Short course/CPD
Environmental Management of Rivers and Wetlands
Course date: Please enquire
Course overview
Effective, long term management of rivers and their associated wetlands requires a fundamental understanding of hydro-morphological, chemical and biological characteristics. This involves consideration of flow regimes and the nature of channels; water levels and flood inundation; their effect on vegetation and sediment; and the requirements of fish, invertebrates and other fauna. This module focuses on the appropriate assessment, restoration and enhancement of the biological and hydro-morphological status of rivers with a view to meeting the objectives of sustainable management and achieving ‘good ecological status’; a fundamental aim of the EU’s Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Location
Course fee:
- £1400 - Standard. 20% discount for Cranfield alumni, 10% discount for colleagues of alumni
- £1340 - Professional/trade association discount
- £1280 - Multiple bookings*
*Minimum of five delegates.
Accommodation fee:
Accommodation is not included in the price.
How to register
To request a place on this course, please complete the online Registration Form.
If you have any queries please contact:
Cranfield University
Cranfield
Bedfordshire
MK43 0AL, UK
T: +44 (0) 1234 754176
E: shortcourse@cranfield.ac.uk
F: +44 (0) 1234 751206
Please be aware that short courses/CPD are subject to:
Booking ConditionsAccreditation
This course is accredited for CIWEM CPD.
Course description
- River management objectives and ecological status.
- Policy and legal framework (e.g. WFD).
- Rivers behaviour; Flow types, determination of channel roughness.
- Distinction between wetland and wet land. Types of water table control problem.
- Water budgets.
- Plant responses to water table change. Plant community mosaics in shallow water table situations.
- Hydraulic conductivity and drainable porosity.
- Biological communities in rivers and processes determining ecological status; and flow regime requirements.
- Flow regimes; Flow duration and frequency; Estimation of low flows; the HOST classification of soils.
- River restoration and rehabilitation.
On successful completion of this module the delegate will be able to:
- Explain the natural characteristics of rivers and how they can be influenced by human activity.
- Understand the linkage between ecological, chemical and hydro-morphological aspects of a river.
- Discuss the ecological and hydromorphological processes that determine the ecological status of a river.
- Understand the interactions between wet land water status and plant community structure.
- Gain knowledge of the links between the watercourse, soil properties, climate and position of the water table.
- Appreciate the legal framework and directives that underpin river management in UK and EU.
- Design and present the case for different management options for the protection, restoration, rehabilitation and/or maintenance of a case river and/or wetland to achieve improved ecological status.
- Communicate findings in a professional manner in written and visual forms within the specified time-frame.
This short course is also a module associated with a Masters-level programme. For further information please click on the programme title directly above in the Quick navigation box.


