Rivers are important agents of change that shape the Earth's surface and evolve through time in response to fluctuations in climate and other environmental conditions. They are fundamental in landscape development, and essential for water supply, irrigation, and transportation. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the geomorphological processes that shape rivers and that produce change in the form of rivers. It explores how the dynamics of rivers are being affected by anthropogenic change, including climate change, dam construction, and modification of rivers for flood control and land drainage. It discusses how concern about environmental degradation of rivers has led to the emergence of management strategies to restore and naturalize these systems, and how river management techniques work best when coordinated with the natural dynamics of rivers. This textbook provides an excellent resource for students, researchers, and professionals in fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, river science, and environmental policy.

Stream reconnaissance is a fundamental component of this new approach to river engineering, management and restoration because it provides the basis for a broad understanding of the relationships between channel form and flow and sedimentary regimes of the river, with the potential to establish this understanding within the context of the catchment and fluvial system. Widespread implementation of approaches based on minimising natural forms and prompting morphological recovery demand that large numbers of stream reconnaissance surveys be performed quickly and with limited resources, and there simply are not enough senior geomorphologists to go round. Hence this handbook is designed to assist less experienced individuals to perform this task accurately and reliably.

"Analyzing river channel change can be important for the development and protection of infrastructure located within floodplains and on the riverbanks. Historical aerial images were delineated and evaluated to estimate river channel change in the Ammonoosuc River in New Hampshire and the Dog River in Vermont. Previous field assessments were connected to the change estimates to determine factors correlated to river channel change. Flood frequency was also assessed for the rivers to determine if flooding impacts river channel change, with a specific focus on flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. The river channel change resulting from Hurricane Irene was significantly higher than other periods, hinting at the episodic nature of river channel change. This methodology provides a mechanism for planners to monitor river channel change cheaply with easily obtainable data"--Abstract.

Changing River Channels is intended for all those with an interest in the dynamics of river channels and their management. Contributions are drawn from both the academic and river management communities and these provide perspectives based upon British, European and North American examples. The chapters are organised into four sections which consider the magnitude and dimensions of river channel adjustments over different timescales; the processes which influence those adjustments, focussing particularly upon the roles of sediment transport and storage, and of vegetation; the information sources that are available for assessing the degree and nature of change; and finally, perspectives on the management of changing river channels. This volume is one of two companion edited books to mark the contributions of Professors K.J. Gregory and D. E. Walling to research on drainage basin form and processes. Each presents a balanced range of contributions written by research colleagues and students.

Filling a niche in the geomorphology teaching market, this introductory book is built around a 12 week course in fluvial geomorphology. ‘Reading the landscape’ entails making sense of what a riverscape looks like, how it works, how it has evolved over time, and how alterations to one part of a catchment may have secondary consequences elsewhere, over different timeframes. These place-based field analyses are framed within their topographic, climatic and environmental context. Issues and principles presented in the first part of this book provide foundational understandings that underpin the approach to reading the landscape that is presented in the second half of the book. In reading the landscape, detective-style investigations and interpretations are tied to theoretical and conceptual principles to generate catchment-specific analyses of river character, behaviour and evolution, including responses to human disturbance. This book has been constructed as an introductory text on river landscapes, providing a bridge and/or companion to quantitatively-framed or modelled approaches to landscape analysis that are addressed elsewhere. Key principles outlined in the book emphasise the importance of complexity, contingency and emergence in interpreting the character, behaviour and evolution of any given system. The target audience is second and third year undergraduate students in geomorphology, hydrology, earth science and environmental science, as well as river practitioners who use geomorphic understandings to guide scientific and/or management applications. The primary focus of Kirstie and Gary’s research and teaching entails the use of geomorphic principles as a tool with which to develop coherent scientific understandings of river systems, and the application of these understandings in management practice. Kirstie and Gary are co-developers of the River Styles® Framework and Short Course that is widely used in river management, decision-making and training. Additional resources for this book can be found at: www.wiley.com/go/fryirs/riversystems.