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Changes in Geomorphic Equilibrium on Furnace Run, Summit County, Ohio

Liberatore, Stephen
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1365872441

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Science, University of Akron, Geology.
Furnace Run, tributary to the Cuyahoga River, Summit County, Ohio, has experienced pronounced morphologic changes since July 2003. The aim of this study was to examine and interpret present-day and historical geomorphic conditions on Lower Furnace Run in order to explain changes in stream equilibrium conditions. Equilibrium conditions can be altered by changes in land use and precipitation, and this study hypothesizes that climatically-induced changes in precipitation are the leading cause of disequilibrium conditions on Lower Furnace Run. GIS analysis of recent and historical aerial photography, stream gauging, channel mapping, statistical analysis of historical precipitation, discharge, and land cover data, and analysis of climate index data were used to address the hypothesis. Four out of five Cuyahoga River stream gauge stations show a statistically significant increase (α=0.05) in discharge after 2002. Two out of three Northeastern Ohio precipitation gauge stations show a statistically significant increase (α=0.05) after 2002. Non-parametric Pettitt tests reveal an increasing change point in discharge on the Cuyahoga River of February 22/23, 2003, and an increasing change point in precipitation at Hiram, OH on November 6, 2002. GIS analysis of aerial photography reveals Lower Furnace Run increasing in sinuosity from 1.20 in 1981, to 1.34 in 2003, and to 1.62 in 2012. The lateral movement of cutbanks and the area of erosion between aerial photographs were analyzed. The area eroded per aerial photograph time interval is low during the 1980’s (44 m2 mo-1) and mid to late-1990’s (49 m2 mo-1). The area eroded per month increases after 2003 to 255 m2 mo-1 between 2003 and 2005, and peaks at 413 m2 mo-1 between 2010 and 2012. From 1996 to 2006, the area of developed land cover within the Furnace Run watershed increased by 2.2%, and the area of forest cover decreased by 2.4%. Increased development resulted in an increase of 0.5 km2 of impervious surface from 1996 to 2006, which totaled 3.7 km2 in 2006. Major development to install a new highway interchange at the headwaters of Furnace Run was completed in 2001, two years prior to observed geomorphic change in Lower Furnace Run. Prior to 2003, the El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) were trending towards positive (dry) phases, and after 2003 ENSO and PDO were trending towards negative (wet) phases, which may have promoted wet conditions within the Cuyahoga River Watershed. Since July 2003, there have been 59 days of extreme discharge, as compared to the 6 days of extreme discharge in the preceding decade.The increase in fluvial energy since July 2003 resulted in a state of disequilibrium on the stream. In order to attain a new state of dynamic equilibrium, the stream responded by accelerating lateral erosion rates to decrease slope, increasing the grain-size of channel sediment, and increasing sediment discharge. The variability of erosion rates are directly connected to the frequency of high magnitude flood events, and therefore the concept of catastrophic uniformitarianism applies well to the Lower Furnace Run system. Over the thirty-one year period of study, Lower Furnace Run contributed 2,780 m3 of sediment to the Cuyahoga River annually. If the entirety of eroded sediment reached the Cleveland Harbor, it would contribute 1.1% of the sediment annually dredged from the harbor.
John A. Peck, Dr. (Advisor)
Linda R. Barrett, Dr. (Committee Member)
John P. Szabo, Dr. (Committee Member)
249 p.
Geology; Geomorphology
geomorphology; geomorphic equilibrium; channel geometry; precipitation; discharge; land cover; climate

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Liberatore, S. (2013). Changes in Geomorphic Equilibrium on Furnace Run, Summit County, Ohio [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1365872441

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Liberatore, Stephen. Changes in Geomorphic Equilibrium on Furnace Run, Summit County, Ohio. 2013. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1365872441.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Liberatore, Stephen. "Changes in Geomorphic Equilibrium on Furnace Run, Summit County, Ohio." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1365872441

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1365872441
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This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.