ABSTRACT
Studies of groundwater associated with geomorphic problems naturally necessitate detailed knowledge of the geology of the local subsurface. Geomorphologists, no more than geologists, can no longer take refuge in their ivory towers. Their help is needed in ensuring that all urban and regional planning is carried out safely and efficiently. This means convincing all planning authorities that knowledge of local geology, and geomorphology, is an essential prerequisite for all town and country planning, just as it is for the planning of all engineering works. Reference to the Engineering Foundation may confirm an impression that all too many geologists and geomorphologists entertain—that floodplain problems are engineering matters only. On the contrary, it is difficult to imagine any activity in which geomorphology is, or should be, more closely allied with engineering than in the protection and proper use of floodplains in urban areas.
