SINUOSITY AND SAND WAVES OF THE COOPER RIVER, SC, USA

Bathymetric data of the Cooper River was collected and processed to observe its meander’s sinuosity and sand wave features that occurred throughout it. This river which flows into the Charleston Harbor estuary is subjected to a semi-diurnal tide as well as significant amounts of development along its banks. Out of the 20 meanders that were observed, 14 had measurable sand wave features. Of these 14 meanders, only 2 of them, the closest to occur near the entrance to the harbor, exhibited symmetrical orientation throughout the sand waves. The majority of the measurable sand waves are seen further up the river away from the harbor and exhibit asymmetrical wave orientation. The Cooper River appears to have organized itself into an ordered state based on its calculated average value for the sinuosity of its meanders and from the “T” it is dominated by a unidirectional flow.