Presenters-0713
From CSDMS
CSDMS 2026: Modeling Landscapes in Motion
New Landlab Components for Modeling River Hydraulics and Morphodynamics: Applications to Event-Scale Sediment Transport
Abstract
We present two novel Landlab components: RiverFlowDynamics and RiverBedDynamics, that enable physically based simulation of coupled flow hydraulics and sediment transport in river systems. RiverFlowDynamics solves the 2D shallow water equations to predict spatially distributed flow depths, velocities, and shear stresses under unsteady conditions. RiverBedDynamics implements fractional sediment transport formulations to simulate bedload transport and predict changes in bed surface elevation and grain size distributions through both erosion and deposition processes.
We demonstrate the capabilities of these components through coupled and uncoupled modeling scenarios. A key application focuses on predicting storm-driven morphodynamic changes in Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico, where we simulate events of varying durations and intensities. Model outputs provide event-scale sediment budgets and spatially explicit metrics including coarse-fraction mobility windows and residence-time distributions. These results enable testing hypotheses regarding the frequency of coarse sediment mobilization and its role as channel armor.
Finally, we explore extensions coupling these morphodynamic models with vegetation colonization, growth, and mortality processes, demonstrating the potential for integrated eco-geomorphic modeling within the Landlab framework. This modular approach enables researchers to investigate complex feedbacks between flow, sediment transport, and ecological processes across multiple spatiotemporal scales.
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