Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014) and an outstanding 66% of the work of Loughborough’s academic staff who were eligible to be submitted to the REF was judged as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, compared to a national average figure of 43%. In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Doctoral College, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career. Vegetation in river channels can have a profound effect on channel conveyance capacity and the probability of overbank flooding. Aquatic vegetation introduces blockage within the channel, reducing the effective cross-sectional area of the channel available to the flow, while the vegetation leaf and stem edges also represent additional channel boundaries, exerting friction on the flow. Together, these two factors alter the local stage-discharge relationship. Stage-discharge relationships are essential for flow/flood monitoring and prediction. Therefore, it is important to have a good understanding of any potential sources of error or variability in calculations, caused by factors such as vegetation, especially during periods of high flow. Understanding the effect of vegetation on channel capacity is complicated further by the seasonal life-cycle of vegetation growth and decay, as well as the spatial heterogeneity in vegetation distribution at different points in a river network. Consequently, at present, little is known about the magnitude of these vegetation impacts and the effect on overbank flood probabilities. This PhD project aims to provide new insight into the effect of vegetation on flow in rivers and devise novel methods for the accurate prediction of flood risk. The project will involve using state-of-the-art field and numerical methods to quantify the impact of vegetation on stage-discharge relationships in river channels, and the effect on flood hazards at the catchment scale. The studentship will provide excellent opportunities for training in flow measurement, and numerical modelling and analysis (both statistical and hydraulic).