My research covers a wide range of topics in geomorphology and hydrology such as landscape evolution, the interaction between hill-slopes and channels, channel stability and morphology, river sediment transport and sediment yield, stream ecology, in-channel wood dynamics, and modeling fine sediments and their interactions with stream physical and biological characteristics.

I have worked on fundamental processes involving flow and sediment transport and contributed to the advancement of river science at various scales, from sediment grains to watersheds, and in fields outside fluvial geomorphology such as urban hydrology, hyporheic flow, desert floods, water quality, and water resources.

Model development has been a very important component of my research, with considerable experimental flume work used to complement field data.

2025

Hassan, M. A., T. Xing, C. Mcdowell, K. J. Pierce, M. Turley, S. Leader‐Cole, and E. Viparelli. 2025. Vertical Sorting of Bed Material in Gravel‐Bed Streams‐‐ Insights From Long‐Term Observations in East Creek, British Columbia. Water Resources Research 61(10). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1029/2025wr041119.

Hassan, M. A., T. Xing,  and S. Leader‐Cole. 2025. Experimental Data on Vertical sorting of bed material in gravel-bed streams– Insights from long-term observations in East Creek, British
Columbia [Data set]. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.15447442

Lei, Y., M. A. Hassan, G. Rosatti, L. Fraccarollo, D. Zugliani, X. Fu, and C. Hu. 2025. Back-analysis of the 2000 Yigong dam breach flood morphodynamics: Challenges and promises. Geomorphology 472. Elsevier: 109588. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109588.

Papangelakis, E., T. Raso, M. A. Hassan, B. Macvicar, and P. Ashmore. 2025. Sediment dynamics of watershed urbanization and river restoration: Insights from 10 years of research in small gravel‐bed rivers. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 50(1). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/esp.6047.

Luo, Y. Q., M. Z. Xu, X. D. Zhou, F. K. Lei, M. A. Hassan, and X. D. Fu. 2025. Potential benefits to the endemic fish habitat in the highland deeply incised high-energy river responding to hydropower development. Journal of environmental management 376. Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd: 124498. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124498.

Li, Y., C. Zhang, P. Cui, M. Hassan, Z. Duan, S. Bhattacharyya, S. Yao, and Y. Zhao. 2025. Flash Flood Regionalization for the Hengduan Mountains Region, China, Combining GNN and SHAP Methods. Remote Sensing 17(6). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (Mdpi): 946. doi: 10.3390/rs17060946.

Adams, D. L., M. A. Hassan, and S. Davidson. 2025. The unrepeatable river: Exploring chaotic variability in laboratory channels. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 50(3). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/esp.70027.

Bhattacharyya, S., M. A. Hassan, S. Sreekesh, and V. Choudhary. 2025. How well do the reanalysis datasets capture hot and cold extremes and their trends in India? Atmospheric Research 321. Elsevier: 108073. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108073.

Sharma, A. P., X. Fu, G. R. Kattel, T. R. Adhikari, and M. A. Hassan. 2025. Appraising flood risk and inundation extent using GIS-aided 2D hydraulic modeling in Nepal Himalaya: a case of West Rapti River Basin. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment 11(3). Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/s40808-025-02356-5.

Li, Y., Zhang, C., and Hassan, M.A. (2025). Quantifying the impact of the inducing factors of flash flood across the Hengduan Mountains region, China. 41st IAHR World Congress, 22-27 June 2025, Singapore (three pages).

Fu, H., Y. Shan, M. A. Hassan, K. Yang, and C. Liu. 2025. Stage–discharge relationships in vegetated channels with overbank floods. Journal of Hydrology 661. Elsevier: 133671. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133671.

Schwindt, S., M. A. Hassan, N. Henning, and T. Schnellbach. 2025. Meta-Analysis of Bedload Transport Measurements. In , 2028–2032. association for hydro environment engineering research. doi: 10.64697/978-90-835589-7-4_41wc-p2117-cd.

Al‐Ghorani, N. G., K. Pearson, L. Mueller, L. Burge, D. Luzi, M. A. Hassan, and E. Papangelakis. 2025. Evaluating the Impact of Sediment Seeding Strategies in Pool‐Riffle Restoration: Experimental Insights Into Hydraulic and Spawning Habitat Performance. Water Resources Research 61(8). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1029/2025wr040021.

Zhang, C., W. Li, and M. A. Hassan. 2025. Can through-water Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry characterize topographic statistics of gravel-bed surfaces? Geomorphology 491. Elsevier: 110045. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110045.

2024

Chen, X., T. Wang, J. Wang, H. Ma, M. Hassan, and X. Fu. 2024. A unified flow resistance formula for open-channels with natural and engineered submerged obstacles. wiley. doi: 10.22541/essoar.173082770.09102418/v1.

McDowell, C. and M.A. Hassan. 2024. Response of a small, forested stream to a large input of sediment. Geomorphology 447 109002. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2023.109002.

Zhang, Y., P. Wang, M. A. Hassan, Z. Wu, and J. Cheng. 2024. Drag Coefficient of Emergent Vegetation in a Shallow Nonuniform Flow Over a Mobile Sand Bed. Water Resources Research 60(5). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1029/2023wr036535.

Hassan, M. A., S. Bird, D. A. Reid, C. Mcdowell, D. Hogan, and M. Turley. 2024. A conceptual model on the influence of logjam formation on longitudinal and lateral sediment dynamics in forested streams. Geomorphology 458. Elsevier: 109260. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109260.

Hassan, M. A., S. M. Chartrand, and J. K. Pierce. 2024. Sediment Storage and Fluvial Sediment Transport Linkages Across an Experimental Flood Sequence. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 129(9). Amer Geophysical Union. doi: 10.1029/2024jf007772.

Yadav, A., M. A. Hassan, L. Mao, and S. Sen. 2024. Estimation of bed material transport in gravel‐bed streams using the virtual velocity approach: Insights from the North‐Western Himalayas, India. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 49(11). Wiley-Blackwell: 3367–3382. doi: 10.1002/esp.5910.

An, C., M. P. Lamb, J. G. Venditti, G. Parker, M. A. Hassan, X. Fu, and H. Miwa. 2024. Autogenic Formation of Bimodal Grain Size Distributions in Rivers and Its Contribution to Gravel‐Sand Transitions. Geophysical Research Letters 51(17). Amer Geophysical Union. doi: 10.1029/2024gl109109.

Al‐Ghorani, N. G., M. A. Hassan, and C. Mcdowell. 2024. Evaluating the Effect of Morphologic Units on Fractional Sediment Mobility and Bedload Transport in a Small Pool‐Riffle Reach. Water Resources Research 60(7). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1029/2024wr037348.

Hassan, M. A., G. Parker, Y. Hassan, C. An, X. Fu, and J. G. Venditti. 2024. The roles of geometry and viscosity in the mobilization of coarse sediment by finer sediment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121(38). National Academy of Sciences. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2409436121.

Peng, J., M. A. Hassan, L. Wang, R. Nie, D. Chen, and G. Maniatis. 2024. Experiments on kinematic characteristics and energy dissipation in rockfall movement on a slope. Physics of Fluids 36(10). American Institute of Physics. doi: 10.1063/5.0211417.

Turley, M., A. Zimmermann, M. A. Hassan, and O. Lian. 2024. Sediment Source Partitioning and Budgeting Over Historical Timescales in a Glacierized, Mountain Catchment. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 129(10). Amer Geophysical Union. doi: 10.1029/2024jf007819.

Yadav, A., S. Sen, C. Mcdowell, M. A. Hassan, and D. N. Bradley. 2024. Longitudinal Fluvial Dispersion of Coarse Particles: Insights From Field Observations and Model Simulations. Water Resources Research 60(11). Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1029/2023wr036427.

Niazi, Y., M. A. Hassan, and A. Talebi. 2024. Evaluation of a Combined Index Based on Hydrological Model for Drought Monitoring in Central Iran. Water Resources 51(6). Pleiades Publishing: 1026–1041. doi: 10.1134/s0097807824600086.

Zhang, C., M. A. Hassan, and Y. Xu. 2024. Toward flow forces acting on a step-pool unit. Geomorphology 469. Elsevier: 109523. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109523.

Lei, Y., C. Hu, E. Viparelli, X. Fu, S. M. Chartrand, C. An, and M. A. Hassan. 2024. Theoretical Solution Linking Channel Width and Pool‐Riffle Bed Level Perturbations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 129(12). Amer Geophysical Union. doi: 10.1029/2024jf007641.

Li, W., K. Yang, C. Zhang, Y. Zhao, M. A. Hassan, D. Puhl, X. Pan, and S. Bird. 2024. A CNN-Based Framework for Automatic Extraction of High-Resolution River Bankfull Width. Remote Sensing 16(23). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (Mdpi): 4614. doi: 10.3390/rs16234614.

2023

Hassan, M. A. Li, W. Viparelli, E. An, C. and A. J. Mitchell. 2023. Influence of sediment supply timing on bedload transport and bed surface texture during a single experimental hydrograph in gravel bed rivers. Water Resources Research 59 (12). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035406

Zheng, S. An, C. Wang, H. Li, L. Wang, F. and M. A. Hassan. 2023. The migration of the erosion center downstream of the Three Gorges Dam, China, and the role played by underlying gravel layer. Water Resources Research 59 (11). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034152

Hassan, M. A. Saletti, M. McDowell, C. and W. Li. 2023. Sediment dynamics and bed stability in step-pool streams: Insights from 18 years of field observations. Water Resources Research 59 (1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032864

Lei, Y. Hassan, M. A. Viparelli, E. Chartrand, S. M. An, C. Fu, X. and C. Hu. 2023. The effect of sediment supply on pool-riffle morphology. Water Resources Research 59 (11). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035983

Chen, X. Hassan, M.A. Bird, S. Rasouli, K. and X. Fu, X. 2023. The role of previously glaciated landscapes in spatiotemporal variability of streamflow in snow-dominated watersheds: British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 49 101478. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101478.

Hassan, M. A. and W. Li. 2023. Experimental dataset for the influence of sediment feeding timing on bedload transport and surface texture during hydrograph in graver bed rivers. Figshare. doi: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22810439.v2.

Lin, Y. An, C. Zheng, S. Nie, R. Parker, G. Hassan, M. A. Czapiga, M. J. and X. Fu. 2023. Degradation of a foreland river after the Wenchuan Earthquake, China: A combined effect of weirs, sediment supply, and sediment mining. Water Resources Research 59 e2023WR035345. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035345

Schwindt, S. Negreiros, B. Mudiaga-Ojemu, B.O. Hassan, M.A. 2023. Meta-analysis of a large bedload transport rate data. Geomorphology 435: 108748. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2023.108748

Li, W. Saletti, M. Hassan, M. A. Johnson, J.P.L. Carr, J. Chui, C. and K. Yang. 2023. The influence of coarse particle abundance and spatial distribution on sediment transport and cluster evolution in steep channels under sediment-starved conditions. Catena 229, 107199. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2023.107199

Papangelakis, E. Hassan, M. A. Luzi, D. Burge, L. M. and S. Peirce. 2023. Measuring geomorphology in river assessment procedures 1: A global overview of current practices. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association 59 (6): 1342–1359. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.13146.

Papangelakis, E. Hassan, M. A. Luzi, D. Burge, L. M. and S. Peirce. 2023. Measuring geomorphology in river assessment procedures 2: Recommendations for supporting river management goals. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association 59: 1–23. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.13145

Zhang, C. Hassan, M.A. Saletti, M. Zimmermann, A.E.  Xu, M., and Z. Wang. 2023. Unit-Scale Framework for Designing Step-Pool Sequences. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering 149 (1).

Chartrand, S.M. Jellinek, A.M. Hassan, M.A. and C. Ferrer-Boix. 2023. Coupling between downstream variations of channel width and local pool–riffle bed topography. Earth Surface Dynamics 11 (1): 1–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1-2023.

Church, M. and M. A. Hassan. 2023. The fluvial grain‐size gap: Experimental confirmation of hydraulic origin. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 1-10. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5562

Lin, Y. An, C. Czapiga, M. Hassan, M. Parker, G. and X. Fu. Morphodynamics of the Shi-ting River after Wenchuan Earthquake: Effects of in-channel weirs and fine sediment supply on river incision. EGU23 16582. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-16582

Turley, M. and M. Hassan. 2023. Spatial patterns of disconnectivity explain catchment-scale sediment dynamics and transfer efficiencies. Authorea. doi:10.22541/essoar.167690098.82781488/v1

Wlodarczyk, K. Hassan, M. A. and M. Church. 2023. Annual and decadal net morphological displacement of a small gravel-bed channel. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 48: 1630–1645. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5572.

 2022

Zhu, L., D. Chen, M. Hassan, and J. G. Venditti. 2022. The influence of riparian vegetation on the sinuosity and lateral stability of meandering channels. Geophysical Research Letters 49 (2). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096346.

Zhang, C. Xu, Y. Hassan, M.A. Xu, M. and P. He. 2022. A combined approach of experimental and numerical modeling for 3D hydraulic features of a step-pool unit. Earth Surface Dynamics 10: 1253–1272. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1253-2022

Chen, X. Hassan, M.A. and X. Fu. 2022. Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset. Earth Surface Dynamics 10: 349–366. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-349-2022

An, C. Fang, H. Zhang, l. Su, X. Fu, X. Huang, H. Parker, G. Hassan, M. A. Meghan, N.A. Anders, A. M. and G. Wang, G. 2022. Poyang and Dongting Lakes, Yangtze River: tributary lakes blocked by main-stem aggradation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119 (30). doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2101384119

Hassan, M. A. Chartrand, S. M. Radić,V. Ferrer-Boix, C. Buckrell, E. and C. McDowell. 2022. Experiments on the sediment transport along pool-riffle unit. Water Resources Research 58. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032796

Al-Ghorani, N.G. Hassan, M.A. Langendoen, E.J. 2022. Reach-scale morphodynamics: insights from 20 years of observations and model simulations. Geomorphology 41.

Pierce, J.K. Hassan, M.A. and R. M. L Ferreira. 2022. Probabilistic description of bedload fluxes from the aggregate dynamics of individual grains, Earth Surface Dynamics 10: 817–832.  doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-817-2022

Wang, J. Hassan, M.A. Saletti, M. Yang, X. Zhou, H. and J. Zhou. 2022. Experimental study on the mitigation effects of deflection walls on debris flow hazards at the confluence of tributary and main river, Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment 81 (9): 354. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-022-02850-5

Zhang, C. Sun, A. Hassan, M.A. and C. Qin. 2022. Assessing Through-Water Structure-from-Motion Photogrammetry in Gravel-Bed Rivers under Controlled Conditions. Remote Sens, 14, 5351. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14215351

Zhu, L. Chen, D. Hassan, M. A. and J. G. Venditti. 2022. The influence of riparian vegetation on the sinuosity and lateral stability of meandering channels. Geophysical Research Letters 49. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096346

Reid, D.A. Hassan, M.A. and R. McCleary. 2022. Glacial landscape configuration influences channel response to Flooding. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 47 (1): 209–227. doi: 10.1002/esp.5240.

2021

Hassan, M. A. RadiĆ, V. Buckrell, E. Chartrand, S. M. and C. Mcdowell. 2021. Pool-Riffle Adjustment Due to Changes in Flow and Sediment Supply. Water Resources Research 57(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028048

An, C. Gong, Z. Naito, K. Parker, G. Hassan, M. A. Ma, H. and X, Fu. 2021. Grain Size-Specific Engelund-Hansen Type Relation for Bed Material Load in Sand-Bed Rivers, With Application to the Mississippi River. Water Resources Research 57(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR027517

Reid, D. A. Hassan, M. A. and R. McCleary. 2021. Glacial landscape configuration influences channel response to Flooding. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 47: 209–227. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5240

Al-Ghorani, N. G. Hassan, M. A. and E. J. Langendoen. 2021. Spatiotemporal patterns of fractional suspended sediment dynamics in small watersheds. Water Resources Research 57(11). doi:  https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030851

An, C. Hassan, M. A. Ferrer-Boix, C. and X. Fu. 2021.Effect of stress history on sediment transport and channel adjustment in graded gravel-bed rivers. Earth Surface Dynamics 9 (2): 333– 350. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-333-2021.

Juez, C. Garijo, N. Hassan, M. A. and E. Nadal-Romero. 2021. Intraseasonal-to- interannual analysis of discharge and suspended sediment concentration time-series of the Upper Changjiang (Yangtze River). Water Resources Research 57 (8). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR029457.

Wang, J. Hassan, M. A. Saletti, M. Chen, X. Fu, X. Zhou, H. and X. Yang. 2021. On how episodic sediment supply influences the evolution of channel morphology, bedload transport and channel stability in an experimental step-pool channel. Water Resources Research 57 (7). doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR029133.

Luzi, D. Hassan, M. A. Papangelakis, E. and B. Eaton. 2021. Cycles of aggradation and degradation in gravel-bed rivers mediated by sediment storage and morphologic evolution. Geomorphology 395 (11). doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.108001

McDowell, C. Gaeuman, D. and M. A. Hassan. 2021. Linkages between bedload displacements and topographic change. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 46 (15): 3127–3142. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5221

Terweh, S. Hassan, M. A. Mao, L. Schrott, L. and T. O. Hoffmann. 2021. Bio-climate affects hillslope and fluvial sediment grain size along the Chilean Coastal Cordillera. Geomorphology 384. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107700

Turley, M. Hassan, M. A. and O. Slaymaker. 2021. Quantifying sediment connectivity: Moving toward a holistic assessment through a mixed methods approach. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 46 (12): 2501–2519. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5191

Wang, J. Hassan, M. A. Saletti, M. Chen, X. Fu, X. Zhou, H. and X. Yang. 2021. Experimental insights into the effect of event sequencing and sediment input texture on step-pool channel evolution. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 47 (2): 569-581. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5272