This year, the students of Ecogeomorphology (ecology, geomorphology, and management of western US rivers) focused on the Salmon River, Idaho as an example of a watershed of management importance. The Mainstem of the Salmon River is a free flowing large river and a part of the heavily regulated and socially and economically important Columbia River watershed. The class studied the importance of the Salmon River in the larger context of climate change, habitat restoration, wildfire, and fisheries management.
The course brought together students from a range of biological and physical sciences to understand the intertwined physical and ecological aspects of the watershed and discuss management issues related to competing water uses, conservation, and sustainability in a changing climate. The course involved classroom and lab instruction during the spring quarter, development of field skills in the lab and on two field trips, and included an independent final project on specific topics related to the Salmon River watershed. Following the quarter, the student drove to Idaho and spent 6 days floating the Mainstem of the Salmon River. While on the river, the students collected data throughout the trip and put what they learned during the quarter into action in the field.
