Distinct Fluvial Patterns of a Headwater Stream Network Underlain by Discontinuous Permafrost

Abstract

Hydrology, permafrost, and vegetation will likely respond to warming of northern latitudes with concurrent shifts in channel form and network pattern. At present, data on channel structure and networks in most northern regions are sparse, thus restricting any comprehensive understanding of channel processes or predictions of change in response to warming. We conducted a survey in 2011 of stream hydraulic geometry and network pattern in an upland headwater catchment of the Yukon River basin that is underlain by discontinuous permafrost. We found atypical hydraulic geometry exponents for depth and velocity but not for width and slope. We also found the study catchment to have unusually low drainage density and bifurcation ratios. Our data support the hypothesis that snow and channel ice decrease geomorphic effectiveness during snowmelt, which ultimately constrains channel and network development. Additionally, qualitative data support the hypothesis that dense riparian vegetation promotes bank stabilization and leads to nearly vertical channel walls in small streams, thus leading to anomalous hydraulic geometry. Simple metrics such as the drainage density and hydraulic geometry relationships may prove to be useful metrics of boreal and subarctic warming and permafrost thaw, and this study may serve as an important baseline to evaluate future changes.

Acknowledgments

We thank A. Johnson, S. Spawn, D. Halm, and M. Dornblaser for assistance in the field and A. Stone for GIS assistance. We also thank J. Koch, R. Striegl, and K. Wickland for helpful discussions, M. Doyle for valuable feedback on an early version of the manuscript, and two anonymous reviewers and the associate editor for critical comments. This work was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey National Research Program. Any use of trade or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.