Aims

Rationale:

Rivers are a major component of the hydrological cycle and are important agents of erosion, sediment transport and long-term landscape evolution. Over shorter timescales, rivers constitute important natural resources and powerful natural hazards. Understanding of how rivers behave is essential for the management of both low and high flows. Where rivers meet the coast, deltaic landscapes form. These landscapes are important providers of ecosystem services, livelihoods and productive agricultural land. The physical processes that sculpt deltas also provide resilience to a changing environment. This module builds upon first and second year Physical Geography modules to provide detailed insight of fluvial and deltaic geomorphological processes and forms.

Aim: This module aims to provide you with a detailed understanding of how rivers and deltas behave and how fluvial geomorphological processes are managed within a range of environments.

In order to fulfil the above aim you will:

(1) be introduced to a range of fluvial processes;
(2) understand fluvial process-form relationships in a range of environments;
(3) use field data sets to gain understanding of fluvial process-form relationships;
(4) be introduced to a range of cutting-edge techniques and data sources for characterizing fluvial processes and landscapes.

Outline Of Syllabus

Part 1: Fluvial processes and Forms

• Introduction to Fluvial Geomorphology
• Basics of fluvial flow, stream energy, resistance, shear stress and stream power
• Flood generation mechanisms and processes.
• Sediment transport in rivers
• Fluvial processes: bed and bar forms
• River channel change
• Secondary data sets for the River Coquet
• Field trip to River Coquet (1 Day)

Part 2 (Deltas) will consider both the physical processes but also explore the complexities involved in managing low elevation land. Deltas are integral to global food supplies, fish stocks, water supply, industry, trade and culture. Deltas are under threat from climate change, rising sea levels, industrial farming techniques and pollutants. Drawing on experience from the large Living Deltas project, this part of the course will explore what needs to be done to prevent delta systems from collapsing.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Students will use a mixture of lectures, practicals, seminars and field trip in this module. Computer practicals are used as a means of getting hands on with industry standard software so that you can gain key employability skills.

Lectures will provide an overview of the principals of fluvial geomorphology and deltas as well as providing the background content that scaffolds discussion in the wider course.

Practicals and fieldwork will be used to introduce students to a suite of primary and secondary data sets as well as the techniques and methodologies to detect and measure fluvial geomorphological change.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Both of the assessments are geared towards employability/consultancy skills. The 2000 word report assesses the use of secondary data analysis skills and fluvial geomorphological theory in understanding fluvial processes and form. Converting this scientific output to something useful for policy makers is a key employability skill, and therefore the second assessment is centred on a three to four page policy brief combing text and succinct infographics. This assesses the students ability to summarise science to policy makers and stakeholders. This ensures they engage meaningfully not just with the physical processes but also translate this effectively into useful management approaches.