BUFFALO RIVER VALLEY EVOLUTION AND FORM: TEN YEARS OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH IN THE FIRST NATIONAL SCENIC RIVER

While the Buffalo National River is best known for the rugged topography and large limestone bluffs, it is also an excellent natural laboratory for understanding the role of heterogenous lithology on valley evolution and form. A team of researchers has applied a combination of field mapping, sediment characterization, GIS analysis, and geochronology to study the temporal and spatial variability of river incision. We have gained a better understanding of the relationship between the rock characteristics, valley width, the presence or absence of river terraces. This talk will provide an overview of the research conducted and insights gained over the past ten years.