River ice processes – half-century of research progress

In cold and temperate regions, the wintertime operation of river systems is a key element in river management. River ice research has largely been driven by engineering and environmental problems of importance in society. With advancements in research over the fifty-plus years since the first IAHR Ice Symposium in Reykjavik, river ice has evolved into a mature field in hydraulic engineering. This paper will review the developments in river ice research over the last half-century, encompassing topics such as ice hydraulics, freeze-up, breakup, ice jam flooding, reservoirs, sediment transport, mathematical modelling, water quality, and emerging issues related to climate change impacts, including channel morphology in permafrost areas, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and glacial mass reductions.