Here are examples of projects that are ongoing by my students and me, some are mostly finished, others are just getting started:
| Developing a combined field, subsurface and statistical approach to understanding the intermediate scale structure of avulsion dominated alluvial systems. In particular examing whether or not clusters of channels, such as seen here, can form by autocyclic events associated with many avulsions or require external controls such as sea level variations. Primary units of study are the Late Cretaceous fluvial units in Wyoming including the Lance and Ferris formations. Status: recently completed Ph.D. study by Elizabeth Hajek.Subsurface analysis needs to be completed. |
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| I am beginning a major project on quantifying geometries of preserved fluvial sand bodies with the goal of understanding the controls on river avulsion and how avulsion processes impact the stratigraphic architecture of fluvial deposits. Two types of 'end-member' avulsions have been proposed - aggradational and abrupt - each with a distinctive stratigraphic signature. This study focuses on the distribution of these avulsion styles among a variety of ancient alluvial successions. The Morrison Formation in east-central Utah is the main focus point of this study. Status: Students needed |
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The mechanisms of formation and maintance of anastomosed river patterns is the subject of a proposal submitted with Neil Humphrey (Dept of Geology) and Scott Miller (Dept of Renewable Resources). The study will combine a theoretical study of channel migration, an experimental study of river avulsion and anastomosis, with a field study of a nearby anastomosed river. Approaches include: airborne LIDAR acquisition, channel flow monitoring, ground-penetrating radar mapping of past channel positions, as well as experimental channel formation in large flume facility. Status: needs a student.
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Oblique airphoto of anastomosed river near Laramie, Wyoming. |
| Along with a colleagues at the Univ. of Minnesota, and Chevron, I am compiling and modeling alluvial stacking patterns from a variety of units in western North America. The goal is to show how the stratigraphic record is not linear in its preservation of alluvial systems and why such non-linearities form. Status: no student as yet. |
UENCE WITHT E MISSOURI RIVER (AT BOTTOM OFPICTURE). 
Oblique air photo of the Price River Fm., Book Cliffs, central Utah, showing few channel belt sandstones in lower part and many in the upper part. |
| Recent work I completed in southwestern Colorado has suggested that the size and distribution of some Uranium deposits is closely scaled to aspects of fluvial channel geometries. An interesting, and potentially economically useful, study involves quantifying aspects of preserved channel fills and relating this to avulsion processes and ultimately to a prediction of ore body distributions. Status: mostly a twinkling in my eye at this point. When the price of Uranium rises, I will return to this study. | UENCE WITHT E MISSOURI RIVER (AT BOTTOM OFPICTURE). 
Amalgamated channel deposits exposed in an active Uranium mine near Uravan, Colorado. |
