Field Guide to British Rivers

Temperate rivers are influenced by many factors including geology, climate, soils, sediment type, flow, as well ashuman activity. The complex interactions of the non-anthropogenic controlling factors have led to a wonderfuldiversityof rivertypethroughoutthe British Isles. Sadly,almost all rivers in the UK have suffered significant andlong-lastingmodificationby unsympatheticmanagement,that has all but destroyed this variety, creating watercourses that aresimplified conduits for water and sediment,designed primarily to drain the land and reduce flood risk.This volumeaims to help reverse this,illustrating using over 200 images and descriptions,this varietyof rivers in Britain, highlighting the many forms that temperate river systems takeand providing an accessible summary of the underlying river science knowledge base. A Field Guide to British Riverscoversthe full range ofupland and lowland channel types anddescribesthe fullvarietyof substrate conditions from bedrock through boulder,cobbleand gravel,to silt dominated systems. The authors describe examples gathered from their extensive research and practical experience working with riversthroughout mainland Britainand set those examples intheir wider landscapecontext toexemplifythe natural functioning of temperate river types. This book offers a practical and contextualised guide tocontributetoefforts towardsthe sympathetic and sustainablerestoration and re-naturalisation of degraded channels in the UK.Offering a unique viewpoint of both the underpinningscience andthepracticalities of river management,A Field Guide to British Riversis an essential a stand-alone guide for anyone involved in river restoration and managementas well as for those simply interested in rivers in general. Written as a field guide todemonstratepractical examples of river types, and to highlight the pressures they experience and theiroften-parlouscondition, this book is intended to better inform both river management approaches andthepolicy necessary to achieve this. Fundamentally,the authorsseek to demonstrate how the hydrological, geomorphological, and ecological functions of riversand theircatchmentsare inexorably intertwined, and togetherhow theygenerate and maintainrivers asdynamicentities.