field projects

I am currently involved in several research projects related to fluvial geomorphology. Please contact me if you require additional information about any of these projects. I am involved in various laboratory studies of fluvial dynamics as well, primarily in conjunction with my current graduate students.

Fishtrap Creek

We have established a long-term research site at Fishtrap Creek, British Columbia. The riparian area and most of the watershed were burned by a high intensity fire in August 2003, and we have been studying the hydrologic and geomorphic response to the fire. Three MSc theses have been completed at Fishtrap Creek (by J. Phillips, J. Leach and C. Andrews), and the fieldwork was used to help design a set of laboratory experients that form the basis for a PhD thesis (D. Luzi) and an MSc thesis (S. Davidson) currently in progress.

Project website

Collaborators: Tim Giles, Dan Moore, Phil Owens, Ellen Petticrew

Peace River

We are continuing to montior the changes in the channel morphology and the stream morphodynamics at Peace River, downstream of the WAC Bennett Dam and the Peace River Dam. The majority of this work was initiated by Mike Church, and the dataset that has been collected is one of the best records of the effects of dam construction on channel morphology.

Collaborator: Mike Church

HydroNet

I am part of the HYDRONET strategic network , Hydronet is a national research network designed to promote sustainable hydropower and healthy aquatic ecosystems. This network is led by biologist Dr. Daniel Boisclair of Université de Montréal. The project includes researchers from many universities across Canada, and includes partners from Fisheries and Oceans, Canada, as well as many of the hydropower producers across Canada. I will be studying the effects of power generation on stream channel dynamics and the phyiscal aquatic habitat in various dammed rivers in British Columbia and Alberta, in close collaboration with Michel Lapointe from McGill University.

Project Leader: Daniel Boisclair

Collaborators: Michel Lapointe

Here is a time lapse video of the flood release from Pocaterra Dam, 14 May 2011 from 11:15 am to 11:40 am, one frame taken every 30 seconds.

research group

The following students are currently conducting research at UBC as part of my group. their contact details are available by following the link to the graduate students section of the main Departmental website.

Dave Luzi (PhD started in 2005)

Sarah Davidson (MSc started in 2009)

Holly Anne Buehler (MSc started in 2010)

Lesley Winterhalt (MSc started in 2010)

Claudia Alviano-von Flotow (BSc student, summer 2010)

Coby Hall (BSc, summer 2010)

The following students previously worked with the group. For graduates, their theses are available by clicking on the hyperlink associated with the name.