Fieldwork will be performed on a 10 km reach of the Mississippi River near St. Louis (MO, USA) that has a relatively uniform flow. The identified reach has widths of ~800 to 1200 m and mean depths of ~12 m at mean annual flow. The river has a meandering planform pattern and a sandy bed with ubiquitous dune bedforms. The site is easily accessible and has a flood hydrograph that provides periods of relatively well-sustained high and low flows. Fieldwork will be based at the Jerry F. Costello Field Station which is part of the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. Three fieldwork periods will be undertaken that will capture:

1. base-flow conditions during one season, and
2. a rising limb, a floodwave, and falling limb during two field seasons.

Flood waves are predicted and forecast on the Mississippi, typically occurring due to spring snowmelt in the upper basin. The necessary field logistical support (survey boats, multibeam sonar) at the site is guaranteed through collaborative involvement of the USGS Illinois Water Science Center and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.