Bankfull Hydraulic Geometry Relationships for the Inner and Outer Bluegrass Regions of Kentucky

Water

Carmen Agouridis³  Ruth Brockman³  Stephen Workman²  Lindell Ormsbee¹ 

[1] Civil Engineering Department, University of Kentucky, 354F Oliver Raymond Building, Lexington, Kentucky 40546, USA; E-Mail:;Assistant Dean for Research and Associate Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Kentucky, S-129 Agriculture Science Center North, Lexington, KY 40546, USA; E-Mail:;Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Kentucky, 128 C.E. Barnhart Building, Lexington, KY 40502, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: natural channel design;    geomorphology;    karst;    bankfull discharge;    stream restoration;    hydrology;   

DOI  :  10.3390/w3030923

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Bankfull hydraulic geometry relationships relate bankfull stream dimensions, such as cross-sectional area, width, mean depth, mean velocity, width to depth ratio, and slope to bankfull discharge. These relationships can assist in determining a design discharge for stream restoration and management projects. This study assessed 27 stable streams located in the Inner Bluegrass and Outer Bluegrass regions of Kentucky. Reaches were selected based on the presence of a U.S. Geological Survey gage, as well as other conditions such as presence of readily identifiable bankfull indicators, stability indices, and site accessibility. Bankfull channel dimensions and discharges were determined, and hydraulic geometry relationships were developed for both the Inner Bluegrass and Outer Bluegrass regions. These scaling relationships for karst-influenced streams were similar to others reported in the literature for non-karst areas. Significant differences between the regions were found only for bankfull width and width-to-depth ratio. Streams in the Inner Bluegrass tended to be more narrow and deep at bankfull discharges less than 10 m³s⁻¹ and wider and shallower at bankfull discharges greater than 20 m³s⁻¹ as compared to stream in the Outer Bluegrass. It is suspected that physiographic conditions related to local geology and/or riparian vegetation at three sites in the Outer Bluegrass accounted for these differences. Results of this study indicate that in instances of geologic variation within a physiographic region, hydraulic geometry relationships may require evaluation at the watershed scale.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.