Chapter 15

Lecture 15: Floodplain geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology

Outline:

• Floodplain origin and evolution
  • Overbank flooding processes
  • Meander migration processes
• Floodplain morphology
  • Meandering, braided, anastomosing, and straight channels
  • Associated in channel and floodplain forms
  • Terraces
• Reconstructing floodplain processes from depositional records
  • Surface features
  • Stratigraphic features
• Floodplain ecology
  • Physical habitat conditions
  • Ecological dynamics
  • Disturbance

Course Reader:

• Chapter 1 (p. 17-37) of Brown, A. G. 1997. Alluvial Geoarchaeology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
• Chapter 4 (p. 105-127) of Brown, A. G. 1997. Alluvial Geoarchaeology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

Related web links:

• The River Continuuum Concept
• Dr. Alan Howard's floodplain and river meander evolution model
• Bangladesh braided river floodplain evolution mapping project
• Riparian buffers:
  • Buffer Basics
  • Buffer Restoration

Video Podcast: Floodplain Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Ecology

This 54.5-minute presentation introduces basic ideas about the geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology of river corridors and their floodplains.

• 640 x 480 (480p) format that balances speed and quality. (983 MB file)
• 1920 x 1280 (HD) format that provides larges size and best quality. (6.52 GB file)

Last Chapter  :  Group Activity 3