The influence of floodplain morphology and river works on spatial patterns of overbank sediment and heavy-metal deposition

Floodplain deposition constitutes an important part of the sediment and contaminant budget of many large rivers throughout the world. The amount, patterns and characteristics of floodplain deposition are determined at the scale of the river branch by the channel sinuosity, floodplain and valley width, whereas factors such as morphology and flow patterns are of importance at the floodplain scale. Human influence may change these factors at both scales, but little is known about the subsequent impact of these changes on overbank deposition at the scale of the floodplain and the river branch.