ABSTRACT
Forestation in rivers has been increasingly reported in Japan because it engenders several problems for river management. Clarification of river vegetation dynamics is necessary for river restoration works aimed at ecological conservation without a conflicting effect on flood control. This study proposed a numerical model for vegetation dynamics in rivers and applied it to the Ohara area in the lower Asahi River in Japan. Field observations were conducted to assess river bed and vegetation conditions during 2008-2012. The model uses a simplified concept of biology of vegetation, coupled with a shallow-water model. The parameters for this model were determined partly using the observation results. Numerical simulations were conducted for 2006-2013. The model applicability was verified using aerial photographs taken in this area in 2013 . Results show that the model performed well for river management tasks.
