Ribbon plots - A spatial flow analysis tool for stable multiple-channel drainage networks

Abstract

Quantitative, landscape-scale hydrological and geomorphic analysis of remote, multiple-channel river reaches is hampered by a lack of representational tools, and measurement difficulty during significant flow events. A “black box” input/output modelling approach obscures spatial distribution of flow. At the other extreme, small-scale localised studies may be insufficient to identify landscape-scale emergent patterns. Fieldwork is infrequent, and often impossible during flows, and existing remote sensing tools are difficult to interpret and adjust using a monthly (or finer) resolution over a decadal timeframe. The “Ribbon Plot” has been developed to concisely represent the spatial distributio..