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Abstract:
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Processes within the hyporheic zone are influenced by connected high-permeability pathways, which, if extant within fluvial bed forms, create zones of greater flow. Recent work on modern rivers and ancient sediments has led to a conceptual model of the hierarchy of fluvial forms within channel-belts of gravelly braided rivers, and a quantitative model for the corresponding scales of heterogeneity within the stratal architecture (e.g. Lunt et al. 2004; Bridge and Lunt, 2006). In related work, a 3-dimensional digital model was developed which represents these scales of fluvial architecture, the associated spatial distribution of permeability, and the connectivity of high-permeability pathways across the different scales of the stratal hierarchy (Ramanathan et al., 2010; Guin et al., 2010). This poster reviews this work, discusses its relevance to understanding the processes associated with hyporehic exchange, and presents our goals for future work in which these new ideas and methods will be used in creating models for hyporheic exchange. |
