GEOG 357River Management

Human society was born along the world's greatest rivers and we have depended on rivers for agriculture, drinking water, transportation, and recreation for millennia. However, we have also altered river form and function towards an 'unnatural' condition. This course analyzes the ways in which humans affect river systems, the physical and social mechanisms which complicate the relationship between humans and rivers, and how humans can restore rivers to a more natural state. This course also compares geomorphic, ecologic, and social functioning of rivers in pre- and post-alteration systems. The major theme of this course is navigating the delicate balance between allowing rivers to flow naturally and maintain ecologic functionality while simultaneously maintaining the river's ability to provide services of use to humans. What does human alteration of river systems mean for the current and future state of river ecology, morphology, and hydrology? Can we find a way for rivers to provide functionality that satisfies the needs of both society and nature? This course provides students with the background and tools to take on these and other essential questions and challenges.