Controls on flash flood magnitude and hydrograph shape, Upper Blue Hills badlands, Utah (1997)

Research Article| January 01, 1997 Controls on flash flood magnitude and hydrograph shape, Upper Blue Hills badlands, Utah Gregory S. Dick; Gregory S. Dick 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Tectonics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert S. Anderson; Robert S. Anderson 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Tectonics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Daniel E. Sampson Daniel E. Sampson 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Tectonics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Gregory S. Dick 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Tectonics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 Robert S. Anderson 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Tectonics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 Daniel E. Sampson 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Tectonics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1997) 25 (1): 45–48. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0045:COFFMA>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Gregory S. Dick, Robert S. Anderson, Daniel E. Sampson; Controls on flash flood magnitude and hydrograph shape, Upper Blue Hills badlands, Utah. Geology 1997;; 25 (1): 45–48. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0045:COFFMA>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Although many arid badland channels erode rapidly, channel flows appear to be rare, raising the issue of the character and frequency of flows responsible for channel erosion. Using an acoustic stream gauge, we recorded nine flash flood hydrographs over a 3 yr period from the Upper Blue Hills badlands, Utah, with maximum discharges up to ∼ 9 m3/s. Flow hydrographs reveal bores and rapid depth changes that are similar to flash floods observed elsewhere. Bore and hydrograph peak translation velocities are greatest in narrow channel segments. Rapid runoff generation during short-duration thunderstorms produced complex hydrographs whose shapes appear to reflect channel network geometry. Storm runoff response is highly sensitive to antecedent moisture, which greatly reduces the regolith infiltration capacity. High antecedent moisture coupled with a relatively low intensity, long-duration rainstorm produced the largest flow event. Estimating flow frequency in this landscape therefore requires knowledge of the distributions of both storm sizes and temporal spacing relative to the short time required for the regolith infiltration capacity to recover following wetting, here roughly 24 hr. Landscape changes can be produced not only by rare, large rainfall events, but by a broad range of storm size and frequency under optimal antecedent moisture conditions. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.