Dynamics of erosion and deposition events on an intertidal mudbank at Burringham, River Trent, UK

Abstract

Measurements using an automatic bank level monitoring technique [the photoelectronic erosion pin (PEEP) system] over a 70-day period between 16 March and 27 May 1997 have revealed a complex pattern of erosion and deposition on an intertidal mudbank on the River Trent at Burringham. Comparison of mean daily changes in bank elevation at upper and lower bank positions suggest that wave activity induced by high wind speeds causes erosion, while high tidal range leads to deposition as a result of higher suspended solids concentrations. A greater variability in mean daily erosion and deposition events at the lower bank compared with the upper bank appears to indicate that higher bed shear stresses, as well as a greater availability of sediment for settling, owing to higher concentrations and a greater depth of water, lead to a more dynamic exchange of material at this position. The PEEP data also show longer term trends in sedimentation, with the mean deposition for the period exceeding mean erosion. Manual erosion pin measurements at a lower frequency over a longer, seven-month period confirm this, and also highlight the advantage of the PEEP system in monitoring events at a finer temporal resolution.