Researchers

Earth sciences / DES WALLING, DESMOND E.

d.e.walling

Position

Department of Geography, School of Geography & Archaeology, University of Exeter, Devon, UK.

Research interests

Des Walling’s research interests lie in the field of hydrology and fluvial geomorphology. He has a particular interest in erosion and sediment yield, catchment sediment budgets, sediment tracing, water quality and diffuse source pollution and catchment management.

Des Walling’s main research activity currently focuses on land erosion and the suspended sediment loads of rivers, catchment sediment budgets and sediment-related environmental problems. Work in this area is being undertaken in local catchments in the Exe basin, in other areas of the UK and overseas. In addition, this interest extends to world rivers more generally and to global patterns of erosion and sediment yield and their recent response to environmental change. Catchment studies have focused on establishing sediment budgets and quantifying sediment sources, sinks and outputs. This work has necessitated the development of specialised field instrumentation and measurement techniques and particular emphasis has been placed on the use of environmental radionuclides (i.e. Caesium-137, Lead-210 and Beryllium-7) as sediment tracers. Exeter has one of the best equipped gamma spectrometry laboratories for environmental measurements in the world (15 HPGe detectors) and is in the forefront of developing the application of environmental radionuclides to quantifying erosion and deposition rates in catchments, to establishing overbank deposition rates on river floodplains and to fingerprinting suspended sediment sources. Such information is central to the establishment of catchment sediment budgets.

Recent and current research has attracted substantial funding from a number of sources including NERC, MAFF, DEFRA, DFID, the Environment Agency, Raleigh International and the European Union. NERC funding has included involvement in the LOIS, Environmental Diagnostics and LOCAR Community Programmes. Close collaborative links are maintained with researchers in China, Poland, Russia, Spain, Italy, Norway, Chile and Brazil.

Prizes and awards

2007 International Hydrology Prize

2007 Linton Award of the British Society for Geomorphology

2000 Victoria Medal of the Royal Geographical Society of London for ‘Outstanding Contributions to Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology’

1995 President's Prize of the British Hydrological Society

1990 Vollenweider Award of Environment Canada

He is a past President of the International Commission on Continental Erosion (ICCE) and the International Association of Sediment Water Science (IASWS) and he is currently President of the World Association for Sediment and Erosion Research (WASER) and Honorary President of the International Commission on Continental Erosion. He is a member of the River Basin Science cluster within the Environmental Processes and Change Research Group.

Publications

Books

Walling, D.E. and Horowitz, A. (Eds.) (2005) Sediment Budgets 1 – Proceedings International Symposium on Sediment Budgets, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, April 2005. International Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication no. 291, IAHS Press, Wallingford, UK, 366p.

Horowitz, A. J. and Walling, D.E. (Eds.) (2005) Sediment Budgets 2 – Proceedings International Symposium on Sediment Budgets, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, April 2005. International Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication no. 292, IAHS Press, Wallingford, UK, 342p.

Golosov, V., Belyaev, V. and Walling, D.E. (Eds.) (2004) Sediment Transfer through the Fluvial System. International Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication no.283. IAHS Press, Wallingford, viii + 238 pp.

Bogen, J., Fergus, T. and Walling, D.E. (Eds.) (2003) Erosion and Sediment Transport Measurement in Rivers: Technological and Methodological Advances. International Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication no.283. IAHS Press, Wallingford, viii + 238 pp.

Summer, W. and Walling, D.E. (Eds.) (2002) Modelling Soil Erosion, Sediment Transport and Sediment Yield. UNESCO International Hydrological Programme Technical Documents in Hydrology no. 60. UNESCO, Paris, iii +264pp.

Huntley, D., Leeks, G.J.L. and Walling, D.E. (Eds.) (2001) Land-Ocean Interaction: Measuring and Modelling Fluxes from River Basins to Coastal Seas. IWA, London, 300pp.

Papers in Refereed Journals:

Sepúlveda, A., Schuller, P. and Walling, D.E. (2007). Use of 7Be to document erosion associated with a short period of extreme rainfall. J. Environmental Radioactivity. doi:10.1016-j.jenvrad.2007.06.010

Zheng, J-J., He, X., Walling, D.E., Zhang, X., Flanagan, D. and Qi, Y-Q. (2007). Assessing Soil Erosion Rates on manually-tilled hillslopes in the Sichuan hilly basing using 137Cs and 210Pb ex measurements. Pedosphere 17(3), 273-283.

Porto, P., Walling, D.E., Callegari, G and Catona, F. (2006). Using fallout lead-210 measurements to estimate soil erosion in three small catchments in southern Italy. Water, Air and Soil Pollution: Focus 6, 657-667.

Petticrew, E.L., Krein, A. and Walling, D.E. (2007) Evaluating fine sediment mobilization and storage in a gravel-bed river system using reservoir controlled releases.Hydrological Processes 21 (2), 198-210.

Heywood, M.J.T and Walling, D.E. (2007) The sedimentation of salmonid spawning gravels in the Hampshire Avon catchment, UK: implications for the dissolved oxygen content of intragravel water and embryo survival. Hydrological Processes 21 (6), 770-788.

Schuller, P., Walling, D.E., Sepulveda, A., Castillo, A. and Pino, I. (2007) Changes in soil erosion associated with the shift from conventional tillage to a no-tillage system, documented using Cs-137 measurements. Soil and Tillage Research 94 (1), 183-192.

Collins, A.L. and Walling, D.E. (2007) Fine-grained bed sediment storage within the main channel systems of the Frome and Piddle catchments, Dorset, UK. Hydrological Processes 21 (11), 1449-1459.

Collins, A.L. and Walling, D.E. (2007) The storage and provenance of fine sediment on the channel bed of two contrasting lowland permeable catchments, UK . River Research and Applications 23 (4), 429-450.

Williams, N. D., Walling, D.E. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2007) High temporal resolution in situ measurement of the effective particle size characteristics of fluvial suspended sediment . Water Research 41 (5), 1081-1093.

Hasholt, B., Bobrovitskaya, N., Bogen, J., McNamara, J., Mernild, S.H., Milburn, D. and Walling, D.E. (2006) Sediment transport to the Arctic Ocean. Nordic Hydrology 37 (4-5), 413-432.

Ballantine, D.J., Walling, D.E., Collins, A.L. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2006) Phosphorus storage in fine channel bed sediments. Water Air Soil Pollut Focus, 6, (5-6), 371-380

Walling, D.E ., Collins, A.L., Jones, P.A., Leeks, G.J.L. and Old, G. (2006) Establishing fine-grained sediment budgets for the Pang and Lambourn LOCAR catchments, UK. J. Hydrology 330, 126-141.

Carter, J ., Walling, D.E., Owens, P.N. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2006) Spatial and temporal variability in the concentration and speciation of metals in suspended sediment transported by the River Aire, Yorkshire, UK. Hydrological Processes 20, 3007-3027.

Schuller, P., Iroume, A., Walling, D.E., Mancilla, H.B., Castillo, A. and Trumper, R.E. (2006) Use of beryllium-7 to document soil redistribution following forest harvesting operations. Journal of Environmental Quality 35 (5), 1756-1763.

Zhang, X., Qi, Y., Walling, D.E., He, X., Wen, A. and Fu, J. (2006) A preliminary assessment of the potential for using 210Pb ex measurement to estimate soil redistribution rates on cultivated slopes in the Sichuan Hilly Basin of China. Catena 68,1-9.

Yang, M-Y., Walling, D.E., Tian, J.L. and Liu, P.L. (2006) Partitioning the contributions of sheet and rill erosion using beryllium-7 and cesium-137. Soil Science Society of America Journal 70 (5) 1579-90.

Nicholas, A.P., Walling, D.E., Sweet, R.J. and Fang, D. (2006) Development and evaluation of a new catchment-scale model of floodplain sedimentation. Water Resources Research 42 (10).

Nicholas. A.P., Walling, D.E., Sweet, R.J. and Fang, D. (2006) New strategies for upscaling high resolution flow and overbank sedimentation models to quantify floodplain sediment storage at the catchment scale. Journal of Hydrology 329 (3-4), 577-594.

Walling, D.E. (2006) Human impact on land–ocean sediment transfer by the world's rivers. Geomorphology 79, 192-216.

Foster, I.D.L., Mighall, T.M., Proffitt, H., Walling, D.E. and Owens, P.N. (2006) Post-depositional Cs-137 mobility in the sediments of three shallow coastal lagoons. J. Palaeolimnology 35, 881-895l

Zhang, X., Walling, D.E., Yang, Q., He, X., Wen, Z., Qi, Y. and Fenget, M. (2006) Cs-137 budget during the period of 1960s in a small drainage basin on the Loess Plateau of China. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 86, 78-91

Haciyakupoglu, S., Ertek, T.A., Walling, D.E., Ozturk, F., Karahan, G., Erginal, A.E., Celebi, N.,Gureli, L., Kaya, H. and Akgun, H. (2006) Using caesium-137 measurements to investigate soil erosion rates in western Istanbul (NW Turkey). Catena 64, 222-231

Zhang, X. and Walling, D.E. (2005) Characterizing land surface erosion from cesium-137 profiles in lake and reservoir sediments. Journal of Environmental Quality, 34, 514-523.

Walling, D.E. (2005) Tracing suspended sediment sources in catchments and river systems. The Science of the Total Environment, 344, 159-184.

Droppo, I.G., Nackaerts, K., Walling, D.E. and Williams, N. (2005) Can flocs and water stable aggregates be differentiated within fluvial systems. Catena, 60, 1-18.

Beven, K., Heathwaite, L., Haygarth, P., Walling, D.E. , Brazier, R. and Withers, P. (2005)
On the concept of delivery of sediment and nutrients to stream channels Hydrological Processes, 19, 551-556.

Zhang, X., He, X., Wen, A.B. and Walling, D.E. (2004) Sediment source identification by using Cs-137 and Pb-210 radionuclides in a small catchment of the Hilly Sichuan Basin , China. Chinese Science Bulletin, 49, 1953-1957.

V.R. Thorndycraft, Benito, G., Walling, D.E., Sopeña, A. Sánchez-Moya, Y., Rico, M. and Casas, A. 2005 Caesium-137 dating applied to slackwater flood deposits of the Llobregat River, NE Spain. Catena, 59, 305-318.

Banis, Y.N., Bathurst, J.C. and Walling, D.E. (2004) Use of caesium-137 data to evaluate SHETRAN simulated long-term erosion patterns in arable lands, Hydrological Processes, 18, 1795-1809.

Piegay, H., Walling, D.E., Landon, N., He, Q., Liebault, F. and Petiot, R. (2004) Valley landscape, morphology and sedimentation as indicators of recent changes in sediment yield in an Alpine montane basin (The Upper Drôme in France). Catena 55, 183-212.

Collins, A.L. and Walling, D.E. (2004) Documenting catchment suspended sediment sources:.problems, approaches and prospects. Progress in Physical Geography 28, 159-196.

Schuller, P., Walling, D.E., Sepulveda, A., Trumper, R.E., Rouanet, J.L., Pino, I. and Castillo, A. (2004) Use of 137Cs to estimate changes in soil erosion rates associated with changes in soil management practices on cultivated land. Applied Radiation and Isotopes 60, 759-766

He, Q. and Walling, D.E. (2003) Testing distributed soil erosion and sediment delivery models using 137Cs measurements. Hydrological Processes, 17, 901-916.

Walling D.E. and Owens, P.N. (2003) The role of overbank floodplain sedimentation in catchment contaminant budgets. Hydrobiologia, 494, 83-91.

Walling, D.E. , Owens, P.N., Foster, I.D.L. and Lees, J.A. (2003) Changes in the fine sediment dynamics of the Ouse and Tweed basins in the UK, over the last 100-150 years. Hydrological Processes, 17, 3245-69.

Walling, D.E. , He, Q. and Whelan, P.A. (2003) Using 137Cs measurements to validate the application of the AGNPS and ANSWERS erosion and sediment yield models in two small Devon catchments. Soil and Tillage Research, 69, 27-43.

Theocharopoulos, S.P., Florou, H., Walling, D.E. , Kalantzakos, H., Christou, M., Tountas P. and Nikolaou, T. (2003) Soil erosion and deposition rates in a cultivated catchment area in central Greece, estimated using the 137Cs technique, Soil and Tillage Research, 69, 153-162.

Feng, M., Walling, D.E. , Zhang, X. and Wen, A. 2003 A study on responses of soil erosion and sediment yield to closing cultivation on sloping land in a small catchment using 137Cs technique in the Rolling Loess Plateau,China. Chinese Science Bulletin.48(19), 2093-2100

Ankers, C., Walling, D.E. and Smith, R. P. (2003) The influence of catchment characteristics on suspended sediment properties. Hydrobiologia, 494, 159-167.

Walling, D.E. , Collins, A.L. and Sichingabula, H.M. (2003) Using unsupported lead-210 measurements to investigate soil erosion and sediment delivery in a small Zambian catchment Geomorphology,52, 193-213.

Walling, D.E. and Fang, D. (2003) Recent trends in the suspended sediment loads of the world’s rivers. Global and Planetary Change, 39, 111-126.

Heywood, M. J.T. and Walling, D.E. (2003) Suspended sediment fluxes in chalk streams of the Hampshire Avon catchment, UK. Hydrobiologia, 494, 111-117.

Porto, P., Walling, D.E. , Tamburino, V. and Callegari, G. (2003) Relating Cs-137 and soil loss from cultivated land. Catena, 53, 303-326.

Walling, D.E. , Collins, A.L. and McMellin, G.K. (2003) A reconnaissance survey of the source of interstitial fine sediment recovered from salmonid spawning gravels in England and Wales Hydrobiologia, 497, 91-108.

Webb, B.W., Clack, P.D. and Walling , D.E. (2003) Water-air temperature relationships in a Devon river system and the role of flow. Hydrological Processes, 17, 3069-3084.

Porto, P. Walling, D.E. , Ferro, V. and Di Stefano, C. (2003) Validating erosion rate estimates provided by caesium-137 measurements for two small forested catchments in Calabria, Southern Italy. Land Degradation and Development, 14, 389-408.

Owens, P.N. and Walling, D.E. (2003) Temporal changes in the metal and phosphorus content of suspended sediment transported by Yorkshire rivers, UK, over the last 100 years, as recorded by overbank floodplain deposits. Hydrobiologia, 494, 185-191.

Carter, J., Owens, P.N., Walling, D.E . and Leeks, G.J.L.(2003) Fingerprinting suspended sediment sources in a large urban river system. The Science of the Total Environment, 314-316, 513-534.

Zhang, X., Walling, D.E. , Feng, M.and Wen, A. (2003) Pb-210 depth distribution in soil and conversion models for assessment of soil erosion rates from excess Pb-210 measurements. Chinese Science Bulletin, 48, 813-818.

Meharg, A.A., Wright, J., Leeks, G.J.L., Wass, P.D., Owens, P.N., Walling, D.E. and Osborn, D. (2003) PCB congener dynamics in a heavily industrialised river catchment. The Science of the Total Environment, 314-316, 439-450.

Sweet, R.J., Nicholas, A.P, Walling, D.E. and Fang, X. (2003) Morphological controls on medium-term sedimentation rates on British lowland river floodplains. Hydrobiologia,177-183.

Walling, D.E. , Owens, P.N., Carter, J., Leeks, G.J.L., Lewis, S. Meharg, A.A. and Wright, J. (2003) Storage of sediment-associated nutrients and contaminants in river channel and floodplain systems. Applied Geochemistry, 18, 195-220.

Walling, D.E. , Russell, M.A., Hodgkinson, R.A and Zhang, Y. (2002) Establishing sediment budgets for two small lowland agricultural catchments in the UK. Catena, 47, 323-353.

Blake, W.H., Walling, D.E. and He, Q. (2002) Using Cosmogenic Beryllium-7 as a tracer is sediment budget investigations. Geografiska Annaler, 84A , 89-102.

Collins, A.L. and Walling, D.E. ( 2002) Selecting fingerprint properties for discriminating potential suspended sediment sources in river basins. J. Hydrology, 261, 218-244.

Owens, P.N. and Walling, D.E. (2002) The phosphorus content of fluvial sediment in rural and industrialised river basins. Water Research, 36, 685-701.

Owens, P.N. and Walling, D.E. (2002) Changes in sediment sources and floodplain deposition rates in the catchment of the River Tweed, Scotland, over the last 100 years: The impact of climate and land use change. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 27, 403-423.

Woodward, J. C., Porter, P.R., Lowe, A.T., Walling, D.E. and Evans, A.J. (2002) Composite suspended sediment particles and flocculation in glacial meltwaters: preliminary evidence from Alpine and Himalayan basins. Hydrological Processes, 16, 1735-1744.

Collins, A.L., Walling, D.E. , Sichingabula, H. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2001) Using 137Cs measurements to quantify soil erosion and sediment redistribution for areas under different land use in the Upper Kaleya River basin, Southern Zambia. Geoderma, 104, (3-4) 193-214.

Porto, P., Walling, D.E. and Ferro. V. (2001) Validating the use of caesium-137 measurements to estimate soil erosion rates in a small drainage basin in Calabria, southern Italy. Journal of Hydrology, 248, 93-108.

Collins, A.L., Walling, D.E. Sichingabula, H.M. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2001) Suspended sediment source fingerprinting in a small tropical catchment and some management implications. Applied Geography, 21, 387-412.

Walling, D.E. , Collins, A.L., Sichingabula, H.M. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2001) Integrated assessment of catchment sediment budgets. Land Degradation and Development 12, 387-415.

Panin, A.V., Walling, D.E. and Golosov, V.N. (2001) The role of soil erosion and fluvial processes in the post-fallout redistribution of Chernobyl-derived caesium-137: a case study of the Lapki catchment, Central Russia. Geomorphology 40- 185-204.

Porto. P., Walling, D.E. and Ferro. V. (2001) Validating the use of caesium-137 measurements to estimate soil erosion rates in a small drainage basin in Calabria, southern Italy. Journal of Hydrology, 248, 93-108.

Russell, M.A., Walling, D.E. and Hodgkinson, R. (2001) Suspended sediment sources in two small lowland agricultural catchments in the UK. Journal of Hydrology 252, 1-24.

Collins, A.L., Walling, D.E. , Sichingabula, H. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2001) Using 137Cs measurements to quantify soil erosion and sediment redistribution for areas under different land use in the Upper Kaleya River basin, Southern Zambia. Geoderma 104, (3-4) 193-214.

Walling, D.E. , Russell, M.A. and Webb, B.W. (2001) Controls on the nutrient content of suspended sediment transported by British rivers. The Science of the Total Environment 266, 113-123.

Owens, P.N., Walling, D.E. , Carton, J., Meharg, A.A., Wright, J. and Leeks, G.J.L. (2001) Downstream changes in the transport and storage of sediment-associated contaminants (P, Cr and PCBs in agricultural and industrialized drainage basins. The Science of the Total Environment 266, 177-186.