ABSTRACT

To address the cartoon-like approach to deltaic morphodynamic shown in Figure 1, Syvitski et al. (in press) began to establish a consistent database of key environmental factors associated with representative deltas. The database included the following factors: (1) drainage area (A) feeding the delta; (2) maximum relief (R) of the drainage basin; (3) water discharge (Qav) across the delta; (4) sediment yield (Y ) within

the drainage basin; (5) length (L) of the main stem of the river; (6) gradient of the delta plain (Dgrd ); (7) number of distributary channels (CN ); (8) spring (K1 +M2) tidal range (Ti); (9) maximum monthly wave height (Wa); and (10) miscellaneous factors such as permafrost (presence/absence) or bedrock control (significant presence in the vicinity of the delta). With this study the database has been refined further, along with new data added: (11) basin climate (temperature (T ), precipitation (P), runoff coefficient (Qav/PA), (12) monthly maximum fluvial discharge (Qmx) onto the delta along with its variability, (13) sediment discharge to the delta (suspended sediment concentration (Cs) and load (Qs), average (Qb) and maximum monthly (Qbmx) bedload), (14) delta area (AD), (15) width of distributary channels (Cw), (16) bank-full width (Rw) of river entering the delta, and (17) shelf depth (Dsh) reached by the sub-aqueous delta. Fiftyfive deltas were selected to cover the parameter range: e.g. discharge (9 m3/s to 2 × 105 m3/s), sediment yield (5T/km2/yr to 4.2 × 103 T/km2/yr), wave heights (0 m to 4 m), tidal range (0 m to 6 m), polar to tropical, and covering the major oceans and coastal seas.