The methods of open channel hydraulics, designed to calculate the capacity of canals and river channels, can be used to determine the hydraulic and hydrological characteristics of ancient river channels. Large available empirical data allows calculations of channel capacity with an accuracy of 10–15%. The same accuracy is possible for the calculation of bankfull paleochannel discharge in the conditions of correct choice of the cross-section and the reconstruction of its morphometry: altitude of floodplain edges, paleochannel width at bankfull stage, average depth and surface slope of the flow. Morphometric characteristics of ancient channels and particle size distribution of alluvial deposits are obtained by detailed coring at channel cross-sections. In modern rivers, straight channel reaches without backwater effects, flow divergence or convergence are usually selected for the calculation of discharges with Chezy formula. Given that, coring of meandering paleochannels is rational to be organized at straight insertions between two adjacent bends. These reaches correspond to shallow crosses with low longitudinal and lateral flow non-uniformity and negligible backwater effects at high water levels.
The most reliable results can be obtained for the non-deformable (slightly deformable) paleochannels. The uncertainty in the estimation of ancient discharges increases significantly for deformable paleochannels. Changes in the paleochannel cross-section shape during its conservation, the uncertainty in the determination of textural contacts in alluvium and filling deposits, errors in determining of paleochannel slope lead to an increase in the total error of a palaeo-discharge estimate. The conversion from the bankfull discharge to a discharge of another frequency (i.e. to annual or mean maximum discharge) is processed with the help of empirical equations. This reduces significantly the accuracy of the calculations, since the empirical relationships are characterized by implicit errors, which are difficult to identify and reduce. Therefore, the accuracy of the hydraulic methods for estimating the annual discharge is about the same as that of the morphometric methods (regime equations), i.e. about 30–40%.

The paper is focused at perspectives of Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) as a tool for morphometric studies. Characterized are the mathematical basics and MathCAD algorithm of one- and two-dimensional DFT when applied to topographical profiles and digital elevation models (DEMs). One-dimensional DFT allows to replace an empirical spatial series with a periodic function as a sum of waves with different frequencies and wavelengths. Amplitude of each wave describes the contribution of the corresponding frequency to the total elevation variations along the studied profile, which allows to compare different harmonics (waves of certain frequency) in terms of their importance in shaping the Earth surface. Two-dimensional DFT allows also to determine the direction of wave distribution. In an ideal fractal erosional system in which different-order thalwegs have equal ranking both by width and by depth of incision, strict decrease of harmonic amplitude with increasing spatial frequency would occur. However this feature is only rarely occurring in the real Earth surface. Consequently, the DFT method can be used for spatial classification and regionalization according to topographic patterns formally described by harmonic components of the Earth surface elevation.

One of the most important tasks of anthropogenic geomorphology is the identification of strategic linkages and sustainable interactions to determine the optimal operation and organization of anthropogenic-geomorphological systems. This is especially true for engineering-organized systems, because it is at this level of anthropogenic transformation of a landscape and underlying substrate that their development extends beyond the limits of natural processes and follows a technological scenario with predetermined parameters, but technogenic impact does not change the general direction of development. In the evaluation of complex anthropogenic-natural linkages at the regional level, it is rational to use a combination of expert and statistical methods. The proposed integrated approach that combines expert geomorphological assessment of the resource potential and cluster analysis allows to better designate man-made geomorphological systems, to analyze their organization, to differentiate these systems taking into account their suitability for different types of anthropogenic transformation, and to give recommendations for future development.
Integration of statistically defined anthropogenically transformed morpholithogenetic clusters and resource categories of land defined by expert assessments provides clear and specific guidelines for the economic development of a territory. Such recommendations are made for the territory of New Moscow, where eight categories of land with different regimes were proposed and their areal distribution justified. Application of the elaborated technique and site assessment can improve the forecasting potential for anthropogenic geomorphological systems and help to avoid both catastrophic processes and inefficient, costly situations. Both of these aspects are relevant in the present moment, in relation to the ongoing large-scale works in the area of New Moscow.

Detailed-scale mapping of gully network based on the river basin approach was carried out for the eastern part of the Russian Plain using remote sensing data. The total number of selected catchments was 4575, average catchment area – 37.5 km2. GIS map of regions with different degree of gully dissection was created based on the produced geospatial database on the gulliy density in elementary catchments. Eight types of gully dissection were recognized in the studied area. Average gully density was estimated at 0.21 km/km2, with local highs up to 2–2.3 km/km2 in some basins between the rivers Volga and Tsivil, at the right bank of the lower Kama and in the upper part of the right side of the Sviyaga River valley. Strong gully dissection (0.5–1.0 km/km2 ) is the dominating category characteristic for 28.3% of elementary catchments. More than a quarter of all the elementary catchments located in the southern taiga subzone of Udmurt Republic and forested part of Mari El Republic demonstrate the absence or sporadic occurrence of gullies.
The interpretation of repeated space and aerial images for two time intervals allowed to determine the changes of gully length in the north-western part of studied area at the end of the XX century. It was found that during the 23–25-year time interval, the total length of gully network in the Udmurt Republic decreased by 2%. Decline of gully erosion activity was observed mainly in the southern half of Udmurtia, which is marked by the higher degree of gully dissection. Rise of gully erosion exhibited by the appearance of new gullies on the previously non-eroded slopes was found in the northern part of Udmurtia and in the Kilmez’ River basin.

The paper presents the results of a complex study of the structure, age, genesis and evolution of riolkas – relatively high sand ridges found in the floodplain of River Amur (Russian Far East) and lower reaches of tributary valleys. Spatial distribution of riolkas and natural conditions of their development were assessed. Grainsize data pointed at fine-grained alluvia from channel side bars and levees as sources of material for riolka formation. It was shown that their development occurred during the epochs of more arid climate in the end of the Holocene when aeolian processes were more active than now. Present-day high aeolian forms are rather rare in the Amur region.

In the Lake Elton area characterized by arid climate, selection of priority locations for agroforestry development makes an acute problem. A set of maps was created on the base of the results of long-term fieldwork and interpretation of satellite images. These maps were used to produce a final forest amelioration map showing various combinations of geomorphological features of the territory and the availability of groundwater. Locations with favorable tree growth conditions occupy only 5% of the territory, which is insufficient for agroforestry. However, 8% of the territory is represented by shallow depressions suitable for cluster afforestation and phytomelioration. The paper describes the spatial patterns of natural depressions and provides their classification on the basis of their size.

Boris Lichkov, an outstanding scientist of the first half of the XXth century, worked successfully on a number of basic problems of Earth sciences, such as origin and evolution of deserts, epeirogenic crustal movements correlation of marine and alluvial terraces in the context of the Black Sea formation, geochronology of continental nuclea, such as the “ancient crown of Asia” by E. Suess (Baikalian orogen of Southern Siberia), glaciations and formation of great alluvial plains

Karpinski and Trollford–Kanin lineaments are located at the junction of the East European and the Western Arctic platforms. Spatial patterns of depressions and elevations in this region exhibit the deformations of morphostructures by opposite in direction lateral tectonic movements during the neotectonic epoch. The junction zone of the two platforms experienced influence from a number of geodynamic systems related to the post-glacial rebound, the opening of the Atlantic and the movements of large crustal blocks. The revealed evidences of these tectonic patterns correspond well to the conclusion about the oppositely oriented shifts along the junction zone, which may be considered as the evidence of regularity in spatial patterns of morphostructures and gives an indication of the nature of the interaction of geodynamic systems.