Book & podcast collection

Following the Bend: How to Read a River and Understand Its Nature

byEllen Wohl

River scientist Ellen Wohl teaches readers how to interpret a river through its bends, channels, banks, sediments, chemistry, plants, animals, and surrounding watershed. She explains the physical forces that move water and reshape land while showing how geology, climate, ecology, and human engineering give each river a distinct character. The book functions as both a field guide and an environmental history, connecting visible features with processes upstream and underground. Wohl encourages close observation of living waterways and explains why understanding their natural complexity is essential to restoration, resilience, and responsible management.

Publisher

Princeton University Press

Publication date

2025-09-09

Format

Hardcover

Pages

304

ISBN

9780691272474