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Paul J. Kinzel

Publications and source records attributed to Paul J. Kinzel.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS2015

Experimental flights using a small unmanned aircraft system for mapping emergent sandbars

The US Geological Survey and Parallel Inc. conducted experimental flights with the Tarantula Hawk (T-Hawk) unmanned aircraft system (UAS ) at the Dyer and Cottonwood Ranch properties located along reaches of the Platte River near Overton, Nebraska, in July 2013. We equipped the T-Hawk UAS platform with a consumer-grade digital camera to collect imagery of emergent sandbars in the reaches and used photogrammetric software and surveyed control points to generate orthophotographs and digital elevation models (DEMS ) of the reaches. To optimize the image alignment process, we retained and/or eliminated tie points based on their relative errors and spatial resolution, whereby minimizing the total error in the project. Additionally, we collected seven transects that traversed emergent sandbars concurrently with global positioning system location data to evaluate the accuracy of the UAS survey methodology. The root mean square errors for the elevation of emergent points along each transect across the DEMS ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 m. If adequate survey control is established, a UAS combined with photogrammetry software shows promise for accurate monitoring of emergent sandbar morphology and river management activities in short (1–2 km) river reaches.

Nebraska↗
USGS2014

Spring migration ecology of the mid-continent sandhill crane population with an emphasis on use of the Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska

We conducted a 10-year study (1998–2007) of the Mid-Continent Population (MCP) of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) to identify spring-migration corridors, locations of major stopovers, and migration chronology by crane breeding affiliation (western Alaska–Siberia [WA–S], northern Canada–Nunavut [NC–N], west-central Canada–Alaska [WC–A], and east-central Canada–Minnesota [EC–M]). In the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) of Nebraska, we evaluated factors influencing staging chronology, food habits, fat storage, and habitat use of sandhill cranes. We compared our findings to results from the Platte River Ecology Study conducted during 1978–1980. We determined spring migration corridors used by the breeding affiliations (designated subpopulations for management purposes) by monitoring 169 cranes marked with platform transmitter terminals (PTTs). We also marked and monitored 456 cranes in the CPRV with very high frequency (VHF) transmitters to evaluate length and pattern of stay, habitat use, and movements. An estimated 42% and 58% of cranes staging in the CPRV were greater sandhill cranes (G. c. tabida) and lesser sandhill cranes (G. c. canadensis), and they stayed for an average of 20 and 25 days (2000–2007), respectively. Cranes from the WA–S, NC–N, WC–A, and EC–M affiliations spent an average of 72, 77, 52, and 53 days, respectively, in spring migration of which 28, 23, 24, and 18 days occurred in the CPRV. The majority of the WA–S subpopulation settled in the CPRV apparently because of inadequate habitat to support more birds upstream, although WA–S cranes accounted for >90% of birds staging in the North Platte River Valley. Crane staging duration in the CPRV was negatively correlated with arrival dates; 92% of cranes stayed >7 days. A program of annual mechanical removal of mature stands of woody growth and seedlings that began in the early 1980s primarily in the main channel of the Platte River has allowed distribution of crane roosts to remain relatively stable over the past 2 decades. Most cranes returned to nocturnal roost sites used in previous years. Corn residues dominated the diet of sandhill cranes in the CPRV, as in the 1970s, despite a marked decline in standing crop of corn residues. Only 14% (10 of 74) of PTT-marked migrant cranes stayed at stopovers for ≥5 days before arriving in the CPRV, which limited the contribution of sites south of the CPRV for fat accumulation needed for migration and reproduction. Body masses of cranes (after adjusting for body size [an index of fat]) at arrival in the CPRV varied widely among years (1998–2006), indicating the importance of maintaining productive habitats on the wintering grounds to condition cranes for migration and reproduction. Average rates of fat gain by adult females while in the CPRV remained similar from 1978–1979 to 1998–1999 but declined among males. Distances cranes flew to feeding grounds in the CPRV increased as the percentage of cropland planted to soybeans increased and as density of cranes on nocturnal roosts increased. These results suggest that as habitats of limited or no value to cranes increase on the landscape, more flight time and higher maintenance costs may reduce fat storage. An estimated 40% of diurnal use occurred north of Interstate 80 (I-80) where ≤5% of lands dedicated to crane conservation are located. Seventy-four and 40% of PTT-marked EC–M and WC–A cranes had spring migrations that included staging in eastern South Dakota for an average of 11 and 10 days, respectively. Cranes of the NC–N, WA–S, and WC–A subpopulations staged an average of 25, 17, and 12 days in central and western Saskatchewan/eastern Alberta. Females in these affiliations increased their fat reserves after leaving Nebraska by an estimated 450, 451, and 452 g, respectively, underscoring the key role of these staging areas in preparing the 3 subpopulations for reproduction. After departing Nebraska, MCP cranes roosted primarily in basin wetlands. Most of these wetlands are in private ownership and lack adequate protection, emphasizing the need for effective laws and policies to ensure their long-term protection. The continued success of the current management goal of maintaining the MCP at approximately its current size and providing diverse recreational opportunities over a wide area of midcontinent and western North America is predicated on the ability of MCP cranes to continue to store large fat reserves in the CPRV in advance of breeding. For the CPRV to remain a key fat storage site, active channel maintenance (e.g., clearing of woody vegetation) likely will need to continue, along with establishing minimum stream flows. These actions would help ensure nocturnal roosting habitat remains sufficiently dispersed to provide cranes with daily intake of high-energy food adequate for major fat storage and limit risk of high mortality from storms and disease. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Nebraska↗
USGS2013

Prediction of suspended-sediment concentrations at selected sites in the Fountain Creek watershed, Colorado, 2008-09

In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Colorado Springs City Engineering, and the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, began a small-scale pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of a computational model of streamflow and suspended-sediment transport for predicting suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the Fountain Creek watershed in Colorado. Increased erosion and sedimentation damage have been identified by the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan as key problems within the watershed. A recommendation in the Fountain Creek Watershed plan for management of the basin is to establish measurable criteria to determine if progress in reducing erosion and sedimentation damage is being made. The major objective of this study was to test a computational method to predict local suspended-sediment loads at two sites with different geomorphic characteristics in order to evaluate the feasibility of using such an approach to predict local suspended-sediment loads throughout the entire watershed. Detailed topographic surveys, particle-size data, and suspended-sediment samples were collected at two gaged sites: Monument Creek above Woodmen Road at Colorado Springs, Colorado (USGS gage 07103970), and Sand Creek above mouth at Colorado Springs, Colorado (USGS gage 07105600). These data were used to construct three-dimensional computational models of relatively short channel reaches at each site. The streamflow component of these models predicted a spatially distributed field of water-surface elevation, water velocity, and bed shear stress for a range of stream discharges. Using the model predictions, along with measured particle sizes, the sediment-transport component of the model predicted the suspended-sediment concentration throughout the reach of interest. These computed concentrations were used with predicted flow patterns and channel morphology to determine fluxes of suspended sediment for the median particle size and for the measured range of particle sizes in the channel. Three different techniques were investigated for making the suspended-sediment predictions; these techniques have varying degrees of reliance on measured data and also have greatly differing degrees of complexity. Based on these data, the calibrated Rouse method provided the best balance between accuracy and both computational and data collection costs; the presence of substantial washload was the primary factor in eliminating the simpler and the more complex techniques. Based on this work, using the selected technique at additional sites in the watershed to determine relative loads and source areas appears plausible. However, to ensure that the methodology presented in this report yields reasonable results at other selected sites in the basin, it is necessary to collect additional verification data sets at those locations.

Colorado↗
USGS2012

Mapping river bathymetry with a small footprint green LiDAR: Applications and challenges

Airborne bathymetric Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) systems designed for coastal and marine surveys are increasingly sought after for high-resolution mapping of fluvial systems. To evaluate the potential utility of bathymetric LiDAR for applications of this kind, we compared detailed surveys collected using wading and sonar techniques with measurements from the United States Geological Survey’s hybrid topographic⁄ bathymetric Experimental Advanced Airborne Research LiDAR (EAARL). These comparisons, based upon data collected from the Trinity and Klamath Rivers, California, and the Colorado River, Colorado, demonstrated that environmental conditions and postprocessing algorithms can influence the accuracy and utility of these surveys and must be given consideration. These factors can lead to mapping errors that can have a direct bearing on derivative analyses such as hydraulic modeling and habitat assessment. We discuss the water and substrate characteristics of the sites, compare the conventional and remotely sensed river-bed topographies, and investigate the laser waveforms reflected from submerged targets to provide an evaluation as to the suitability and accuracy of the EAARL system and associated processing algorithms for riverine mapping applications.

Journal of the American Water Resources Associatio↗
USGS2012

Bathymetry of the Hong and Luoc River Junction, Red River Delta, Vietnam, 2010

The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Water Resources University in Hanoi, Vietnam, conducted a bathymetric survey of the junction of the Hong and Luoc Rivers. The survey was done to characterize the channel morphology of this delta distributary network and provide input for hydrodynamic and sediment transport models. The survey was carried out in December 2010 using a boat-mounted multibeam echo sounder integrated with a global positioning system. A bathymetric map of the Hong and Luoc River junction was produced which was referenced to the datum of the Trieu Duong tide gage on the Luoc River.

Hong River;Luoc River;Red River Delta↗
USGS2012

Using computational modeling of river flow with remotely sensed data to infer channel bathymetry

As part of an ongoing investigation into the use of computational river flow and morphodynamic models for the purpose of correcting and extending remotely sensed river datasets, a simple method for inferring channel bathymetry is developed and discussed. The method is based on an inversion of the equations expressing conservation of mass and momentum to develop equations that can be solved for depth given known values of vertically-averaged velocity and water-surface elevation. The ultimate goal of this work is to combine imperfect remotely sensed data on river planform, water-surface elevation and water-surface velocity in order to estimate depth and other physical parameters of river channels. In this paper, the technique is examined using synthetic data sets that are developed directly from the application of forward two-and three-dimensional flow models. These data sets are constrained to satisfy conservation of mass and momentum, unlike typical remotely sensed field data sets. This provides a better understanding of the process and also allows assessment of how simple inaccuracies in remotely sensed estimates might propagate into depth estimates. The technique is applied to three simple cases: First, depth is extracted from a synthetic dataset of vertically averaged velocity and water-surface elevation; second, depth is extracted from the same data set but with a normally-distributed random error added to the water-surface elevation; third, depth is extracted from a synthetic data set for the same river reach using computed water-surface velocities (in place of depth-integrated values) and water-surface elevations. In each case, the extracted depths are compared to the actual measured depths used to construct the synthetic data sets (with two- and three-dimensional flow models). Errors in water-surface elevation and velocity that are very small degrade depth estimates and cannot be recovered. Errors in depth estimates associated with assuming water-surface velocities equal to depth-integrated velocities are substantial, but can be reduced with simple corrections.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2011

Evaluating the potential for remote bathymetric mapping of a turbid, sand-bed river: 1. Field spectroscopy and radiative transfer modeling

Remote sensing offers an efficient means of mapping bathymetry in river systems, but this approach has been applied primarily to clear-flowing, gravel bed streams. This study used field spectroscopy and radiative transfer modeling to assess the feasibility of spectrally based depth retrieval in a sand-bed river with a higher suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and greater water turbidity. Attenuation of light within the water column was characterized by measuring the amount of downwelling radiant energy at different depths and calculating a diffuse attenuation coefficient, K d . Attenuation was strongest in blue and near-infrared bands due to scattering by suspended sediment and absorption by water, respectively. Even for red wavelengths with the lowest values of K d , only a small fraction of the incident light propagated to the bed, restricting the range of depths amenable to remote sensing. Spectra recorded above the water surface were used to establish a strong, linear relationship ( R 2 = 0.949) between flow depth and a simple band ratio; even under moderately turbid conditions, depth remained the primary control on reflectance. Constraints on depth retrieval were examined via numerical modeling of radiative transfer within the atmosphere and water column. SSC and sensor radiometric resolution limited both the maximum detectable depth and the precision of image-derived depth estimates. Thus, although field spectra indicated that the bathymetry of turbid channels could be remotely mapped, model results implied that depth retrieval in sediment-laden rivers would be limited to shallow depths (on the order of 0.5 m) and subject to a significant degree of uncertainty.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2011

Evaluating the potential for remote bathymetric mapping of a turbid, sand-bed river: 2. application to hyperspectral image data from the Platte River

This study examined the possibility of mapping depth from optical image data in turbid, sediment-laden channels. Analysis of hyperspectral images from the Platte River indicated that depth retrieval in these environments is feasible, but might not be highly accurate. Four methods of calibrating image-derived depth estimates were evaluated. The first involved extracting image spectra at survey point locations throughout the reach. These paired observations of depth and reflectance were subjected to optimal band ratio analysis (OBRA) to relate ( R 2 = 0.596) a spectrally based quantity to flow depth. Two other methods were based on OBRA of data from individual cross sections. A fourth strategy used ground-based reflectance measurements to derive an OBRA relation ( R 2 = 0.944) that was then applied to the image. Depth retrieval accuracy was assessed by visually inspecting cross sections and calculating various error metrics. Calibration via field spectroscopy resulted in a shallow bias but provided relative accuracies similar to image-based methods. Reach-aggregated OBRA was marginally superior to calibrations based on individual cross sections, and depth retrieval accuracy varied considerably along each reach. Errors were lower and observed versus predicted regression R 2 values higher for a relatively simple, deeper site than a shallower, braided reach; errors were 1/3 and 1/2 the mean depth for the two reaches. Bathymetric maps were coherent and hydraulically reasonable, however, and might be more reliable than implied by numerical metrics. As an example application, linear discriminant analysis was used to produce a series of depth threshold maps for characterizing shallow-water habitat for roosting cranes.

Platte River↗
USGS2011

Bedform response to flow variability

Laboratory observations and computational results for the response of bedform fields to rapid variations in discharge are compared and discussed. The simple case considered here begins with a relatively low discharge over a flat bed on which bedforms are initiated, followed by a short high-flow period with double the original discharge, during which the morphology of the bedforms adjusts, followed in turn by a relatively long period of the original low discharge. For the grain size and hydraulic conditions selected, the Froude number remains subcritical during the experiment, and sediment moves predominantly as bedload. Observations show rapid development of quasi-two-dimensional bedforms during the initial period of low flow with increasing wavelength and height over the initial low-flow period. When the flow increases, the bedforms rapidly increase in wavelength and height, as expected from other empirical results. When the flow decreases back to the original discharge, the height of the bedforms quickly decreases in response, but the wavelength decreases much more slowly. Computational results using an unsteady two-dimensional flow model coupled to a disequilibrium bedload transport model for the same conditions simulate the formation and initial growth of the bedforms fairly accurately and also predict an increase in dimensions during the high-flow period. However, the computational model predicts a much slower rate of wavelength increase, and also performs less accurately during the final low-flow period, where the wavelength remains essentially constant, rather than decreasing. In addition, the numerical results show less variability in bedform wavelength and height than the measured values; the bedform shape is also somewhat different. Based on observations, these discrepancies may result from the simplified model for sediment particle step lengths used in the computational approach. Experiments show that the particle step length varies spatially and temporally over the bedforms during the evolution process. Assuming a constant value for the step length neglects the role of flow alterations in the bedload sediment-transport process, which appears to result in predicted bedform wavelength changes smaller than those observed. However, observations also suggest that three-dimensional effects play at least some role in the decrease of bedform wavelength, so incorporating better models for particle hop lengths alone may not be sufficient to improve model predictions.

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms↗
USGS2011

Mechanics of flow and sediment transport in delta distributary channels

Predicting the planform and dimensions of a channel downstream from a confluence of two smaller channels with known sediment and water supplies is a fundamental, well-studied problem in geomorphology and engineering. An analogous but less well understood problem is found well downstream of such confluences, where large river channels split into two or more distributary channels on a river delta. In this case, both the flow and sediment supplies in the downstream distributaries are set by the dynamics near the bifurcation of the upstream channel and by downstream boundary conditions. Over time, the pattern of erosion and deposition in the distributary channels gives rise to variations in the amount of water and sediment routed into them. In the simplest case, this results in channel switching on deltas, but in a more general sense these dynamics produce a rich suite of interesting morphologic change contributing both to the evolution of the channel distributary network and the overall evolution of the delta. As part of a study to develop a better understanding of these processes, we conducted a field study measuring the detailed morphology of the Hong-Luoc junction on the Red River downstream of Hanoi, Vietnam. This junction was selected for such a study because it has a 1,000-year history, modern observations suggest that it is currently switching (changing the proportion of sediment and streamflow provided to each of the distributary channels), and hydrologic configuration of the junction allows for the study of two bifurcations and one confluence in a single junction complex. In this paper, our morphologic observations are used in computational flow models to show how flow and sediment transport changes as a function of total discharge upstream of the junction. This is a key component of understanding how the junction attains stability over a range of flows or how imbalances in the distribution of flow and sediment transport lead to destabilization of the channel bifurcation.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2010

Topographic evolution of sandbars: Flume experiment and computational modeling

Measurements of sandbar formation and evolution were carried out in a laboratory flume and the topographic characteristics of these barforms were compared to predictions from a computational flow and sediment transport model with bed evolution. The flume experiment produced sandbars with approximate mode 2, whereas numerical simulations produced a bed morphology better approximated as alternate bars, mode 1. In addition, bar formation occurred more rapidly in the laboratory channel than for the model channel. This paper focuses on a steady-flow laboratory experiment without upstream sediment supply. Future experiments will examine the effects of unsteady flow and sediment supply and the use of numerical models to simulate the response of barform topography to these influences.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2009

Channel morphology and bed sediment characteristics before and after habitat enhancement activities in the Uridil Property, Platte River, Nebraska, water-years 2005-2008

Fluvial geomorphic data were collected by the United States Geological Survey from July 2005 to June 2008 (a time period within water years 2005 to 2008) to monitor the effects of habitat enhancement activities conducted in the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust’s Uridil Property, located along the Platte River, Nebraska. The activities involved the removal of vegetation and sand from the tops of high permanent islands and the placement of the sand into the active river channel. This strategy was intended to enhance habitat for migratory water birds by lowering the elevations of the high islands, thereby eliminating a visual obstruction for roosting birds. It was also thought that the bare sand on the lowered island surfaces could serve as potential habitat for nesting water birds. Lastly, the project supplied a local source of sediment to the river to test the hypothesis that this material could contribute to the formation of lower sandbars and potential nesting sites downstream. Topographic surveys on the islands and along river transects were used to quantify the volume of removed sand and track the storage and movement of the introduced sand downstream. Sediment samples were also collected to map the spatial distribution of river bed sediment sizes before and after the management activities. While the project lowered the elevation of high islands, observations of the sand addition indicated the relatively fine-grained sand that was placed in the active river channel was rapidly transported by the flowing water. Topographic measurements made 3 months after the sand addition along transects in the area of sediment addition showed net aggradation over measurements made in 2005. In the year following the sand addition, 2007, elevated river flows from local rain events generally were accompanied by net degradation along transects within the area of sediment addition. In the spring of 2008, a large magnitude flow event of approximately 360 cubic meters per second occurred in the study reach and was accompanied by net aggradation in the managed area. These observations illustrate the high sediment transport capacity of the river channel both at lower flows, when the sand was added, and during higher flow events. This field experiment also serves as a practical example of the dynamic response of a Platte River channel to a relatively small-scale sand augmentation project directed toward enhancing in-channel habitat for avian species.

Nebraska↗
USGS2008

River Channel Topographic Surveys Collected Prior to and Following Elevated Flows in the Central Platte River, Spring 2008

Rainfall in central Nebraska in late May and early June 2008 elevated streamflows in the central Platte River. Topographic surveys collected along geomorphic monitoring transects prior to these flows (May 2007, July 2007, and March 2008) were repeated in mid-June 2008. These surveys provide characterization of river topography that could be used (1) to infer changes in channel morphology that occurred as a result of this flow event, and (2) to aid in the determination of the effect of managed and natural flow events on habitats for endangered and threatened species in the Platte River basin. The primary purposes of this report are to summarize the methods of data collection, processing, and editing and to make the data described in the report publicly available.

Data Series↗
USGS2006

Monitoring changes in the Platte River riparian corridor with serial LiDAR surveys

The Platte River in central Nebraska is a wide, sand-bedded river that provides habitat for migratory water birds along the North American flyway. The central Platte River functions as critical habitat for the endangered whooping crane (Grus americana) and also is an important habitat for the endangered least tern (Sterna antillarum) and the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus). Upstream water-resource development over the last century has decreased the water and sediment supplied to the central Platte River. This has resulted in vegetation encroachment and narrowing of Platte River channels. The National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council, in a recent review of these critical habitat designations, concluded that the current morphology of Platte River channels is limiting the recovery of the endangered and threatened avian species. Habitat-enhancement efforts along the Platte River currently (2006) are focused on the clearing of vegetation from in-channel and riparian areas, whereas future plans propose the release of water from upstream dams as a means to prevent vegetation from encroaching on the active river channel. For this reason, monitoring the physical response of the river channel to these management treatments is an important component of a proposed habitat recovery program. Understanding the effects of management strategies on Platte River riparian habitat also is a key objective of the U.S. Geological Survey's Platte River Priority Ecosystem Program (http://mcmcweb.er.usgs.gov/platte/). This fact sheet describes applications of LiDAR to monitor changes in the Platte River riparian corridor.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2006

Channel morphology and bed-sediment characteristics before and after riparian vegetation clearing in the Cottonwood Ranch, Platte River, Nebraska, water years 2001-2004

Riparian areas along a reach of Platte River passing through Nebraska Public Power District's Cottonwood Ranch Property were modified during 2002 to 2004 to enhance in-channel habitats for endangered and threatened avian species. A component of this alteration involved the removal of riparian vegetation from riverbanks and islands to provide roosting habitat for the endangered whooping crane and to provide nesting and foraging habitat for the endangered least tern and threatened piping plover. It was hypothesized that the removal of riparian vegetation could have the effect of stimulating channel widening in this reach by increasing the potential of these surfaces to erode under natural fluvial action. It also was hypothesized that as a direct or indirect consequence of the alterations, a local increase in sediment supply also might occur, potentially resulting in geomorphic change downstream and possibly initiating negative third-party effects. The cumulative effects of the management activities on the channel morphology and sediment transport in this reach were monitored during water years 2001-2004 by measuring transect elevation profiles and bed-sediment-size gradations upstream, within, and downstream from the managed area before and after the development activities. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine if the geomorphic variables measured before and after the development activities were significantly different. Although statistically significant differences were detected in some of the variables, increases in mean bed elevation did not occur in a greater percentage of the monitoring sections measured downstream compared to upstream from the management activities. This result suggests that the management activities did not have a substantial effect on the downstream river channel morphology and sediment transport. However, it is important to place these short-term and site-specific results in the context that river flows following the management activities were at historical low rates, and therefore the potential to affect and the opportunity to detect possible geomorphic change within and downstream from the managed reach were limited.

Scientific Investigations Report↗