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102-0287-00L 3 Credits MSC D-ARCH , D-BAUG , D-USYS

River Basin Erosion

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Peter Molnar
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:07:51

Abstract

The course presents a view of the catchment processes of sediment production and transport that shape the landscape and produce sediment yields. Students learn about fluvial system functions, sediment sources and sinks, predictions with numerical models, sediment budgets, and quantifying geomorphic change. In a practical project students apply these concepts to a real river basin.

Objective

The course has three fundamental aims: (1) The first aim is to provide environmental engineers with the physical process basis needed to understand fluvial system change, using the right language and terminology to describe landforms. We will cover the main geomorphic concepts of landscape change, e.g. thresholds, equilibrium, criticality, to describe change. Students will learn about the importance of the concepts of connectivity and timescales of change. (2) The second aim is to provide quantitative skills in making simple and more complex predictions of change and the data and models required. We will learn about typical landscape evolution models, and about hillslope erosion model concepts like RUSLE. We will learn how to identify sediment sources and sinks, and develop simple sediment budgets with the right data needed for this purpose. We will also learn about methods to describe the topology of river networks as conduits of sediment through the fluvial system. (3) The third aim is to provide space for students to try out the things they learn theoretically on a practical river basin sediment problem. For this we will study the Alpine Rhine Basin in Switzerland, where the students will work on a semester-long sediment project and present their results at the end of the class.

Content

The course consists of four sections and a final project: (1) Introduction to fluvial forms and processes and geomorphic concepts of landscape change, including climatic and human activities acting on the system. Concepts like thresholds, equilibrium, self-organised criticality, etc. are presented. (2) Landscape evolution modelling as a tool for describing the shape of the land surface. Soil formation and sediment production at long timescales. (3) The processes of sediment production, upland sheet-rill-gully erosion, basin sediment yield, rainfall-triggered landsliding, sediment budgets, and the modelling of the individual processes involved. Here we combine model concepts with field observations and look at many examples. (4) Processes in the river, floodplain and riparian zone, including river network topology, channel geometry, aquatic habitat, role of riparian vegetation, including basics of fluvial system management. The main focus of the course is on the hydrology-sediment connections at the field and catchment scale. The final project will address a sediment balance problem in the Alpine Rhine Basin in Switzerland where the students will produce independent work on a range of topics and present their results at the end of the class.

Resources

Lecture Notes

There is no script.

Literature

The course materials consist of a series of 9 lecture presentations and notes to each lecture. The lectures were developed from textbooks, professional papers, and ongoing research activities of the instructor. All material is on the course moodle webpage.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
MSC
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
session examination
Mode
written 90 minutes
Aids
Calculator
60% of the final grade comes from the final written examination (session exam), 40% of the grade comes from a project worked on during the semester in groups and presented in the last 2 weeks of the semester. This compulsory continuous performance assessment task needs not be passed on its own; it is awarded a grade which counts proportionally towards the total course unit grade.

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture with exercise River Basin Erosion No time listed 2 h weekly

Offered In