1). In the upper reach, the main channel narrowed from 1895 to 1975, but widened slightly Protein Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor since 1975. Since 1895,

land area generally decreased, with erosion on upstream sides of islands and some land emergence in backwaters (Fig. 3). In the middle reach, where the managed channel is tightly confined by levees and railroad dikes, both land loss and emergence have occurred in recent decades (Fig. 3). In 1975, land area had greatly decreased relative to 1895, due to the increased water elevation, yet by 1989, land emergence is evident where land was present pre-impoundment and where wing and closing dikes are located. Between 1989 and 2010, both island erosion, possibly due to wave action from increased wind fetch, and land emergence in isolated backwaters occurred. Generally, upstream areas of the middle reach are similar to the upper reach, while downstream areas are more similar to the lower reach. Overall, since 1975 land has increased slightly in the middle reach. In the lower reach of Pool 6, where the river valley becomes more confined by bluffs on both sides of the river, mid-channel features, as well as other depositional areas have increased since 1975 (Fig. 3). Island expansion occurred between wing dikes and behind closing dikes, islands and bars emerged

selleck kinase inhibitor just upstream of Lock and Dam 6, and a delta formed at the mouth of Cedar Creek. These patterns are discussed in detail in the following section. Aerial imagery and data from 10 periods provide a higher-resolution chronology of changes in land in LP6 (Fig. 4). Time periods between imagery ranged from 4 to 36 years, so calculated rates of land emergence and loss are not likely to be steady over each period, but may be useful for understanding influences of river management (Table 3). In LP6, by 1931, land area had increased by 40% relative to 1895, mostly due to next infilling of wing and closing dikes (Fig. 4, Table 3). Closure of Lock and Dam 6, which increased water

levels 2–3 m immediately upstream of the dam, decreased land area 67% by 1940, relative to 1931. Loss continued through 1947, but by 1954 land area had begun to increase. The area gained was offset by losses between 1954 and 1962, with gains and losses largely occurring in the same places, principally along the margins of the Island 81 complex (Table 3, Fig. 5). Between 1954 and 1962, a 156% increase in land area of the upper Mobile Island presaged the development of the lower Mobile Island in the following period (Fig. 5). Despite two of the largest floods in the historical record, little net gain occurred between 1962 and 1975 (Fig. 4, Table 3). Erosion and loss dominated the upper ends of each island complex, and land eroded at margins of both islands and bank-attached land (i.e., land contiguous with uplands or levees). However, lower Mobile Island also emerged in this period and subsequently grew rapidly.