ASHES investigates the dynamics of sediment transport and retention processes in rivers with vegetated areas aiming at contributing to mitigate water quality problems arising from contamination with ashes and soil exported to water bodies after wildfires. The methodology integrates field, laboratory and numerical work and targets results at three levels: hydrodynamics processes, operational instrument and societal applications. An innovative laboratory tests will allow phenomenological advances on the advection and diffusion of suspended sediments within vegetated areas. The findings of field and laboratory work will support the development of a physically based and efficient simulation tool to model the hydrodynamics and water quality of rivers with vegetated areas. This operational result will support the establishment of new design criteria to enhance water quality through sustainable solutions, configuring, at societal level, a key advance on the water quality management.