River Channel Management: Towards sustainable catchment hydrosystems

River Channel Management is the first book to deal comprehensively with recent revolutions in river channel management. It explores the multi-disciplinary nature of river channel management in relation to modern management techniques that bear the background of the entire drainage basin in mind, use channel restoration where appropriate, and are designed to be sustainable. River Channel Management is divided into five sections: The Introduction outlines the need for river channel management. Retrospective Review offers an overview of twentieth century engineering methods and the ways that river channel systems operate. Realisation explains how greater understanding of river channel adjustments, channel hazards and river basin planning created a context for twenty-first century management. Requirements for Management explains and examines environmental assessment, restoration-based approaches, and methods that work towards 'design with nature'; Final Revision speculates about prospects for twenty-first century river channel management. River Channel Management is written for higher-level undergraduates and for postgraduates in geography, ecology, engineering, planning, geology and environmental science, for professionals involved in river channel management, and for staff in environmental agencies.

Table of Contents:
Part One Introduction The need for river channel management Part Two Retrospect Land use changes conditioning river management River channel management: early 20th century approaches Part Three: Realisation Consequences of river engineering River channel sensitivity to change Ecological unity of the river corridor Integrated river basin planning Part Four: Requirements Post-modern river management - river restoration Environmental assessment in support of river channel management Environmental aligned river engineering - working with the river Part Five: Revision Design with nature: prospects for 21st century river channel management.

About the Author :
Dr Peter Downs is currently Senior Fluvial Geomorphologist at Stillwater Sciences, Berkeley, California. He has taught and researched extensively on geomorphological applications to river channel management and restoration. Professor Ken Gregory is currently Visiting Professor, University of Southampton and Emeritus Professor, University of London. He was awarded the Founders Medal of the Royal Geographical Society for research on river channels. He is the author of Palaeohydrology: Understanding Global Change (Wiley, 2003) and The Changing Nature of Physical Geography (Arnold, 2000).

Review :
'Excellent coverage of the subject. I have been looking for a book like this for my course for a few years. Very comprehensive.' -- Ms S Marnolt, University of the West of England 20050425 River Channel Management is well researched, well written, thoughful, and provides a comprehensive coverage of the topic. -- Richard A. Earl, Journal of Geography # 104 20051001 (This) book is an impressive contribution. In all, this is an extremely well written and useful book; my copy is already well dog-eared and worn out from its use. -- Dr Martin Doyle, Geomorphology 20051001 This book is a welcome addition to the fold that encloses the minority of fluvial geomorphologists who have attempted to 'make a difference' to what they see as a misguided past, dominated by engineering interventions in the interest of river 'training' ... As a final recommendation for this book, the authors have worked within a realization that sustainable river basin management must work within an ecosystem context - and that humans must be considered within that system. -- Professor Malcolm Newson, Geographical Journal 20051001