Civil and Environmental Engineering - Master Calendar

Abstract:
The Amazon River is the largest river system on Earth and home to a bewildering array of biodiversity and life, which has evolved in concert with the long-term development of the Amazonian drainage system. Here fluvial landform and life are intimately connected, and the long-term behavior of the river and its current anthropogenic stresses are inextricably linked.</p><p>Field research over the past decade, with a range of collaborators, has enabled study of the morphodynamics of the Solimoes River, the mainstream Amazon upstream of the city of Manaus. This research has used a combination of surveys to quantify flow structure and bed morphology, and employed study of the sedimentology of the deposits from exposed banks and bars, and shallow geophysics, to examine the subsurface structure of these sediments. This talk will examine aspects of flow and form in the Solimoes River, and the processes operative at the mighty junction of the Solimoes and Negro rivers. The talk will examine the evolution of channel morphology in anabranching regions of the river, the influence of ‘bedrock’ on channel migration and flow, and the processes controlling mixing at one of the world’s largest river confluences.

Bio:
Professor James L. Best is a leading scientist in process sedimentology and fluvial geomorphology, known for his transformative research into the physical processes that shape the Earth’s surface. His work links sedimentary geology with fluid mechanics, specifically focusing on the complex interactions between turbulent flow, sediment transport, and bedform dynamics. Over a career spanning four decades, Professor Best has conducted pioneering field studies on many of the world’s largest river systems—including the Amazon, Mekong, Jamuna, and Mississippi—to decode the morphodynamics of river channel confluences and the evolution of braided rivers.</p><p>More recently, his research has addressed the critical intersection of physical science and global sustainability, investigating the anthropogenic stresses on major rivers such as damming, pollution, and the unsustainable mining of sand. A prolific scholar with over 25,000 citations, he is the co-author of the landmark World Atlas of Rivers, Estuaries, and Deltas (2024), which explores how these environments have shaped human civilization. Professor Best’s contributions have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of both modern sedimentary environments and the interpretation of the ancient rock record.