Simplified Model for Assessing Meander Bend Migration Rates

This paper describes a simple analytical model for assessing meander bend migration rates. The new model is innovative in that it can be applied directly using output data from onedimensional hydraulic models. The method is designed as a first approximation that can be applied rapidly to large reaches of river systems, and should not be considered as a replacement for more detailed bank stability assessments. The model is based on a conversion factor for one-dimensional shear stress. Comparison of the conversion factor with existing data sets is presented. Converted shear stresses are translated to bank erosion volumes, which in turn are related to meander bend migration rates, using bank geometry and an appropriate sediment transport law. Results are presented for an evaluation of meander bend migration rates for a restoration feasibility study for a project on the Williamson River, Oregon.