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Stream Channels <br />What's the most common <br />These characteristics determine many stream types, each with material making up the <br />its own "personality". <br />channel and bank. <br />• Sinuosity <br />• Channel and bank materials <br />• Channel gradient <br />• Channel shape <br />• Floodplain <br />• Flow timing and amount <br />• Amount and size of sediment particles <br />By understanding the combination of characteristics that make <br />up your stream's personality, you can determine appropriate <br />management practices. <br />How sinuous is the channel? <br />Sinuosity refers to the amount of curvature in a stream <br />channel. The increased length of a highly sinuous <br />channel helps to dissipate stream energy. Shorter and <br />straighter channels possess more stream energy and <br />erosion potential. <br />straight slightly sinuous <br />sinuous <br />What is the gradient of the channel? <br />The steeper the channel gradient, the greater the water <br />velocity and potential for erosion. <br />Greater than 4% ..............2-4% ..............less than 2%, <br /> <br />Channel and bank <br />materials are critical <br />characteristics of a <br />stream. <br />They determine: <br />• Sensitivity to <br />disturbance <br />and potential for <br />erosion <br />between fingers <br /> <br />• Recovery potential <br />• Ability to support <br />vegetation <br />• Role of vegetation <br />in stabilizing <br />stream channels <br />• Amount of <br />channel roughness <br />present to slow <br />stream flow and <br />reduce stream <br />energy <br />GRAVEL fits in hand <br />COBBLE you can <br />stand on <br />SAND feels gritty <br />BOULDER you may <br />have to climb over <br />BEDROCK solid rock <br />9