Chris Parker (UWE)
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Dr. Chris Parker | Fluvial Geomorphologist | Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography | Programme Leader for BSc Geography and Environmental Management
Room 3Q47A | Department of Geography and Environmental Management | Faculty of Environment and Technology
University of the West of England | Frenchay Campus | Bristol | BS16 1QY
ku.ca.ewu|rekraP.2sirhC#ku.ca.ewu|rekraP.2sirhC | +44 (0)117 3282902
http://www.uwe.ac.uk | http://riverscience.wikidot.com/chris-parker










My research is driven by a strong belief that the academic community has an important role to play in shaping the way society deals with our dynamics environment. Compliance with new legislation such as the European Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive exerts multiple demands on the research community, including improving scientific understanding within the field of applied fluvial geomorphology. My principal research interests lie within applied fluvial geomorphology, and, at present, cover the following areas:


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1. Probabilistic modelling of river bank stability

Research undertaken during my BSc Geography degree at the University of Nottingham highlighted how the variability of river bank material properties creates significant uncertainties in the predictions produced by a deterministic river bank stability model. As a result, a probabilistic representation of effective bank material strength parameters is recommended as a potential solution for any bank stability model that wishes to account for the important influence of the inherent variability of soil properties.

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2. Relating bed material transport to unit width stream power

This encompasses an interest in the presence, or lack of, a critical threshold of motion, as well as the derivation of a general relationship for bed material transport. In exploring this area I have also developed an interest in differentiating between the entrainment and depositional rates of sediment transport. This area of research has involved the manipulation of large quantities of sediment transport data along with detailed flume laboratory experiments.

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3. Automatic delineation of functional river reach boundaries

The river reach is a pervasive term within contemporary river research and applications. Yet, despite its prevalence, there is a notable lack of consistency in its definition. I have spent time exploring how well a range of sequence zonation algorithms (originally derived for geological well-log analysis) automatically identify functional reach boundaries. I found that an analysis of variance-based global boundary hunting algorithm was the most suitable. This type of algorithm has the potential to be useful within reach-based sediment transport models and in facilitating integrated catchment management by identifying reach boundaries common across all variables of interest in the system.

















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4. Catchment-scale modelling of coarse sediment dynamics

The main focus of my current research focuses on understanding and modelling catchment-scale fluvial sediment dynamics to allow practical yet robust consideration of fluvial geomorphology within contemporary catchment management. This is inspired by the fact that, despite recognition for the importance of morphological dynamics amongst policy makers and riverine practitioners, there is a lack of tools for dealing with the transfer of coarse sediment at the catchment scale given current levels of data availability. I have developed a reach-based sediment balance approach (ST:REAM) to predict areas of morphological instability within the fluvial system. This work has been funded by the Flood Risk Management Research Consortium.






















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5. Evaluation of the impact of large woody debris on river channel processes

Large pieces of wood make a crucial contribution to the structural complexity, connectivity and diversity of river hydromorphology. Wood has long been perceived as a flood hazard but more recently the extent of habitat degradation associated with the routine clearance of large wood has been acknowledged. Research in these areas is vital to generate improved understanding the influence of wood on hydromorphological processes and habitats in UK rivers and disseminate scientific advances and best practice in an appropriate way to river management practitioner organisations. In collaboration with researchers from Queen Mary University London. I have been investigating the impact that the introduction of large woody debris has had on processes within a lowland UK river.







My research efforts have incorporated a variety of techniques, including: the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), statistical and geostatistical data analysis, laboratory flume modelling, computer programming, manipulation of large datasets, and various types of field survey and measurement.

A key strength of my work to date has been my close working relationship with a variety of collaborators. These include two separate research groups within the U.S. National Sedimentation Laboratory in Oxford, Mississippi, Royal Haskoning’s River and Coastal Management Division, the Flood Risk Management Research Consortium, as well as the River Science Research Cluster at the University of Nottingham.


Peer reviewed journal papers:

Parker, C., Simon, A., and Thorne, C.R. 2008. The effects of variability in bank material properties on riverbank stability: Goodwin Creek, Mississippi. Geomorphology 101, 533-543.

Parker, C., Clifford, N.J., and Thorne, C.R. 2011. Understanding the influence of slope on the threshold of coarse grain motion: Revisiting critical stream power. Geomorphology 126, 51-65.

Parker, C., Clifford, N.J., and Thorne, C.R. 2011. Automatic delineation of functional river reach boundaries for river research and applications. River Research and Applications, DOI:10.1002/rra.1568.

Parker, C., Clifford, N.J., and Thorne, C.R. A general approximation for bed material transport capacity using unit width stream power. Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface - In review.

Parker, C., Thorne, C.R., and Clifford, N.J. Broad. A broad-scale assessment of sediment dynamics in British rivers: Developing and assessing ‘ST:REAM’ – a reach based sediment balance model. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms - In review.

Parker, C., Clifford, N.J., and Thorne, C.R. A review of the depositional threshold of transported bed material. Progress in Physical Geography - In progress.

Scientific Reports:

Parker, C., Thorne, C. R. Bingner, R., Wells, R., Wilcox, D. 2007. Automated mapping of potential for ephemeral gully formation in agricultural watersheds. NSL Technical Research Report No. 56. Watershed Physical Processes Research Unit, National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, Mississippi.

Parker, C. 2006. An Investigation into the Variability of Bank Material Properties on Goodwin Creek, Mississippi. Watershed Physical Processes Research Unit, National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, Mississippi.

Nottingham University Consultants Ltd. 2007. E2-Rp Lower River Ock Catchment: Sediment Monitoring. Report to Thames Water Utilities Ltd. for the Upper Thames Major Resource Development Project.

Haskoning UK Ltd. 2008. Tyock Burn: Hydraulic Model Update & Culvert Advice. Project Number 9T2400. Final Report for the Moray Council.

Haskoning UK Ltd. 2008. Review of Nene Tributaries Pre-Feasibility Studies: Wootton Brook. Project Number 9T2746. Final Report for the Environment Agency.

Haskoning UK Ltd. 2008. Review of Nene Tributaries Pre-Feasibility Studies: Harper’s Brook. Project Number 9T2746. Final Report for the Environment Agency.

Haskoning UK Ltd. 2008. Review of Nene Tributaries Pre-Feasibility Studies: Slade Brook. Project Number 9T2746. Final Report for the Environment Agency.

Presentations:

Presentation: Parker, C., Clifford, N. J., and Thorne ‘A Broad-Scale Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in British Rivers’, Environment Agency’s Freshwater Habitat Advisory Group (December 2007).

Conference Paper: Bingner, R.L., Theurer, F.D., Gordon, L.M., Bennett, S.J., Parker, C., Thorne, C.R., and Alonso, C.V. ‘AnnAGNPS Ephemeral Gully Erosion Simulation Technology’, International Symposium on Gully Erosion, Pamplona, Spain (September 2007).

Conference Paper: Parker, C., Clifford, N. J., and Thorne ‘A Broad-Scale Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in British Rivers: Developing and Assessing ‘ST:REAM’ – a reach based sediment balance model’, Annual Conference of the British Society for Geomorphology, University of Durham (September 2009).

Seminar: Parker, C., Clifford, N. J., and Thorne ‘A Broad-Scale Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in British Rivers’, Environmental and Geomorphological Sciences Research Group seminar, School of Geography, University of Nottingham (October 2009).

Presentation: Parker, C., Clifford, N. J., and Thorne ‘A Broad-Scale Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in British Rivers’, Environment Agency’s Freshwater Habitat Advisory Group (December 2009).

Workshop Paper: ‘Parker, C., Clifford, N. J., and Thorne ‘A Broad-Scale Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in British Rivers: Developing and Assessing ‘ST:REAM’ – a reach based sediment balance model’, National Telford Institute/SAGES Joint Workshop on Applied Sediment Dynamics, University of Glasgow (January 2010).

Workshop Paper: ‘Parker, C., Clifford, N. J., and Thorne ‘A Broad-Scale Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in British Rivers: Developing and Assessing ‘ST:REAM’ – a reach based sediment balance model’, Flood Risk Management Research Consortium Annual Assembly (July 2010).

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