Mr Jeffrey Shellberg

Mr Jeffrey Shellberg

B Science - Physical Hydrology, M Science - Forest Hydrology

Contact details for Mr Jeffrey Shellberg j.shellberg@griffith.edu.au

Thesis
Alluvial Gully Erosion Rates and Controlling Factors Along the Mitchell River Fluvial Megafan, Northern Queensland, Australia
Description
My PhD research will quantify pre- and post-European alluvial gully erosion rates and investigate the mechanisms driving and resisting this erosion. The driving forces of alluvial gully erosion include the relative relief and slope between the floodplain and local river channel (potential energy) and the inundation hydrology across the floodplain perirheic zone (kinetic energy). The resisting forces include soil texture and cohesion, soil chemistry and dispersion potential, and grass and tree vegetation cover. Erosion at the gully head is a combined result of direct precipitation, overland flow, and basal sapping of shallow groundwater, resulting in both carving and fluting of the surface face and mass failure of blocks from depth. Mass failure within a soil profile is a result of soil particle dispersion at depth presumed to be associated with high cation exchange capacity and concentrations of sodium. Above this failure plane, soils often contain iron mottles due to seasonal wetting and drying and resistance to leaching. Following headward retreat of the gully face and removal via solution or suspension of the soil matrix material, ferricrete and calcrete pisoliths often form lag deposits on gully floors due to permanent oxidation and precipitation to form duricrusts. The time of the formation of these pisoliths are potentially datable via the uranium decay series. Dating pisoliths distributed across a gully floor, in addition to dating trees surviving or establishing after gully erosion, could provide a detailed chronology of gully position and erosion rates over time. This methodology could then be compared to measured rates of erosion from historic air photos or recent surveys.
Supervisor
Dr Andrew Brooks
Professor Stuart Bunn
Professor Jon Olley
Associate Professor Hossein Ghadiri

Research expertise

  • Visiting Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, AUS, 2006-2007
  • Consulting Hydrologist, 2006 to present
  • Hydrologist, Makah Indian Tribe, Neah Bay, WA, 2003-2006
  • Hydrologic Researcher, La Congreja National Park, Costa Rica, University of Washington 2003
  • Hydrologic Research Assistant, Bull Trout Habitat Issues, Center for Streamside Studies, University of Washington 2000-2002
  • Teaching Assistant, Wildland Hydrology, CFR, University of Washington 2001
  • Research Assistant, Floodplain and Riparian Corridor Issues, Center for Streamside Studies, University of Washington 2000
  • Fisheries Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lacey, Washington 2000
  • Hydrologic Technician, National Park Service, Gunnison, Colorado 1999
  • Hydrologic Technician, Bureau of Land Management, Medford, Oregon 1998
  • Hydrologic Technician, Bureau of Land Management, Eureka, Nevada 1997
  • Fisheries Technician, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Red Bluff, California 1996
  • Meteorologic Technician, The University Foundation, Chico, California 1996
  • Biologic Technician, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Stanley, Idaho 1995

Publications

    Peer Reviewed Papers

  • Shellberg, J.G., Ritchie, A.C. 2008 in preparation ”Geomorphic Response to Dam Removals with Minimal Constraints to Channel Evolution, Wa’atch Creek, Western Washington, U.S.A.” Geomorphology
  • Brooks, A.P., Spencer, J., Shellberg, J.G., Knight, J. 2008 in preparation. "Alluvial gully erosion across the Mitchell megafan, Queensland Australia" Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
  • Brooks, A.P., Spencer, J., Shellberg, J.G., Knight, J., Lymburner, L. 2008 in review. "Using remote sensing to quantify sediment budget components in a large tropical river - Mitchell River, Gulf of Carpentaria” in: Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments (Proceedings of a symposium held in Christchurch, New Zealand, December 2008). IAHS Publ. 325.
  • Shellberg, J.G., Bolton, S.M., Montgomery, D.R. 2008 in review. “Bedload Scour in Bull Char (Salvelinus confluentus) Spawning Streams, Western Washington, USA” Submitted to the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
  • Gibbins, C., Shellberg, J., Moir, H., and Soulsby, C. 2008 in press. “Hydrological influences on adult salmonid migration, spawning and embryo survival”. In Salmon spawning habitat in rivers: physical controls, biological responses and approaches to remediation. Edited by D. Sear, P. DeVries, and S. Greig. American Fisheries Society.

    • Reports

  • Shellberg, J.G., Brooks, A. 2007 “Bed Instability in the Hunter River between Aberdeen and Muswellbrook: An Assessment of Channel Disturbance, Channel Evolution, and Rehabilitation Potential” Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane Australia, Report to the Central Rivers-Hunter Catchments Management Authority, 168p.
  • Shellberg, J.G., Brooks, A. 2007 “A Fluvial Audit of the Upper Brisbane River: A Basis for Assessing Catchment Disturbance, Sediment Production, and Rehabilitation Potential” Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane Australia, Report to the Southeast Queensland (SEQ) Catchments Management Authority, 149p.
  • Haggerty, M.J., Ritchie, A.R.; Shellberg, J.G.; Crewson, M.J. 2008. “Lake Ozette Sockeye Limiting Factors Analysis, draft v9_8” Prepared for NOAA Fisheries and the Makah Indian Tribe, in Cooperation with the Lake Ozette Sockeye Steering Committee, Port Angeles, WA, 566p. http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-Planning/Recovery-Domains/Puget-Sound/Lake-Ozette-Plan.cfm
  • Bridge, G. and Shellberg, J. 2006. “Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP): Continuous Turbidity and Sediment Monitoring in the Makah U&A” Prepared for the Washington Department of Ecology, 136p.
  • Channel Migration Zone Technical Workgroup (Shellberg, J. and 12 coauthors) 2004. “Standard Methods for Identifying Bankfull Channel Features and Channel Migration Zones” Washington State DNR Forest Practice Board Manual, 69p.
  • Shellberg, J.G. 2002."Hydrologic, Geomorphic, and Biologic Influences on Redd Scour in Bull Char (Salvelinus confluentus) Spawning Streams". M.S. Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle, 223p.
  • Bolton, S. and Shellberg, J.G. 2001."Ecological Issues in Floodplains and Riparian Corridors" Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Seattle, WA, 152p.

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