Russian Olive Invasion Accelerates Meander Migration and Channel Confinement in the White River, Utah

Russian Olive Invasion Accelerates Meander Migration and Channel Confinement in the White River, Utah 

Antonio Reveles-Hernandez1, Wally Macfarlane2, Casey Pennock3, Danny White4*  

1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Antonio.reveles-hernandez@colostate.edu 

2Department of Watershed Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA; wally.macfarlane@usu.edu 

3Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA;  

4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Antonio.reveles-hernandez@colostate.edu 

Invasive Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive) is rapidly expanding along the White River in eastern Utah, yet its geomorphic influence on channel behavior remains poorly quantified. In this study, we mapped Russian olive distribution and active channel width along a ~125-km segment of the White River and integrated these datasets with RivMAP, a centerline-based toolbox for analyzing planform dynamics. Using sequential orthophotos, we quantified migration areas, erosional and accretional zones, cutoff formation, and changes in channel-belt geometry through time. Our analyses reveal two key patterns: (1) meander bends with dense Russian olive exhibit systematically higher migration rates and larger erosional/accretional fluxes than less-invaded reaches, and (2) active channel width has narrowed across the study reach over the past several decades. Understanding where the White River sits within the broader spectrum of geomorphic patterns observed in Southwest rivers helps place these changes into a regional context, clarifying whether the river is trending toward recovery, confinement, or further instability. These broader comparisons provide critical insight for anticipating future channel behavior and designing management and restoration strategies that are resilient to long-term geomorphic trajectories. Together, these results suggest that Russian olive not only alters riparian vegetation composition but also amplifies meander migration and contributes to channel confinement, with important implications for habitat, floodplain connectivity, and restoration planning along the White River.