Fluvial hydraulics, river engineering and IAHR

Rivers are among the most fascinating creations of nature, closely related to human development and well-being. Most of the ancient civilisations were born along rivers. In modern times, most of the industrial and urban developments are located along waterways. Rivers are an essence of human activities such as irrigation for agriculture, drinking water, energy and transportation. However, floods and inundations may threaten human activities, rivers may convey chemical or biological pollution, or they may constitute an obstacle to mobility. A conrtradiction with human activities is that rivers live, they move, they evolve, and they may change their course. Humans have always tried to control rivers. This makes river engineering a very old Art! Designers did not wait until the river behaviour was completely understood to carry out their works. Often, these were successful, yet not always... For instance, the expensive canalisation of many natural rivers is the consequence of previous ill-designed works. The recent evolution of human behaviour and subsequent environmental effects dramatically increasethe weight of river-related issues. Global change will fundamentally affect river regimes and flood risks. In this context, a better understanding of river processes is not just a passion for scientists; it is a cruscial need for the future well-being of humanity