Streambank Erosion Phenomena and Understanding: Current Research and Future Directions

Abstract

Highlights High rates of streambank erosion are detrimental to the stability and function of streams. This collection brings together six studies that represent key advances in streambank erosion research. Current research directions on streambank erosion, erodibility characterization, and sediment loading are presented. Future research directions and challenges related to high-frequency data collection and modeling are discussed. Abstract. Streams are in dynamic equilibrium with their environments, and as that environment is altered by human development and changing climate, streambank erosion is a common, but little understood, result. This article highlights the contributions of the special collection “Streambank Erosion, Sediment Dynamics, and Restoration (SER),” which assembled six studies that represent key advances in streambank erosion research, highlight current research in the field, and identify directions for future research. The studies in this special collection were grouped into three central themes: (1) streambank erosion monitoring, (2) streambank erodibility characterization, and (3) streambank erosion loading. In this article, key findings within each of these central themes are summarized, emphasizing the significant contributions of each study. Likewise, perspectives on future research directions are discussed, outlining important challenges that remain to be addressed. Overall, the studies in this special collection are unified in their overarching goal of improving quantitative and predictive understanding of streambank erosion phenomena. Keywords: Keywords., Erodibility Parameters, Jet Erosion Test, Monitoring, Sediment, Soil Erosion, Stabilization Practices, Streambank, Stream Restoration.