Hydro-morphological processes, encompassing sediment erosion, transport, and deposition, play a critical role in shaping open water environments such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and coastal regions. Understanding and predicting these processes are vital for both scientific research and practical applications. In recent decades, numerical modeling has become an indispensable tool in hydraulic engineering and geosciences for simulating the complex interactions between flow, sediment, and environmental dynamics. Advances in algorithms and computational power now allow for high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations, supporting studies that explore water motion, sediment behavior, and their combined influence on morphology. Increasing availability of high-quality lab and field validation data continues to enhance these models, leading to deeper insights into phenomena like bed evolution, dune dynamics, and density-driven flows. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also emerging as a complementary approach for hydro-morphodynamic analysis.
This session aims to bring together scientists and engineers who develop, improve, or apply hydrodynamic and hydro-morphodynamic models for open water environments. We welcome contributions that address a spectrum of spatiotemporal scales, from localized flow structures influencing sediment mobilization to basin-scale morphological evolution and hydrodynamic behavior. Both process-based simulations and data-driven methods are encouraged, particularly where they enhance our understanding of flow–morphology interactions and support nature-based solutions for water and sediment management. Contributions may include, but are not limited to:
- Hydrodynamic modeling of open water systems, including unsteady and density-driven flows.
- Flow–sediment interactions, from initial particle entrainment to morphological change.
- Simulations supporting river, lake, and reservoir management with an emphasis on nature-based solutions.
- Design and assessment of river and estuarine restoration measures integrating nature-based solutions.
- Navigation and infrastructure issues, including hydrodynamic effects of ship traffic.
- Flood-related risks and the role of hydrodynamics in long-term bed evolution.
- Eco-hydrodynamics, focusing on interactions among flow, sediment, vegetation, and nature-based strategies.