Bedload Research International Cooperative (BRIC)
International Bedload Surrogates Workshop
April 11-14, 2007
1st Announcement—Call for Participation
Sponsored by the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics (NCED)
,the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research (WASER)
Hosted by the NCED at the St. Anthony Falls Lab (SAFL), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Organized by John R. Gray, Jonathan B. Laronne, and Jeff D.G. Marr
Background: A variety of difficulties are encountered in measuring or monitoring bedload discharge (transport), and particularly so in gravel and mixed gravel-sand bedded rivers. Direct bedload measurements, which normally require medium- and high-flow measurements to be useful, tend to be time-consuming, expensive, and potentially unsafe. Indirect or surrogate technologies developed largely over the last decade show considerable promise toward providing relatively dense, robust, and quantifiably reliable bedload datasets. It is, therefore, timely for scientists who have developed and (or) are using these surrogate methods to congregate in a workshop where new ideas, approaches and technologies will be presented and discussed.
Objectives: To further the development of novel bedload measuring and monitoring methodologies
and their calibration and to consider needs related to international standardization of bedload
data-collection, storage, and dissemination protocols. These objective may be attained as part of,
or through deliberations following oral presentations, and as part of the workshop proceedings.
Format: The workshop format will be based on (a) oral presentations of 20-30 minutes duration depending on number of participants; (b) 30 minutes for discussions after every third presentation (considerable time will be available for informal discussions), and (c) a tour of the SAFL laboratory specifically directed to bedload research. A Friday, April 13 demonstration of the SAFL main flume with during bedload-calibration runs is also planned. The workshop is planned to be a cyber-workshop (live-streaming), available on line with an option for real-time communication between the workshop and the non-attending audience. A publication-ready paper not to exceed 8 pages is required of all speakers by January 2007, which will be placed on-line for those attending the workshop; this paper be included in a post-workshop, peer-reviewed and likely a USGS-series report. Papers describing work ‘in progress’ are not excluded and, indeed, ongoing research reporting is invited.
Venue: The SAFL (see: http://www.safl.umn.edu/), is a world-class research facility on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The SAFL, built in the 1930’s, has recently been upgraded under the auspices of the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics (http://www.nced.umn.edu/). Research in fluvial mechanics and river restoration is anticipated to be on-going in April 2007. As ground-breaking research in fluvial mechanics and sediment-sampler development has taken place at the SAFL, it represents an outstanding venue for the workshop.
Registration and Travel: Registration details will be available in the following months. The registration fee for the workshop will depend on the number of attendees but is expected to reasonable (not to exceed $200 U.S.). Travel to and from Minneapolis, food and lodging, as well as the field trip will be paid individually. Those needing financial support to defray the costs of attendance should submit requests to the organizers, bearing in mind that any such funds, if available, will be limited. The most reasonably priced accommodations will be identified.
Invitation to Attend: Attendance at the workshop is by invitation, and will be limited to about 30 attendees. We will accept nominations (including self-nominations), so do not hesitate to share the workshop information with other bedload experts.
Invitees are expected to attend the workshop in person. In the attached pre-registration response form please inform us if you intend to participate and a preliminary title of your contribution.
Next Step: Please complete the Response Form (page 3 of this announcement) and return it to John R. Gray (jrgray@usgs.gov) as an EMAIL attachment (alternately, FAX it to John R. Gray at 703.648.5722 with a “TO JOHN R. GRAY” cover page).
We – John, Jeff, and John – look forward to your response and to seeing you in Minneapolis next April.
Jonathan B. Laronne John R. Gray
Dept of Geography & Environmental U.S.Geological, Survey Office of Surface
Development 415 National Center
The Ben Gurion University of the Negev 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Beer Sheva 84105, Israel Reston, VA, 20192, USA
tel 972 8 6472016 (fax 972 8 6472821) tel 1 703 6485318 (fax 703.648.5722)
Jeffrey DG Marr, PE
National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics
St. Anthony Falls Lab, University of Minnesota
2 Third Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Tel 612 6243931 (fax 612 6240066)
Bedload Research International Cooperative (BRIC)
International Bedload Surrogates Workshop
April 11-14, 2007
Response Form to be Completed/Submitted
by Invitees
Please complete, cut and paste into an EMAIL
to jrgray@usgs.gov
or FAX to John R. Gray at 703.648.5722
Name:__________________________ _______________________
Affiliation:_______________________________________________
Mailing Address:__________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Email Address:____________________________________________
Telephone and FAX Number:_________________________________________________
Do you intend to participate in the workshop (place an x in front of the correct response)?
__ Definitely
__ Possibly; I will let you know by ______________ 2006
__ I will not be able to attend the workshop
What is the likely title of your presentation?__________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Might you also wish to add a poster on a topic directly relevant to the workshop?
_Yes _ No
Whom (name, email address) might you recommend that we invite to the workshop?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Provide other comments/recommendations/insights as follows:__________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Are you a member of BRIC (www.bedloadresearch.org)? If not, please join!
For Word Version, Please click: www.waser.cn
