Geul River flooding reproduced with a Delft3D depth-averaged model

Bank erosion in regulated navigable rivers

Banks constitute important areas for the river ecology since they provide a multitude of favourable conditions for flora and fauna. The hydromorphological diversity typical of these transitional zones between water and land, and the associated processes of erosion and accretion, make riverbanks vital for many aquatic and riparian plants and...

Erosion processes and retreat prediction of re-naturalized banks in regulated navigable rivers

Bank erosion in regulated navigable rivers: Towards a process-based model of bank retreat

After the European Water Framework Directive, riverbanks in several countries had the protections removed to improve the water quality and the river ecosystem. Particularly, the Meuse River currently has several kilometres of freely eroding banks, which may have consequences for other river functions such as navigation and flood conveyance. The...

Bank Erosion Processes in Regulated Navigable Rivers

Vessel-induced waves affect the morphology and ecology of banks and shorelines around the world. In rivers used as waterways, ship passages contribute to the erosion of unprotected banks, but their short- and long-term impacts remain unclear. This work investigates the effects of navigation on bank erosion along a reach of the regulated Meuse...

Distinct patterns of bank erosion in a navigable regulated river

Distinct bankline patterns appeared after the removal of protection works along a navigable reach of the Meuse River. A series of oblique embayments now dominate the riverine landscape after ten years of bank erosion, but their location and asymmetry cannot be explained yet. This work analyses and integrates field measurements of flow, ship...

Morphological Adaptation of River Channels to Vegetation Establishment: A Laboratory Study

While the scientific community has long recognized that alluvial rivers are the product of interactions between flowing water and bed material transport, it is increasingly evident that vegetation mediates these interactions and influences the stream channel characteristics. In a novel set of mobile bed laboratory experiments with variable...

Bank erosion processes measured with UAV-SfM along complex banklines of a straight mid-sized river reach

We apply structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry with imagery from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to measure bank erosion processes along a mid-sized river reach. This technique offers a unique set of characteristics compared to previously used methods to monitor banks, such as high resolution and relatively fast deployment in the field....

On the morphological evolution of restored banks: Case study of the Meuse river

In recent years, many riverbanks in Europe had their protections removed to reactivate natural erosion processes and improve riparian habitats. Yet, other river functions may be affected, such as navigation and flood conveyance. The quantification and prediction of erosion rates and volumes is then relevant to manage and control the integrity...

Bank erosion processes in waterways

Waterways serve for several functions besides  transporting goods and people. The ecological  importance of navigable rivers has taken much  attention during recent decades bringing efforts  to improve these natural corridors for fauna and  flora (Boeters et al., 1997).  Following the policy of the European Water...

Riverbank protection removal to enhance habitat diversity through bar formation

Over the past centuries natural river banks have been transformed into banks with artificial revetments or sheet piles to protect them from erosion. Important river features for flora and fauna have disappeared and the ecological quality of the river reduced dramatically. Recently, the importance of the ecological function of rivers has been...