- Home
- volume 15 (2012)
- number 1-2
- The evolution of the sedimentary environment in the lower River Scheldt valley (Belgium) during the last 13,000 a BP
View(s): 1067 (19 ULiège)
Download(s): 778 (14 ULiège)
The evolution of the sedimentary environment in the lower River Scheldt valley (Belgium) during the last 13,000 a BP
Abstract
The sedimentary evolution of the alluvial plain of the lower River Scheldt between Wetteren and Dendermonde, was studied based on more than 1000 hand borings, radiocarbon, dendrochronological and OSL dating, palynological analysis and archaeological surveys. The results show a laterally migrating river during the Late Glacial, creating large meander loops. During the Late Dryas fluvial processes interacted with aeolian processes, resulting in dune formation. During the early Holocene, fluvial activity diminished resulting in an underfit river in which vertical accretion became the dominant fluvial process. The presence of multiple small channels in some parts of the study area demonstrates that the fluvial system evolved locally to an anabranching river. Meanwhile vertical accretion continued. Short before the Roman period, the River Scheldt returned to a distinct single-channelled meandering pattern. As lateral migration was limited vertical accumulation processes continued to dominate the fluvial environment. This process was halted by the construction of an extensive network of dikes from the medieval period onwards.
Late Glacial, Holocene, fluvial environment, lateral and vertical accretion
To cite this article
About: Frieda BOGEMANS
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium. Present address: Geological Survey of Belgium, Jennerstraat 13, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
About: Erwin MEYLEMANS
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
About: Jonathan JACOPS
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
About: Yves PERDAEN
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
About: Annelies Storme
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
About: Inge VERDURMEN
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
About: Koen DEFORCE
Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE), Koning Albert II-laan 19 bus 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium