Date of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree
Master of Science in Geography and Geology
Department
School of Earth, Environment & Sustainability
Committee Chair
Jerin Tasnuba
Abstract
Recent changes in climate patterns due to anthropogenic inputs (i.e. greenhouse gases/CO₂) have caused alterations to precipitation events leading to altered flow regimes. Changes in the magnitude and frequency of flood events results in physical adjustments to river morphology, including changes in width and depth. As rivers experience more frequent and larger flood events, they accommodate by changing their morphological characteristics. The Gasconade River, a tributary of the Missouri River located in southcentral Missouri, USA, has exhibited recent patterns of acute bank erosion with limited understanding of its causes and effects on the river. This study aims to understand how hydrological flow regimes and land use have influenced erosion and morphological characteristics of the Gasconade River over the last 90 years. Three 30-year climate periods, 1930-1960, 1960-1990, and 1990-2020, were assessed during the study. First, flood frequency analysis (FFA) was conducted for each climatic period to analyze variation in flow regime between periods. Additionally, aerial photograph analysis was used to derive geomorphic variable of 14 selected reaches along the Gasconade River to assess changes in the relationship between flow and basin characteristics and river morphology. Land use change analysis was also completed to understand how changes in watershed characteristics could also influence morphologic changes. FFA results indicate a ~9%-73% increase in flood magnitudes of 2-, 5-, 10-, 50-, and 100-years after 1990. Geomorphic assessment shows that study reaches increased in width by ~22% to ~103% between all three climate periods. Overall, land use analysis reveals that forested land decreased, agricultural land use increased, and urban land use increased between all climate periods. Multiple regression analysis indicates statistically significant variables related to discharge and land use that indicate their influence on channel morphology.
Keywords
flood magnitude, flow regime, land use, channel morphology, channel width change, aerial photograph analysis
Subject Categories
Climate | Geomorphology | Hydrology
Copyright
© Katherine E. Brand
Recommended Citation
Brand, Katherine E., "Flow Regime Shifts and Channel Morphological Adjustments in Response to Changing Climate Patterns: Examples From Gasconade River, Missouri, USA" (2026). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4156.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4156
