Welcome to module 1

In this module we will be make a start with understanding rivers as individual entities.

By means of video’s, readings, a case study and an assignment the following learning objectives should be achieved:

• To investigate a river (watershed) and a problem area (project level) by considering large spatial scales (source to sea) considering long temporal horizons;
• To describe a river (watershed) in terms of its geo-morphology;
• To observe the conflicts that arise between ‘what a river wants’ and ‘what humans want from the river’;
• To show the breadth of a river system from source to sea in an illustrative sketch;
• To analyse the hydraulic context of your river (watershed and problem area);
• To demonstrate our changing perspective on rivers.

Rivers are complex natural systems that bring water, ice, and sediment from mountains and hills to the sea.

On their way, they create river valleys and flood plains with the ultimate ‘aim’ to re-flatten, denudate, the earth’s surface.  Their pristine state result from an intricate balance between geological, climate, and ecological factors and both create and support a large variety of landscapes and ecosystems. Intervention and events force rivers to reshape their morphology.

Morphology has always been a great challenge to scientists and engineers who recognize that any effort concerning river engineering must be based on a proper understanding of the morphological and ecological features involved and the responses to the imposed changes.

So, before embarking on the design of a river program, we better improve our understanding of what rivers want and need.

In the following short video Professor Frans Klijn will further introduce this topic: River as persona.

Respecting the needs of rivers as individuals was a paradigm shift in the relation between humans and rivers. However, in the water sector there is currently still a debate going on the functionality of rivers. With the information gained from the video, how would you view the functionality of the river?