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Significant Human Modification of the Lower Arkansas River Sediment Budget
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  • Hehe CHEN,
  • John Shaw,
  • Glenn Sharman,
  • Jill A. Marshall
Hehe CHEN
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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John Shaw
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
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Glenn Sharman
University of Arkansas
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Jill A. Marshall
University of Arkansas
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Abstract

Large river systems provide many services, including water resources, barge transport, and sand and gravel (S&G) for mining. However, unlike damming, the impacts of channel dredging and S&G mining are poorly monitored. We quantify these impacts on the Lower Arkansas River, U.S.A., where anthropogenic processes are well documented. The construction of dams caused a 98% reduction in suspended sediment discharge (Qss). Since dam construction, fluvially-transported Qss and suspended sand discharge (Qsand) varied on the decadal scale, but the average of Qss (4.4 ± 0.5 Mtyr-1) and Qsand (1.1 ± 0.1 Mtyr-1) at Van Buren are of the same order as sediment removal rates by dredging (1.2 ± 0.1 Mtyr-1) and S&G mining (1.7 ± 0.1 Mtyr-1). During 1975-2019, the cumulative sediment deficit caused by dredging and S&G mining (1.7 Mtyr-1) outpaced the cumulative post-dam fluvial sediment deficit (0.7 Mtyr-1), indicating sediment extractions are now essential parts of rivers’ sediment balance.