This course consists of lectures, field trips, and discussions backed by references on river processes and methods of measurement and analysis in fluvial geomorphology, ecology, and restoration planning. Instruction also includes field exercises, problem sets, and workshops on approaches to planning and implementing process-based restoration. The course field visits include trips to the Rhône River and several preAlpine tributaries, with spectacular scenery, diverse fluvial environments, a wide range of human impacts over long periods of time, and diversity of recent restoration projects with ongoing monitoring. The course includes workshops on geomorphic river restoration problems faced by participants, who briefly present the problem for discussion by instructors and colleagues in a workshop format, for exchanging ideas on analytical approaches and resources. The course is similar in overall structure to courses successfully offered in North America since 1995, but adapted to take advantage of excellent field sites in the region and opportunities to gain insights through comparison of European and American approaches to river management and restoration.
Programme
SUNDAY
Arrival, enjoy region on your own, including local hikes and swimming pools,
20h wine reception with appetizers next door.
MONDAY
8h30: Welcome, course overview/logistics, instructor & student introductions
9h-10h River restoration overview: Restoring process and connectivity
10h-10h30: Pause Café (coffee break)
PART 1: FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY & ECOLOGY, HUMAN IMPACTS
10h30: Fluvial geomorphology: channel process, adjustments
11h30: Evolution of rivers; Regional context and issues
12h30: Lunch in courtyard
13h30: Riparian ecology
14h30: Aquatic Ecology
15h30: Field work along Toulourenc River: River processes, riparian vegetation and fluvial processes, and aquatic habitat ‘treasure hunt’
19h30: Dinner Provençal in the Courtyard
TUESDAY
PART 2: ASSESSING RIVERS FOR RESTORATION
8h30: What to restore? Retrospective analysis vertical/lateral changes, Geomorphic diagnosis
9h30: Ecological assessments, identifying restoration opportunities
10h30: Pause Café
11h: Sediment transport, bed mobility, bed sediment sampling
11h30: Field measurements: topography, particle mobility, remote sensing, drone, LIDAR
12h30: Lunch in courtyard
13h30: Field visits to two contrasting tributaries of the Toulourenc, Torrent de la Mure and Torrent D’Anary: divergent historical evolution. Field work along Toulourenc River: Topography, channel changes, measuring bed material size, data for bed mobility estimates, using evidence from riparian vegetation, implications for aquatic habitats. Roman-era bridge in Vaison-la-Romaine, flood management over two millenia.
19h: Dinner on your own
WEDNESDAY
PART 3: PROJECT DESIGN
8h30: Planning/designing river restoration projects
9h30: Channel classification
10h30: Pause Café
11h00: Integrating hydraulics and sediment transport modeling in restoration design
12h: Large wood
12h30: Lunch in the courtyard
13h30: The Rhone: Geomorphic overview of restoration measures
14h30: Managing floodplains and flood risk: EU vs US
15h30: Thursday field trip overview
15h45: Free time, dinner on your own
THURSDAY
PART 4: PRIORITIZING ACTIONS, EVALUATING SUCCESS
8h30: Planning / regional analysis to target most important actions
9h30: Post-project monitoring and evaluation
10h30: Pause café
11h: Assessing ecological success
12h: Lunch in the courtyard
13h: Field visit to the Rhône near Bourg Saint Andéol (rip-rap removal, gravel augmentation, side-channel restoration, and riparian forest monitoring); Roman-era winery in Gigondas
19h30: Dinner Provençal in the Courtyard
FRIDAY
PART 5: RESTORATION IN CONTEXT OF CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT
8h30: Preserving/restoring floodplain habitat complexity, espace de liberté
9h30: Restoring channel complexity and floodplain connectivity
10h30: pause café, complete evaluations
11h: Sustainable sediment management at the river basin scale
11h30: Managing urban streams: what role for restoration?
12h: Testing potential effects of measures, Assessing risk of failure, experimentation
12h30: Lunch
13h30: Workshop: Participant presentations and discussion:
17h30: adjourn
Institut Beaumont 
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