TAIERI RIVER DATA TO TEST CHANNEL NETWORK AND RIVER BASIN HETEROGENEITY CONCEPTS

The pal?er describes data collected in a 158-km(2) basin for testing h ypotheses underpinning the optimal channel network concept. Over a 4-d ay period, discharge, channel cross sections, and longitudinal slope w ere measured at 300 sites. Measured channel widths range from 0.050 to 16.60 m, mean depths range from 0.010 to 0.546 m, and mean water velo cities range from 0.004 to 0.575 mis. Bias in the site selection was c hecked by comparing measurements made at predefined distances upstream or downstream of the measurement section. Slope measurements were bas ed on channel reach lengths typically of the order of 0.5 km. Since th e data may be of use to other researchers, we have archived them on th e World Wide Web (site http://www.cri.nz/hydrology/taieripage.htm) alo ng with a 1:50,000 scale map and the associated time series of streamf low at the basin outlet during the measurement interval.