Hydrology Short Courses
Level IV
Natural channel design principles are utilized in this “hands-on†course that provides training in river restoration, stabilization, and aquatic habitat enhancement. The complexities involved in natural channel processes require detailed study and a working knowledge of the principles applied in river design; thus the three prerequisite courses help prepare the participants for this advanced river design course. The course includes the following:
- Understanding the nature and cause of instability and poor habitat
- Collecting and analyzing field data
- Completing a river restoration design by integrating physical, ecological, and aesthetic objectives
- Channel capacity and sediment transport calculations
- Aquatic habitat improvement designs
- Streambank stabilization techniques
- Stream diversion structure design
- Riparian area improvement and function
- Design layout
- Field supervision, construction methods, equipment selection, contracting procedures, and permit applications
- Effectiveness monitoring
- Other related subjects integrated into the river designs
Procedural guidelines and methods are provided to assist in river designs utilizing the natural channel design approach. Participants will evaluate existing and proposed restoration projects and will observe the on-site implementation of a natural channel design.
River Restoration and Natural Channel Design
- Fee: $3,800 (10 Day Course)
- Instructor: Dave Rosgen
- Prerequisite: Level I. Applied Fluvial Geomorphology (AFG), Level II. River Morphology & Applications (RMA), and Level III. River Assessment & Monitoring (RAM)
Natural channel design principles are utilized in this "hands-on" course that provides training in river restoration, stabilization, and aquatic habitat enhancement. The complexities involved in natural channel processes require detailed study and a working knowledge of the principles applied in river design; thus the three prerequisite courses help prepare the participants for this advanced river design course.
Select Date/Location:
August 17-27, 2026 - Granby, CO- TBA, 2027 - TBA
COURSE TERMS & CONDITIONS:
Registration & Payment Policy:
- Online registration does not guarantee a spot in a class. You must wait and receive an email confirmation from Wildland Hydrology stating a Registration Confirmation in each particular course.
- All students are required to register through our online registration system.
- Unless other arrangements have been made in advance, Tuition is due and payable January 1st of the year attending the short course.
- Wildland Hydrology accepts check, ACH, and credit card payments. Credit card payments will have a 3.5% surcharge. Checks can be made payable to Wildland Hydrology (or for all Asheville, NC location classes, payable to Resource Institute – class sponsor). WE DO NOT ACCEPT purchase orders, or SF 182 forms.
- The fee for each course includes the course tuition and course materials only; participants are all responsible for their own food and lodging unless noted otherwise; paid directly to the resort or business; not paid through Wildland Hydrology.
- If full payment is not received by January 1st of the year attending the short course, the student will automatically be dropped from the course and we will go to the waitlist to fill this new open spot. No exceptions.
- Students are not allowed to roll their paid tuition to the next year if they cancel from a course. If they cancel and cannot find a substitute, they will forfeit their paid tuition.
Cancellation & Refund Policy:
- Cancellations received in writing BEFORE full tuition payments are paid will not be penalized. No money paid, no money refunded. However, once full tuition is paid, it will not be refunded. No exceptions. Substitutions are encouraged. Students are not allowed to roll their tuition payments to the next year. Once tuition is paid, the student must either attend the course, send a substitute to take their place or forfeit their full tuition paid.
- Although rare, Wildland Hydrology reserves the right to cancel a class and refund all tuition payments received. All refunds will be by check only — NO EXCEPTIONS.
Waitlist Policy:
- For classes that are full, we accept waitlist registrations online by completing the registration form.
- If slots become available for the course, Wildland Hydrology will send an email to all waitlisted registrants. The first ones to respond with immediate approval and payment will be awarded the spot in the course.
- Waitlisted folks will get advance notification to register for classes offered the following year prior to being offered to the general public.
About Dave Rosgen, P.H., Ph.D.
Dave is a Professional Hydrologist and Geomorphologist with field experience in river work spanning 49 years, 20 of which were with the U.S. Forest Service. Dave has designed and implemented over 70 large-scale river restoration projects. Dave developed a stream classification system, the BANCS streambank erosion model, the FLOWSED/POWERSED sediment transport models, the WARSSS methodology for cumulative...
