Technical Report

Corrales Reach Corrales Flood Channel to Montano Bridge Hydraulic Modeling Analysis (1962-2001)

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Albert%2C%20et%20al._2003_Appdx%20A_Corrales%20Reach%20Corrales%20Flood%20Channel%20to%20Montano%20Bridge%20Hydraulic%20Modeling%20Analysis.pdf

Date: 2003/08/01

Author(s): Albert J., Sixta M., León C., Julien P.Y.

Publication: Prepared for Bureau of Reclamation, 97 p.

Abstract:

The Corrales Reach spans 10.3 miles downstream from the Corrales Flood Channel to the Montano Bridge. This reach is included in the habitat designation for two federally-listed endangered species, the Rio Grande silvery minnow and the southwestern willow flycatcher. Restoration efforts for these species require the understanding of historic, current and potential future geomorphic characteristics of the channel. Analysis of water and suspended sediment data at the USGS gaging stations, aerial photos, cross-section surveys and bed material size, reveal the temporal and spatial changes in the processes acting on the channel.

Geomorphic analyses indicate that the general trends of the Corrales Reach are a decrease in width, width-to-depth ratio, area, water surface slope, energy-grade line slope and wetted perimeter and an increase in mean flow velocity and depth during the 1962 to 2001 time period. Single-thread channels characterized the 1962 and 1972 channel planform. New islands and sediment bars developed after 1972 and are evident in the 1992 and 2001 planform at both low and high flows. Sinuosity has slightly increased throughout the entire period analyzed. However, it is lower than 1.2 for the entire reach. Changes in channel width during the 1962 to 2001 time period were not significant.