Spring 2025 Syllabus

Fluvial Geomorphology - WATS/GEO/CEWA 5150/6150

Registration

We offer Fluvial Geomorphology for both 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.

Available for Registration: November 6, 2024 to January 27, 2025

Schedule

Class	Time	Days	Where	Dates	Instructor(s)
Discussion, Workshop and/or Field Trips	1:30 pm - 5:00 pm	Monday	F2F in Logan DE012 online via Zoom	Jan 6 - Apr 29, 2025	Joe Wheaton
Lecture /Discussion	1:30 pm - 2:30 pm	Wednesday	F2F in Logan EEC 233 and online via Zoom	Jan 6 - Apr 29, 2025	Joe Wheaton

NOTE: Monday and Wednesday face to face (F2F) meetings are in different buildings and class rooms!

See Canvas for Zoom Link.

This is a hybrid face to face delivery class, and we plan to meet in person at at location(s) listed above most every Monday and Wednesday (unless a field trip is scheduled for Monday by prior arrangement).

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

Check Canvas for official course schedule and due dates.

Rough Outline:

This is approximate. Updated schedule will be posted on Canvas as and if it changes. This table will not be updated.

Week	M/W	Date	Module	Topic	Book Chapter
1	Mon	1/6	1	Geomorphic Analysis - Reading the Landscape	Chapter 1: Geomorphic analysis of river systems: an approach to reading the landscape
1	Wed	1/8	2	Key Concepts in Fluvial Geomorphology	Chapter 2: Key concepts in river geomorphology
2	Mon	1/13	3	Catchment-Scale Controls on River Geomorphology	Chapter 3: Catchment-scale controls on river geomorphology
2	Wed	1/15	4	Catchment Hydrology	Chapter 4: Catchment hydrology
3	Mon	MLK Holiday Monday 1/20
3	Wed	1/22	4	Catchment Hydrology	Chapter 4: Catchment hydrology
4	Mon	1/27	5	Hydraulics	Chapter 5: Impelling and resisting forces in river systems
4	Wed	1/29	5	Hydraulics	Chapter 5: Impelling and resisting forces in river systems
5	Mon	2/3	6	Fluvial Geomorphic Processes	Chapter 6: Sediment movement and deposition in river systems
5	Wed	2/5	6	Fluvial Geomorphic Processes	Chapter 6: Sediment movement and deposition in river systems
6	Mon	2/10	7	Channel Geometry	Chapter 7: Channel geometry
6	Wed	2/12	8	Instream Forms	Chapter 8: Instream geomorphic units
7	Mon	Presidents Day Monday 2/17; No Class
7	Wed	2/19	8	Instream Forms	Chapter 8
8	Mon	2/24	9	Floodplain Forms & Processes	Chapter 9: Floodplain forms and processes
8	Wed	2/26	9	Floodplain Forms & Processes	Chapter 9
9	Mon	3/3	10	River Diversity	Chapter 10: River diversity
9	Wed	3/5	10	River Diversity	Chapter 10
	Mon - Fri	Sring Break; No Class	3/10 to 3/14	Optional Field Trip TBD
10	Mon	3/17	11	River Behavior	Chapter 11: River behaviour
10	Wed	3/29	11	River Behavior	Chapter 11
11	Mon	3/24	12	River Evolution	Chapter 12: River evolution
11	Wed	3/26	12	River Evolution	Chapter 12
12	Mon	3/31	13	Human Impacts on River Systems	Chapter 13: Human impacts on river systems
12	Wed	4/2	13	Human Impacts on River Systems	Chapter 13
13	Mon	4/7	14	Sediment Flux at Catchment Scale	Chapter 14: Sediment flux at the catchment scale: source-to-sink relationships
13	Wed	4/19	14	Sediment Flux at Catchment Scale	Chapter 14
14	Mon	4/14	15	Applications of Fluvial Geomorphology	Chapter 15: The usefulness of river geomorphology: reading the landscape in practice
14	Wed	4/16	15	Applications of Fluvial Geomorphology	Chapter 15
15	Mon	4/21		Projects
15	Tue	4/22			Last Day of Classes 4/23/24

Instructor

Joe Wheaton

Professor of Riverscapes; Fluvial Geomorphologist; Restoration Practitioner

Office Hours:

Tuesday, 11:00 to 12:00 MT - Zoom or In-Person at NR360

Joe's Affiliations:

1. Utah State University

Professor in Department of Watershed Sciences

2. Anabranch Solutions

Co-Founder, Co-Owner & Principal

3. Riverscapes Consortium

Co-Founder

The Students and Their Work

Forthcoming...