River-Styles-Workshop

Primary Learning Outcomes

• A working knowledge of the River Styles framework
• An appreciation of how the River Styles framework can be used to develop catchment/watershed action plans for prioritizing restoration, conservation and management actions in a geomorphically informed manner.

The specific workshop goals are to:

1. Outline limitations of current river restoration practices and what we could do (ought to be doing) differently
2. Develop an understanding of geomorphic approaches to catchment-scale analysis of river systems as a biophysical platform for coherent and proactive river restoration planning – show how the River Styles framework presents a scaffolded approach to address these issues
3. Use practical examples from Logan and Blacksmith Creeks to demonstrate how the River Styles framework can be used as a coherent geomorphic platform for river management activities
4. Through lectures, laboratory exercises, field visits and discussions, develop a working knowledge of Stage 1 of the River Styles framework (river character and behaviour, analysis of catchment-scale river patterns)
5. Show how measures of river condition vary for different types of river (i.e. what measures are important; what we measure against; emphasis upon asking the right questions … use of qualitative understandings alongside quantitative measures)
6. Scope future options for river management planning and on-the-ground activities - Use assessments of river character and behaviour, their patterns, and appraisals of river condition and recovery potential to develop catchment framed visions that assess what is realistically achievable through management interventions (i.e. thoughts towards a geomorphically-informed catchment management plan, linking conservation and rehabilitation goals), targeted management activities that work towards this vision, a rationale for a prioritization of activities (where to start and why), and how/where to apply monitoring programmes
7. Demonstrate use of emerging technologies to support place-based river restoration activities that build upon the River Styles framework as a coherent conceptual platform

Additionally, graduate students will will come away with a working knowledge of the River Styles framework as well as:

• Knowledge to frame River Styles in relation to other approaches to geomorphic river analysis (Assignment 2)
• Skills to apply River Styles framework to their own study sites (Project)