Big Pine Creek Ditch revisited: Planform recovery to channelization and the timescale of river meandering

Channelization has changed the form and dynamics of rivers on a global scale. In midwestern United States, widespread straightening meandering headwater streams been undertaken for purpose improving land drainage. Few studies have examined in detail how respond to straightening, especially over timescales nearly century following straightening. This study uses historical aerial imagery contemporary lidar data examine small stream that was straightened ago, Big Pine Creek Ditch (BPCD) Indiana, USA, adjusted relate observed changes power. The evolution this fluvial system late 1970s updates previous work using additional GIS-based methods, extending timeline analysis from 1932 2018. Results reveal recovery varies spatially along length BPCD with some reaches not adjusting at all, increasing sinuosity but then being artificially restraightened, other evolving continuously response channelization. For evolved continuously, rate increase time is directly related bankfull power per unit length. Rates logarithmic linear should attain prechannelized relation between timescale about 100 years. Reaches estimated area below 25 W m −2 exhibit no sinuosity, whereas those greater than 50 progressively increased sinuosity. Between these thresholds, may or Not all aspects channel planform are captured by sinuosity; exhibited lateral shifts position meander belt do current reaches. Overall, provides insight into spatial temporal variability channelization, long-term as well development straight channels. • Recovery channelized agricultural temporally. Some remain while others if left undisturbed. low high meander. undisturbed occurs approximately one century.