Laserfiche WebLink
<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />In a previous report (Van Steeter and Pitlick, 1994), we summarized <br />similar results, but used photographs from 1986 since the 1993 set was not yet <br />analyzed. This report focuses on results from this updated analysis as well as <br />results for Ruby-Horsethief Canyon. <br />Results <br />Results for the Grand Valley showed that there was a substantial <br />decrease in the area of channel features when comparing 1937 to 1993 and 1954 <br />to 1968. The 1937-1993 analysis of the Grand Valley shows that there was a <br />19% decrease in water area, 12% decrease in island area, and a 26% decrease in <br />side channel/backwater area (Fig. 3, Table 1). The 1954-1968 analysis showed a <br />12% decrease in water area, a 18% decrease in island area, and a 29% decrease <br />in side channel/backwater area. See Van Steeter and Pitlick (1994) for more <br />detail. Examples of channel change are illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. <br />Results of the analysis of Ruby-Horsethief Canyon for 1937-1993 show a <br />decrease of 6.5% for water area, a 9.5% increase in island area, and a 23.2% <br />decrease in side channel/backwater area (Fig. 6, Table 2). For 1954-1968 there <br />was a 3.4% decrease in water area, a 4.2% increase in island area, and a 2.4% <br />decrease in side channel/backwater area (Fig. 7, Table 3). Mile by mile maps of <br />channel change are located in Appendix I and II. <br />Although it is somewhat useful to compare the two reaches by percent <br />change, it is important to note that the area of channel features in the two <br />reaches are very different. The Grand Valley reach has significantly larger <br />water, island, and side channel/backwater areas than Ruby-Horsethief <br />Canyon. When the average area of each channel feature per mile is calculated <br />for the two reaches, it shows that water area is 21 % greater in the Grand <br />Valley, island area is 280% greater, and side channel/backwater area is 175% <br />greater than in Ruby-Horsethief Canyon. <br />