Bank erosion and other channel processes of a tropical forest river basin in Ghana

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Date

2018-12

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Ghana Social Science Journal

Abstract

Bank erosion is one of the major sources of fluvial sediments. However, very little is known about the bank erosion rates, channel processes and volume of eroded sediments of tropical rivers. The study, therefore, assessed the annual bank erosion of a tropical river in Ghana using the erosion pin method from which estimates of annual sediment detached into the fluvial sediment system was determined. The underlying channel, fluvial, sub-aerial processes and soil characteristics influencing channel stability were investigated and discussed. There is a spatial variability in river channel processes; very active channel and bank erosion and deposition of fluvial materials along channel walls. Bank erosion is low at certain reaches of the rivers and channel deposition occurs at the inner bends of meander loops. Large volumes of bank sediments were delivered from the more eroding banks. Channel geometry, discharge/fluvial hydraulics or processes and bank materials are the major driving forces influencing bank erosion and deposition of river channels. Longer timescale of erosion pin measurements involving greater number of sites are required to get a better understanding of bank erosion rates and the fluvial sediment budget of tropical rivers

Description

Ghana Social Science Journal, 15(2), 31-56

Keywords

Bank erosion, Erosion pin, Channel processes, Pra river, Sub-aerial processes, Tropical river

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