Proximal and ultimate influences on planform change in Bayou Pierre, Mississippi

Channel incision and associated planform changes are widespread in the
Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States, following a century of sediment
reduction activities. These processes cause numerous threats to
infrastructure, social, and ecological systems. While the drivers of
channel incision are well documented for some watersheds in the region,
others remain understudied. Bayou Pierre, Mississippi, is a small
watershed draining directly to the lower Mississippi River with a
contentious debate regarding origins of erosional processes. The watershed
is home to one listed species (Bayou Darter Nothonotus rubrus) as
well as a diverse aquatic biota assemblage. Determining potential drivers
of erosional activities in the watershed will be critical for effective
mitigation or restoration activities. This dataset compiles information
from numerous other datasets to construct histories of Mississippi River
architectural change, land use change, and climate patterns to construct a
history of potential erosional influences in the watershed. It further
contains original measurements of planform dynamics over a sixty year
period, and analyses of how changes to planform relate to recent and
historical influences. In addition, a secondary assessment of both
accuracy and precision of measurement methods are included.