If booking within 4 weeks of the date the course starts, we expect you to make payment using card or bank transfer, before the start of the course.
There are some discounted places available for Trusts and volunteers from small organisations/charities. If you are interested in applying for a discounted place, please complete the discount request form, as well as the course booking form:
Discount request form
What our participants say...
- “Interactive case studies and Google Earth exercises made learning really engaging.”
- “Being able to learn at my own pace is a real advantage.”
- “Breakout sessions with other participants added huge value.”
The Hydromorphology for River Restoration (Level 2) course provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex interactions between natural physical processes, river forms, and ecological habitats.
Delegates will learn to play the role of a “hydromorphological detective,” exploring the critical linkages between drivers of change, such as climate and geology and resulting channel forms including pools and riffles.
The curriculum focuses on the “Trinity of the Fluvial Environment,” which consists of the interlinked variables of:
- Morphology
- Flow
- Sediment transport
By the end of the programme, participants will understand how human pressures influence these processes and how to interpret river behaviour across different spatial scales.
A significant portion of the course focuses on the technical toolbox required for process-based restoration design. Participants will learn to use simple equations to quantify:
- Specific stream power
- Mean shear stress
- Sediment transport rates (including the Meyer-Peter and Müller formula)
The syllabus also introduces regime equations and stream evolution models, enabling delegates to predict how a channel may adjust its width, depth, or sinuosity to reach dynamic equilibrium following modification.
Modern data collection and analysis techniques are also introduced, including:
- River Habitat Surveys (RHS)
- Aerial imagery
- 2D hydraulic modelling
These tools help validate sustainable restoration designs.
Delegates will apply these concepts to a real-world case study: the Beltie Burn in Scotland, a heavily modified river historically disconnected from its floodplain.
Through practical exercises, participants will evaluate restoration options such as:
- Two-stage channels
- Floodplain reconnection
The course concludes by teaching delegates how to gather scientific evidence to support their designs and effectively communicate these arguments to decision-makers. This practical focus ensures that attendees leave with the confidence to design restoration schemes that work in harmony with natural fluvial processes.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Gain a deeper understanding of the drivers of hydromorphological change, processes, forms, and their relationship with human pressures.
- Develop knowledge of key concepts including river types, shear stress, sediment transport, and channel adjustments.
- Understand the principles behind regime equations and sediment transport models and their practical applications in river restoration.
- Apply hydromorphological concepts and methods to a river restoration case study.
Requirements:
Level: Intermediate
Estimated workload (VLE option): Approximately 2 hours per week for an average delegate
Access to Course Materials
- VLE option: The course is designed to be completed over 4 weeks and is book-ended by the two Zoom sessions. If you are unable to complete the course within this period, a 4-week grace period is provided after the second Zoom session. After this, access will close.
Zoom Sessions for VLE (both voluntary)
- Introduction session (30mi)
An introduction to the course, to your fellow delegates, and practice using Google Earth, which is necessary for completing the learning activities. - End of course discussion session (1hr)
We will host an online discussion session where all attendees can join and engage in a conversation about the material.
Both sessions will be recorded and made available to delegates for training purposes and to revisit the material.
Software Requirements
You will need:
- A computer (mobile devices are not recommended)
- An internet connection capable of streaming video
- Access to the Discord website for discussion (optional)
- Access to Zoom via the app or browser for live sessions (optional)
Delegates using work computers may find access to some websites restricted. You are advised to test access in advance or contact your IT support staff.
*Certificate of competence will also be made available for an extra fee and if the delegate passes a 10 minute Zoom based interview testing their knowledge.
Course Format
Feature | Online (4 weeks) |
|---|
Pace | Self-paced |
Duration | 4 weeks |
Interaction | Medium |
Flexibility | High |
Zoom sessions | 2 optional |
Learning materials | Yes |
End-of-course test | Yes (online) |
Certificate of attendance | Yes |
