Roy Sidle - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Roy Sidle

Nature sustainability, Aug 14, 2018

The paired watershed approach is the most popular tool for quantifying the effects of forest wate... more The paired watershed approach is the most popular tool for quantifying the effects of forest watershed management on water sustainability. But this approach does not often address the critical factor of water stored in the landscape. Future work needs to quantify storage in paired watershed studies to inform sustainable water management.

Science of The Total Environment, Jun 1, 2019

We assessed spatial distribution of infiltration capacity under forest canopies to simulate runof... more We assessed spatial distribution of infiltration capacity under forest canopies to simulate runoff processes in a steep small catchment in Japan. High resolution LiDAR data were used to assess light availability to understory vegetation, which in turn was converted into an understory vegetation cover ratio. Spatially distributed infiltration capacities based on data from field rainfall-runoff experiments were incorporated into the TopoTube model using a relationship between infiltration capacity and vegetation cover. Effects of spatial distribution of infiltration capacity and its influence on hydrological connectivity and runoff processes were examined based on numerical simulations in the following three infiltration scenarios for seven natural storms: (1) spatially distributed infiltration capacity; (2) uniform infiltration capacity using the weighted mean of the spatial distribution in the drainage basin; and (3) uniform infiltration capacity using the arithmetic mean of field measurements. Although saturated subsurface flow dominated storm runoff in all simulations, Hortonian and saturated overland flow were significant for storm runoff response in smaller catchments (headwaters and zero-order basins).

Environmental geology, Jan 18, 2000

Short-term geomorphic and hydrologic effects of subsidence induced by longwall mining under Burno... more Short-term geomorphic and hydrologic effects of subsidence induced by longwall mining under Burnout Creek, Utah were evaluated. During the year after longwall mining, 0.3-1.5 m of subsidence was measured near impacted reaches of the mountain stream channel. The major channel changes that occurred in a 700-m reach of Burnout Creek that was subsided from 1992 to 1993 were: (1) increase in lengths of cascades and to a lesser extent glides; (2) increases in pool length, numbers and volumes; (3) increase in median particle diameter of bed sediment in pools; and (4) some constriction in channel geometry. Most of the changes appeared short-lived, with channel recovery approaching pre-mining conditions by 1994. In a 300m reach of the South Fork that was subsided from 1993 to 1994, only channel constriction was observed, although any impacts on pool morphology may have been confounded by heavy grazing in the riparian reaches during the dry summer of 1994. Similar near-channel sedimentation and loss of pool volume between 1993 and 1994 were noted throughout Burnout Creek and in adjacent, unmined James Creek. Subsidence during the 3-year period had no effect on baseflows or near-channel landslides.

Hydrological Processes, Aug 1, 2023

We examined soil‐water response in a hillslope with multi‐layered volcanic soils affected by fiss... more We examined soil‐water response in a hillslope with multi‐layered volcanic soils affected by fissures formed by intense shaking during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan. Pressure head and volumetric water content responses in a 6 × 20 m hillslope ridgeline plot were monitored by tensiometers and capacitance‐based soil moisture sensors, respectively. The plot contained seven seismic fissures (0.3–0.8 m deep and 0.4–2.2 m wide) formed parallel to the ridgeline that exposed underlying soil layers, while areas with topsoil occurred between the fissures. Among the alternating layers, the andisol (ca. 1.0 m deep) consistently experienced high pressure heads (>−150 cm H2O) and volumetric water contents (>0.58 cm3 cm−3), indicating high water‐holding capacity. This andisol was a key layer for storing soil water and causing slow drainage into the deeper matrix, resulting in abrupt increases in volumetric water content during storms. Rainwater directly reaching the bottom of fissures without percolating through the topsoil caused rapid soil‐water response compared to the soil layer where water percolated via topsoil. Analysis of in‐situ soil water retention curves, recession rates and water storage changes revealed that the second andisol had unique characteristics for retaining water in the hillslope. The findings of this study show that spatial and temporal variability of soil water responses varied associated with earthquake‐induced fissure formation and soil water characteristics of multi‐layered volcanic soils.

&lt;p&gt;Snow avalanches are one of the most predominant natural hazards in mount... more &lt;p&gt;Snow avalanches are one of the most predominant natural hazards in mountain areas. Every year throughout the world, they are the cause of much material destruction and loss of life. It is therefore essential for local communities and public authorities to assess areas most vulnerable to avalanches. Here, we propose a new method for automatic avalanche detection from Landsat archives, using a snow index. This open-source and user-friendly model in Google Engine is the first to automatically inventory all the avalanches that have occurred each year across wide catchment areas, over a period of 32 years. The Snow Avalanche Frequency Estimation (SAFE) model was tested in the mountains of Afghanistan - Amu Panj Basin - one of the most remote regions in the world and one of the poorest in terms of avalanche monitoring. SAFE correctly detected 76% of the actual avalanches identified on Google Earth images and in the field. Since 1990, this region of Afghanistan has been impacted by 810,000 avalanches with an average frequency of 0.88 avalanches/km&amp;#178;yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;. With SAFE, it is now possible to clearly identify villages, roads, and rivers that are frequently affected by avalanches and thus help decision-makers in their investments in avalanche protection infrastructure. It was also found that the frequency of avalanches has not changed over the last 32 years, but SAFE has identified a northeast shift of these hazards, notably due to a slight increase in temperatures in the south at the beginning of winter. SAFE is the first robust model that can be used worldwide and is capable of filling data voids on snow avalanche impacts in inaccessible regions.&lt;/p&gt;

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2017

Geoderma, Oct 1, 2020

We examined topographic and stratified soil characteristics of a hillslope with fissures formed b... more We examined topographic and stratified soil characteristics of a hillslope with fissures formed by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan. Numerous fissures were developed on mountainous areas and concentrated along convex topography of ridgelines in addition to the occurrence of many landslides. Within a 6 × 20 m plot, depth of fissures ranged from 0.3 to 0.4 m near the ridgeline and from 0.6 to 0.8 m in the lower part of hillslope adjacent to a landslide of the same depth on the lower slope. Width of fissures ranged from 0.4 to 2.2 m (mean = 1.4 m; standard deviation = 0.6 m). Between fissures, soil blocks rotated downslope and remained on the slope. The soil matrix within the plot consisted of the four sequences of tephra with various thicknesses. Andisol layers with higher organic matter (16 ± 6%) were found between tephra deposits with lower organic matter (11 ± 2%), particularly at shallow depths (0.5 and 1.5 m). Soil bulk density was low in most andisol layers (0.55 ± 0.15 g/cm 3), while mean bulk density of tephra deposits was slightly higher (0.66 ± 0.14 g/cm 3). Bulk density was negatively correlated to organic matter content. The wet conditions (133 ± 37% gravimetric moisture) in the andisol layer (≈1.0 m depth), which corresponds to the landslide failure plane, are related to higher organic matter content and lower bulk density compared to the tephra layers situated above and below this layer. Differences in the depths of fissures along the ridgeline suggested that the development of fissures was associated with combinations of topographic factors and soil sequences. Findings from detailed topography and soil surveys provide insights into fissure formation processes and slope stability assessment.

Journal of Environmental Quality, Apr 1, 1979

Fluidized bed combustion waste (FBCW), a by-product from a specialized coal-fired power plant, wa... more Fluidized bed combustion waste (FBCW), a by-product from a specialized coal-fired power plant, was used as a liming source to determine its impact on solute transport in the soil. The upper 10 cm of 60-cm-long acid silt loam soil (pH 4.6) and strip mine spoil (pH 4.1) columns was treated with enough FBCW to raise the pH of the two media to 5.0 and 6.0, and 4.6 and 6.0, respectively. Loadings of Ca, S, and Mg in the upper 10 cm of the pH 6 mine spoil treated were 1,132, 309, and 46 jig/g soil, respectively. Approximately twice these loadings were applied to the upper 10 cm of the acid soil columns. Heavy metal loading rates were very low in all treatments. Columns were 'Cooperative studies between the Northeastern Region, SEA

J. Water Pollut. Control Fed.; (United States), Feb 1, 1977

Municipal wastewater has been used to spray irrigate reed canary grass and corn over periods of 1... more Municipal wastewater has been used to spray irrigate reed canary grass and corn over periods of 10 and 11 years, respectively, on clay loam soil. Average concentrations of copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, nickel, and cobalt in the applied effluent were 68, 197, 2.7, 140, 50, and 40 parts per billion, respectively. The corresponding metal concentrations in an effluent-sludge mixture used