Position Statement on Applied Fluvial Geomorphology

GSA QG&G Ad Hoc Committee on

Applied Fluvial Geomorphology

March 22, 2004

On November 4, 2003, an ad hoc committee on applied fluvial geomorphology was formed during a meeting of interested members of the Geological Society of America’s Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division. The committee was charged with developing a position statement on applied fluvial geomorphology for the Division by March 1, 2004. The Geomorphology Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers unanimously supported this effort to craft a position statement at its business meeting in Philadelphia on March 18, 2004.

The position statement addresses the following six issues:

1. explain the need for well-trained fluvial academic, research, and professional geomorphologists to participate in watershed management, including river restoration

2. identify needed perspectives for current, commonly-practiced strategies in river management and restoration

3. discuss the topics that academic, research, and professional fluvial geomorphologists believe need to be addressed in river restoration and management

4. explore the qualifications, guidelines, and information needed by professional fluvial geomorphologists

5. define a general set of qualifications for those engaging in “professional or paid” fluvial geomorphologist activities

6. suggest a role for research and academic fluvial geomorphologists in the continuing education of those involved in river management.

The Position Statement can be accessed at this address:

http://www.geo.wvu.edu/~kite/QG&GFluvGeomPositionStatement22March2004.html

A related questionnaire is online at this address:

http://www.cla.sc.edu/geog/gsgdocs/FluvComm/1.Survey.html