River floods under wetter antecedent conditions deliver coarser sediment to the coast
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Abstract
Increasing hydrologic volatility—more extreme rain, and larger variations between wet and dry years—has become apparent in some regions, but few data exist to determine how intensifying hydrologic extremes affect sedimentary systems. Using uniquely high-resolution records of fluvial suspended sediment and coastal morphology, we quantify sedimentary responses from a steep, 357-km2 watershed in California under extreme wet and dry hydrologic conditions. In years with multiple 2- to 10-year floods, fluvial sediment coarsened significantly as the wet season progressed, with late-season floods delivering dominantly sand-sized material to the coast. Greater and coarser sediment supply under wetter antecedent conditions affected nearshore geomorphic evolution for 4–5 years. The watershed and coastal changes we documented point to an increasing role of sediment-related hazards (flooding and hillslope erosion) and resources (nearshore accretion) as wet seasons intensify.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | River floods under wetter antecedent conditions deliver coarser sediment to the coast |
| Series title | Geophysical Research Letters |
| DOI | 10.1029/2025GL115232 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Publication Date | April 13, 2025 |
| Year Published | 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Geophysical Union |
| Contributing office(s) | Geologic Hazards Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | e2025GL115232, 10 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Other Geospatial | San Lorenzo River watershed |