Bedload Transport Rates and Flux Patterns in a Steep Montane Tropical River – Rio Pacuare, Costa Rica

Abstract:

Humid tropical montane rivers convey large magnitude floods that have the potential to mobilize boulder-sized bed material multiple times during a year. In the montane reaches of the Rio Pacuare active boulder deposits with surface areas of up to 300 x 75 meters influence channel form throughout this otherwise hillslope/bedrock confined river. Therefore, rate of bedload sediment flux occurring within and between river segments and reaches provides insight into the geomorphic sensitivity of the system. The study area (78 km) is divided into five river segments based on channel slope and form. The intense discharge regimes of the Rio Pacuare are off-set by the plentiful sediment inputs sourced from upstream, tributaries, and hillslopes, resulting in a system that is predominantly transport-limited. This research presents bedload sediment transport rates and annual yields calculated at seven representative field sites distributed throughout the study area. Results indicate that the D₅₀ and D₈₄ grain-size fractions are mobilized frequently (annual rate is dependent on timing and frequency of precipitation events). Results also indicate that connectivity between river segments ranges from moderate to high, depending most directly on channel slope. This work utilized a unique mix of traditional grain-size analysis and sediment transport models combined with repeat photogrammetric Structure from Motion (SfM) surveys done pre and post flood event to verify grain size mobilization through high-resolution, 3-D modeling.