Middle Fork Vermilion River
(In progress) The MFVR research project aims to compare post-settlement alluvium (PSA), unit stream power, and the rate of meander migration to the neighboring Sangamon River where the University of Illinois completed similar research. This project is part of a broader initiative funded by the NSF to investigate how rivers that developed during the Holocene epoch (the formerly glaciated Midwest) respond to land use change.
Our group is researching post-settlement alluvium by hand augering core samples near the MFVR and determining magnetic fly ash concentrations. Because it originates from the combustion of coal, fly ash serves as a reliable stratigraphic marker to distinguish between pre-settlement and post-settlement alluvium.
Because magnetic fly ash concentration is inversely correlated to flood plain width, we used a topographic relief map to find reasonable coring locations.
Pictured: M.S Nol Srivichainun and my research advisor Dr. Alison Anders
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign maintains and operates the only ‘RiverLab’ outside of France. This “lab in the field” is capable of measuring water chemistry and physical properties of flow from the Sangamon River every thirty minutes. I worked alongside Dr. Alison Anders and MS students Eddie Wolf & Nol Srivichainun to create a program that can interpret time series of water and sediment characteristics based on the spatial and temporal variability in precipitation and flow paths to the lab.
I presented this research project at the The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 2023 SESE Research Fair.
View poster HERE
View ArcGIS Pro File HERE
My senior thesis titled "Spatial variability in stream power and meander migration rates on the middle-fork Vermilion River, Illinois" was advised by Dr. Alison Anders and relates to the Middle Fork Vermilion River project. I used ArcGIS Pro, USGS StreamStats, and Python to complete this project.
You can read my senior thesis here
