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Following the Bend: How to Read a River and Understand Its Nature
An engaging and thought-provoking introduction to river science
When we look at a river, either up close or while flying over a river valley, what are we really seeing? Following the Bend takes readers on a majestic journey by water to find answers, along the way shedding light on the key concepts of modern river science, from hydrology and water chemistry to stream and wetland ecology.
In this accessible and uniquely personal book, Ellen Wohl explains how to “read” a river, blending the latest science with her own personal experiences as a geologist and naturalist who has worked on rivers for more than three decades. She charts how water travels through the hydrologic cycle around the globe and downstream to distribute energy, move sediment, and shape river channels, and how living organisms adapt to life in flowing water to create vibrant river ecosystems. Wohl looks at the role of disturbances such as floods and droughts and discusses how geologists interpret the sedimentary records of past river processes. She illustrates how river networks interact with Earth’s surface and considers issues for rivers in the future, such as progressive drying, river restoration, and advocating for the legal personhood of a river to maintain its distinctive spirit, identity, and integrity.
Sharing a new understanding of how rivers function as both physical systems and ecosystems, Following the Bend enables us to observe rivers with fresh eyes and more fully appreciate the beauty, vibrancy, and complexity of our planet’s vital waterways.
When we look at a river, either up close or while flying over a river valley, what are we really seeing? Following the Bend takes readers on a majestic journey by water to find answers, along the way shedding light on the key concepts of modern river science, from hydrology and water chemistry to stream and wetland ecology.
In this accessible and uniquely personal book, Ellen Wohl explains how to “read” a river, blending the latest science with her own personal experiences as a geologist and naturalist who has worked on rivers for more than three decades. She charts how water travels through the hydrologic cycle around the globe and downstream to distribute energy, move sediment, and shape river channels, and how living organisms adapt to life in flowing water to create vibrant river ecosystems. Wohl looks at the role of disturbances such as floods and droughts and discusses how geologists interpret the sedimentary records of past river processes. She illustrates how river networks interact with Earth’s surface and considers issues for rivers in the future, such as progressive drying, river restoration, and advocating for the legal personhood of a river to maintain its distinctive spirit, identity, and integrity.
Sharing a new understanding of how rivers function as both physical systems and ecosystems, Following the Bend enables us to observe rivers with fresh eyes and more fully appreciate the beauty, vibrancy, and complexity of our planet’s vital waterways.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 9, 2025
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October 22, 2025three of the most eminent river scientists of the time: Luna Leopold, Gordon "Reds" Wolman, and John Miller.
water is a mixture of the nine possible combinations of isotopes, lighter molecules evaporate first, so 1H216O evaporates before 2H218O. In contrast, the heavier combination, 2H218O, condenses from vapor preferentially over the lighter one.
The Noah effect indicates that extreme precipitation can be very extreme indeed, even if not lasting for 40 days and 40 nights. The Joseph effect describes an observed tendency for consistent, long periods of unusually high or low precipitation (named for Joseph's prophecy to the pharaoh that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine).
Porous means there are empty spaces around individual sediment particles. Permeable means those empty spaces are sufficiently connected that water moving into a space can be forced into the next space by the pressure of more water crowding in behind.
three dimensions: longitudinal (upstream-downstream), lateral (cross-channel and channel-floodplain), and vertical (surface-subsurface).
water is a mixture of the nine possible combinations of isotopes, lighter molecules evaporate first, so 1H216O evaporates before 2H218O. In contrast, the heavier combination, 2H218O, condenses from vapor preferentially over the lighter one.
The Noah effect indicates that extreme precipitation can be very extreme indeed, even if not lasting for 40 days and 40 nights. The Joseph effect describes an observed tendency for consistent, long periods of unusually high or low precipitation (named for Joseph's prophecy to the pharaoh that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine).
Porous means there are empty spaces around individual sediment particles. Permeable means those empty spaces are sufficiently connected that water moving into a space can be forced into the next space by the pressure of more water crowding in behind.
three dimensions: longitudinal (upstream-downstream), lateral (cross-channel and channel-floodplain), and vertical (surface-subsurface).
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