Simple Terrestrial Laser Scanner for Measuring Streambank Retreat

High-resolution measurements of streambank retreat (SBR) rates are important for engineering applications, such as infrastructure planning and stream restoration. Conventional methods of measuring SBR, such as erosion pins or total stations, lack sufficient point density to accurately capture the spatial variability of bank retreat over an entire streambank surface. This paper presents a newly developed terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) that is affordable, robust, and simple. The TLS was employed to profile a approximate to 9-m wide portion of a meander bend on Clear Creek in Coralville, Iowa. Bank profiles were acquired in July 2012 and July 2013; the resulting subtraction yielded a mean SBR rate of 2.13m/year, with a maximum of 3.7m at the upper portion of the bank.