COURSE # SPE-0301: May 20-21 2003
Fundamental Principles Of River Morphology
And Their Application

The course provides an integrated approach that introduces the fundamental principles of hydrology, hydraulics and fluvial geomorphology and describes the linkages among these sciences as they relate to river morphology. This is the basic entry level course which is a prerequisite for advanced training and eventually, stream restoration design technique

DAY ONE

Principles of river morphology

· Stream continuum concept
· Stream order/ watershed scale
· Discharge

o Bankfull or dominant discharge
o Discharge rating curve

· Gaging station data / flood frequency distribution
· Regional relationships: (bankfull discharge, width and depth)
· Channel patterns

o Channel size and form / pools and riffles / dimensional relationships
o Sediment

· Course Overview Morphological features for estimating bankfull discharge

o Slope / bankfull stage / width and depth / sinuosity / entrenchment
o Bed material size distribution

· Field Methods
· Measurement of discharge

o Current velocity meter
o Cross section survey
o Slope measurement
o Pebble counts

DAY TWO

· Channel measurements for discharge estimates
· Field calibration of a gaged stream
· Hydrologic models