| Abstract: | Although channel change has been documented downstream of urban areas there have been few previous studies which have focused upon the spatial variation of erosion and upon examples of such channel change in tropical areas. In the Avondale stream basin, which includes part of Harare the capital of Zimbabwe the way in which the channel network has evolved from the extensive dambo system in the period 1891 to 1984 is reconstructed showing that drainage density which was initially between 0.35 and 0.80 km km?2 has increased to 3.15 km km?2 including stormwater drains. Characteristics of erosion of the modified urban channels are described and the downstream reaches indicate an average channel widening of 1.7 times involving average rates of bank erosion of 0.33 m per year. Peak discharge is estimated from channel characteristics to be increased to two times former values and it is concluded that channel type and the relationship of channel change to the accommodation of peak discharges requires further research. |
