The application of caesium-137 measurements to investigate floodplain deposition in a large semi-arid catchment in Queensland, Australia: a low-fallout environment

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Floodplains comprise geomorphologically important sources and sinks for sediments and associated pollutants, yet the sedimentology of large dryland floodplains is not well understood. Processes occurring on such floodplains are often difficult to observe, and techniques used to investigate smaller perennial floodplains are often not practical in these environments. This study assesses the utility of <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs inventory and depth‐profile techniques for determining relative amounts of floodplain sedimentation in the Fitzroy River, northeastern Australia; a 143 000 km<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> semi‐arid river system. Caesium‐137 inventories were calculated for floodplain and reference location bulk soil cores collected from four sites. Depth profiles of <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs concentration from each floodplain site and a reference location were recorded. The areal density of <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs at reference locations ranged from 13 to 978 Bq m<jats:sup>–2</jats:sup> (0–1367 Bq m<jats:sup>–2</jats:sup> at the 95% confidence interval), and the mean value ± 2 (standard error of the mean) was 436 ± 264 Bq m<jats:sup>–2</jats:sup>, similar to published data from other Southern Hemisphere locations. Floodplain inventories ranged from 68 to 1142 Bq m<jats:sup>–2</jats:sup> (0–1692 Bq m<jats:sup>–2</jats:sup> at the 95% confidence interval), essentially falling within the range of reference inventory values, thus preventing calculation of erosion or deposition. Depth‐profiles of <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs concentration indicate erosion at one site and over 66 cm of deposition at another since 1954. Analysis of <jats:sup>239+240</jats:sup>Pu concentrations in a depositional core substantiated the interpretation made from <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs data, and depict a more tightly constrained peak in concentration. Average annual deposition rates range from 0 to 15 mm. The similarity between floodplain and reference bulk inventories does not necessarily indicate a lack of erosion or deposition, due to low <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs fallout in the region and associated high measurement uncertainties, and a likely influence of gully and bank eroded sediments with no or limited adsorbed <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs. In this low‐fallout environment, detailed depth‐profile data are necessary for investigating sedimentation using <jats:sup>137</jats:sup>Cs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</jats:p>