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Colin Thorne

Chair of Physical Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences

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Biography

Colin Thorne is a fluvial geomorphologist with an educational background in environmental sciences, civil engineering and physical geography. He has published 9 books and over 120 journal papers and book chapters. During a career spanning four decades, has held academic posts at UEA, Colorado State University, the USDA National Sedimentation Laboratory, USACE Waterways Experiment Station, NOAA Fisheries, and the University of Nottingham. He is also a Concurrent Professor at Nanjing University and an Affiliate Professor at Colorado State University.

Expertise Summary

Colin Thorne is a river scientist with particular expertise in erosion, sediment transport and sedimentation. He also has skills in expert knowledge elicitation and qualitative assessment.

Teaching Summary

My teaching interests centre on process and applied geomorphology, with an emphasis on rivers and their management. I am also interested in lifelong learning and in-post training for river scientists… read more

Research Summary

Flood Risk Management Research; China-UK Joint Flood Study in the Taihu Basin (Shanghai); Foresight on Future Flood and Erosion Risks; Predicting River Bank Stability; Predicting the locations of… read more

Selected Publications

  • THORNE, C.R., EVANS, E.P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E.C., eds., 2007. Future flooding and coastal erosion risks London: Thomas Telford.
  • ARADAS, R.D, THORNE, C.R. AND WRIGHT, N.G., 2011. Modelling Concepts and Strategies to support Integrated Flood Risk Management in Large, Lowland Basins: Río Salado, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In: PENDER, G. AND FAULKENER, H., ed., Flood Risk Science and Management Wiley-Blackwell. 445-471
  • SEAR, D.A., NEWSON, M.G. and THORNE, C.R., 2004. Guidebook of Applied Fluvial Geomorphology London: Defra Flood Management Division.
  • SOAR, P.J. and THORNE, C.R., 2001. Channel Restoration Design for Meandering Rivers: Final Report ERDC/CHL CR-01-1

My teaching interests centre on process and applied geomorphology, with an emphasis on rivers and their management. I am also interested in lifelong learning and in-post training for river scientists and engineers. I teach at all levels in the School of Geography: First, Second and Third Year at undergraduate as well as in the masters courses in Geographical Information Science and Environmental Management.

Current Research

Flood Risk Management Research; China-UK Joint Flood Study in the Taihu Basin (Shanghai); Foresight on Future Flood and Erosion Risks; Predicting River Bank Stability; Predicting the locations of ephemeral cropland gullies; Channel restoration design; River Sediments, Habitats and Maintenance in the UK; Sediment studies for the Lower Missippi River; Geomorphology and Sedimentation in the Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh; Bend migration prediction in meandering rivers; Upland land management impacts on flood risk; Lowland land management impacts on flood risk; Flood risk due to debris at structures; Salmon Recovery in US West Coast Rivers.

Past Research

Mississippi River; Missouri River; Yangtze River and TGP; Rio Salado, River Indus; Terrain Analysis; Cowlitz-Tiutle River system, Washington State.

Future Research

Dynamics of Large Woody Debris in Rivers; Foresight on Future Flooda dn Coastal Erosion Risks in the USA; River restoration for Salmon Recovery.

  • BROMLEY, C, RANDLE, T and GRANT, G. AND THORNE, C.R., 2011. Physical modeling of the removal of Glines Canyon Dam and Lake Mills from the Elwha River, WA.. In: PAPANICOLAOU, A.N. AND BARKDOLL, B.D., ed., Sediment Dynamics Upon Dam Removal American Society of Civil Engineers. (In Press.)
  • ARADAS, R.D, THORNE, C.R. AND WRIGHT, N.G., 2011. Modelling Concepts and Strategies to support Integrated Flood Risk Management in Large, Lowland Basins: Río Salado, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In: PENDER, G. AND FAULKENER, H., ed., Flood Risk Science and Management Wiley-Blackwell. 445-471
  • THORNE, C.R, WALLERSTEIN, N.P, SOAR, P.J, BROOKES, A, WISHART, D, BIEDENHARN, D.S, GIBSON, S.A, LITTLE, C.D, MOONEY, D.M, WATSON, C.C, GREEN, A.P.E and COULTHARD, T.J. AND VAN DE WEIL, M.J., 2011. Accounting for Sediment in Flood Risk Management. In: PENDER, G. AND FAULKENER, H., ed., Flood Risk Science and Management Wiley-Blackwell. 87-113
  • PARKER, C, CLIFFORD, NJ and THORNE, CR, 2011. Understanding The Influence Of Slope On The Threshold Of Coarse Grain Motion: Revisiting Critical Stream Power Geomorphology. 126(1-2), 51-65
  • SEAR, D A and NEWSON, M D AND THORNE, C R, 2010. Guidebook of Applied Fluvial Geomorphology Thomas Telford.
  • THORNE, C.R, SEAR, D.A. AND NEWSON, M.D., 2010. Understanding River Sediment Dynamics. In: SEAR, D.A and NEWSON, M.D. AND THORNE, C.R., eds., Guidebook of Applied Fluvial Geomorphology Thomas Telford. 70-119
  • THORNE, C.R, SOAR, P.J, SKINNER, K.S and SEAR, D.A. AND NEWSON, M.D., 2010. Investigating, Characterising and Managing River Sediment Dynamics. In: SEAR, D.A, NEWSON, M.D and THORNE, C.R., eds., Guidebook of Applied Fluvial Geomorphology Thomas Telford. 120-195
  • HARVEY, G. L., THORNE, C. R., CHENG, X., EVANS, E. P., J.D. SIMM, S. H. and WANG, Y., 2009. Qualitative analysis of future flood risk in the Taihu Basin, China Journal of Flood Risk Management. VOL 2(NUMBER 2), 85-100
  • PARKER, C., SIMON, A. and THORNE C R, 2008. The Effects of Variability in Bank-Material Properties on Riverbank Stability: Goodwin Creek, Mississippi Geomorphology. 101, 533-543
  • BIEDENHARN, D.S and WATSON, C.C. AND THORNE, C.R., 2008. Fundamentals of Fluvial Geomorphology. In: GARCIA, M.H., ed., Sedimentation Engineering: Processes, Measurements, Modeling and Practice American Socirty of Civil Engineers. 355-386
  • THORNE, C.R., EVANS, E.P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E.C., eds., 2007. Future flooding and coastal erosion risks London: Thomas Telford.
  • SIMM, J. D. and THORNE, C. R., 2007. Response Scoring, Ranking, Uncertainty and Sustainability. In: THORNE, C. R., EVANS, E. P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., eds., Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks London: Thomas Telford. 414-432
  • LANE, S. N. and THORNE, C. R., 2007. River Processes. In: THORNE, C. R., EVANS, E. P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., eds., Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks London: Thomas Telford. 82-99
  • SIMM, J. D., THORNE, C. R. and HALL, J. W., 2007. Driver Impact Scoring, Ranking and Uncertainty. In: THORNE, C. R., EVANS, E. P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., eds., Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks London: Thomas Telford. 185-205
  • WATKINSON, A. R., EVANS, E. P., HALL, J. W., PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C. and THORNE, C. R., 2007. Strategic Choices. In: THORNE, C. R., EVANS, E. P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., eds., Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks London: Thomas Telford. 491-504
  • BIEDENHARN, D. S., HUBBARD, L. J., THORNE, C. R. and WATSON, C. C., 2006. Understanding Sediment Sources, Pathways and Sinks in Regional Sediment Management: Application of Wash Load and Bed-Material Load Concept Vicksburg, Mississippi: Waterways Experiment Station. (ERDC TN+SWWRP-06-04)
  • WALLERESTEIN, N.P and SOAR, P.J. AND THORNE, C.R., 2006. River energy auditing scheme (REAS) for catchment flood management planning. In: FERREIRA, ALVES, LEAL AND CARDOSO, ed., River Flow 2006 Taylor and Francis Group, London. 1923-1932
  • HARDWICK, M., JOHNSTON, W. and THORNE, C. R., 2006. Application of sediment impact assessment and adaptive management techniques to develop sustainable flood management solutions In: River Restoration Centre Annual Conference.
  • SARKER, M. H. and THORNE, C. R., 2006. Morphological response of the Brahmaputra-Padma-Lower Meghna river system to the Assam earthquake of 1950. In: SAMBROOK SMITH, G., BEST, J., BRISTOW, C. and PETTS, G. E., eds., Braided Rivers: Process, deposits, ecology and management London: Blackwell. 289-310
  • RICHARDSON, R., THORNE, C. and CORBELLI, D., 2006. Europe's Rivers go with the flow At: CIWEM - Water and Environment Magazine, Volume 11, Number 10, pages 20-22.
  • EVANS, E. P., HALL, J. W., PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., SAUL, A. J., SAYERS, P. B., THORNE, C. R. and WATKINSON, A. R., 2006. Drivers, responses and choices for future flood risk management Proceedings of the ICE: Water Management. 159, 53-61
  • HARMAR, O. P., CLIFFORD, N. J., THORNE, C. R. and BIEDENHARN, D. S., 2005. Morphological changes of the Lower Mississippi River: geomorphological response to engineering intervention River Research and Applications. 21(10), 1107-1131
  • SOAR, P.J., THORNE, C.R. and HARMAR, O.P., 2005. Hydraulic Geometry Analysis of the Lower Mississippi: Technical Report Nottingham University Consultants Limited.
  • CROASDAILE, M. and THORNE, C. R., 2005. Gravel bedforms in bedrick-influenced streams: Poster Paper In: Sixth Gravel-Bed Rivers Workshop.
  • BIEDENHARN, D. S., THORNE, C. R. and WATSON, C. C., 2005. Wash load/ bed material load concept in regional sediment management In: Proceedings of the 8th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference.
  • COPELAND, R. R., SOAR, P. J. and THORNE, C. R., 2005. Channel-forming discharge and hydraulic geometry width predictors in meandering sand-bed rivers In: World Water and Environmental Resources Congress.
  • TOMES, I. M., HARMAR, O. P. and THORNE, C. R., 2005. Sediment impact analysis for the Lower Thames Flood Strategy Study In: Proceedings of the 8th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference.
  • SOAR, P. J., WATSON, C. C. and THORNE, C. R., 2005. Channel-forming flow: representations and variability In: World water and Environmental Resources Congress.
  • BROMLEY, C., RANDLE, T. J., GRANT, G. E. and THORNE, C. R., 2005. An Optimum Method of Dam Removal?: Poster Paper In: Sixth Gravel-Bed Rivers Workshop.
  • THORNE, C., SKINNER, K., PRIESTNALL, G. and SOAR, P., 2004. Accounting for sediment dynamics in redesigning a flood management system Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium on River Sedimentation. 555-563
  • THORNE, C.R. and SOAR, P.J., 2004. Hawcombe Steam iSIS Sediment Modelling
  • WALLERSTEIN, N. P. and THORNE, C. R., 2004. Influence of large woody debris on morphological evolution of incised, sand-bed channels Geomorphology. VOL 57(NUMBER 1-2), 53-73
  • THORNE, C.R., WALLERSTEIN, N.P., SKINNER, K.S., WATSON, C.C., ROSEBOOM, D.R., BITNER, C.J. and HOLMQUIST-JOHNSON, C., 2004. Post-Project Appraisal of Steam Bank Protection and Grade Control Structures to Guide Development of Improved Design Criteria Nottingham University Consultants Limited.
  • SEAR, D.A., NEWSON, M.G. and THORNE, C.R., 2004. Guidebook of Applied Fluvial Geomorphology London: Defra Flood Management Division.
  • HALL, J.W., THORNE, C.R. and TOWNEND, I.H., 2004. The Foresight Flood And Coastal Defence Project: The Drivers And Magnitude of Future Flood Risk Proceedings of the Annual Defra Conference on Flood and Coastal Defence, July 2004.
  • THORNE, C.R., 2004. Geomorphological Assessment of the BTC crossing of the Hasankale River, Turkey
  • THORNE, C.R., 2004. Rothes Flood Alleviation Scheme: Geomorphological Review
  • EVANS, E.P., ASHLEY, R., HALL, R., PENNING-ROWSELL, E., SAUL, A., SAYERS, P., THORNE, C. and WATKINSON, A., 2004. Foresight, Future Flooding, Scientific Summary: Volume I - Future risks and their Drivers London: Office of Science and Technology, DTI.
  • BRADLEY, J. B. and THORNE, C. R., 2004. Bagnold and Sediment Transport by Wind and Water In: Proceedings of the EWRI Conference, American Society of Civil Engineers. 21-24
  • EVANS, E. P., ASHLEY, R., HALL, J., PENNING-ROWSELL, E., SAUL, A., SAYERS, P., THORNE, C. and WATKINSON, A., 2004. Foresight Future Flooding Scientific Summary: Volume II - Managing future risks London: Office of Science and Technology, DTI.
  • HUNTINGTON, S., CLUCKIE, I., PENDER, G. and THORNE, C., 2004. The Flood Risk Management Research Consortium: Its Formation and Objectives In: Proceedings of the Annual Defra Conference on Flood and Coastal Defence.
  • THORNE, C.R., 2004. Geomorphological Assessment of BTC crossing of the Aksu River Turkey
  • THORNE, C.R. and CHARLTON, M., 2003. Foresight Flood and Coastal Defence Project: Final Report Package A of Phase 2: Deepening the Assessment of Drivers of Future Flood Risk
  • HALL, J. W., EVANS, E. P., PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., SAYERS, P. B., THORNE, C. R. and SAUL, A. J., 2003. Quantified scenarios analysis of drivers and impacts of changing flood risk in England and Wales: 2030-2100 Global Environmental Change Part B: Environmental Hazards. 5(3-4), 51-65
  • THORNE, C. R., 2002. Geomorphic analysis of large alluvial rivers Geomorphology. 44(3-4), 203-220
  • WALLERSTEIN, N.P., ALONSO, C.V., BENNETT, S.J. and THORNE, C.R., 2002. Variation of drag resistance of scaled large woody debris elements Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. 128(3), 349-353
  • THORNE, C.R., 2002. Brigadier R A Bagnold (1896-1990). In: MIDDLETON, G., ed., Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  • SKINNER, K.S., BIEDENHARN, D.S. and THORNE, C.R., 2002. Regional sediment management: a review of contemporary practice Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology. 2(1-4), 233-240
  • THORNE, C.R., 2002. The Physics of Sediment Transport by Wind and Water: The Contribution to Knowledge of Brigadier R A Bagnold. In: MIDDLETON, G., ed., Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  • WOOD, A. L., SIMON, A., DOWNS, P. W. and THORNE, C. R., 2001. Bank-Toe processes in incised channels: the role of apparent cohesion in the entrainment of failed bank materials Hydrological Processes. 15(1), 39-61
  • RICHARDSON, W. R. and THORNE, C. R., 2001. Multiple thread flow and channel bifurcation in a braided river: Brahmaputra-Jamuna River, Bangladesh Geomorphology. 38(3-4), 185-196
  • WALLERSTEIN, N. P., ALONSO, C. V., BENNETT, S. J. and THORNE, C. R., 2001. Distorted Froude-Scaled flume analysis of large woody debris Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 26(12), 1265-1283
  • SOAR, P.J. and THORNE, C.R., 2001. Channel Restoration Design for Meandering Rivers: Final Report ERDC/CHL CR-01-1
  • SOAR, P.J. and THORNE, C.R., 2001. Channel restoration design for meandering rivers In: Proceedings of the Seventh Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference.
  • COPELAND, R.R., MCCOMAS, D.N., THORNE, C.R., SOAR, P.J., JONAS, M.M. and FRIPP, J.B., 2001. Hydraulic Design of Stream Restoration Projects: Technical Report ERDC/CHL TR-01-28 Vicksburg: US Army Research and Development Centre.
  • BIEDENHARN, D.S., THORNE, C.R., SOAR, P.J., HEY, R.D. and WATSON, C.C., 2001. Effective discharge calculation guide International Journal of Sediment Research. 16(4), 445-459
  • NEWSON, M., THORNE, C.R. and BROOKES, A., 2001. The Management of Gravel-Bed Rivers in England and Wales: From Geomorphological Research to Strategy and Operations. In: MOSELY, M. P., ed., Gravel Bed Rivers V Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Hydrological Society. 581-606
  • NOLAN, T. J. and THORNE, C. T., 2001. Gravel-Bed Rivers 2000 Special Publication of the New Zealand Hydrological Society.
  • THORNE, C.R., SKINNER, K.S., WOOD, A., ELLIS, L. and NOLAN, T., 2001. Fluvial Audit for Rapid Geomorphological Assessment of Alluvial Rivers: Case Study of the Manuherikia River, Central Otago. In: NOLAN, T. J. and THORNE, C. R., eds., Gravel Bed Rivers 2000 New Zealand Hydrological Society.
  • DOWNS, P. W. and THORNE, C. R., 2000. Rehabilitation of a lowland river: Reconciling flood defence with habitat diversity and geomorphological sustainability Journal of Environmental Management. VOL 58(PART 4), 249-268
  • DARBY, S. E., GESSLER, D. and THORNE, C. R., 2000. Computer Program for Stability Analysis of Steep, Cohesive Riverbanks Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. VOL 25(PART 2), 175-190
  • 2000. ENCARTA 2000: Various entries including 'Delta', 'Estuary', 'Flood Control' . London: Websters Multimedia. 01/01/1900 00:00:00
  • DARBY, S. E. and THORNE, C. R., 2000. A river runs through it: morphological and landowner sensitivities along the Upper Missouri River, Montana, USA Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. VOL 25(PART 1), 91-108
  • SOAR, P., THORNE, C., DOWNS, P. and COPELAND, R., 1999. Geomorphic engineering for river restoration design, to In: Wetlands Engineering and River Restoration Conference 1998, ASCE.
  • ABT, S. and THORNE, C., 1999. Debris Management Techniques at Hydraulic Structures In: Water Resources Conference. ASCE.
  • THORNE, C., 1999. Bank processes and channel evolution in the incised rivers of North-Central Mississippi. In: Incised River Channels: Processes, Forms, Engineering and Management John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK. 97-122
  • BIEDENHARN, D.S., THORNE, C.R. and WATSON, C.C., 1998. Recent morphological evolution of the Lower Mississippi River Geomorphology. 34(3-4), 227-249
  • DOWNS, P. and THORNE, C., 1998. Planning for Rehabilitation in a Flood Defence Channel: the River Idle, UK In: River Restoration '96. 96-103
  • THORNE, C.R., 1998. Stream Reconnaissance Guidebook: Geomorphological Investigation and Analysis of River Channels, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK.
  • RICHARDSON, W. R. and THORNE, C. R., 1998. Secondary Currents around Braid Bar in Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. VOL 124(NUMBER 3), 325-328
  • THORNE, C.R., 1998. Stream Reconnaissance Guidebook: Geomorphological Investigation and Analysis of River Channels, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK.
  • KNIGHT, D.K., WATSON, C.C., QUICK, M., PIZZUTO, J.E., STEVENTS, M., DIPLAS, P., THORNE, C.R. and DARBY, S.E., 1998. Task Committee (C R Thorne - Chair) on River Width Adjustment, I: Processes and Mechanisms Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. 124(9), 881-902
  • 1998. River Width Adjustment. II: Modeling - ASCE Task Committee on Hydraulics, Bank Mechanics, and Modeling of River Width Adjustment Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. VOL 124(NUMBER 9), 903-917
  • THORNE, C.R., 1998. Review of fluvial geomorphology, 1993-1998 In: Fourth International Conference on Geomorphology.
  • THORNE, C., AMARASINGHE, I., GARDINER, J., GARDINER, C., SELLIN, R., GREAVES, M. and NEWMAN, J., 1997. Bank protection using vegetation with special reference to willows In: The Robson Meeting 1997, IACR.
  • THORNE, C.R., DARBY, S.E. and GESSLER, D., 1997. Computer program for stability analysis of steep, cohesive riverbanks Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
  • WALLERSTEIN, N. P. and THORNE, C. R., 1996. Impact of in-channel organic debris on fluvial process and channel form in unstable channel environments, In: Proceedings of the Sixth Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference. 32-38
  • DOWNS, P. W. and THORNE, C. R., 1996. Design Principles and Suitability Testing for Rehabilitation in a Flood Defence Channel: the River Idle, Nottinghamshire, UK Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. VOL 8(NUMBER 1), 17-38
  • DOWNS, P. W. and THORNE, C. R., 1996. A geomorphological justification of river channel reconnaissance surveys Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, New Series. VOL 21(NUMBER 3), 455-468
  • DARBY, S. E. and THORNE, C. R., 1996. Predicting Stage-Discharge Curves in Channels with Bank Vegetation Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. VOL 122(NUMBER 10), 583-586
  • THORNE, C.R. and SOAR, P., 1996. R A Bagnold: a biography and extended bibliography Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 21, 987-991
  • DARBY, S. E., THORNE, C. R. and SIMON, A., 1996. Numerical Simulation of Widening and Bed Deformation of Straight Sand-Bed Rivers. II: Model Evaluation Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. VOL 122(NUMBER 4), 194-202
  • DARBY, S. E. and THORNE, C. R., 1996. Modelling the Sensitivity of Channel Adjustments in Destabilized Sand-bed Rivers Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. VOL 21(NUMBER 12), 1109-1126
  • DARBY, S. E. and THORNE, C. R., 1996. Development and Testing of Riverbank-Stability Analysis Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. VOL 122(NUMBER 8), 443-455
  • SOAR, P. J., THORNE, C. R., HARMAR, O. P., BIEDENHARN, D. S. and PINKARD, F., Channel Geometry Analysis of the Lower Mississippi River. In: GUPTA, A., ed., Large Rivers: Geomorphology and Management Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. (In Press.)
  • EVANS, E. P., HALL, J. W., PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C. and THORNE, C. R., Overview. In: THORNE, C. R., EVANS, E. P. and PENNING-ROWSELL, E. C., eds., Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks London: Thomas Telford. 3-12

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