Module Identifier |
GG22510 |
Module Title |
FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY |
Academic Year |
2001/2002 |
Co-ordinator |
Dr Paul Brewer |
Semester |
Semester 1 |
Pre-Requisite |
GG10610 ideally, but not essential. |
Course delivery |
Lecture | 20 Hours 10 x 2 hours |
Assessment |
Exam | 2 Hours Resit: Identical format to end of semester exam. Written exam - 2 essays out of choice of 4. | 100% |
Module objectives / Learning outcomes
By the end of this module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate the connectivity between the various process systems operating within the drainage basin.
2. Illustrate the effectiveness of geomorphological processes, through case study evidence, in shaping the landscape under various environmental conditions.
Module Aims
The aim of this module is to provide a detailed appraisal of the processes operating within the contemporary drainage basin, both in the slope domain and in the channel domain.
Module Outline (Lecture Themes)
This module examines the process regimes operating within the contemporary drainage basin. Initial consideration is given to the slope domain, where mass movement processes and channel initiation processes are important. The remainder of the course focuses upon processes operating within the channel domain. In each lecture, process theory is amplified by case study evidence,
and particular attention is paid to the management implications of naturally occurring geomorphic processes. The following lecture schedule will be followed during this module.
-
Principles of geomorphology, activity regimes and thresholds
-
Sediment transport and yield
-
River bed and bank erosion
-
Channel planform and rates of change
-
Channel management II + exam issues
Throughout the module, themes introduced during the first year Earth Surface Processes module will be amplified: process landform associations, process response, equilibrium and thresholds. Particular emphasis is also paid to the connectivity between the various process systems operating within the drainage basin.
Reading Lists
Books
Brookes, A.. (1988)
Channelised Rivers: Perspectives for environmental management.
Knighton, D.. (1984)
Fluvial Forms and Processes. Arnold
Morgan, R.P.C.. (1979)
Soil Erosion.
Petts, G. and Foster, I.. (1985)
Rivers and Landscape. Arnold
Selby, M.J.. (1993)
Hillslope Materials and Processes. 2nd.