David Knighton's best-selling book looks at the wide range of forms developed by natural rivers and the processes responsible for that development. The book combines empirical and theoretical approaches, and provides a critical assessment of the many schools of thought which have emerged for dealing with adjustment in the fluvial system. It is fully illustrated throughout by a superb range of figures, photographs and tables.
Starting with the network scale, the book examines the interaction of hillslopes, drainage networks and channels, and goes on to considerations of catchment hydrology and catchment denudation. Fluvial processes are analysed in detail, from the mechanics of flow to sediment transport and deposition. Detailing the major components of river channels, the book examines the nature of river adjustment, particularly with respect to equilibrium concepts, and concludes with a look at channel changes through time, affected by flood discharges, climatic change and human activities.
Drainage networks and river channels
Fluvial processes
The adjustment of channel form
Channel changes through time
Glossary.
Biography
David Knighton
...an excellent job of bringing together important and illustrative works from the literature... The text is clearly written, well organised and easy to follow throughout... I would recommend it as a very good book.
Journal of Geological Education
The text is well organised and very readable, with smooth transitions between topics, a difficult task when trying to be both concise and comprehensive.
Geographical Review
Extremely readable and therefore most suitable as a student textbook... The author provides a summary that is a credit to his ability to assimilate and synthesize, indeed a credit to his authorship... I can thoroughly recommend this book to serious practitioners and students of fluvial geomorphology. It is a very perceptive and well written book
Australian Geographer
Any department teaching or supervising postgraduate courses or research in fluvial geomorphology would be wise to ensure that a copy of this book is in the library, and preferably on the book shelf of the lecturer concerned.
The South African Geographical Journal
This is a welcome and sorely needed update of David Knighton's popular text. There are many new or clarified illustrations, including photographs. The new typesetting is a distinct improvement...the index is more readable and slightly fuller..In all, the book is clearly a significant contribution to teaching textbooks...that should inspire many new students.
Geojournal
