Geomorphic Classification of Rivers: An Updated Review

Process-based classification of rivers is widely used for assessing the effects of past landscape disturbance, current biophysical conditions, and likely responses to future disturbance, including land management and restoration activities. This article reviews the purposes of geomorphic channel classification, the different types of classifications that have been developed, their use, compatibility, and popularity (i.e., why some classifications are used more than others), and concludes with a look at future needs and directions for channel classification.