Abstract Submission: Regime theory is an empirically based analytical method that can be traced back to the 1890s and has been widely used since then for stable channel design and scour analyses. It can even be credited for the development of the concept of dominant discharge. Regime theory has had more than its share of staunch supporters as well as impassioned critics. For the past nearly 130 years polarizing opinions have never ceased nor been resolved. Further, as time has passed, inevitable misconceptions have developed. As a result, none of the original equations remain the same as they were. But who were the people that developed the arguably most used stable channel design methods in the world? Three people can be considered the founding fathers: Robert Kennedy, Edward Lindley, and Gerald Lacey. Together, these three towering figures in the field utilized observations from around the world in what was truly an international effort. Even beyond just regime theory, their collective impact on scour analysis, stable channel design, and geomorphology in general cannot be overstated. But how did they create an entirely new approach to channel analysis and design, and how did it become so well known? What is the quality of the models, or through force of personality? This paper will dive into their fascinating and dramatic history that includes both great conflict and great collaboration. In addition, this paper will revisit the original concepts and intent of the channel design by examining both the original equations and the fundamental data from which they were developed. Mistakes in the present data interpretation are revealed, and the concepts of regime theory as the authors intended will be shown.
