Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

"A study of Lisbon Bottom, a confined meander bend of the Missouri River near Glasgow in central Missouri, as well as an overview of the Missouri River between Kansas City and St. Louis concludes that (1) with three minor exceptions, the southern limit of Pleistocene glaciation coincides very closely with the present position of the Missouri River valley, (2) 200 years of river management, flood plain development and farming has had a profound effect on the lower Missouri River and, (3) confined meander eddy accretion deposits have played a significant role in creating wetlands on Lisbon Bottom and along the entire lower Missouri River.

At three locations along the present Missouri River, there is strong evidence that the Missouri River was diverted to the south of its present course by Pleistocene glacial lobes. With the exception of these three locations, the southern extent of Pleistocene glaciation coincides closely with the present lower Missouri River valley.

Since 1800, the lower Missouri River has been modified significantly by farming, flood plain development, and the construction of flood control and bank stabilization structures by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These modifications to the river and its flood plain have suppressed or obscured natural processes, making them difficult to identify and interpret.

Nevertheless, the geometry of the main channel where it impinges on the valley wall at the lower end of Lisbon Bottom and the location of wetlands adjacent to the impingement point and along the valley wall is consistent with the process by which eddy accretion deposits develop and migrate. Further, the specific location of wetlands at 30 of 31 additional sites along the lower Missouri River where the main channel impinges on the valley wall strongly suggests that confined meander eddy accretion deposits are probably common along the entire lower river, that they underlie the downstream, near-bank areas of many bottoms, and that they are very important to the formation of wetlands"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Gregg, Jay M.

Committee Member(s)

Anderson, Neil L. (Neil Lennart), 1954-
Laudon, Robert C.
Wronkiewicz, David J.
Santi, Paul M. (Paul Michael), 1964-

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Geology and Geophysics

Sponsor(s)

Geological Survey (U.S.)

Comments

The USGS Geographic Research and Applications Program and the USGS Mid-Continent Mapping Center, Rolia, Missouri, provided funding for this project.

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Summer 2002

Pagination

xi, 151 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 143-150).

Geographic Coverage

Missouri River
Lisbon Bottom, Missouri

Rights

© 2002 Jeffrey David Spooner, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Restricted Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Geomorphology -- Missouri River
Geology, Stratigraphic -- Missouri River

Thesis Number

T 8094

Print OCLC #

52576802

Electronic OCLC #

988543854

Link to Catalog Record

Electronic access to the full-text of this document is restricted to Missouri S&T users. Otherwise, request this publication directly from Missouri S&T Library or contact your local library.

http://merlin.lib.umsystem.edu/record=b4968586~S5

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