Field Guide to British Rivers

Temperate rivers in the British Isles are influenced by geology, climate, soils, sediment type, flow, and human activity. Almost all rivers have suffered significant and long-lasting modification by unsympathetic management, destroying this variety. This volume aims to help reverse this by illustrating the many forms that temperate river systems take and providing an accessible summary of the underlying river science knowledge base. A Field Guide to British Rivers covers the full range of upland and lowland channel types and describes the full variety of substrate conditions from bedrock through boulder, cobble, and gravel to silt-dominated systems. It offers a practical and contextualized guide to contribute to efforts towards the sympathetic and sustainable restoration and re-naturalization of degraded channels in the UK.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 11 November 2021
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Temperate rivers are profoundly shaped by a multitude of factors, including geology, climate, soils, sediment type, flow, and human activities. These intricate interactions among non-anthropogenic controlling factors have resulted in a remarkable diversity of river types across the British Isles. Regrettably, nearly all rivers in the UK have undergone significant and enduring modifications due to insensitive management practices, which have effectively erased this variety, resulting in watercourses that have been streamlined to drain land and mitigate flood risks. This volume seeks to rectify this situation, showcasing over 200 images and descriptions to illustrate the diverse range of rivers in Britain. It highlights the various forms that temperate river systems can take and provides an accessible summary of the underlying river science knowledge base.

A Field Guide to British Rivers comprehensively explores the full spectrum of upland and lowland channel types and vividly describes the diverse range of substrate conditions, ranging from bedrock through boulder, cobble, and gravel to silt-dominated systems. The authors, drawing from their extensive research and practical experience working with rivers across mainland Britain, provide examples from their fieldwork and contextualize them within their broader landscape context to exemplify the natural functioning of temperate river types.

This book serves as a practical and contextual guide to contribute to efforts towards the sympathetic and sustainable restoration and re-naturalization of degraded channels in the UK. Offering a unique perspective that combines the underpinning science with the practicalities of river management, A Field Guide to British Rivers is an essential resource for anyone involved in river restoration and management, as well as for those with a general interest in the natural world.

Weight: 840g
Dimension: 220 x 283 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781118487983