Sediment Transfer through the Fluvial System (Proceedings of a symposium held in Moscow, August 2004). IAHS Publ. 288, 2004, 300–307


Alluvial relief structure and bottom sediments of the lower Volga River

V. N. Korotaev, V. V. Ivanov & A. Yu. Sidorchuk

Geographical Faculty, Moscow State University, 119899 Moscow, Russia

sidor@yas.geogr.msu.su

Abstract The alluvial relief of the lower Volga River has a complicated hierarchical structure. This structure includes megaripples, three orders of dunes, two orders of bars, islands and meanders. The main channel of the Volga and its branch the Akhtuba, form a parallel-channel system. This complicated structure is one of the main characteristics of unconfined large rivers with a fine bed load.

Key words alluvial relief; bottom deposits; hierarchical structure; lower Volga River channel; sonar measurements