I am in search of latest topics in the field of Open Channel Flow and Hydraulics for my research work. Your suggestions in this regard shall be highly appreciated.
It depends on your favorite topics in the open channel flow and the hydraulic.
Anyway, I suggest you working on fluid dynamic simulation in complex flow or working on CFD modelling of turbulent flow over rough surfaces, of turbulence modulation in multiphase flow.
Everything depends on what you understand under "burning problem" term - if the latter refers to applied hydraulics, multiphasic flows are of great industrial importance. If you search for an equivalent of Riemann hypothesis in theoretical hydraulics turn rather to complex water-energy nexus problems. You may find lists of such problmes on the Web.
Dam wall break type open chanel flow on upwards gently sloping bed will be very important in the tsunami research. According to tsunami shoaling theory you can understand and calculate different type tsunami onshore flows up to run-up heigth. To calculate hydrostatic and hydrodymamic forces for shoreline buildings and structures are important in the future safe design.