Fluvial geomorphology

Abstract

The last year has seen the appearance of an eagerly-awaited book by S. A. Schumm (i9~~a), and this provides a stimulating review of the progress made in fluvial geomorphology over the last decade. The book employs an idealized fluvial system which is composed of the production zone (zone 1) of the drainage basin, the transfer zone (2), and the deposition zone (3). These three zones provide the basis for the organization of the book and the themes of thresholds and complex response figure throughout all sections and lead to a final chapter which provides some basis for possible applications of the approach. In addition to providing a useful conceptual organization for studies of fluvial geomorphology the book incorporates many of the important contributions made by S. A. Schumm since 1960 and published in a variety of journals. Palaeohydrology and river metamorphosis figure prominently in this book and these themes recur in a volume devoted to the subject of river channel changes (Gregory, i9~~a). This volume presents research papers on aspects of evolutionary and man-induced river channel change and shows how progress has been made from the viewpoints of sedimentology, of channel geometry, of channel planform and of network change and theory. Fluvial geomorphology has also figured in important sections of a number of books published during the year. A book on humid landforms (Douglas, 1977) is notable for the inclusion of tropical examples and also because it uses conceptual progress in knowledge of runoff mechanisms in relation to landforms of the drainage basin. Many of the recent developments in fluvial geomorphology have involved studies of temporal variation and a recent book which centres upon time (Thornes and Brunsden, 1977) necessarily contains much of relevance to the fluvial geomorphologist. Within the field of applied geomorphology (Hails, 1977) there is a review of channel adjustment and channel variability as a basis for conservation (Schumm, 1977b). It is pleasing to see progress being made towards applications of fluvial geomorphology research which can still furnish further opportunities, and the hitherto neglected field of irrigation effects has been reviewed by Currey (1977). The applied theme evident in some recent research involves a trend towards greater concern with design and engineering. In general terms Coates (1976) has argued that the geomorphologist must become involved with the tools of engineering because the geomorphic engineer must be involved in, or be able to contribute to, the decision-making processes that