Course Information
Course Approach
Objective
The objective of this course is to introduce the concepts and methods used in planning and design of stream restoration projects. Part 1 of the course will be held July 14-18, 2008, for 2 USU graduate credits. Part 2 will be held August 18-22, 2008, for 2 credits. Each course is $1600.
Students may enroll in either part of this course, but Part I or its equivalent is a prerequisite for Part 2. Part 1 concerns the principles of stream restoration, and is part of a coordinated education program with other universities. Part 1 courses are taught in Maryland and Berkely, CA. These part 1 courses are an equivalent to the USU course, and will be accepted as a prerequisite. Part 2 concerns applications of geomorphology and sediment transport to restoration design.Approach
The course involves formal lectures, computer-based exercises, and field excursions . The course emphasizes instruction in the conceptual foundation and principles as well as use of computer tools in restoration design.
Part I covers environmental river management and restoration, emphasizing principles of fluvial geomorphology and their applications. Taught by leading researchers and practitioners in the field, the course incorporates current research findings and innovative management approaches. The course emphasizes understanding and measurement of geomorphic processes, linkages to ecological processes, basic sediment transport relations and transport rate estimates, as well as geomorphological field techniques and interpretation of maps and aerial photographs, effects of human activities on geomorphic processes and channel form, and development of management and restoration strategies based upon an understanding of the underlying cause of channel change in rivers, rather than prescriptive approaches.
The focus of Part II is on hydraulics, sediment transport, and channel design. The 4 days are spent in lecture, computer exercises in HECRAS 1-d flow modeling and their application to channel design. We also consider when to design a channel based on threshold channel assumptions and when to consider sediment mass conservation in design. Students work on a design that is applied to the Provo River Restoration Project. We'll also go to the field and look at some of the relevant restoration projects.
The courses consist of organized lectures, backed by lecture notes, a reference text on measurement and analysis methods in fluvial geomorphology, spreadsheets, and other relevant reading, field trips, exercises, and discussion. The courses include several field trips to rivers and streams in the area, with its spectacular mountain scenery, diverse fluvial environments, and range of human impacts (and their often very visible consequences). The courses include workshops on geomorphic river restoration problems faced by participants, who briefly present the problem for discussion by instructors and colleagues in workshop format.Audience
Part 1 is intended for agency and consulting industry professionals and others seeking an overview of the scientific basis of stream restoration. Part 2 is for those seeking specific training in sediment transport & geomorphic design of channels.
Course Outline
Download 2007 Preliminary Schedule, Part 1 (pdf, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Download 2007 Preliminary Schedule, Part 2 (pdf, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Hotel Information
Download Hotel Information by clicking here (pdf file, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
What to Bring With You to the Course
Bring hats, water bottles, shoes, shorts, and waders if you have them for the field. We also have some waders available, and many of the streams we will be looking at are navigable with tennis shoes and shorts.
Also bring your laptops, as we will be working with software and programs that will be more meaningful to you if you can load them on your own computer and work with them in your own environment. If you don't have a laptop, we have desktop computers for your use.
Cost
The cost of each week is $1600, due before the course begins. A non-refundable deposit of $300 is required to hold your place in the course at the time of registration. If you want USU credit for the course, you will pay for that separately. We can accept Visa, Check, or Purchase Order.
