River-HMV · River hydraulics, morphology, and vegetation: A case for improved knowledge and numerical model capabilities

River hydraulics, morphology, and vegetation: A case for improved knowledge and numerical model capabilities

This fellowship’s novel and timely research focused on improving the interdisciplinary knowledge and ability for river managers to effectively predict flood risks, restore rivers, and assess future alterations are currently restricted to the limited understanding of how river hydraulics, morphology, and vegetation alter a river’s planform, effect sediment mobility, and control the surrounding habitats. To improve this knowledge and capabilities, this research focused on the following three objectives: 1) conduct physical model flume experiments to quantify the hydraulic, morphologic, and vegetation interactions of a braided channel as well as investigate the use of manipulated channel avulsion as an innovative method to increase a river’s floodplain conveyance, 2) quantification of the accuracy of a cutting-edge numerical model’s simulations, and 3) implement new functionality within the said numerical model to improve the accuracy based on objective 2. These issues, or gaps in knowledge, are important to society as the processes of river hydraulics, morphology, and vegetation (i.e. River-HMV) remain significant challenges to river managers, and thus reduce their ability to effectively manage and restore rivers. The increased knowledge of this research and freely available data will further enable current students, researchers, and practitioners to understand these complicated relationships and apply this knowledge and data to future applications and research. This is important because a key component to effective river management is the ability to predict channel adjustments. Armed with the knowledge and improved model capabilities of this research, river managers can better serve and protect the local socio-economics through improved flood risk assessments, appropriately estimated sediment mining, and enhanced ability to evaluate the conditions of current and future manipulations. These issues are certainly a high priority in Europe where an ambitious increase in water protection and flood risk assessments have been implemented through the Water Framework Directives (WFD) and Flood Directive (FD) legislation.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union