About the Editor xxiii
List of Contributors xxv
Preface xxxiii
1 Introduction 1
Avijit Gupta
1.1 Large Rivers and People 1
1.2 What Is a Large River? 1
1.3 The Book and its Content 4
References 6
Part I Background
2 Geology of Large River Systems 7
Sampat K. Tandon and Rajiv Sinha
2.1 Introduction 7
2.2 Tectonic Settings of Large River Systems 9
2.3 Complexity of Drainage Types and Channel Morphology 12
2.4 Large Rivers – Climatic Settings and Climatic Variability 17
2.5 Modern Large Rivers – Hydrology and Sediment Dispersal 19
2.6 Landforms and Alluvial Architecture of Large River Systems 23
2.7 Growth and Development of Large River Systems 28
2.8 Duration of Large River Systems and the Rock Record 30
2.9 Sea Level, Tectonic, and Climatic Controls on the Large River Systems 31
2.10 Concluding Remarks 33
Acknowledgments 34
References 34
3 Hydrology and Discharge 42
Ellen Wohl and Katherine B. Lininger
3.1 Introduction 42
3.2 Large Rivers of the Equatorial Regions 51
3.3 Large Rivers of the Drylands 54
3.4 Rivers of the Mid-Latitudes 57
3.5 Rivers Draining South from the Himalaya 59
3.6 Rivers of East and Southeast Asia 61
3.7 High-Latitude Rivers 63
3.8 Conclusion 64
Acknowledgment 66
References 67
4 Transcontinental Moving and Storage: The Orinoco and Amazon Rivers Transfer the Andes to the Atlantic 76
Robert H. Meade
4.1 Introduction 76
4.2 Andean Sources and Alluvial Storage 76
4.3 Orinoco 78
4.4 Amazon 82
4.5 The Amazon Goes to Sea 92
4.6 Coda 94
Acknowledgements 94
References 95
5 Megafloods and Large Rivers 100
Victor R. Baker
5.1 Introduction 100
5.2 Historical Background 100
5.3 Terrestrial Glacial Megafloods 101
5.4 Extraterrestrial Megafloods and Megarivers 108
5.5 Conclusion 109
References 110
6 Classification, Architecture, and Evolution of Large River Deltas 114
Kazuaki Hori and Yoshiki Saito
6.1 Introduction 114
6.2 Definition of a Delta and Delta Components 116
6.3 Classification of Deltas 122
6.4 Morphology and Sediment 124
6.5 Delta Evolution 130
6.6 Problems of Sediment Supply 134
6.7 Concluding Remarks 135
Acknowledgements 136
References 136
7 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of Large River Deposits: Recognition and Preservation Potential in the Rock Record 146
Christopher R. Fielding
7.1 Introduction 146
7.2 Geomorphology of Modern Big Rivers 150
7.3 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of Modern Big Rivers 150
7.4 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of Ancient Big Rivers 156
7.5 Discussion: Preservation Potential of Big River Deposits 159
7.6 Conclusion 160
Acknowledgments 161
References 161
Part II Case Studies
8 Effects of Tectonism and Sea-Level Change on the Form and Behaviour of the Modern Amazon River and Its Floodplain 171
Leal A.K. Mertes and Thomas Dunne
8.1 Background 171
8.2 Amazon Basin Characteristics 172
8.3 Tectonic Influences on the Modern Amazon 177
8.4 Structural Influences on Amazon River Geomorphology 183
8.5 Influences of Sea-Level Changes on the Amazon River and Floodplain 193
8.6 Conclusion 197
Acknowledgements 198
References 199
9 The Mississippi River System 205
James C. Knox
9.1 Introduction 205
9.2 Cenozoic Drainage Evolution 206
9.3 Influence of Quaternary Glaciations 209
9.4 Proglacial Lakes and Extreme Floods 211
9.5 Response of the Lower Mississippi Valley to Upper Valley Glaciation and Flooding 213
9.6 The Mississippi River System During the Holocene 215
9.7 Morphology of the Mississippi River 227
9.8 Modern Hydrology 233
9.9 The Mississippi River System: Summary and Outlook 242
Acknowledgements 244
References 245
10 The Colorado River 253
John C. Schmidt, Lindsey Bruckerhoff, Homa Salehabadi, and Jian Wang
10.1 Introduction 253
10.2 Physiography 255
10.3 Gradient, Valley Width, and Channel Form in the Colorado Plateau 257
10.4 Hydrology 260
10.5 The Colorado River in the Millennium Drought 265
10.6 Hydrology: Past and Future 281
10.7 Pre-dam and Post-dam Sediment Yield and Sediment Transport 285
10.8 Channel Adjustment and Ecological Change During the Twentieth Century 289
10.9 Modern Fish Community 299
10.10 Environmental Management of the Modern River 302
10.11 The Future 306
10.12 Conclusion 307
References 308
11 The Lena: A Large River in a Deep Permafrost Zone 320
Emmanuele Gautier, François Costard, and Alexander Fedorov
11.1 Introduction 320
11.2 Description of the Lena Drainage Basin 321
11.3 A Periglacial Environment 323
11.4 Floodplain, Delta, and Periglacial Land Forms 323
11.5 Impact of Climatic Change on the Hydrosystem 330
11.6 Conclusion 331
References 332
12 The Danube: Morphology, Evolution, and Environmental Issues 335
Denes Loczy
12.1 Introduction 335
12.2 Water and Sediment 337
12.3 Headwaters of the Danube 339
12.4 Hydromorphology of the Danube Sections 341
12.5 The Danube Delta 345
12.6 The Evolution of the Valley of the Danube 347
12.7 Human Impacts 354
References 360
13 The Yukon and the Mackenzie: Large Arctic Rivers of North America 368
Ellen Wohl, Natalie Kramer, and Katherine B. Lininger
13.1 Introduction 368
13.2 Large Arctic Rivers of North America 369
13.3 The Yukon and the Mackenzie: A Study in Contrasts 374
13.4 The Future of Large Arctic Rivers in North America 378
13.5 Conclusion 381
References 381
14 The River Nile: Evolution and Environment 388
Jamie C. Woodward, Mark G. Macklin, Michael D. Krom, and Martin A.J. Williams
14.1 Introduction 388
14.2 Nile Basin River Environments 390
14.3 Early Origins and the Neogene Nile 391
14.4 The Late Pleistocene and Holocene Nile 394
14.5 Records of Nile River Behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea 402
14.6 The Modern Nile: Hydrology and Geomorphology 406
14.7 The Suspended Sediment Budget 415
14.8 The Nile Delta and The Eastern Mediterranean 417
14.9 River Basin Management and Global Change 421
Acknowledgements 425
References 425
15 The Congo River, Central Africa 433
Jurgen Runge
15.1 Introduction 433
15.2 The Course of the Congo River 434
15.3 Geology and Geomorphology of the Congo Basin 440
15.4 Evolution of the Congo River 444
15.5 The Flow Regime of the Congo 445
15.6 Solid, Suspended, and Dissolved Load 448
15.7 The Congo Mouth and the Submarine Canyon 449
15.8 The Congo River and Its Economic Importance 450
15.9 Conclusion 451
Acknowledgements 452
References 452
16 The Zambezi: Origins and Legacies of Earth’s Oldest River System 457
Andy E. Moore, Fenton P.D. Cotterill, Mike P.L. Main, and Hugh B. Williams
16.1 Introduction 457
16.2 The Zambezi River System 459
16.3 Hydrology 464
16.4 Ecological Impact of Major Dams 467
16.5 Evolution of the Zambezi River System 469
16.6 Drainage Evolution and Speciation 478
16.7 Cultural and Economic Aspects 481
16.8 Conclusion 482
Acknowledgements 483
References 483
17 The Geographic, Geological, and Oceanographic Setting of the Indus River – An Update 488
Asif Inam, Peter D. Clift, Liviu Giosan, Anwar Alizai, Samina Kidwai, Muhammad I. Shahzad, Ibrahim Zia, Majid Nazeer, Muhammad J. Khan, Syed S. Ali, Aneela Shaheen, Rashida Qari, and Sanober Kehkashan
17.1 Introduction 488
17.2 The Drainage Basin 491
17.3 Evolution of the Indus River 492
17.4 Indus Water and Sediment Discharge 493
17.5 The Indus Delta 495
17.6 Submarine Indus System 499
17.7 Water Management 503
17.8 The Indus Dolphins 505
17.9 Environmental Changes 506
17.10 Conclusion 510
References 513
18 The Ganga River 521
Indra B. Singh
18.1 Introduction 521
18.2 Hydrology 522
18.3 Water Quality 526
18.4 Material Transfer in the Ganga 527
18.5 Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Sediments 530
18.6 Heavy Metals and Pollutants in the Sediment 531
18.7 The Plain and the River 531
18.8 The Delta 533
18.9 A Summary of Current Geomorphic Processes 538
18.10 Quaternary Evolution of the Ganga 538
18.11 Utilization of the River and Associated Problems 542
Acknowledgements 546
References 546
19 Erosion and Weathering in the Brahmaputra River System 551
Sunil K. Singh
19.1 Introduction 551
19.2 The Brahmaputra River System 552
19.3 Geology of the Basin 554
19.4 Hydrology 556
19.5 Floods in the Brahmaputra 557
19.6 Characteristics of the Brahmaputra Channel 562
19.7 Erosion and Weathering 562
19.8 Sediment Yield or Erosion Rates in the Various Zones 567
19.9 Chemical Weathering and Erosion 568
19.10 Bed Load and Weathering Intensity 572
19.11 Control of Physical and Chemical Erosion in the Brahmaputra Basin 572
19.12 Conclusion 574
References 574
20 The Jamuna–Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh 579
James L. Best, Philip J. Ashworth, Erik Mosselman, Maminul H. Sarker, and Julie E. Roden
20.1 Background 579
20.2 Channel Scale Morphology and Recent Historical Changes in the Course of the Brahmaputra–Jamuna River 588
20.3 Bedform Types and Dynamics 595
20.4 Bifurcations, Offtakes, and Confluences 603
20.5 Floodplain Sedimentation 607
20.6 Sedimentology of the Jamuna River 611
20.7 Applied Geomorphology and Engineering in the Jamuna River 617
20.8 Summary: What Does the Future Hold? 628
Acknowledgements 630
References 631
21 The Ayeyarwady River 641
Alexis Licht and Liviu Giosan
21.1 Introduction 641
21.2 The Ayeyarwady Drainage Basin 641
21.3 History of the Ayeyarwady 653
21.4 Looking Ahead 655
References 655
22 The Mekong River: Morphology, Evolution, and Management 661
Avijit Gupta
22.1 Introduction 661
22.2 The Mekong Basin: Physical Characteristics 663
22.3 The River 669
22.4 The Mekong Over Time: The Geomorphic History 676
22.5 Erosion and Sediment Transfer 678
22.6 The Mekong and Its Basin: Resource and Management 679
22.7 Conclusion 684
Acknowledgements 684
References 684
23 Dynamic Hydrology and Geomorphology of the Yangtze River 687
Zhongyuan Chen, Kaiqin Xu, and Masataka Watanabe
23.1 Basin Geology and Landforms 687
23.2 River Morphology 689
23.3 Storage and Transfer of Water and Sediment 691
23.4 Large-Scale River Management – Three Gorges Damand the Planned Water Transfer 700
Acknowledgements 702
References 702
Part III Measurement and Management
24 The Nile River: Geology, Hydrology, Hydraulic Society 704
M. Gordon Wolman, Capucine Le Meur, and Robert F. Giegengack
24.1 Introduction 704
24.2 Physiography 705
24.3 Geologic History 709
24.4 Climate and Climate Change 712
24.5 Hydrology 715
24.6 A Unique Record 719
24.7 The Nile and Hydraulic Civilizations 721
24.8 A Recent History of Nile Water Management 725
Acknowledgements 732
References 732
25 Patterns and Controls on Historical Channel Change in the Willamette River, Oregon USA 737
Jennifer R. Wallick, Gordon Grant, Stephen Lancaster, John P. Bolte, and Roger Denlinger
25.1 Introduction 737
25.2 An Approach for Interpreting Multiple Impacts on Large Rivers 739
25.3 Geologic Setting, Human, and Flood History of the Willamette 742
25.4 Data and Methods for Measuring Historical Channel Change 750
25.5 Results: Patterns and Controls on Historical Channel Changes 753
25.6 Discussion, Narrative of Historical Channel Change 759
25.7 Conclusion 770
Acknowledgements 771
References 771
26 Rivers and Humans – Unintended Consequences 776
Stanley A. Schumm
26.1 Introduction 776
26.2 Armour 776
26.3 Hydrology 783
26.4 Conclusion 793
References 793
27 Large Rivers from Space 796
Leal A. K. Mertes and Tamuka Magadzire
27.1 Introduction and Update 796
27.2 Basin Characteristics 799
27.3 Valley Configuration 801
27.4 Geomorphology 804
27.5 Water-surface Elevation, Gradient, and Discharge 804
27.6 Water Extent and Inundation Mapping 804
27.7 Mapping Sediment Concentration 808
27.8 Zambezi River –Water Type Mapping on Floodplains 809
27.9 Thermal Properties 811
27.10 Change Detection 811
27.10.1 Mesopotamian Marshlands 811
References 814
28 Channel Geometry Analysis Technique for the Lower Mississippi River 818
Philip J. Soar, Colin R. Thorne, Oliver P. Harmar, David S. Biedenharn, and C. Fred Pinkard
28.1 Introduction 818
28.2 Context 819
28.3 Data Acquisition and Pre-processing 822
28.4 Analytical Approach and Methodology 827
28.5 Results 830
28.6 Interpretation and Commentary 830
28.7 Conclusion 835
Acknowledgements 836
References 837
29 The Management of Large Rivers: Technical and Political Challenges 838
Ian C. Campbell
29.1 Introduction 838
29.2 The Challenges of River Management 842
29.3 Management of Rivers in Developing Countries 852
29.4 Conclusion 855
References 856
30 The Physical Diversity and Assessment of a Large River System: The Murray–Darling Basin, Australia 861
Martin Thoms, Scott Rayburg, Mel Neave, Melissa Parsons, and Francis Chiew
30.1 Introduction 861
30.2 The Murray–Darling Basin 864
30.3 The Character of Rivers within the Murray–Darling Basin 869
30.4 Assessment of the Physical Condition of Rivers in the Murray–Darling Basin 874
30.5 Resilience and Large Rivers as Social-Ecological Systems – Future Directions 883
30.6 Conclusion 885
Acknowledgements 887
References 887
31 Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water and Sediment Discharges of the Yangtze River (Changjiang) from 1950 to 2018: Erosion of Lake, Channel, and Delta 891
Kehui Xu, Shilun Yang, John D. Milliman, Zuosheng Yang, Haifei Yang, and Hui Xu
31.1 Introduction 891
31.2 Physical Setting 893
31.3 Data and Methods of Study 893
31.4 Spatial Variations of Water and Sediment 894
31.5 Temporal Variations of Water and Sediment 895
31.6 Discussion 900
31.7 Channel and Coastal Responses to Declining Sediment Discharge 905
31.8 Future Water and Sediment Discharges 906
31.9 Climatic and Anthropogenic Impacts on Other Global Rivers – the Mississippi Example 907
Acknowledgements 910
References 911
32 Large River Systems and Climate Change 916
Michael D. Blum
32.1 Introduction 916
32.2 A Brief History of Ideas 916
32.3 Fluvial Response to Climate Change: Some General Concepts 921
32.4 Fluvial Response to Past Climate Change: Contrasting Examples 932
32.5 Epilog: Large Rivers and Climate Change, Past to Future 946
References 951
Index 959
