As dunes and larger scale bed forms such as bars coexist in rivers, the question arises whether dune dynamics are influenced by interaction with the underlying bed topography. The present study aims to establish the degree in which dune characteristics in two and three dimensions are influenced by an underlying topography dominated by non-migrating bars. As a case study, a 20 km stretch in the Waal River in the Netherlands is selected, which represents a sand-bed lowland river. At this location, longitudinal training dams (LTDs) have recently been constructed to ensure sufficient navigation depth during periods with low water levels, and to reduce flood risk. By using data covering two-year-long periods before and after LTD construction, the robustness of the results is investigated. Before LTD construction, dune characteristics show large variability both spatially and temporally, with dunes being longer, lower, less steep and having a lower lee side angle when