4th International

Palaeoflood Workshop

24-30 June 2007

Crete, Greece

Workshop Field Trips

The workshop will consist of two days of technical sessions of talks and posters, a one-day mid-workshop field excursion, and an optional three-day post-workshop field excursion that will visit sites in upland basins, confined gorges and coastal plains, where morphological and sedimentary evidence for late Quaternary floods is preserved.

Samaria Gorge is the focus of the mid-workshop excursion, whilst Anapodaris Gorge is one of the main features to be visited on the post-workshop field excursion.  Both gorges possess bedrock erosional features and  extensive suites of coarse-grained and fine-grained alluvial terraces that provide records of late Quaternary changes in flood magnitude and frequency related to variations in climate, sediment supply, tectonic activity, and human land use.  Along with other rivers that drain towards the south coast through narrow gorges, sediments have accumulated on fans or floodplains on narrow coastal plains.

The images on this page are from the Anapodaris Gorge.  From top to bottom, these show:

1) the upper part of the Anapodaris Gorge (flow direction from upper right to middle left);

2) ~5 m thick pile of tributary-derived gravelly sand in the lee of a bedrock island (flow direction towards camera);

3) ~4 m deep scour hole and associated gravel bar at a constriction induced by bedrock outcrop (flow direction away from camera);

4) coarse-grained alluvial terraces cemented by calcium carbonate.

Advance warning: Before registering for the workshop and/or post-workshop field trip, please bear in mind the nature of some of the activities involved.

1) The excursion to Samaria Gorge will involve travelling two hours by coach on narrow, windy roads past rugged mountain scenery to the small village of Sougia, followed by a 50 minute ferry ride along the spectacular southern coastline to the start of the trail up Samaria Gorge.  The first part of the trail is paved and is easy walking. The latter part of the trail passes over rough, bouldery terrain and crosses some narrow wooden bridges.  A number of stops will be made along the way to discuss geomorphological and sedimentological evidence of palaeofloods.  We will return along the trail the same way.  The grade is moderate and the trail is about 4 km long.  Following the walk, we will return to Sougia by 50 minute ferry ride, followed by a 2-hour coach ride on narrow, windy roads back to Chania.

2) The first day of the post-workshop excursion will involve travelling a full day (6-7 hours, not including a number of stops) by coach on narrow, windy roads past rugged mountain and coastal scenery to the small villages of Kastri and Keratokampou.  The second day will involve a strenuous walk over very rough, bouldery terrain up the Anapodaris Gorge to examine geomorphological and sedimentological evidence of palaeofloods.  The grade is moderate and the return trip is about 7 km long.  The third day will involve travelling a full day (6-7 hours, not including a number of stops) by coach on narrow, windy roads past rugged mountain and coastal scenery back to Chania.

Page maintained by ST.

Last update: 16 April 2007

For further info e-mail: set@aber.ac.uk