Do badlands (always) control sediment yield? Evidence from a small intermittent catchment

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2021Suggested citation
Llena Hernando, Manel;
Batalla, Ramon J.;
Smith, Mark William;
Vericat Querol, Damià;
.
(2021)
.
Do badlands (always) control sediment yield? Evidence from a small intermittent catchment.
Catena, 2021, vol. 198, p. 105015.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2020.105015.
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The objective of this paper is to analyse the production and the yield of fine sediment in a small mountain
catchment (10 km2), characterised by patches of badlands (25% of the catchment area) and drained by intermittent
streams. The study area is located in the Southern Central Pyrenees. The study is performed at multiple
temporal scales to further highlight: (i) the effect of pulses in the transfer of water and fine sediment; (ii) the
contribution of the sediment production from badlands to the sediment yield of the catchment; and (iii) the role
of the drainage network as fine sediment source and sink. Significant correlations between meteorological and
flow variables were found; specifically, the strongest positive relations were observed between stream flashiness,
the duration of the period in which the stream is dry and the suspended sediment concentration. Results indicated
that badlands do not always control the export of sediments. At the annual scale badlands supply around
40% of the total catchment sediment yield. Seasonally sediment produced in badlands can be higher than the
amount exported at the catchment outlet, suggesting the channel network acts as a sink. In terms of sediment
production, badlands represent around of 53% of the total production taking also into account agricultural fields
and forest areas. Results emphasise the key role of the channel network on controlling pulses of sediment
transfer, in direct relation to the intermittent character of the streams. The frequency and magnitude of such
pulses determines the catchment Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR), depending on whether the drainage network
acts as a sediment sink or source.
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Catena, 2021, vol. 198, p. 105015European research projects
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