Field Scale River Delta Kinematics

The striking variation in delta morphology observed on coastlines is the result of sedimentary processes that are active at the delta front; the region directly seaward of the shoreline. Aerial images do not capture the 3-Dimensional bathymetry of this region, and it remains largely unexplored. My work measures bathymetry, flow patterns, and sediment transport over the delta front to improve our understanding of distributary channel growth and the land building potential of river deltas.

Related Publications

Konkol, A., Schwenk, J., Katifori, E., & Shaw, J. B. (2022). Interplay of river and tidal forcings promotes loops in coastal channel networks. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(10), e2022GL098284. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098284

arxiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2108.04151

Repository: https://zenodo.org/record/6079076#.YqmSHnbMJPY; https://zenodo.org/record/5883656#.YqmSNnbMJPY

Press: https://news.uark.edu/articles/60221/study-seeks-to-explain-stability-of-loops-in-coastal-channel-networks

Shaw, J. B., Mason, K. G., Ma, H., & McCain, G. W. (2021). Influences on Discharge Partitioning on a Large River Delta: Case Study of the Mississippi-Atchafalaya Diversion, 1926-1950. Water Resources Research, e2020WR028090. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028090

EarthArxiv: https://osf.io/w3rxp

Figshare: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13645601.v1, https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12440279.v3

Phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2021-06-historic-mississippi-impacts-river.html

Sanks, K. M., Shaw, J. B., & Naithani, K. (2020). Field-based Estimate of the Sediment Deficit in Coastal Louisiana. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, e2019JF005389. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005389

EarthArxiv:  https://osf.io/vp5j7/

Editor’s Highlight: https://eos.org/editor-highlights/coastal-sediment-deficit-appears-smaller-than-previously-thought

Shaw, J. B., D. Mohrig, and R. W. Wagner (2016), Flow patterns and morphology of a prograding river delta, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf., 2015JF003570, doi:10.1002/2015JF003570.

Shaw, J.B., D. Mohrig, (2014), The importance of erosion in distributary channel network growth, Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana, USA, Geology, 42, 31-34, doi: 10.1130/G34751.1

Shaw, J. B., D. Mohrig, and S. K. Whitman (2013), The Morphology and Evolution of Channels on the Wax Lake Delta, J. Geophys. Res., 118, 1–22, doi:10.1002/jgrf.20123.

Edmonds, D. A., J. B. Shaw, and D. Mohrig (2011), Topset-dominated deltas: A new model for river delta stratigraphy, Geology, 39(12), 1175–1178, doi:10.1130/G32358.1.

Experimental River Delta Mechanics

To test hypotheses regarding river delta dynamics, I create physical experiments in the laboratory. I am running a set of experiments at the University of Wyoming to test the importance of low water surface slopes to channel evolution on large river deltas. The photograph to the right shows distributary channels in an experimental delta.

Sanks, K. M., Zapp, S. M., Silvestre, J. R., Shaw, J. B., Dutt, R., & Straub, K. M. (2022). Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(12), e2022GL098513. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098513

Preprint at https://doi.org/ 10.1002/essoar.10510385.1

Press: https://news.uark.edu/articles/60281/paper-explores-how-marsh-sediment-shapes-and-impacts-river-deltas

Shaw, J. B., Miller, K. and McElroy, B. (2018). Island Formation Resulting from Radially Symmetric Flow Expansion, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf., 2017JF004464, doi:10.1002/2017JF004464.

Rivers in Engineered Environments

Modern rivers serve many purposes and have many stakeholders. As an example, the Arkansas River is an important water resource, sediment transport pathway, source of raw materials, and low emission transport pathway for barges. Many questions remain about how such multivalent systems function, and how they will change with a changing climate and society. Our focus is on how river engineering and barge traffic influence sediment transport in the Arkansas and other rivers.

Chen, H., Shaw, J. B., Sharman, G. R., & Marshall, J. A. (2022). Significant Human Modification of the Lower Arkansas River Sediment Budget. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(18), e2022GL099441. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099441