12 RIVERS AND RIVER TRAINING METHODS 12.1. GENERAL Rivers have always played an important role in human development and in shaping civilisations. Primary function of a river is the conveyance of water and sediment. Besides serving as a source of water supply for domestic, irrigation, and industrial consumption, rivers have been useful in providing facilities for navigation, recreation, hydropower generation, and waste disposal. Rivers, except when flowing through well-defined narrow sections confined by high and stiff banks, have also generally caused problems of flooding, change of course, banks erosion etc.
The structure and form of rivers including plan-forms, channel geometry (i.e., cross-sectional shape of river), bed form, and profile characteristics together form what is termed river morphology. The morphology of river changes considerably on account of natural causes. Besides, changes made by man in an attempt to harness a river strongly influences behaviour of the river.
