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Our primary hypothesis is that weathering varies across bedrock channels, with rock becoming progressively more weathered toward the channel margins. To test this hypothesis, we are using several strategies to evaluate the extent of weathering across channel-cross sections. These include Schmidt hammer measurements of compressive strength taken along transects across bedrock channels as well as petrographic and SEM analysis of thin sections and calculation of geochemical weathering indices obtained from rock samples collected different positions within channels.

Collecting data with Schmidt hammer	Example of Schmidt hammer data Left: Collecting rock compressive strength measurements with Schmidt hammer along flow-perpendicular transect, Onion Creek, Utah. Above: Schmidt hammer readings (a surrogate for compressive strength) as a function of height above the thalweg, Onion Creek.
Extracting core from transect	Photomicrographs from different positions along a transect Left: Collecting cores for thin sections and geochemical analysis, Onion Creek, Utah. Above: Example photomicrographs collected at different heights above the thalweg along a channel cross-section at Onion Creek. Note increasing abundance of cracks and iron oxide staining with height above the thalweg sample.

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