Fluvial Geomorphology

Spring 2024 Syllabus

WATS/GEO 5150, WATS/GEO 6150, CEWA 6150- Spring 2024 Syllabus

Registration

For the first time, we are offering Ecohydraulics for Continuing Education Units (CEU) & USU Academic Credit. USU students should register for WATS/GEO 5150 or WATS/GEO 6150 depending on their department and standing as undergraduates or graduates. Non-USU students and professionals taking the class for CEU should register for CEWA 6150 - Fluvial Geomorphology.

Register for USU Academic Credit
USU Students Register for CEWA 6150
Non-USU students/Professionals

Schedule

Spring 2024 WATS/GEO 5150/6150 & CEWA 6150

Class Time Days Where Dates Instructor(s)
Discussion, Workshop and/or Field Trips 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm Monday F2F in Logan DE105 and online via Zoom Jan 8 - Apr 23, 2024 Joseph Michael Wheaton
Lecture /Discussion 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Wednesday F2F in Logan DE105 and online via Zoom Jan 8 - Apr 23, 2024 Joseph Michael Wheaton

See Canvas for Zoom Link.

This is a hybrid face to face delivery class, and we plan to meet in person at at DE 105 most every Monday and Wednesday (unless a field trip is scheduled for Monday by prior arrangement) if permissible. Those taking the class for CEU credit will primarily be joining us by Zoom. For those unable to attend field trips (due to remote participation) I will give you instructions for how to recreate the field trip we are doing, on your own by visiting riverscapes near you.

Course Schedule / Outline

See Spring 2024 Canvas
For Latest Schedule

Rough Plan:

Week M/W Date Module Topic Book Chapter
1 Mon 1/8 1 Geomorphic Analysis - Reading the Landscape Chapter 1: Geomorphic analysis of river systems: an approach to reading the landscape
1 Wed 1/10 2 Key Concepts in Fluvial Geomorphology Chapter 2: Key concepts in river geomorphology
2 Mon MLK Holiday Monday 1/15      
2 Wed 1/17 3 Catchment-Scale Controls on River Geomorphology Chapter 3: Catchment-scale controls on river geomorphology
3 Mon 1/22 4 Catchment Hydrology Chapter 4: Catchment hydrology
3 Wed 1/24 4 Catchment Hydrology Chapter 4: Catchment hydrology
4 Mon 1/29 5 Hydraulics Chapter 5: Impelling and resisting forces in river systems
4 Wed 1/31 5 Hydraulics Chapter 5: Impelling and resisting forces in river systems
5 Mon 2/5 6 Fluvial Geomorphic Processes Chapter 6: Sediment movement and deposition in river systems
5 Wed 2/7 6 Fluvial Geomorphic Processes Chapter 6: Sediment movement and deposition in river systems
6 Mon 2/12 7 Channel Geometry Chapter 7: Channel geometry
6 Wed 2/14 8 Instream Forms Chapter 8: Instream geomorphic units
7 Mon Presidents Day Monday 2/19; No Class      
7 Wed 2/21 8 Instream Forms Chapter 8
8 Mon 2/26 9 Floodplain Forms & Processes Chapter 9: Floodplain forms and processes
8 Wed 2/28 9 Floodplain Forms & Processes Chapter 9
9 Mon 3/4 10 River Diversity Chapter 10: River diversity
9 Wed 3/6 10 River Diversity Chapter 10
  Mon - Fri Sring Break; No Class 3/11 to 3/15 Optional Field Trip TBD  
10 Mon 3/18 11 River Behavior Chapter 11: River behaviour
10 Wed 3/20 11 River Behavior Chapter 11
11 Mon 3/25 12 River Evolution Chapter 12: River evolution
11 Wed 3/27 12 River Evolution Chapter 12
12 Mon 4/1 13 Human Impacts on River Systems Chapter 13: Human impacts on river systems
12 Wed 4/3 13 Human Impacts on River Systems Chapter 13
13 Mon 4/8 14 Sediment Flux at Catchment Scale Chapter 14: Sediment flux at the catchment scale: source-to-sink relationships
13 Wed 4/10 14 Sediment Flux at Catchment Scale Chapter 14
14 Mon 4/15 15 Applications of Fluvial Geomorphology Chapter 15: The usefulness of river geomorphology: reading the landscape in practice
14 Wed 4/17 15 Applications of Fluvial Geomorphology Chapter 15
15 Mon 4/22   Projects  
15 Tue 4/23     Last Day of Classes 4/23/24

Instruction Team

Joseph Wheaton1,2

Professor of Riverscapes
Instructor
Office Hours: Tuesday, 11:00 to 12:00 MT - Zoom or In-Person at NR360

Alec Arditti1,2

Geomorphologist & Project Manager
Teaching Assistant
Office Hours: by Appointment
1.

2.

To get in touch with instructor(s), please use Canvas for communication. Please use Office Hours (Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 via Zoom

Course Resources

Slides & Handouts

Spring 2024 Canvas
WATS 6150 - Geomorphology Modules
Slides , Recorded Lectures and Exercises

Course Textbook

Mandatory Text - A hard copy of the required text book is strongly suggested. You can view the text digitally through the library’s Ebook Central.

Fyirs & Brierley (2013)

Fryirs KA, Brierley GA. 2013. Geomorphic Analysis of River Systems: An Approach to Reading the Landscape, First Edition. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.: Chichester, U.K.

To view through the library by Chapter:

See also the Student Companion website for the book.

Brierley & Fryirs (2005) - Optional

This is the so-called “River-Styles” text book and is a helpful follow up reference (not required)