2026 CSDMS meeting-066
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Unraveling Controls on the Scaling Relationship between Valley Width and Drainage Area: A Case Study for the Appalachian Plateau
Vidushi Sharma,
University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia, United States. knz2jn@virginia.edu
Ajay B.Limaye, University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia, United States. ajay@virginia.edu
Valley width sets a fundamental control on river discharge and sediment flux through mountain landscapes. Several studies have analyzed the potential controls on valley width including bedrock erodibility, tectonic uplift, sediment supply, erosion mechanisms, and most commonly, drainage area. These studies have focused on establishing scaling relationships between the valley floor width and drainage area, but these relationships vary widely due to disparities in measurement methods, geologic controls, and study sites. Here, we focus on the influence of measurement approach, testing the hypothesis that width–drainage area scaling varies systematically depending on whether width is measured at the valley floor or at the valley top between adjacent ridgelines. We define valley bottoms using a non-local landform classification (Geomorphon) and valley tops using local maxima of elevation on either side of the channel. We evaluate the width-drainage area scaling for channel networks across a 186 km by 180 km study region, focusing on five major rivers (the Elk, Little Kanawha, Gauley, Guyandotte and New Rivers). We find that the scaling relationship between valley width and drainage area depends on channel order. Moreover, these scaling relationships are stronger for valley bottoms than valley tops. These results suggest that the observed scatter in the valley width-drainage area relationships is in part controlled by the location of width measurement. These results provide new constraints for comparing landscape evolution models to natural landscapes and suggest that different scaling behaviors for valley dimensions may occur for different parts of the drainage network.
