Resources

WHITE PAPER

Upland Headwater Channel Restoration

A practical approach to the design and restoration of upland headwater channels where channel form is controlled primarily by geology, biology, and episodic disturbance rather than traditional alluvial processes. The paper includes design concepts, construction methods, material specifications, and examples from completed restoration projects.

Presentation

Integrating River Recovery with NCDOT Response to Hurricane Helene

Presentation for EcoStream Conference 2025 in Asheville, NC that provided an overview of NCDOT’s approach to evaluating geomorphic change, flood hazards, debris impacts, and river corridor recovery following Hurricane Helene. The presentation discusses how river reestablishment and infrastructure recovery are being integrated throughout western North Carolina.

Podcast

The RSM River Mechanics Podcast

Interviews and discussions covering sediment transport, river mechanics, fluvial geomorphology, and river management. Produced by the USACE Regional Sediment Management Program and featuring researchers, practitioners, and resource managers from across the profession.

Fluvial Processes in Geomorphology – Luna Leopold, M. Gordon Wolman, and John Miller
A foundational work that explains how rivers shape and are shaped by the movement of water and sediment.

Applied River Morphology – Dave Rosgen
A practical framework for river classification, assessment, and restoration that has influenced stream projects across North America.

Man-Induced Soil Erosion on the Southern Piedmont, 1700–1970 –Stanley Trimble
A landmark study showing how agriculture transformed southeastern watersheds and fundamentally altered sediment delivery and channel form.

How to Measure Anything – Douglas Hubbard
A useful guide to making better decisions under uncertainty by applying measurement and quantitative thinking to complex problems.

A View of the River – Luna Leopold
A collection of essays reflecting on rivers, landscapes, science, and a lifetime of observation in the natural world.

Cadillac Desert – Marc Reisner
A compelling history of water development in the American West and the engineering, politics, and conflicts that shaped it.

Beyond the Hundredth Meridian – Wallace Stegner
The story of John Wesley Powell and his expeditions along the Colorado River and the Grand Cayon.

1491 – Charles C. Mann
A fascinating look at the Americas before European contact and the ways indigenous societies shaped the landscape.

The River of Doubt – Candice Millard
The dramatic account of Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition down an uncharted Amazon tributary after his presidency.

Riverman – Ben McGrath
The story of Dick Conant, a modern river wanderer whose life offers an unusual perspective on America’s rivers and waterways.