Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Mémoire (M.Sc.A.)- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1983. / "Mémoire présenté en vue de l'obtention de la maîtrise en sciences appliquées en géologie" 6 cartes en pochettes. CaQCU CaQCU Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 140 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-122).

Thesis (M.S.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 1968. / "December 1968." Includes bibliographical references (p. 59).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Apr. 16, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal analisar os parÃmetros hidrossedimentolÃgicos da bacia hidrogrÃfica do SÃo Josà (BHSJ), avaliar a produÃÃo de sedimentos e definir o mapa de susceptibilidade dos solos à erosÃo, a partir da EquaÃÃo Universal de Perdas do Solo (USLE). Para isso determinou-se: (i) a erosividade da chuva na bacia, a partir de formulaÃÃes desenvolvidas com base em Wischmeier e Smith (1958) e Fournier (1960); (ii) a erodibilidade do solo na bacia, desenvolvida a partir do nomograma de Wischmeier et al. (1971); (iii) o fator topogrÃfico da bacia, atravÃs do mÃtodo de Bertoni e Lombardi Neto (1990), utilizando o Modelo NumÃrico do Terreno (MNT) gerado atravÃs de dados do Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM); (iv) a identificaÃÃo, delimitaÃÃo e descriÃÃo dos tipos de uso e ocupaÃÃo dos solos na bacia, atravÃs de SIGs, utilizando a classificaÃÃo de imagens de satÃlite multitemporais prÃ-processadas. A razÃo de aporte de sedimentos (RAS) da bacia foi estimada a partir de equaÃÃes propostas por Maner (1958), Roehl (1962), Vanoni (1975), Renfro (1975) e Williams e Brendt (1972), a partir das quais escolheu-se a que apresentou resultado mais prÃximo do valor de descarga sÃlida em suspensÃo medido no exutÃrio para o ano hidrolÃgico monitorado de Setembro de 2011 a Setembro de 2012. Os resultados mostraram que: (i) a erosividade, determinada a partir da equaÃÃo desenvolvida nesse trabalho e validada com coeficiente de Nash e Sutcliffe de 0,81; apresentou resultados satisfatÃrios no ajuste da equaÃÃo da USLE para a BHSJ, com melhor ajuste dentre as metodologias comparadas, que apresentaram erros percentuais de pelo menos 50%. (ii) a erodibilidade determinada foi espacializada na bacia por Krigagem, utilizando modelo Gaussiano testado e validado; (iii) o fator topogrÃfico foi determinado e espacializado na bacia, considerando-se valores mÃdios para seis classes distintas de declividades; (iv) os tipos de uso e ocupaÃÃo dos solos na bacia foram divididos em agricultura, caatinga, cerrado, floresta Ãmida, solo exposto, Ãrea urbana e vegetaÃÃo rasteira. A partir da USLE estimou-se uma taxa de erosÃo na bacia de 364 t.ha-1.ano-1, correspondendo a uma produÃÃo de 1,48 x 106 t de sedimentos no ano hidrolÃgico. O mapa de susceptibilidade à erosÃo mostrou que a bacia apresentou grau de erosÃo: baixo, mÃdio, alto e muito alto, respectivamente, em 26,39, 34,34, 30,37 e 8,90% da Ãrea. A SDR determinada pelas equaÃÃes propostas por Maner (1958) e Vanoni (1975) apresentaram valores bem prÃximos da descarga sÃlida em suspensÃo medida no exutÃrio durante os eventos monitorados, com erros percentuais de â12,4 e â 2,6%, respectivamente. / This study aimed to analyse the SÃo Josà river catchment (BHSJ) hydrosedimentological parameters, evaluate the sediment yield and define the susceptibility of soils to erosion based on the Equation Universal Soil Loss (USLE). Therefore, it was determined: (i) the rainfall erosivity (R - factor) at catchment, based on the formulations proposed by Wischmeier and Smith (1958) and Fournier (1960), (ii) the soil erodibility (K â factor) at catchment, it was calculated using the nomograph developed by Wischmeier et al. (1971), (iii) the topographic factor (LS â factor) was obtained through the method of Bertoni and Lombardi Neto (1990), using the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generated by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), (iv) identification, delineation and description of the land cover (C â factor), using GIS, through by the classification techniques of multitemporal satellite images. The sediment delivery ratio (SDR) of the catchment was estimated based in equations proposed by Maner (1958), Roehl (1962), Vanoni (1975), Renfro (1975) and Williams and Brendt (1972). The equation that presented the best fit was selected, comparing modelled and measured data at the catchment outlet, for hydrological year monitored since September 2011 to September 2012. The results show the following: (i) the rainfall erosivity, determined by the equation developed in this study and validated with Nash and Sutcliffe coefficient of 0.81; presented satisfactory results in the adjustment of the USLE equation for BHSJ, with best adjustments among the compared methods, that presented percentage errors of at least 50%; (ii) the soil erodibility determined was spatialized in the catchment by Kriging, using the method of interpolation Gaussian model tested and validated; (iii) the topographic factor was determined and spatialized in the catchment, considering average values for six distinct classes of slopes; (iv) the use types and occupation of the basin were divided into agriculture, caatinga, cerrado, tropical rainforest, bare soil, urban and undergrowth. In the catchment, the rate of erosion was estimated at 364 t ha-1.year-1 from the USLE, corresponding to a sediment yield of 1.48 x 106 t in the hydrological year. The map of erosion susceptibility showed that the degree of erosion basin presented: low, medium, high and very high, respectively, 26.39, 34.34, 30.37 and 8.90% of the area. SDR determined by the equations proposed by Maner (1958) and Vanoni (1975) presented values near suspended sediment discharge measured at the catchment outlet during the monitored events, with percentage errors of -12.4 and -2.6%, respectively.

Large, infrequent "episodic" sediment transfers are commonly considered differently from "normal-regime" sediment-transfer activity. For example, in the important hillslope-gully-stream sediment cascade pathway in coastal British Columbia, debris slides and debris torrents are considered as "episodic events". On the other hand, lower-magnitude hillslope to gully-channel sediment transfers and fluvial sediment tranSport within gully and stream channels are usually considered as "normal-regime" activity, represented by annual yields. However, the results of this study illustrate the highly episodic nature of normal-regime fine-sediment transfers, which are closely linked to hydrometeorological and sediment-supply conditions. The results indicate that qualitative modelling of fine-sediment transfer activity, at the synoptic or event scale, should be possible based upon hydrometeorological and sediment-supply information. From such a model ~ the elements of which are presented in the concluding chapter ~ fine-sediment transfer activity could be forecast based upon regional weather forecasts. The study was conducted in Russell Creek Basin, on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Fine-sediment transfer activity was monitored at a nested hierarchy of sites representing fine-sediment transfers from unstable hillslopes to a gully channel, suspended sediment transport out of the unstable gully and a nearby stable gully, and suspended sediment transport in Russell Creek near the mouth. Russell Creek Basin is located within Tsitika Watershed, which is the site of a British Columbia Ministry of Forests study dedicated to determining relative fine-sediment contributions from natural and logging-related sediment sources. The results of the Russell Creek study indicate that an event-based sediment sampling program is desirable and that at least some automated sampling is required. Furthermore, development of a qualitative sediment-transfer activity forecast model would be useful in interpretation of sample data and would allow efforts to be concentrated during the periods of greatest sediment-transfer activity. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Elevated levels of arsenic (As) in soils and water around the world are both a significant human health and environmental hazard. With increasing global water demands, there is a requirement to further the understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of As from soils and sediments. This thesis focussed on exploring the environmental controls on the occurrence and subsequent mobility of As in a range of natural environments. Arsenic was found to undergo mobilisation from both river sediments and upland peats under changing environmental conditions. The transport of As was found to be correlated with both iron (Fe) and organic carbon (OC), however temporal changes in both sediment/soil composition and movement of water through catchments have a important role in controlling the ultimate transport of As within the environment. A range of investigative methods were employed to study the occurrence and mobility of As within the river sediments of the Allier and Loire Rivers (France), including sequential extraction procedures and batch incubation studies. Arsenic was associated with the reducible phases of sediments, indicating the major role of Fe(oxy)hydroxides in the storage of As in river sediments. In addition to the presence of labile As, the rapid release of As was dependent on the initial sediment composition. Temporal changes in sediment composition may therefore play an important role in controlling the movement of As within fluvial systems. The combination of lead (Pb) and strontium (Sr) isotopic analysis with sequential extraction studies of sediments from the Loire and Allier Rivers was able to determine the relative dominance of granites and basalts within the sediments. This approach provided a first order study on which to better understand the mineral origins of the sediments. The analysis of multiple Pb isotopes was able to eliminate possible anthropogenic contribution to contamination within the sediments, confirming the importance of geogenic cycling of As within the rivers. Information on the origin of mineral formation was obtained through 87Sr/86Sr isotopic analysis, with the formation of Fe-minerals not occurring uniformly along the course of the rivers. While the Sr within the sediment phase targeting well-crystallised Fe(oxy)hydroxides was in equilibrium with the sampled river water, the formation of amorphous Fe minerals was likely occurring in waters upstream of the study sites, within the Massif Central. Total concentration profiles peat from two subcatchments within the Peak District (United Kingdom) provided evidence for both the retention and post depositional movement (PDM) of As within the solid phase, dependent on local conditions. For the first time, the partitioning of As was determined within ombrotrophic peat, and found to be in contrast to Pb, with oxidisible As (likely associated with organic matter) dominating, while Pb was found predominantly within the reducible sediment phase. High temporal resolution monitoring of the organic-rich streamwater draining the peat showed the transport of As was variable, with As found largely in the soluble form despite extensive peat erosion. The evidence for PDM, and the subsequent soluble transport of As demonstrated the importance of biogeochemical processes in releasing As from the solid phase. Once mobilised, both the ratio of Fe:OC and the form of Fe were found to be factors controlling transport of As, with the flushing of stored porewaters an important contribution to As transport from the peat. Despite OC-rich waters, the occurrence of high concentrations of Fe may dominate control of As within the aqueous phase. At relatively high (>0.2) Fe:OC ratios, the particle size distribution of As was closely correlated with that of >1um Fe, although the presence of dissolved and colloidal As was found even within these waters. Given the temporal variability of As transport within the streams, knowledge of the mixing order and ratio between Fe, OC, and As within natural waters may be required for prediction of the mobility and ultimate fate of As.

The problems encountered by mineral explorationists when sampling stream sediments for gold were investigated by considering the sparsity of free gold particles and their tendency to form small placers at certain locations in the stream bed. Fourteen 20-kg samples of -5-mm sediment were collected from contrasting energy and geochemical environments in five streams draining gold occurrences in southern British Columbia. The samples were sieved to six size fractions (420 µm to 52 µm) and gold content was determined by neutron activation analysis following preparation of two density fractions using methylene iodide. Gold concentrations were converted to estimated number of free gold particles and the Poisson probability distribution was used to show that much larger field samples (>100 kg of -1 mm screened sediment) would be required to reduce random variability due to nugget effects to acceptable levels. However, in a comparison of conventional sampling methods, the lowest probability of failing to detect a stream sediment gold anomaly is obtained using the sampling method described in this study. Small-scale placer formation was investigated by collecting twenty 60-kg samples of -2-mm sediment from ten locations along five kilometres of Harris Creek in the Okanagan region, east of Vernon. Samples were prepared and analysed as described above though heavy-mineral concentrates were only prepared for two size fractions. Gold was found to be considerably enriched in sandy-gravel deposits compared to sand deposits, with the effect decreasing as sediment size decreased. The level of enrichment varies on the stream in response to changing channel slope and local hydraulic conditions. Gold anomaly dilution is apparent in sand deposits but not apparent in sandy-gravel deposits since gold is preferentially deposited in gravels as channel slope decreases. These results are presented in the framework of H.A. Einstein's sediment transport model. Sediment collected from gravels may represent the best geochemical sample since placer-forming processes produce high gold concentrations, however in very high energy streams, the small quantities of fine sediment in gravels may lead to unacceptable nugget effects. In the latter case, a sample collected from a sand deposit is a satisfactory alternative. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

Corn pollen and glass beads were used as surrogates of natural fine particulate organic matter (FPOM). These particles were released into ten streams in three different physiographic regions, Appalachian Mountains, Rocky Mountains, and Central Plains, within the United States. Mean travel distance for corn pollen was 121 m and that for glass beads 40 m. Rates of deposition through the water column for both particles were 0.484 mm/sec and 0.643 mm/sec, respectively. This empirically derived deposition velocity was only a fraction of the still water fall velocity. Hydraulic parameters indicate that flow conditions at the stream bed prevent establishment of a laminar sublayer. As a result, corn pollen and glass beads should be entrained and moved as bed- or suspended load. Gradient was the single best stream characteristic to explain variation in retention rates for both corn pollen and glass beads. Based on deposition velocities, estimates of benthic FPOM turnover times ranged from 20 hours to 8.3 days, rate of FPOM downstream movement was 1-24 m/d, and carbon turnover length was 1-24 km. / Master of Science