Onset and growth of tributary-dammed lakes
Journal
Water Resources Research
Journal Volume
44
Journal Issue
11
Date Issued
2008
Author(s)
Hsu, J.P.C.
Abstract
We propose and test a theory describing the onset and growth of tributary‐dammed lakes. Using a diffusion equation constrained by backwater effects, we show how tributary sediment influx can cause either a cuspate river aggradation or the formation of a lake upstream of the tributary junction. This lake expands up valley and drowns previous deposits to leave a downstream‐facing lake bed of inclination milder than the angle of stability. We obtain exact similarity solutions for such river and lake bed profiles and validate them quantitatively using laboratory experiments. The resulting profiles are in qualitative accord with those of natural tributary‐dammed rivers.
Type
journal article