Stream Development in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, U.S.A.

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Abstract
The effects of hydraulics, sediment supply, channel condition, and riparian vegetation on stream development were examined in a chronosequence of five streams in Glacier Bay National Park. The youngest stream, Wolf Point Creek (deglaciated around 1955), is fed by a remnant glacier and had the highest suspended sediment concentrations of all streams (103-111mg litre-1 at baseflows). The study reach at Nunatak Creek (deglaciated around 1950) was actively downcutting through the fine glacial outwash deposits creating a deeper thalweg and redepositing some material near channel margins. About 100yr after deglaciation (Ice Valley stream), woody riparian vegetation begins to stabilize streambanks and becomes established on gravel bars where it provides potential sites for incipient woody debris dams. Berg Bay South (deglaciated around 1830) appears to be near equilibrium with respect to sediment supply and transport. -from Author

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