Geomorphic and Ecological Fundamentals for River and Stream Restoration
Hosted at Sagehen Creek Field Station, this short course provides an intensive, field-based introduction to sustainable river and stream restoration, grounded in the science of fluvial geomorphology and ecology.
Why take this course?
River restoration is a rapidly growing field in the U.S., with over $17 billion invested in more than 40,000 projects since 1990. Despite widespread support and funding, many restoration efforts fall short due to a lack of systematic learning and insufficient integration of current scientific understanding into design and planning.
Originally developed and taught by Professor Matt Kondolf (UC Berkeley), this course has served land managers, restoration practitioners, researchers, and graduate students alike. Sagehen’s location in the Sierra Nevada provides a living laboratory for observing a range of stream types and restoration challenges.
This short course emphasizes sustainable river restoration through:
- Understanding geomorphic and ecological processes in rivers
- Applying watershed-scale and long-term perspectives
- Integrating recent research in fluvial geomorphology and stream ecology
- Linking restoration goals to measurable outcomes
- Evaluating past restoration efforts to improve future designs
- Distinguishing where rivers need intervention—and where they don’t
- Developing context-based goals, from urban streams to wilderness rivers
Watch this short video on the Sagehen River Restoration Short course held in 2018: