and hydrological impacts have received attention, studies on the ecological and societal ramifications remain sparse. These impacts, further magnified by factors like upstream dams, irrigation infrastructures, excessive groundwater extraction, and sea-level rise (SLR), present a multifaceted challenge. This paper concludes by advocating for the adoption of remote sensing-based approaches for effective mapping of sand mining activities, and implementation of sustainable sand harvesting practices to balance developmental needs with environmental conservation.

How to cite: Park, E.: Sand mining in the Mekong Delta: Extent and compounded impacts, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-2678, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-2678, 2024.

14:25–14:35
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EGU24-4096
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Katarina Pavlek, Mateo Gašparović, and Ronald E. Poeppl

The development of remote sensing technologies and image classification methods has facilitated research on changes in river channels and floodplains by automating mapping of land cover and geomorphic units. In often highly heterogeneous river environments, object-based approaches proved sensible, since they are based on objects produced by image segmentation rather than on individual pixels.

This study uses object-based image analysis to investigate land cover and river channel dynamics in the managed corridor of the Orljava River in the Pannonian basin (Croatia). In the last decade, the river has been affected by anthropogenic removal of riparian vegetation to increase channel capacity, which was followed by a big flood event. Five river corridor classes (water, bare soil, sparse vegetation, dense vegetation, and shadows) were classified based on RGB and near-infrared (NIR) aerial images in the period 2011-2021. A digital surface model generated from the images was used to separate bare river channel units (“river sediments”) from bare soil in the floodplain and to define high vegetation, while agricultural land was classified manually. The accuracy of the produced maps was between 85 and 93%, except for the year 2014 which lacked the NIR band. Based on classified river corridor units, changes in channel morphology were further analysed in GIS. The two main phases of river corridor changes were caused by the occurrence of a big flood in 2014. In 2011-2014, immediately after the flood, a significant increase in the area of water and river sediments was recorded, mostly at the expense of bare riverbanks and adjacent agricultural land. Large in-channel bars have formed due to sediment accumulation, as well as significant channel migration has been recorded. Contrarily, in 2014-2021 lower discharges allowed gradual channel narrowing and stabilisation, characterised by the spread and growth of vegetation in the river corridor.

Observed changes in channel morphology and vegetation succession are natural processes related to actively meandering rivers. However, it has been shown that extensive bank erosion during the flood and subsequent land cover dynamics were primarily triggered by anthropogenic removal of riparian vegetation exemplifying how inadequate and isolated river management decisions may increase bank erosion and lead to a loss of agricultural land in floodplain areas.

How to cite: Pavlek, K., Gašparović, M., and Poeppl, R. E.: Assessing river corridor changes after anthropogenic vegetation removal: an object-based mapping approach, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-4096, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4096, 2024.

14:35–14:45
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EGU24-6818
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Highlight
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Virtual presentation
Lasafam Iturrizaga and Wilfried Ließmann

Already at the end of the 19th century, initial approaches were carried out to estimate the extent of anthropogenic mass transfer by humans on a global scale. In the course of the proposal of a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene, which is controversially discussed since the 2000s, anthropogenic geomorphological changes have received new attention. According to this concept, humans are moving more rocks and sediments worldwide than natural processes, with a supposed exponential increase in the mid 20th century. Along with agriculture, mining activities are among the most important anthropogenic transformations of the earth's surface. Mining landscapes have become at many locations an integral part of landform development and a crucial element of the technosphere. In the framework of the Anthropogenetic Geomorphology, humans are considered as geomorphological agents, creating a variety of landforms, for which at the same time new classifications are needed.

In the present project an interdisciplinary environmental-historical approach is used to examine the question of when, how and to which extent humans have modified the relief landscape. As study area, the Harz Mountains in Northern Germany were selected, which represents one of the most important historical mining areas in Central Europe, especially for silver, lead and copper. They are a key region for the interconnectedness of human-nature interactions, which are reflected in a genetically complex landscape development. Humans have influenced the landscape of the Harz Mountains already since prehistorical times to varying extents. Distinct phases of landscape transformation will be distinguished in this study. However, one of the most significant landscape changes took place in the Early Modern Period, when the Harz became one of the largest industrial areas in Central Europe with some of the deepest shafts worldwide at that time and large-scale underground excavations. The main driver for the exploitation of ores was the interlinkage with the global metal trade and the arise of new economic and political systems during the Renaissance, whereas the mining operations mainly relied on the local availability of certain resources such as wood and water. The energetic base for the underground mining, reaching up to almost 1000 m below the earth surface, was the Upper Harz Water Management System, the largest historical energy supply system for mining, designated as UNESCO-World-Heritage site in the year 2010.

In a case study in the St. Andreasberg Mining District (West-Harz) as one of the centers of silver mining, the physical landscape changes are systematically examined in the context of litho-geomorphological, ecological and cultural-political aspects and in their spatio-temporal patterns. The focus of the study presented here lies on the type and dimension of subterranean relief changes in the lithosphere in connection with the correlating transformation of the reliefsphere and the hydrological system in the catchment area of the Oder-Sieber River system. The mining landscape is composed of anthropogenic landform assemblages, consisting of heterogeneous compositions of lithogenic, geomorphological, biogenic and aquatic elements, which are representative for the Upper Harz mining landscape.

 

How to cite: Iturrizaga, L. and Ließmann, W.: Anthropogenic landscape transformations and geomorphological landform assemblages in the context of historical mining in the Harz Mountains (Germany): Case study Sankt Andreasberg Mining District , EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-6818, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-6818, 2024.

14:45–14:55
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EGU24-9915
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On-site presentation
Brenda Bowen

The Bonneville Salt Flats, a landscape characterized by a perennial halite crust and seasonal flooding in western Utah, USA, provides a natural laboratory for advancing understanding of the processes that create and change dynamic saline environments. A decade of interdisciplinary research on the Bonneville Salt Flats has resulted in a new understanding of the salt's history, the functioning of the salt crust ecosystem, and the role that humans play in shaping this landscape. Sedimentological analyses of cores collected across the salt has changed our understanding of the history of the landscape, including evidence of extensive erosion after Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, the surprisingly young age of the oldest salt (~5.4 cal ka BP), and historical and ongoing crust halite dissolution. 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic analysis of the salt crust reveals a complex and robust microbial and archaeal ecosystem within the salt, hosting a wide range of metabolic pathways that actively cycle C, N, and S through the landscape. A long-term environmental observation station established at the center of the salt crust provides a robust new record of landscape processes, weather data, and eddy covariance flux measurements that have helped to constrain the energy and water budgets and highlight the sensitivity of ecosystem-scale surface conductance in the absence of vegetation to atmospheric drying. Arial and spaceborne remote sensing data show the impacts of over a century of human activities on landscape composition and texture, including groundwater extraction for potash mining, intensive surface modification, and land use associated with high-speed vehicle racing on the salt. Brine extraction and attempted mitigation have resulted in salinity and salt crust extent decreases over the last several decades, potentially limiting future landscape uses. The intricate interconnection of the human-natural system has enabled the exploration of variations in mental models influencing decision-making, attribution of blame, and the feasibility of adaptive management in dynamic landscapes serving diverse and conflicting needs. Integration of science with art has expanded the nature of the inquiry and led to new ways of thinking about human connections to a seemingly barren, but truly alive, place. All of these new insights into saline landscapes and the role that human land use and climate change play in altering processes are significant to understand as water delivered to closed basin saline lakes globally is in decline, potentially leading to an expansion of exposed salt-encrusted landscapes.

How to cite: Bowen, B.: A decade of interdisciplinary research on the dynamics of surface processes and landscape change at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-9915, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-9915, 2024.

14:55–15:05
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EGU24-13659
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Francis Matthews, Panos Panagos, Arthur Fendrich, and Gert Verstraeten

Testing and improving the capacity of soil erosion and sediment delivery models to simulate the response of soil erosion to the intra-annual dynamics of climatic drivers and disturbances (e.g., vegetation clearcutting, tillage events, wildfires) is critical to understand intolerable soil loss and catchment sediment yields. Here, we approach the trade-off between the need for model simplicity and temporally dynamic predictions by testing the ability of a low-complexity, spatially distributed model (WaTEM/SEDEM), to decompose the 15-day dynamics of soil erosion and sediment yield. A standardised RUSLE parameterisation and model implementation routine was applied to four arable-dominated catchments in North-West Europe with open-access validation data. We firstly show that when applied to simulate the multitemporal dynamics of sediment delivery, a standard assumption of a temporally static transport capacity within the model structure mostly cannot adequately replicate the multitemporal variability of sediment delivery. Instead, optimising a 5-parameter splines curve to determine the temporal profile of the transport capacity coefficient (ktc) based on the monthly average sediment yield improved the model performance and revealed clear seasonality in the sediment transport efficacy. Despite simulating similar temporally aggregated sediment yields, the introduction of seasonal dynamics into the transport capacity further caused a net reduction in the magnitudes of the spatially distributed sediment fluxes, compared to a temporally lumped approach. Published catchment observations infer this seasonality in sediment transport efficiency to attribute abundant vegetative boundaries in summer and increased soil crusting and runoff promotion in winter. Models operating at temporally aggregated timescales should account for the possibility of decoupling in time and space between gross erosion and sediment delivery related to these alternations between transport- and detachment-limited sediment transport capacity states. Despite the complexities and uncertainties involved in the temporal downscaling of WaTEM/SEDEM, we show the utility of this approach to: 1) link optimised multitemporal parameters to key missing model information components which may reduce error in gross erosion predictions (e.g. more consideration of antecedent soil conditions), 2) form a basis for strategically adding physical process-representation, with a focus on maintaining low model complexity while improving predictive skill, and 3) better understand the interdependencies between spatial fluxes and multitemporal dynamics when undertaking model predictions at large spatial and temporal scales.

How to cite: Matthews, F., Panagos, P., Fendrich, A., and Verstraeten, G.: Testing a low-complexity model to decompose the multitemporal dynamics of soil erosion and sediment delivery in agricultural catchments, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-13659, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-13659, 2024.

15:05–15:15
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EGU24-14575
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On-site presentation
Greg Hancock and tom Coulthard

Tailings are a by-product of the processing of minerals. Tailings can be highly erodible and transportable via fluvial processes and are commonly stored in ‘tailings dams’ which are a feature of many mine sites. These dams and their impounded material will become permanent geomorphic features in the post-mining landscape. The question examined here is - can tailings dams ever be walk-away structures? Tailings dams can fail by both catastrophic and gradual failure. Catastrophic failure occurs when there is a large scale rapid structural failure of the dam wall. Gradual failure occurs over time by slow infilling of the dam and the erosion of the dam wall. This can lead to overtopping of the dam wall and gully incision and failure of the wall and release of sediment to the environment. To understand failure modes and risk profile, computer based Landscape Evolution Models (LEMs) can be used. LEMs have become common tools to quantify risk for mine waste rock dumps and waste repositories.  LEMs provide detailed information on erosion rates, type of erosion and where erosion is likely to occur. They inform long-term behaviour which allows designs to be tested and improved. Here they are used to assess tailings dams where the strengths and weaknesses of different tailings dams designs are examined across a range of climates and material settings. The results show that if well-designed and assuming a well understood climate, a dam can be sufficiently robust to last centuries. However, failure can occur under different climate settings. Modelling also demonstrates that upon failure water quality will be affected for many centuries post-breach if no remedial work is conducted. Longer term, the tailings can be contained if there is maintenance and or an increase in the dam wall height over time or a more robust dam wall constructed to manage extreme events.

How to cite: Hancock, G. and Coulthard, T.: Assessing tailings dam long-term failure risk using computer based Landform Evolution Models , EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-14575, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-14575, 2024.

15:15–15:25
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EGU24-12407
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Highlight
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On-site presentation
Aleksandra Tomczyk and Marek Ewertowski

This study contributes to the topic of land surface degradation due to touristic activity by documenting examples of trail impacts related to initial trail development and high-intensity visitor usage. Our observations are based on a case study from the tropical Andes - Peru’s Rainbow Mountain (also named Vinicunca or Montaña de Siete Colores), which became a world-renowned tourist destination in recent years (after 2015/2016). The topic is important, as such high-mountain settings are very fragile, and degradation can occur rapidly – with long-term repercussions, as these landscapes tend not to recover quickly.

The main objectives of the study were to: (1) characterise and map different types of impacts related to direct visitor pressure, (2) document and evaluate activities aimed at limiting degradation while enhancing visitors’ experience, and (3) propose a conceptual model of trail functioning in the tropical high-mountain environment. Data were collected using ground-based surveys, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and high-resolution satellite images.

Eight processes were responsible for transformation of the land surface: (1) trampling, (2) abrasion/shearing by visitors and service animals, (3) transformation of water and sediment circulation, (4) water erosion, (5) freeze-thaw cycles, (6) dry-wet cycles, (7) aeolian activities, and (8) mass movements. The five main trail impacts clearly visible in the landscape just after 1–2 seasons of intensive recreational use were: trail widening, trail incision, formation of braided trail networks, development of muddy sections, and development of informal (visitor-created) trails.

The hiking path was characterised by a width below 2 m and a low incision (<0.1 m incision on 80% of its length). The equestrian path was much wider (up to 17 m) and slightly more incised (<0.3 m incision on 69% of its length). The width of the multi-use path was up to 24 m. We suggest that the location of the trail in relation to the main geomorphological elements of the landscape (valley bottom vs slopes) and trail alignment to the terrain gradient have an essential impact on trail functioning and degradation. Specifically, trail sections routed through flat terrain and without lateral restrictions tend to widen and develop muddy sections, while sections routed parallel to steep slopes were prone to incision. Trails transverse to the terrain gradient were better drained but often developed into several parallel paths.

Undertaken trail management aimed to reduce negative visitor impacts and improve their safety and satisfaction. Successful measures included hardening the trail tread and marking the trail edges, which limited visitor dispersion and stabilised trail conditions. Partially successful actions involved installing artificial drainage (only partly preventing muddy section development) and providing separate paths for pedestrians and equestrians. After this change, the pedestrian trail was narrow and stable, but the equestrian path continued to degrade. Attempts to change visitor traffic patterns by relocating parking and abandoning a section of the trail were unsuccessful, as the new road and parking, and a new additional trail segment further degraded the landscape. Moreover, geomorphological processes continued to transform the abandoned trail section.

This study was funded by National Science Centre, Poland, project 2021/43/B/ST10/00950

How to cite: Tomczyk, A. and Ewertowski, M.: Land surface changes in response to touristic activity in the fragile, high-mountain environment: a case study of Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain) in Andes, Peru, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-12407, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-12407, 2024.

15:25–15:35
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EGU24-18146
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Amaury Fernandes, Laurent Lespez, Gourguen Davtian, Hatem Djerbi, Claude Rouvier, Sophie Costa, Eric Andrieux, and Louise Purdue

Oases are man-made environment in response to hydro-climatic constraints of dryland. They form landscapes of natural origin that have been modified and exploited by the agro-pastoral practices of human societies. The oasis of AlUla, in Northwestern Saudi Arabia, is settled at least since the beginning of the Bronze Age. This oasis is located at the foot of the Harrat al-Uwayrid formation which separates the sandy deserts of northern Arabia from the Red Sea. AlUla has a long history of occupation, notably through the development of major archaeological sites such as the Late Bronze Age site of Dadan, the Nabataean site of Hegra, and the old towns of AlUla and Al Mabyat from the Islamic period. Recent research has also revealed the development of agro-pastoral activities since the Neolithic and hydroagricultural development from the Late Bronze Age onwards.

The aim of this research is to reconstruct the landscape of the AlUla oasis and thus to find out in what environmental framework these agro-pastoral societies developed. It also aims to study the role of climatic changes in the natural dynamics that have formed the geomorphology of the oasis (aeolian, fluvial, slopes processes and formations) and to determine the impact of human development. These objectives are to provide answers about the understanding of the current organization of geomorphological objects and their evolution/transformation through the Holocene and thus the interactions between societies and their environment that have produced them. This work has also enabled us to produce quantitative data on the volumes of earth moved/excavated since the rampant urbanization of the oasis, and to identify the practices (quarrying vs. levelling) and geomorphological environment most affected by these earthworks.

To achieve these objectives, we have produced a diachronic geomorphological map covering the AlUla oasis and its margins, with the aim of tracing the natural history of the oasis from its current state back to the Neolithic/Early Holocene. This realization of this map is based on a combination of geomatics methods, using a DEM produced by LiDAR data (2018, 40 cm accuracy), orthophotographs (2018, 10 cm accuracy), remote sensing with satellite images (1965-2024 Google, Bing, Corona), geological data (1:500,000) and fieldwork in order to inventory landforms and determined their organization and their chronology (C14, OSL).

Our results show a long-term trend towards aridification since the second half of the Holocene and an increase in human pressure since the Bronze Age. This last observation result from the initiation and expansion of agricultural practices supported by earthworks which have led to the development of levees along wadis, agricultural terraces and anthroposols. These anthropogenic forms associated with numerous excavations have greatly modified the initial topography and therefore the geomorphology of the oasis, from the Bronze age but with an astonishing and constant acceleration over the last thirty years. This demonstrates that the natural dynamics which have prevailed during the Holocene are progressively replaced by the impact of human societies, acting as an agent of erosion in the oasis environment in NW Arabia during the Anthropocene.

How to cite: Fernandes, A., Lespez, L., Davtian, G., Djerbi, H., Rouvier, C., Costa, S., Andrieux, E., and Purdue, L.: Natural dynamic vs anthropogenic transformations of the AlUla oasis, NW Arabia, during the Holocene: a combination  of geoarchaeology and geomatic approaches, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-18146, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-18146, 2024.

15:35–15:45
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EGU24-18350
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On-site presentation
Timothée Jautzy, Nicolas Jacob-Rousseau, Salomé Berthier--Laumond, Margaux Claudepierre, Gilles Rixhon, and Laurent Schmitt

The anthropogenic pressure on European rivers has greatly intensified since the Industrial Revolution through channelisation, rectification, and building of dams and weirs. Against this background, focusing on the Vosges Mountains (NE France) is particularly relevant since it is the most densely populated mountain range in France. The Vosgian hydrographic network was accordingly impacted by widespread human modifications. No less than ~5000 hydraulic structures (HS) mostly involving weirs were built across the main streams draining the massif. Contrary to large rivers (e.g. the Rhine), the edification periods of these HS in smaller catchments remains largely unknown yet, thereby impeding a precise chronological reconstruction of the main phases of human pressure and environmental trajectories.

 

In this study, we aim to gain insight into the spatio-temporal anthropisation of three main streams draining the southern part of the Vosges, i.e. the Fecht, Vologne and Moselotte, and to evaluate their historical morphodynamic adjustments from the end of the 18th century onwards. We took advantage of the abundant paper archives, i.e. written reports, plans…, from the “Ponts et Chaussées” administration, which collected at the local scale every official request to build HS along and across streams from the 18th to the 20th century. Firstly, we characterised and mapped every weir and levee along the three studied streams to produce an updated database of the present distribution of HS. Secondly, we analysed the archives to date the construction (and in some cases deconstruction) of the HS. Finally, we reconstructed the diachronic evolution of the channel pattern, from an ancient topographical map (1866) and two orthophotos (1951, 2018). Our results allow a first quantification of human impacts: the year of construction (terminus ante-quem) could be assigned to 7%, 38% and 59% of the weirs currently present in the Fecht, Vologne and Moselotte, respectively. Most of them were probably built in the middle of the 19th century. Importantly, we also evidence a spatio-temporal correlation between the construction of HS and the simplification of the channel pattern. Although the use of historical documents has several limitations (e.g. loss, destruction, unavailability), we demonstrate that they are valuable archives that usefully complement field observations and investigations.

How to cite: Jautzy, T., Jacob-Rousseau, N., Berthier--Laumond, S., Claudepierre, M., Rixhon, G., and Schmitt, L.: Quantifying human impact during industrialisation on the evolutionary trajectory of Vosgian streams (NE France): the value of documentary archives , EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-18350, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-18350, 2024.

Posters on site: Tue, 16 Apr, 16:15–18:00 | Hall X3

Display time: Tue, 16 Apr, 14:00–Tue, 16 Apr, 18:00
Chairpersons: Ronald Pöppl, Annegret Larsen, Jantiene Baartman
X3.68
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EGU24-4572
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ECS
Narendra K. Patel, Fritz Schlunegger, David Mair, Pitambar Pati, and Ariel Henrique Do Prado

Downstream variation in bed material size was investigated over a stretch of the Yamuna River in the western Himalayan region in India. Data on grain size distribution along rivers are critical for understanding river systems and material transport. Flow regulation caused by dam construction can alter sediment transport mechanisms, generating morphological changes. Using an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), we investigated precise grain size variation along the Yamuna River and its tributaries in the Siwalik region, from Lakhwar Dam to Hathni Kund Barrage. All photos were collected via UAV survey.

On these datasets, grain size variation was observed across dams. The upper Yamuna River's bed-load sediments are becoming finer-grained downstream. Since the dam barrier and low flow energy force large particles to remain above the dam, smaller particles are found downstream of the dam. During the survey, evidence of mining in several locations along the river suggests the influence of anthropogenic activity in the regions. Accordingly, this study sheds light on the potential consequences of dam construction on material transportation. We observed that dams work as a barrier for coarse grain particles, which may have an impact on the dam in the near future. Field evidence and preliminary processed data indicate that the size of the gravel bar along the river course has been modified by many human interventions (hydroelectric dams, barrages, mining).

How to cite: Patel, N. K., Schlunegger, F., Mair, D., Pati, P., and Prado, A. H. D.: Human impact on grain size variations of river gravel bars in the western Himalaya: Insights from a UAV survey, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-4572, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4572, 2024.

X3.69
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EGU24-9614
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ECS
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Highlight
Michele Delchiaro, Francesca Vergari, Carlo Esposito, and Maurizio Del Monte

The urban landscape of the city of Rome exhibits a discernible urban-rural gradient, characterized by a diminishing anthropic impact from the central historic city to the outskirts and peri-urban zones, marked by increased open spaces and green areas. In the Aeterna Urbs, the Anthropocene epoch has seen significant urbanization and infrastructure development, frequently leading to profound alterations or complete obliteration of natural landscapes. The distinctive anthropogenic changes observed in Rome, characterized by their unique features, are not confined to the city; they are also evident in other contexts, underscoring commonalities and interconnections in how human activity shapes the landscape. In this regard, the city of Rome stands as an exemplar, offering a unique opportunity to delve into the human-induced changes and their impact on the natural geomorphological processes. However, despite their critical importance in understanding human-landscape interactions and the associated geomorphological risks, the role of human activity as a morphogenetic agent along the urban-rural gradient remains inadequately understood. This study addresses the tricky understanding of human-induced geomorphic changes, particularly on erosion, transport, and sedimentation processes, which pose threats to ecosystem functioning and impede efficient land use. The Malagrotta extraction area in Rome, Italy, characterized by a mining landscape of ridge removal, hillslope terracing and valley filling, offers a unique opportunity to assess the impact of topographical alterations on the geomorphic system. The investigation employs the widely accepted functional relationship between drainage area (A in m2) and slope (S in m/m) to delineate local process domains and facilitate the interpretation of process interactions. The slope-area function is applied to the same watershed across different periods using digital elevation models, offering insights into the evolving geomorphic dynamics influenced by human activities.

How to cite: Delchiaro, M., Vergari, F., Esposito, C., and Del Monte, M.: The influence of anthropogenic topographic changes on geomorphological processes in the city of Rome (Italy), EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-9614, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-9614, 2024.

X3.70
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EGU24-11466
Vittoria Scorpio, Alessandra Cervizzi, and Sharon Pittau

Human pressures, in response to economic development and population growth, have been one of the main drivers of river systems changes especially since the second half of the last century. In the European context, anthropogenic impacts mainly concern with catchment land use changes, in-stream gravel mining, and in-channel works construction. The reconstruction of the past evolutionary trajectories and the temporal analysis of driving factors is considered fundamental to understand present river conditions, to support channel network management and to anticipate future changes.

The aim of this study is to investigate the anthropogenic factors that have impacted the geomorphological evolution of the Taro River (Northern Apennines, Italy) over the last 70 years.

Traditional methods based on multi-temporal orthophoto (1954, 1976, 1988, 1994 and 2020) analysis in GIS environment were used for studying historical channel changes along a channel segment 90 km long. Analyses of anthropogenic factors that may have influenced changes in the active channel included: (i) analysis of land use changes at the catchment scale, (ii) quantification of gravel mining activities, and (iii) analysis of in-channel work constructions.

Results showed that between 1954 and 1976 the Taro River channel width decreased by 39% on average, mainly in response to gravel mining activities, and subsequently to the increase of works into the channel. To the contrary, as a result of mining activities abandonment in the early 1980s, and of the occurrence of an extreme flood event in 1982, an increase of 18% in the active channel width was observed in 1988. The decreases in active channel width in the last 30 years (since the end of the 1980s) were correlated with the increase in forested areas in the catchment and with the increasing degree of stabilization of channel banks.

These studies are fundamental to identify management solutions in degraded rivers and to anticipate impacts in such rivers still featuring poorly impacted channel morphologies.

How to cite: Scorpio, V., Cervizzi, A., and Pittau, S.: The impact of anthropogenic activities on the geomorphological evolution of the Taro River over the last 70 years, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-11466, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-11466, 2024.

X3.71
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EGU24-12508
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ECS
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Joshua Anthony

Palaeochannels offer a glimpse into the history of a landscape. In the context of shifting perspectives from traditional hard engineering to soft nature-based measures, modern flood risk management could benefit from an understanding of the natural processes and features preserved within palaeochannels, which have otherwise been hidden by a legacy of engineering and land management on the river and floodplain. This study uses geophysical surveying techniques to bridge the gap between surface topography LiDAR data and sediment core data, in order to investigate the evolution of past rivers and tidal inlets in the Somerset Levels coastal plain and inland wetlands in southwest England. Case studies from a range of palaeochannels across the Somerset Levels are presented to identify the advantages and limitations of applying the methodology to a coastal plain and wetland dominated by Holocene alluvium and increasing human influence over the past several centuries. Four river systems represent both tidally dominated and inland freshwater conditions: a large tidal creek system within predominantly clay sediment; an inland river system traversing a peat wetland which was the former course of a major drainage network before intentional diversion; and two systems at the transition between tidal and freshwater influence.

Two-dimensional subsurface profiles derived from electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), shallow seismic refraction traverses, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) are used to laterally connect one-dimensional vertical sediment core data, and then integrated with the surface topography LiDAR data to construct channel and floodplain cross-sectional models. Past geomorphological processes – such as lateral migration, channel adjustment, and avulsion – are revealed in the preserved channel sediments, indicating responses to the contemporary climatic and anthropogenic conditions. Geophysical survey designs for identifying fluvial-geomorphological processes and features within palaeochannels are discussed, along with the need to adapt survey design for best resolution and depth in different, peat-dominated or clay-dominated, sedimentary settings. ERT is shown to consistently provide excellent depth penetration and estimations of channel extent. High resolution GPR data at the near-surface can be used in tandem with available core data to delineate the channel fill and bank geometry and calibrate depth estimations.

Flow conditions are reconstructed quantitatively using palaeohydrological drainage equations based on cross-sectional area values derived from the geophysical profiles. This avoids reliance on oversimplified cross-section estimates based upon surface parameters such as width and meander length, and one-dimensional depth estimates from core profiles. Existing hydraulic and drainage regime equations are tested against flow gauge data and channel measurements from active rivers to obtain optimal parameters for palaeohydrological calculations. These parameter estimates also benefit from on-the-ground channel parameter measurements in tandem with topographic remote-sensing. Hence, this study proposes a novel methodology that integrates geophysical surveying within palaeohydrological estimation techniques to improve models over long timescales of past fluvial environments that have been modified by humans.

How to cite: Anthony, J.: A geophysical study of palaeochannels on the Somerset Levels coastal plain and wetland to explore river landscape evolution., EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-12508, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-12508, 2024.

X3.72
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EGU24-15250
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ECS
Kenta Koyanagi, Giovanna Nordio, Andrea Andreoli, Enrico Tomelleri, Ronald Pöppl, and Francesco Comiti

Wind-disturbed mountain forests are often subject to artificial deadwood extraction and tree planting to accelerate the recovery of timber resources. However, little is known about to what degree and extent those post-storm silvicultural treatments modify the surface processes of wind-affected hillslopes. This study aims to understand how post-storm silvicultural treatments affect soil erosion from wind-disturbed mountain forests by coupling monitoring and modeling approaches. We continuously collected and measured soil losses from four 4.5-m-wide and 6.0-m-long bounded field plots located on wind-disturbed hillslopes with a slope angle of 45 % in a subalpine headwater of the Italian Alps during the vegetation periods from 2021 to 2023. The dominant ground cover of four plots resulting from altered post-storm interventions is characterized by residual deadwood, native herbs, 20-year-old plantation, and 5-year-old plantation, respectively. During 75 analyzed storm events, average soil loss from the native herbs-covered plot (2.4 t ha-1; SD: ±3.5 t ha-1) was the smallest, followed by plots covered with residual deadwood (mean±SD: 3.1±2.9 t ha-1), 20-year-old plantation (mean±SD: 3.5±5.2 t ha-1), and the 5-year-old plantation (mean±SD: 4.5±4.2 t ha-1). Moreover, linear regression models (p-value < 0.001) indicated that two plantation plots potentially yield 2-fold sediment of naturally regenerating deadwood and herbs-covered plots as storm rainfall depth increases. Our three-year field observations highlight the persistent impact of post-storm forest management activities in accelerating soil erosion potentially even 20 years after their implementation. In the next step, the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model will be used to further investigate the effect of human treatments on hydrology and sediment transport in storm-affected mountain areas.

How to cite: Koyanagi, K., Nordio, G., Andreoli, A., Tomelleri, E., Pöppl, R., and Comiti, F.: Legacy effects of post-storm silvicultural treatments on plot-scale soil erosion in a subalpine headwater catchment of the Italian Alps, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-15250, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-15250, 2024.

X3.73
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EGU24-16648
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ECS
Eui Hyun Kim and Jung Lyul Lee

As the number and quality of satellite data detecting the Earth increases, a significant number of research fields are using these images, providing increasingly interesting results that were previously unimaginable. In this study, we extract the coastline from satellite images captured over a long period of time and analyze how the location of the coastline has changed in time and space.

Recently, many studies have attempted similar analyzes. However, the resolution of the image is low, so the results tend to be unreliable, as they often produce trend results of less than cm per year. Therefore, in this study, we first analyzed how reliable the trend results are depending on the amount of data, even if the resolution is low.

We also present a method to obtain the location of the coastline from reference points fixed behind the coast by linearly fitting nearby coastline points to reduce the error of coastline points extracted from satellite images. This method obtains the coastline position as the distance to the intersection of the base line and the fitting line and obtains the coastline gradient as the angle of the fitting line.

This method was applied to Wonpyeong-Chogok Beach located in the East Sea of the Korean Peninsula to analyze how the coastline has evolved over the past five years from 2019 to 2023, when coastal structures were built. On this beach, which has a total length of 2.9 km, three submerged detached breakwaters, two emerged detached breakwaters, and three groynes were built to reduce beach erosion. Reference points are located about 100 m behind the circular line that best fits the coastline, and the direction of base line is fixed to face the center of the fitting circle. Behind the emerged detached breakwater, the rate of change is up to 6.2m per year, and even in areas where structures have not yet been installed, there is a slight forward trend (0.4m/yr) due to the influence of beach nourishment. The standard deviation of the coastline position data for each base line ranges from 4.0m to 10.6m. Recently, Lim et al. (2022) presented the relationship between the standard deviation of the coastline data and sand grain size, and compared to the sand grain size results collected in the field, the grain size value was shown to be larger. The reason is that if the annual mean coastline is not maintained and continues to advance, the standard deviation increases. Considering this effect, the results are compared with observed sand gain size data. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how feasible it is to estimate the sand grain size from the analysis of long-term shoreline data obtained from satellite data, as in the results of this study.

 

 

Reference

Lim, C., Kim, T.-K., Kim, J.-B., and Lee, J.-L. (2022). A study on the influence of sand median grain size on the short-term recovery process of shorelines. Front. Mar. Sci. 9. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.906209

How to cite: Kim, E. H. and Lee, J. L.: Shoreline Change Analysis After Construction of Coastal Structures in Wonpyeong-Chogok Beach by Satellite Image Process, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-16648, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-16648, 2024.

X3.74
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EGU24-19923
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Highlight
Michael Weissl, Diana Hatzenbühler, Christian Baumgartner, and Michael Wagreich

Many human interventions in river systems, e.g., river channelization, hydropower dams, or restoration measures, affect geomorphological and sedimentological settings. Anthropogenic impact can lead to alterations in stream dynamics and sedimentary imbalances, as recorded in the sediments of large riverplains.

In the project “From Romans to the Anthropocene, from Carnuntum to Vienna: An Urban Anthropocene Field Lab” (WWTF ESR20-027) we explore long-term urban and geomorphological transformations within the Danube floodplain between Vienna (Austria) and Bratislava (Slovakia). Combining historical and sedimentological methods, our research focuses on the development of a very old settlement area within the transition zone between eastern and Central Europe.

Extensive river engineering, starting in the 19th century, was a precondition for Vienna’s development as a residence and metropolis. This includes extensive river training and the construction of flood control structures. After a long period of river engineering and the construction of many hydro-power dams along the upper Danube, around 2000 the local removal of river bank fortifications started and also the restoration of fluvial dynamics primarily within our study area downstream of Vienna, in the free-flowing river section of the Donau-Auen National Park.

Fine overbank deposits record river dynamics through climatic and anthropogenic drivers. Reading the sequence of alluvial deposits allows us to understand the human impact on floodplain morphology. The great advantage of analyzing sedimentary archives is the temporal depth they offer: we can evaluate the conditions prior to river training (~200 years ago), the effects of engineering measures (e.g. river channelization, construction of hydropower stations), and recent restoration measures as well.

The characterization of sediment archives, including sediment dating (radioactive isotopes, OSL, dendrochronology), provides information on major flooding events, changes in the flow regime, and the dynamics of sedimentation. For investigations into sedimentary processes and river morphology downstream of Vienna, it is also necessary to have a look not only at the present state of a trained river but also at the former, near-natural situation of the riverscape. Therefore, comparisons of changing river morphologies before, during, and after the erection of dams and weirs are a requirement.

 

How to cite: Weissl, M., Hatzenbühler, D., Baumgartner, C., and Wagreich, M.: Reading the sedimentary archives in the Danube floodplain downstream of Vienna (Austria), EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-19923, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-19923, 2024.

Posters virtual: Tue, 16 Apr, 14:00–15:45 | vHall X3

Display time: Tue, 16 Apr, 08:30–Tue, 16 Apr, 18:00
Chairpersons: Ronald Pöppl, Annegret Larsen
vX3.8
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EGU24-1117
Soumya Kundu, Somil Swarnkar, and Akshay Agarwal

Suspended sediment load in rivers has a crucial impact on the river water quality, soil erosion, irrigation activities, and dam or reservoir operations. Dam construction in a river reduces the runoff, which increases the deposition of suspended sediment on the river course and ultimately leads to a change in the river channel morphology. Thus, suspended sediment load prediction is significant for planning and sustainable management of the riverine ecosystem. Researchers have used various physical models, such as sediment rating curves (SRC), SWAT, HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, etc., for predicting suspended sediment load. Recently, researchers have used machine learning models to predict suspended sediment load in different hydroclimatic regions worldwide. In this study, we used five different machine learning models, such as ElasticNetCV, Multi‑Layer Perceptron (MLP) Regressor, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) Regressor, Light Gradient-Boosting Machine (LGBM) Regressor and Linear Regression (LR), for predicting suspended sediment load in a downstream station of Godavari River Basin (GRB). The GRB is the largest Indian peninsular river basin, covering more than 0.3 million square kilometers of area. We used the 'Lazy Predict' Python library to achieve better results for machine-learning modeling. The data was collected for the period of 1970–2018 and divided into two parts, viz. pre-1990 and post-1990, to consider the dam effects on the downstream regions of the GRB. Performance evaluation revealed that the Multi‑Layer Perceptron (MLP) Regressor performed very significantly, with an r-square value of 0.71 and 0.74, respectively, for pre-1990 and post-1990. The developed models offer a valuable resource for decision-makers, environmental scientists, and water resource managers seeking to proactively manage sediment-related issues in river systems, ultimately fostering sustainable water quality and ecosystem health.

How to cite: Kundu, S., Swarnkar, S., and Agarwal, A.: Application of Machine-Learning Based Models for Prediction of Suspended Sediment Load in the Indian Peninsular River Basin, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-1117, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-1117, 2024.

vX3.9
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EGU24-6383
Anti-urban systems, oracular archaeological complexes and hydraulic technologies adapted to the eastern montaña region of Ecuador: The Magic Valley of the Upano River
(withdrawn)
Alden Yépez