Post-glacial drainage basin evolution in the midcontinent, North America: Implications for prehistoric human settlement patterns

Herrmann, Edward W.; Monaghan, G. William

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2018.02.005

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…That the Avery sediment accumulation record reflects flooding frequencies and not local land-use or fluvial dynamics is supported by recent work on the White River, IN (watershed = 14,880 km 2 ), a moderately sized tributary of the Wabash River, IN, which drains into the Ohio River. Herrmann and Monaghan (2018) showed that floodplain accretion resulting from overbank flooding similarly occurred when sedimentation rates were high at Avery (Figure 9e). Conversely, periods when overbank flooding was absent or minimal on the White River, sedimentation rates were low at Avery.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…This mechanistic interpretation was largely based on modern Midwest climatology, where warm-season precipitation is dominant over winter precipitation (~75% vs ~25%, respectively), and the association between many of the largest modern floods and the occurrence of warm-season atmospheric river events originating from the Gulf of Mexico (Dirmeyer and Kinter, 2010; Lavers and Villarini, 2013). Other work from the Midwest, including along the Ohio River (Alexander and Nunnally, 1972; Counts et al, 2015; Stafford, 2004) and White River in Indiana (Herrmann and Monaghan, 2018) also shows variability in floodplain construction and the accumulation of floodplain alluvium that further suggests a connection between Holocene fluvial dynamics and climatic variability. Although climate is accepted as a likely driver of floodplain construction, the nature and timing of floodplain construction on large Midwest streams like the Ohio River is not resolved.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

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Late-Holocene floodplain development, land-use, and hydroclimate–flood relationships on the lower Ohio River, US

et al. 2019

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Floodplain development, land-use, and flooding on the lower Ohio River are investigated with a 3100-year-long sediment archive from Avery Lake, a swale lake on the Black Bottom floodplain in southern Illinois, US. In all, 12 radiocarbon dates show that Avery Lake formed at 1130 BCE (3100 cal. yr BP), almost 3000 years later than previously thought, indicating that the Black Bottom floodplain is younger and more dynamic than previously estimated. Three subsequent periods of extensive land clearance were identified by changes in pollen composition, corresponding to Native American occupations before 1500 CE and the current Euro-American occupation beginning in the 18th century. Sedimentation rates prior to 1820 CE changed independently of land clearance events, suggesting natural as opposed to land-use controls. Comparison with high-resolution paleoclimate data from Martin Lake, IN, indicates that lower Ohio River flooding was frequent when cold-season precipitation originating from the Pacific/Arctic predominated when atmospheric circulation resembled positive Pacific North American (PNA) conditions and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) was in a positive mean state (1130 BCE to 350 CE and 1150–1820 CE). Conversely, Ohio River flooding was less frequent when warm-season precipitation from the Gulf of Mexico prevailed during negative PDO- and PNA-like mean states (350 and 1150 CE). This flood dynamic appears to have been fundamentally altered after 1820 CE. We suggest that extensive land clearance in the Ohio River watershed increased runoff and landscape erosion by reducing interception, infiltration, and evapotranspiration, thereby increasing flooding despite a shift to negative PDO- and PNA-like mean states. Predicted increases in average precipitation and extreme rainfall events across the mid-continental US are likely to perpetuate current trends toward more frequent flood events, because anthropogenic modifications have made the landscape less resilient to changing hydroclimatic conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Late-Holocene floodplain development, land-use, and hydroclimate–flood relationships on the lower Ohio River, US

et al. 2019

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“…Accordingly, Paleoindians adopted a risk-averse strategy and avoided LSV despite its potential benefits in reducing travel time between Sandy Springs and chert outcrops. Transition to a more stable, vertically accreting hydroregime in the LSV may not have occurred until the mid-Holocene (e.g., Herrmann and Monaghan 2019), and archaeological data only support significant occupation of the LSV catchment beginning in the Late Archaic (see also Purtill 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If Paleoindians explored or utilized the valley to any significant degree, some archaeological evidence should exist in the watershed. In fact, in other studies of deglaciated valleys where lateral erosion rates during the Holocene project to be similar to LSV (e.g., White River, Indiana [Herrmann 2013; Herrmann and Monaghan 2019]), the surfaces of “protected” valley-margin landforms and tributary mouths commonly yield some evidence of Paleoindian occupation. It is noteworthy that, despite the lack of Paleoindian utilization, Early Archaic sites occur along valley-margin landforms and tributary valleys in the LSV watershed.…”

Section: Archaeological Data and Distributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Road Not Taken: How Early Landscape Learning and Adoption of a Risk-Averse Strategy Influenced Paleoindian Travel Route Decision Making in the Upper Ohio Valley

Purtill

2020

Am. Antiq.

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To evaluate a model of the travel-route selection process for upper Ohio Valley Paleoindian foragers (13,500–11,400 cal BP), this study investigates archaeological data through the theoretical framework of landscape learning and risk-sensitive analysis. Following initial trail placement adjacent to a highly visible escarpment landform, Paleoindians adopted a risk-averse strategy to minimize travel outcome variability when wayfaring between Sandy Springs, a significant Ohio River Paleoindian site, and Upper Mercer–Vanport chert quarries of east-central Ohio. Although a least-cost analysis indicates an optimal route through the lower Scioto Valley, archaeological evidence for this path is lacking. Geomorphic and archaeological data further suggest that site absence in the lower Scioto Valley is not entirely due to sampling bias. Instead, evidence indicates that Paleoindians preferred travel within the Ohio Brush Creek–Baker's Fork valley despite its longer path distance through more rugged, constricted terrain. Potential travel through the lower Scioto Valley hypothesizes high outcome variability due to the stochastic nature of the late Pleistocene hydroregime. In this case, perceived outcome variability appears more influential in determining travel-route decisions among Paleoindians than direct efforts to reduce energy and time allocation.

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Social change and late Holocene hydroclimate variability in southwest Indiana

Krus

Herrmann

Friberg

et al. 2023

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology

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Post-glacial drainage basin evolution in the midcontinent, North America: Implications for prehistoric human settlement patterns

Cited by 6 publications

References 57 publications

Late-Holocene floodplain development, land-use, and hydroclimate–flood relationships on the lower Ohio River, US

Late-Holocene floodplain development, land-use, and hydroclimate–flood relationships on the lower Ohio River, US

The Road Not Taken: How Early Landscape Learning and Adoption of a Risk-Averse Strategy Influenced Paleoindian Travel Route Decision Making in the Upper Ohio Valley

Social change and late Holocene hydroclimate variability in southwest Indiana

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