Understanding the effects of natural and anthropogenic changes on hydrological regime, disturbance and water quality and ecological processes in catchments and coastal areas is critical, as the rural landscape is under ever increasing pressure to provide productive land and services.

Disturbance events, such as floods and droughts, condition biological processes and influence in-stream and riparian biodiversity. In the context of a changing climate, the role of disturbance, and the environmental and socio-economic impacts of extreme events, become more important. River restoration and catchment management can reduce flooding and disturbance effects, and improve water quality, and these changes also have implications for ecosystem services, although ecological impacts are poorly documented.

This session brings together papers focusing on both the effect of disturbance, and the effect of restoration and management, on runoff regimes, flooding and water quality, and considers two main questions:
• What is the role of disturbance in influencing river regime and function?
• What are the implications of catchment management and river restoration on runoff regimes, water quality and ecology?
Mitigation – of climate and flow disturbance, and of impaired water quality – is a common theme to many papers, and several papers also consider impacts on river ecology.

The session promises to be a stimulating one, with something of interest for all those interested in eco-hydrology, runoff regimes, and catchment management.