Pebble count-based bed surface sediment grain size distributions from two restored reaches of the lower Merced River, California
Dates
Acquisition
2016
Acquisition
2014
Acquisition
2004
Acquisition
2002
Acquisition
1997
Publication Date
2019-10-25
Citation
Legleiter, C.J., and Harrison, L.R., 2019, Field measurements for characterizing salmon spawning habitat in two restored reaches of the lower Merced River, California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P99CWIDL.
Summary
Pebble counts were used to characterize the sediment grain size distribution of the bed surface for two reaches of the lower Merced River in California's Central Valley to support research intended to evaluate the extent to which large-scale restoration projects provided improved salmon spawning habitat. A related goal of this study was to improve our understanding of the geomorphic factors influencing spawning site selection by salmon. The pebble counts were performed at the Merced River Ranch and Robinson Reach field sites using the method of Wolman [1954]. Grain diameters (n>100) were measured using a gravelometer by recording the largest opening on the gravelometer that an individual particle did NOT pass through, which is similar [...]
Summary
Pebble counts were used to characterize the sediment grain size distribution of the bed surface for two reaches of the lower Merced River in California's Central Valley to support research intended to evaluate the extent to which large-scale restoration projects provided improved salmon spawning habitat. A related goal of this study was to improve our understanding of the geomorphic factors influencing spawning site selection by salmon. The pebble counts were performed at the Merced River Ranch and Robinson Reach field sites using the method of Wolman [1954]. Grain diameters (n>100) were measured using a gravelometer by recording the largest opening on the gravelometer that an individual particle did NOT pass through, which is similar to recording the percent retained in a standard sieve-based analysis of a sediment sample. We used pre-restoration pebble count data collected on the Merced River Ranch in 2004 [Stillwater, 2004] and on the Robinson Reach in 2001 [CADWR, 2001]. Additional pebble count data were collected during the winter of 2014 at the Merced River Ranch and summer of 2016 on the Robinson Reach.
CADWR (2001), The Merced River Salmon Habitat Enhancement Project: Robinson Reach Phase III, Engineering Report, 51 pp., California Department of Water Resources, San Joaquin District, Fresno, CA.
Harrison, L. R., Bray, E., Overstreet, B., Legleiter, C., Brown, R. A., Merz, J. E., et al. ( 2019). Physical controls on salmon redd site selection in restored reaches of a regulated, gravel‐bed river. Water Resources Research, 55, 8942– 8966. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR024428
For questions concerning this data set, please contact:
Dr. Carl J. Legleiter - cjl@usgs.gov, 303-271-3651
Geomorphology and Sediment Transport Laboratory
United States Geological Survey
4620 Technology Drive, Suite #400
Golden, CO 80403
Purpose
Pebble counts were used to characterize the sediment grain size distribution of the bed surface for two reaches of the lower Merced River in California's Central Valley to support research intended to evaluate the extent to which large-scale restoration projects provided improved salmon spawning habitat. A related goal of this study was to improve our understanding of the geomorphic factors influencing spawning site selection by salmon.
Rights
Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
