Fluvial Geomorphology

Spring 2025 Syllabus

WATS/GEO 5150, WATS/GEO 6150, CEWA 6150- Spring 2025 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

Registration opens November 11, 2024

Schedule

Spring 2025 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 online via Zoom Jan 6 - Apr 22, 2025 Joseph Michael Wheaton
Lecture /Discussion 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Wednesday F2F in Logan DE105 and online via Zoom Jan 6 - Apr 22, 2025 Joseph Michael Wheaton

Course Schedule / Outline

Course materials will be made available one week prior to the start of term.

Rough Plan:

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

Instruction Team

Joseph Wheaton1,2

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

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

Course materials will be made available one week prior to the start of term.

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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)