The course presents a view of the catchment processes of sediment production and transport that shape the landscape. Focus is on sediment fluxes from sources on hillslopes to the river network. Students learn about how a fluvial system functions, how to identify sediment sources and sinks, how to make predictions with numerical models, develop sediment budgets, and quantify geomorphic change.
Lernziel
The course has two fundamental aims: (1) The first aim is to provide environmental engineers with the physical process basis needed to understand fluvial system change, using the right language and terminology to describe landforms. We will cover the main geomorphic concepts of landscape change, e.g. thresholds, equilibrium, criticality, to describe change. Students will learn about the importance of the concepts of connectivity and timescales of change. (2) The second aim is to provide quantitative skills in making simple and more complex predictions of change and the data and models required. We will learn about typical landscape evolution models, and about hillslope erosion model concepts like RUSLE. We will learn how to identify sediment sources and sinks, and develop simple sediment budgets with the right data needed for this purpose. Finally we will learn about methods to describe the topology of river networks as conduits of sediment through the fluvial system.
Inhalt
The course consists of four sections: (1) Introduction to fluvial forms and processes and geomorphic concepts of landscape change, including climatic and human activities acting on the system. Concepts like thresholds, equilibrium, self-organised criticality, etc. are presented. (2) Landscape evolution modelling as a tool for describing the shape of the land surface. Soil formation and sediment production at long timescales. (3) The processes of sediment production, upland sheet-rill-gully erosion, basin sediment yield, rainfall-triggered landsliding, sediment budgets, and the modelling of the individual processes involved. Here we combine model concepts with field observations and look at many examples. (4) Processes in the river, floodplain and riparian zone, including river network topology, channel geometry, aquatic habitat, role of riparian vegetation, including basics of fluvial system management. The main focus of the course is on the hydrology-sediment connections at the field and catchment scale.
Skript
There is no script.
Literatur
The course materials consist of a series of 13 lecture presentations and notes to each lecture. The lectures were developed from textbooks, professional papers, and ongoing research activities of the instructor. All material is on the course webpage.
Voraussetzungen / Besonderes
Prerequisites: Basic Hydrology and Watershed Modelling (or contact instructor).
