Staff profile

My research is concerned primarily with fluvial geomorphology, sediment budgets, shallow landslides, mountain sediment systems and geocryology. Work is in progress on sediment transfer processes in upland and mountain streams in northern England. This research is closely allied to investigations of upland peat erosion. Particular emphasis is placed on the transport of peat blocks, mass movements and wind erosion of bare peat. Interest in peat mass movemnts is part of a wider interet in shallow landslides in upland areas. Current investigations into geocryology are focussed on characterising upland frost climates and process monitoring of active frost-sorted patterned ground. I have a continued interest in hydraulic modelling of braided gravel-bed rivers and geomorphological laboratory experiments. As part of a more general interest in sediment transfer and the geomorphology of coarse-bed mountain streams and upland bedrock rivers. I am involved in several longer-term projects in Colorado and New Zealand. I have served on the Executive Committee of the British Geomorphological Research Group and together with Dave Higgitt I was Joint-Chair of the BGRG Working Group on Upland Sediment Budgets. In 2000 I was made a Millennium fellow for my work on 'Understanding the Landscape of the North Pennines'.

• experimental geomorphology
• geocryology
• geomorphology of braided rivers and mountain streams
• mountain sediment systems

Authored book

• Evans, M., & Warburton, J. (2007). The Geomorphology of Upland Peat: Erosion, Form and Landscape Change. Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470798003

Chapter in book

• Warburton, J. (2021). Peat landslides. In T. Davies, & N. Rosser (Eds.), Landslide Hazards, Risks, and Disasters (165-198). (Second Edition). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-818464-6.00008-1
• Warburton, J. (2020). Peat hazards: compression and failure. In D. Giles, & J. Griffiths (Eds.), Geological hazards in the UK : their occurrence, monitoring and mitigation (243-257). The Geological Society. https://doi.org/10.1144/egsp29.9
• Harrington, L., & Warburton, J. (2018). A Snapshot in Time: The Dynamic and Ephemeral Structure of Peatland Soils. In A. Toland, J. Stratton Noller, & G. Wessolek (Eds.), Field to Palette: Dialogues on Soil and Art in the Anthropocene (199-209). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b22355
• Warburton, J. (2006). Mountain Environments. In C. Perry, & K. Taylor (Eds.), Environmental Sedimentology (32-74). Blackwell
• Warburton, J. (2004). First order streams. In A. Goudie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Geomorphology (370-372). Routledge
• Warburton, J. (2004). Contributing Areas. In A. Goudie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Geomorphology (185-188). Routledge
• Johnson, R., & Warburton, J. (2003). Regional assessment of contemporary debris flow activity in Lake District mountain catchments, north England: occurrence, scale and process. In D. Rickenmann, & G. Chen (Eds.), Debris-flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Predication and Assessment (965-976). Millpress
• Holliday, V., Higgitt, D., Warburton, J., & White, S. (2003). Reconstructing upland sediment budgets in ungauged catchments from reservoir sedimentation and rainfall records calibrated using short-term streamflow monitoring. In D. de Boer (Ed.), Erosion prediction in ungauged basins: integrating methods and techniques (59-67)
• Mills, A., Warburton, J., & Higgitt, D. (2002). Peat mass movements: a World and regional database. In T. Burt, D. Thompson, & J. Warburton (Eds.), The British Uplands: Dynamics of Change (166-167). JNCC
• Burt, T., Warburton, J., & Allison, R. (2002). Eroding upland landscapes? Past, present and future perspectives. In T. Burt, D. Thompson, & J. Warburton (Eds.), The British Uplands: Dynamics of change (60-66). JNCC
• Johnson, R., Warburton, J., & Burt, T. (2002). Torrent erosion in Lake District mountain cathments. In T. Burt, D. Thompson, & J. Warburton (Eds.), The British Uplands: Dynamics of Change (139-140). JNCC
• Danks, M., & Warburton, J. (2002). Historical river channel change - Swinhope Burn, Upper Weardale. In T. Burt, D. Thompson, & J. Warburton (Eds.), The British Uplands: Dynamics of Change (125-126). JNCC
• Higgitt, D., & Warburton, J. (2002). GPS: A tool for mapping the uplands. In T. Burt, D. Thompson, & J. Warburton (Eds.), The British Uplands: Dynamics of Change (134-135). JNCC
• Higgitt, D., Warburton, J., & Evans, M. (2001). Sediment transfer in upland environments. In D. Higgitt, & E. Lee (Eds.), Geomorphological Processes and Landscape Change: Britain in the Last 1000 years. Blackwell
• Warburton, J., Marrs, G., Macklin, M., Woodward, J., & Meldrum, E. (2001). A 300 year history of flooding in an Andean mountain river system: the Rio Alizos, Southern Bolivia. In D. Maddy, M. Macklin, & J. Woodard (Eds.), River Basin Sediment Systems: Archives of Environmental Change (297-323). Balkema
• Macklin, M., Maas, G., Warburton, J., Woodward, J., Meldrum, E., & Preston, D. (2001). Una historia de la formacion de los paisajes de Tarija. In S. Beck, N. Paniagua, & D. Preston (Eds.), Historia, Ambientey Sociedad en Tarija, Bolivia (1-7)

Conference Paper

• Johnson, R., & Warburton, J. (2006, December). Episodic discharge of coarse sediment in a mountain torrent. Presented at Sediment Dynamics and the Hydromorphology of Fluvial Systems, Dundee

Journal Article

• Dingle, E., Baynes, E., Hall, A., & Warburton, J. (2025). Erosion dynamics in carbonate bedrock channels inhibit weathering processes. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 50(5), Article e70067. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.70067
• Kincey, M., & Warburton, J. (2025). Anthropogenic legacy sediment budgets in heavily disturbed historical mining catchments. Geomorphology, 470, Article 109518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109518
• Baynes, E. R. C., Kincey, M. E., & Warburton, J. (2023). Extreme Flood Sediment Production and Export Controlled by Reach‐Scale Morphology. Geophysical Research Letters, 50(10), Article e2023GL103042. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl103042
• Davies, A., Harrault, L., Milek, K., McClymont, E., Dallimer, M., Hamilton, A., & Warburton, J. (2022). A multiproxy approach to long-term herbivore grazing dynamics in peatlands based on pollen, coprophilous fungi and faecal biomarkers. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 598, Article 111032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111032
• Kincey, M., Gerrard, C., & Warburton, J. (2022). Metals, mines and moorland: the changing lead mining landscapes of the North Pennines, UK, 1700-1948. Post-Medieval Archaeology, 56(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/00794236.2022.2058221
• Wong, J. S., Freer, J. E., Bates, P. D., Warburton, J., & Coulthard, T. J. (2021). Assessing the hydrological and geomorphic behaviour of a landscape evolution model within a limits‐of‐acceptability uncertainty analysis framework. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 46(10), 1981-2003. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5140
• Boothroyd, R. J., & Warburton, J. (2020). Spatial organisation and physical characteristics of large peat blocks in an upland fluvial peatland ecosystem. Geomorphology, 370, Article 107397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107397
• Joyce, H. M., Warburton, J., & Hardy, R. J. (2020). A catchment scale assessment of patterns and controls of historic 2D river planform adjustment. Geomorphology, 354, Article 107046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107046
• Appleby, P., Semertzidou, P., Piliposian, G., Chiverrell, R., Schillereff, D., & Warburton, J. (2019). The transport and mass balance of fallout radionuclides in Brotherswater, Cumbria (UK). Journal of Paleolimnology, 62(4), 389-407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-019-00095-z
• Davies, T., Warburton, J., & Turnbull, J. (2019). Very large convergent multi-fluted glacigenic deposits in the NW Highlands, Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 55(2), 155-165. https://doi.org/10.1144/sjg2018-003
• Chiverrell, R., Sear, D., Warburton, J., Macdonald, N., Schillereff, D., Dearing, J., Croudace, I., Brown, J., & Bradley, J. (2019). Using lake sediment archives to improve understanding of flood magnitude and frequency: recent extreme flooding in northwest UK. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 44(12), 2376-2376. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4650
• Visser, F., Woodget, A., Skellern, A., Forsey, J., Warburton, J., & Johnson, R. (2019). An evaluation of a low-cost pole aerial photography (PAP) and structure from motion (SfM) approach for topographic surveying of small rivers. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 40(24), 9321-9351. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2019.1630782
• Boothroyd, R. J., Hardy, R. J., Warburton, J., & Marjoribanks, T. I. (2019). The importance of riparian plant orientation in river flow: implications for flow structures and drag. Journal of Ecohydraulics, 3(2), 108-129. https://doi.org/10.1080/24705357.2019.1573648
• Kincey, M., Warburton, J., & Brewer, P. (2018). Contaminated sediment flux from eroding abandoned historical metal mines: Spatial and temporal variability in geomorphological drivers. Geomorphology, 319, 199-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.07.026
• Joyce, H., Hardy, R., Warburton, J., & Large, A. (2018). Sediment continuity through the upland sediment cascade: geomorphic response of an upland river to an extreme flood event. Geomorphology, 317, 45-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.05.002
• Smith, M., & Warburton, J. (2018). Microtopography of bare peat: a conceptual model and objective classification from high-resolution topographic survey data. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 43(8), 1557-1574. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4336
• Boothroyd, R., Hardy, R., Warburton, J., & Marjoribanks, T. (2017). Modeling complex flow structures and drag around a submerged plant of varied posture. Water Resources Research, 53(4), 2877-2901. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020186
• Ferguson, R., Sharma, B., Hodge, R., Hardy, R., & Warburton, J. (2017). Bed load tracer mobility in a mixed bedrock/alluvial channel. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 122(4), 807-822. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jf003946
• Kincey, M., Gerrard, C., & Warburton, J. (2017). Quantifying erosion of at risk archaeological sites using repeat terrestrial laser scanning. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 12, 405-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.02.003
• Ferguson, R., Sharma, B., Hardy, R., Hodge, R., & Warburton, J. (2017). Flow resistance and hydraulic geometry in contrasting reaches of a bedrock channel. Water Resources Research, 53(3), 2278-2293. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020233
• Perks, M., Warburton, J., Bracken, L., Reaney, S., Emery, S., & Hirst, S. (2017). Use of spatially distributed time-integrated sediment sampling networks and distributed fine sediment modelling to inform catchment management. Journal of Environmental Management, 202, 469-478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.01.045
• Perks, M., & Warburton, J. (2016). Reduced fine sediment flux and channel change in response to the managed diversion of an upland river channel. Earth Surface Dynamics, 4(3), 705-719. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-705-2016
• Boothroyd, R., Hardy, R., Warburton, J., & Marjoribanks, T. (2016). The importance of accurately representing submerged vegetation morphology in the numerical prediction of complex river flow. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 41(4), 567-576. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3871
• Hopkins, J., & Warburton, J. (2015). Local perception of infrequent, extreme upland flash flooding: prisoners of experience?. Disasters, 39(3), 546-569. https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12120
• Johnson, R., & Warburton, J. (2015). Sediment erosion dynamics of a gullied debris slide: a medium-term record. CATENA, 127, 152-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2014.12.018
• Black, M., Carbonneau, P., Church, M., & Warburton, J. (2014). Mapping sub-pixel fluvial grain sizes with hyperspatial imagery. Sedimentology, 61(3), 691-711. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12072
• Perks, M., Warburton, J., & Bracken, L. (2013). Critical assessment and validation of a time-integrating fluvial suspended sediment sampler. Hydrological Processes, 28(17), 4795-4807. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.9985
• Warburton, J., & Evans, M. (2011). Geomorphic, sedimentary, and potential palaeoenvironmental significance of peat blocks in alluvial river systems. Geomorphology, 130(3-4), 101-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.12.005
• Johnson, R., Warburton, J., Mills, A., & Winter, C. (2010). Evaluating the significance of event and post-event sediment dynamics in a first order tributary using multiple sediment budgets. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 92(2), 189-209. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2010.00389.x
• Beylich, A., Lamoureux, S., Decaulne, A., Dixon, J., Orwin, J., Otto, J., Overeem, I., SÆmundson, Þ., Warburton, J., & Zwolinski, Z. (2010). Sedimentary fluxes and budgets in changing cold environments: the global IAG/AIG sediment budgets in cold environments (SEDIBUD) programme. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 92(2), 151-153. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2010.00386.x
• Worrall, F., Burt, T., Rowson, J., Warburton, J., & Adamson, J. (2009). The multi-annual carbon budget of a peat-covered catchment. Science of the Total Environment, 407(13), 4084-4094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.03.008
• Milledge, D., Lane, S., & Warburton, J. (2009). Optimisation of stereo-matching algorithms using extant DEM data. Photogrammetric engineering and remote sensing, 75(3), 323-333. https://doi.org/10.14358/pers.75.3.323
• Wishart, D., Warburton, J., & Bracken, L. (2008). Gravel extraction and planform change in a wandering gravel-bed river: The River Wear, Northern England. Geomorphology, 94(1-2), 131-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.05.003
• Dykes, A., Warburton, J., Nichol, D., Doherty, G., & Scott, M. (2008). Discussion of "A5 Llyn Ogwen peatslide, Capel Curig, North Wales" by D. Nichol, G.K. Doherty & M.J. Scott, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 40, 293–299. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 41.(1), 123-126. https://doi.org/10.1144/1470-9236/07-068
• Cox, N., Warburton, J., Armstrong, A., & Holliday, V. (2008). Fitting concentration and load rating curves with generalised linear models. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1523
• Dykes, A., & Warburton, J. (2008). Failure of peat-covered hillslopes at Dooncarton Mountain, Co. Mayo, Ireland: Analysis of topographic and geotechnical factors. CATENA, 72(1), 129-145
• Holliday, V., Warburton, J., & Higgitt, D. (2008). Historic and contemporary sediment transfer in an upland Pennine catchment, UK. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(14), 2139-2155. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1660
• Johnson, R., Warburton, J., & Mills, A. (2008). Hillslope-channel sediment transfer in a slope failure event: Wet Swine Gill, Lake District, northern England. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(3), 394-413. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1563
• Crowe, S., & Warburton, J. (2007). Significance of large peat blocks for river channel habitat and stream organic budgets. Mires and Peat, 2, 1-15
• Dykes, A., & Warburton, J. (2007). Significance of geomorphological and subsurface drainage controls on failures of peat-covered hillslopes triggered by extreme rainfall. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 32, 1841-1862. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1499
• Foulds, S., & Warburton, J. (2007). Significance of wind-driven rain (wind-splash) in the erosion of blanket peat. Geomorphology, 83, 183-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.07.001
• Dykes, A., & Warburton, J. (2007). Mass movements in peat: A formal classification scheme. Geomorphology, 86, 73-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.08.009
• Warburton, J. (2007). Sediment budgets and rates of sediment transfer across cold environments in Europe: a commentary. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 89, 95-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2007.00310.x
• Warburton, J., Beylich, A., Etienne, S., Etzemuller, B., Gordeev, V., Kayhko, J., Rachold, V., Russell, A., Schmidt, H.-H., Saemundsson, P., & Tweed, F. (2007). Editorial Sediment budgets and rates of sediment transfer across cold environments in Europe: introduction and background to the European Science Foundation (ESF) Network - Sedimenary Source-to-Sink-Fluxes in Cold Environments (SEDIFLUX). Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 89(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2007.00303.x
• Foulds, S., & Warburton, J. (2007). Wind erosion of blanket peat during a short period of surface desiccation (North Pennines, Norhtern England). Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 32, 481-488. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1422
• Evans, M., Warburton, J., & Yang, J. (2006). Eroding blanket peat catchments: Global and local implications of upland organic sediment budgets. Geomorphology, 79(1-2), 45-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2005.09.015
• Beylich, A., Etienne, S., Etxelmüler, B., Gordeev, V., Käyhkö, J., Rachold, V., Russell, A., Schmidt, K.-H., Sæmundsson, þ., Tweed, F., & Warburton, J. (2006). The European Science Foundation (ESF) Network SEDIFLUX - An introduction and overview. Geomorphology, 80(1-2 (Special Issue)), 3-7
• Johnson, R., & Warburton, J. (2006). Variability in sediment supply, transfer and deposition in an upland torrent system: Iron Crag, Lake District, Northern England. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 31, 844-861
• Oakley, R., Green, M., Carling, P., Lee, M., Sear, D., & Warburton, J. (2005). Grain-shape analysis - a new method of determining representative particle shapes for populations of natural grains. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 75, 1065-1073
• Evans, M., & Warburton, J. (2005). Sediment budget for an eroding peat-moorland catchment in northern England. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 30, 557-577
• Beylich, A., Etienne, S., Etxelmüler, B., Gordeev, V., Käyhkö, J., Rachold, V., Russell, A., Schmidt, K.-H., Sæmundsson, þ., Tweed, F., & Warburton, J. (2005). Sedimentary Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Cold Environments - Information on the European Science Foundation (ESF) Network SEDIFLUX
• Warburton, J., Holden, J., & Mills, A. (2004). Hydrological controls of surficial mass movements in peat. Earth-Science Reviews, 67(1-2), 139-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2004.03.003
• Worrall, F., Reed, M., Warburton, J., & Burt, T. (2003). Carbon budget for a British upland peat catchment. Science of the Total Environment, 312(1-3), 133-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0048-9697%2803%2900226-2
• Warburton, J. (2003). Wind-splash erosion of bare peat on UK upland moorlands. CATENA, 52(3-4), 191-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0341-8162%2803%2900014-6
• Warburton, J., Higgitt, D., & Mills, A. (2003). Anatomy of a Pennine peat slide, Northern England. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 28(5), 457-473
• Warburton, J., Evans, M., & Johnson, R. (2003). Discussion - 'The extent of soil erosion in Upland England and Wales'. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 28(2), 219-223
• Worrall, F., Burt, T., Jaeban, R., Warburton, J., & Shedden, R. (2002). Release of dissolved organic carbon from upland peat. Hydrological Processes, 16(17), 3487-3504. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1111
• Warburton, J., Danks, M., & Wishart, D. (2002). Stability of an upland gravel-bed stream, Swinhope Burn, Northern England. CATENA, 49(4), 309-329. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0341-8162%2802%2900046-2
• Johnson, R., & Warburton, J. (2002). Flooding and geomorphic impacts in a mountain torrent: Raise Beck, Central Lake District, England. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 27(9), 945-969
• Johnson, R., & Warburton, J. (2002). Annual sediment budget of a UK mountain torrent. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 84(2), 73-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0459.00162
• Evans, M., & Warburton, J. (2001). Transport and dispersal of organic debris (peat blocks) in upland fluvial systems. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 26(10), 1087-1102
• Wishart, D., & Warburton, J. (2001). An assessment of blanket mire degradation and peatland gully development in the Cheviot Hills, Northumberland. Scottish Geographical Journal, 117(3), 185-206

Report

• Beylich, A., & Warburton, J. (2007). Analysis of Source-to-Sink-Fluxes and Sediment Budgets in Changing High-Latitude and High-Altitude Cold Environments: SEDIFLUX Manual. [No known commissioning body]
• Burt, T., Thompson, D., & Warburton, J. (2002). The British Uplands: Dynamics of Change. JNCC Report 319. [No known commissioning body]