Geographers at UC Santa Barbara have solved a long-standing mystery in river dynamics, revealing why and how some rivers split into multiple channels.
Lead author Austin Chadwick, a postdoctoral researcher, and senior author Vamsi Ganti, an associate professor of geography, offered critical insights into natural hazards, ecosystem restoration and river behavior.
“We found that rivers will develop multiple channels if they erode their banks faster than they deposit sediment on their opposing banks. This causes a channel to widen and divide over time,” said Chadwick.
The study, published in Science, used satellite imagery data spanning 36 years to analyze 84 rivers worldwide, mapping erosion and sediment deposition. These findings could revolutionize river restoration projects and flood risk management, particularly for the world’s multi-threaded rivers. Read the full story on The Current.
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