Wood jam mobility in a morphologically active river in northern Chilean Patagonia

Wood is crucial in river systems, influencing both ecological and physical dynamics. Understanding its behaviour in relation to fluvial morphology is essential for effective watershed management, especially after extreme events. The tendency of wood to accumulate into wood jams (WJs) adds complexity, as these dynamics remain challenging to assess. This study explored the relationship between channel morphological changes and WJ mobility in the Blanco River, Chile, which was affected by a volcanic eruption in 2008–2009. The methodological approach involved utilising multi-temporal drone surveys conducted in 2018, 2019 and 2023, over a river segment with an area of 29.5 ha and a length of 2.2 km. First, the characterisation of morphological units, quantification of geomorphic changes, and classification of morphodynamic mechanisms were accomplished using orthophotos and robust Digital Terrain Models (DTM) of Difference (DoD). Then, WJ abundance, spatial arrangement and mobility were deri...