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Date published July 31 2020 by Barbara Neil

A good dissertation topic is the most crucial part of your dissertation writing process. Why you might ask? It is because a good dissertation topic not only helps you in achieving maximum possible marks, but it helps in establishing your dissertation’s academic credibility and gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion in your respective field. Therefore, it is immensely important for you to thrive for the best possible dissertation topic for yourself.

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Latest Water Engineering Dissertation Topics for 2022-2023

To help you in your journey of achieving academic excellence and distinctness our team of the most experienced and qualified expert writers have prepared the best free list of custom water engineering dissertation topics and water engineering dissertation ideas that you can find online.

The study aims to design efficient and effective water filtration plants to remove toxic industrial waste.

To design an innovative water filtration plant to remove industrial waste.
To evaluate the effectiveness of plants for multi-variant impurities.
To analyse the purity of water after its treatment in filtration to determine whether it is safe to use for irrigation and drinking purpose.
To analyse the design and operational cost of the filtration plant and its environmental benefits.

The study aims to understand And Examine the Risks Associated with Excess Water Production in Petroleum Operations and the Ways to Treat It.

To find the risks associated with high water production along with Hydrocarbon
To analyse the properties of produced water to design effective filtration process.
To design the process included in the treatment of produced water and their effectiveness.
To determine the quality of treated water and its possible uses.

The study aims to analyse the Impacts of Artificial Canal Water System on Natural Water Cycle with Its Possible Outcomes

To analyse the design of artificial canal water system for modern infrastructures
To analyze the environmental impact of artificial canal water system
To evaluate the possible outcomes of artificial canal system and the ways to minimise them.
To design high efficiency and environment friendly urban water distribution system.

The study aim To Design an Efficient and Effective Water Distribution System in High Rise Building

To find the major issues in the existing water distribution system of high rise building and the ways to address them.
To analyse the concept of cost-effective water distribution in high rise buildings.
To analyse the possible failure points and its impact on building structure and health and safety of the residents.
To provide the quality control measures that can prevent the leakage and corrosion problems.

The study aim to evaluate effective Water Drainage System in Urban Infrastructure By using Computational Modelling.

To evaluate the effective water drainage system for urban infrastructure by using computational modelling.
To evaluate the simulated study for the effectiveness of water drainage system under uncontrollable and controllable variables.
To analyse the sustainable water drainage system design for maximum benefits.
To determine the maintenance cost and the reliability of the system in the event of natural emergency.

The research aims to design robust pipe network system that can handle the industrial needs of manufacturing plants within economical limits.

To analyse the challenges related to the design of robust pipe network.
To evaluate the roles of robust pipe network in modern industry.
To perform the economic analysis of robust pipe network.

The study aims to assess the risk of urban flooding using twin Digital technology analyse the impact on urban communication.

To study the risks of urban flooding using twin digital technology.
To evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of hydrodynamic models from urban development and planning.
To evaluate the techniques that can help in minimizing the impact of urban flooding.

The research aims to analyse the effects of accelerated glacier melting rate on irrigation system and the ways to minimise the consequences.

To analyse the effects of accelerated glacier melting on irrigation.
To design the water irrigation system with better flood resistance.
To evaluate the possible ways to minimise the effects of accelerated glacier melting rate.
The research aims to analyse the use of polluted sewage water for the production of electricity using Bio gas and Hydro energy methods.
To evaluate the cost of energy by the sewage water electricity production process.
To evaluate the need of treatment of water before using it for energy generation.
To analyse the economic and social challenges related to the project and ways to minimise them.

The research aims to design porous concrete material to store the rainwater in urban roads.

To design the porous material for the transfer of rain water and proper way for storage.
To determine the challenges related to the application of porous concrete on urban roads and the ways to address them.
To evaluate the environmental impact for using porous concrete material.

Research Aim

This exploratory research aims to explore the impact of the dynamics of water distribution systems on water pipe leakage in a high rise building. The purpose of selecting this subject area is that currently leakage is observed to occur in all water distribution systems. However, scholars have been investigating about certain types of systems that can significantly assist in improving water leakage. Other than this, this study has emphasized on this specific subject area as very few researchers have discussed about the effects of water distribution systems on leakage of water pipes.

Research Objectives

The aim of this study can be achieved by addressing secondary objectives which are enlisted as follows;

To determine and evaluate factors accountable for substantially increased leakage exponents.
To assess leakage methods that focus on quantifying the amount of water leaked from water distribution pipe in high rise building.
To explore about the leakage control models which can significantly contribute in controlling present and future leakage levels efficiently. \
To analyze the impact of leakage on the sustainability of high rise buildings, the surrounding of such buildings, as well as, health and safety issues of population residing within those buildings.

This research is conducted to critically assess excessive urban flooding risks on traffic networks. However, this study focuses on digital twin technology to acquire crucially significant research outcomes. This subject area has been taken into consideration specifically because of the fact that the impacts of urban flooding are predicted to be increasing substantially. It is because of increased urbanization, growth of population and climate change. In addition to this, it has been observed that drainage systems in most of the urban areas are not sufficiently efficient to overcome increased volume of water gathered after rainfall. Thus, this study would thereby, emphasize on analyzing the role of digital technology in this respect.

In order to achieve the goal of this study, secondary objectives have been proposed and enlisted as follows;

To identify the stimulation of flood events on the basis of different climate change scenarios.
To evaluate the effectiveness of hydrodynamic model, digital twin and traffic model in the planning and development of urban areas.
To assess the exposure and vulnerability, in the context of mobility disruption in the current transport development plan.

This study has been proposed to carry out the analysis of fostering robust pipe network design when setting up large manufacturing plant. This study significantly focuses on the cement manufacturing factories in the United Kingdom. In the recent era, it has been observed that robustness is one of the significant component which plays significant role to meet the demands of customers. Other than this, it has been found that very few scholars have focused on the use of robustness in the management of segment isolation, as well as, detection of pipe burst. Thus, the current study focuses on these aspects with reference to cement manufacturing factories in UK.

Secondary research objectives have been proposed and enlisted below to meet the aim of this study.

To explore the aforementioned issues related to the designing of robust pipe network.
To assess the role of robust pipe network in the manufacturing of large plants.
To understand the current and future advantages and disadvantages of robust pipe network design in setting up large manufacturing plant.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to conduct the exploratory study on the benefits of cooperation in transboundary river basins. Further, this research aims to investigate that how does it make the water resource system more efficient and benefits riparian stakeholders. Within the Water Convention, cooperation is considered as one of major obligations. States are implementing the convention and preparing for accession to the benefits of cooperation that can help in enhancing the environmental sustainability, improving the human well-being, accelerating economic growth, and increasing the political stability. Cooperation aids in producing the funds for the projects in transboundary basins. It is also one of the great way of endorsing the local population.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to conduct the exploratory study on the benefits of cooperation in transboundary river basins. Secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To study the cooperation in transboundary river basins.
To evaluate the benefits of cooperation in transboundary river basins.
To investigate the benefit of the water resource system.
To evaluate the ways through which the water resource system more efficient.
To investigate the method through which the water resource system can provide benefit to the riparian stakeholders.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to critically evaluate the flood and drought assessment in a human-dominated water cycle. Further, this research aims to investigate the anomalies introduced in the water cycle due to human domination when compared to the natural cycle. There is the great role played by the water cycles on the planet. The intervention of the human within the water cycle alters the dynamic role of the water. It is seen that human has produced some variance and anomalies within the water cycle. Therefore, it is very crucial to understand these glitches and compared it with the natural water cycle. Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to critically evaluate the flood and drought assessment in a human dominated water cycle. Secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To conduct the evaluation of the flood assessment within the human dominated water cycle.
To conduct the evaluation of the drought assessment within the human dominated water cycle.
To evaluate the anomalies introduced in the water cycle due to human domination.
To evaluate the anomalies introduced in the water cycle due to natural cycle.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to study the removal of toxic and poisonous metals from synthetic waste water of industrial factories in water recycling plants. The untreated wastewaters released from the factories causes an increase of toxic pollutants within the aquatic climate as well. It is not only harmful to the aquatic climate but also for the water recycling plant. Toxic and poisonous metals are considered as one of the most dangerous contaminants present in the water and even their low concentrations can be hazardous for the health. Therefore, it is very essential to remove the toxic and poisonous metals from synthetic waste water of industrial factories in water recycling plants.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to study the removal of toxic and poisonous metals from synthetic waste water of industrial factories in water recycling plants. The secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To assess the risk of toxic and poisonous metals in to the water.
To evaluate the ways through which the toxic and poisonous metals can be removed from the synthetic waste water of industrial factories.
To understand the process of water recycling.
To evaluate either it is safe to use the recycled water from the water recycling plants.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to conduct the managerial study on the state estimation for monitoring structures during extreme loading and environmental conditions. Further, this research aims to evaluate Japan’s tsunamis of 2011. The environmental event can drastically damage the structure, therefore it is essential to assess and monitors the structures that are

subjected to these kinds of such events before and after the occurrence of potential damage.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to conduct the managerial study on the state estimation for monitoring structures during extreme loading and environmental conditions. The secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To formulate the state estimation algorithms for imaging structures subjected to extreme loading present.
To validate the algorithms by means of using experimental data from structural testing.
To assess the 3D progression of damages.
To gain an insight into the physical processes occurring within structures subject to extreme loading.
To gain an insight into the damages occur due to Japan’s tsunamis of 2011.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to study the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications for better management and effective development and upgradation of urban drainage. Computational Fluid Dynamics is considered as one of the hi-tech tools for the

Severe problems. Upgrading and developing urban drainage is one of the critical tasks, therefore it is essential to use high tech tools. CFD in this concern can help in yielding maximum benefits.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to study the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications for better management and effective development and upgradation of urban drainage. The secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To evaluate how the computational fluid dynamic can be used for management of the urban drainage.
To assess the ways through which computational fluid dynamic can develop and upgrade the urban drainage.
To visualize the 3D flow patterns of the material within the urban drainage.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to critically evaluate the flow patterns and pollutant retention in vegetated sustainable drainage system (SuDS) ponds. Sustainable urban drainage systems comprise great significance within the green infrastructure. It is essential to view the 3D flow patterns of the material within the sustainable drainage system ponds by using the computational fluid dynamic for better visualisation. Therefore, this research is conducted for efficiently evaluating the pollutant retention within the sustainable drainage ponds.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to critically evaluate the flow patterns and pollutant retention in vegetated sustainable drainage system (SuDS) ponds. Secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To gain insight into the 3D flow patterns of the material within the sustainable drainage system ponds.
To analyse the sustainable drainage system ponds.
To develop the strong CFD-modelling method to integrate better design.
To critically evaluate the pollutant retention in vegetated sustainable drainage system ponds.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to conduct the study for formulating a structure for the enhancement of runoff detention in green roofs and storm water planters. There are various methods that helps in minimising flood risks and surface water run-off in an eco-friendly manner such as sustainable drainage system . Therefore, it is essential to conduct the research on constructing structure for the enhancement of runoff detention in green roofs and storm water planters.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to conduct the study for formulating a structure for the enhancement of runoff detention in green roofs and storm water planters. Secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To construct a structure for the enhancement of runoff detention in green roofs.
To construct a structure for the enhancement of runoff detention in storm water planters.
To evaluate the benefits of the storm water planters.
To evaluate the benefits of the green roofs.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to conduct the study for optimization and characteristics of copper pickling wastewater treatment in a single reactor using bio electrode process. Further, this research aims to study how effective is this technique in removing toxic and poisonous metals. Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to conduct the study for optimization and characteristics of copper pickling wastewater treatment in a single reactor using bio electrode process. The secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To gain complete insight into the copper pickling wastewater treatment.
To understand the complete process of using bio electrode.
To evaluate optimization and characteristics of copper pickling wastewater treatment in a single reactor using bio electrode process.
To assess the effectiveness of the optimization and characteristics of copper pickling wastewater treatment in a single reactor using bio electrode process.
To evaluate either the optimization and characteristics of copper pickling wastewater treatment in a single reactor using bio electrode process is useful in removing toxic and poisonous metals or not.

Aims The aim of this study is that, to develop efficient model surrogates for water resources and subsurface containment management. The surrogate modelling is also said to be metamodeling which used from last few decades. This research reviews the efforts on the surrogates' model for the water resources because EnviroForensic/Arcient provides a comprehensive array of the surface water services and groundwater. This study investigates the contamination extent in the subsurface and evaluates the potential impact on the water supplies. The temporally and spatially variables parameters have been used with sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Objectives The objectives of this study are the following:

To analyse the model surrogates for water resources.
To analyse the model surrogates for subsurface containment management.
To develop the novel efficient model surrogates for water resources and subsurface containment water management.
To identify the water quality assessment and groundwater supply.
To analyse the reservoir quality models.
To observe the impact of the surrogate model for water resources and subsurface containment management.

Aims This study aims that the critical analysis for the modelling of geomechanical inverse and the uncertainty quantification for the natural geysers. The predictive modelling of the coupled geomechanical processes at the scale of the continuum for addressing the decision making in the area of geological carbon sequestration surface waste disposal development of the geothermal and groundwater and the reservoir engineering. The information that has been taken by developing the inverse models which merge with the response of coupled geomechanical models. These models have a large number of outputs and inputs. This research aims that avoidance saving and consumption by replacing with the quantification for natural geysers. Objectives The objectives of this study are the following:

To analyse the geomechanical inverse modelling.
To analyse the uncertainty quantification for natural geysers.
To evaluate the critical analysis of the inverse modelling of geomechanical and the uncertainty quantification for the natural geysers.

Aim The study aims that it is a systematic study for the understanding and quantifying with the associated risk subsurface fluid injection in the industry of petroleum. This study also determines the subsurface containment assurance with environmental damage, impact on the well operations and damage to the operating assets which incurred by the leakage due to injection or production of the fluids from the intended ones. Therefore, in the petroleum industry, the operations management of change and process and well operations with the associated risk of fluid subsurface injection. This process has been used at a worldwide scale for the variety of the purposes and irrespective injection target and observed a land uplift. Objectives: The objectives of this study are the following:

To understand the subsurface fluid injection.
To understand and quantify the associated risk with the subsurface fluid injection.

To critically evaluate the related risks with subsurface fluid injection in the petroleum industry

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Water Engineering Dissertation Ideas For Awe Inspiring Dissertations

Water engineering overlaps a lot of other disciplines e.g. urban engineering, structural engineering, civil engineering, manufacturing engineering to name a few. Therefore, a few water engineering dissertation topics might not be enough to cover the whole aspect of water engineering. To solve this problem our industry specialist have prepared a list of some of the best water engineering dissertation ideas that you can use to formulate best water engineering dissertation topics for yourselves.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to conduct the study on the development of an advanced dynamic risk assessment tool based on agent based modelling. Agent based model is the type computational models for interactions of autonomous agents and simulating the actions. It is helpful tool for the risk assessment. Agent based model can be used for the assessment of the flash floods. Therefore, it is essential to conduct the research on the risk assessment of the flash flood through Agent based model.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to conduct the study on the development of an advanced dynamic risk assessment tool based on agent based modelling. Secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To gain complete insight into the agent based model.
To understand the effectiveness of the agent based model.
To evaluate the development of an advanced dynamic risk assessment tool based on agent based modelling.
To perform the risk assessment of the flash flooding.

Research Aim The aim of this research is to conduct the exploratory study for understanding urban flooding using physical modelling. Physical modelling is one of the prominent tools of understanding urban flooding. Therefore, this research is conducted for evaluating the effectiveness of physical modelling.

Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to achieve the research aim that is to conduct the exploratory study for understanding urban flooding using physical modelling. The secondary objective of the research are as follows:

To evaluate urban flooding.
To understand the urban flooding using physical modelling.
To use the dual drainage hydraulic for assessment of risks associated with urban flooding.

The aim of the study to analyze the use of HYBRID ANAEROBIC BAFFLE REACTOR (HABR) for the decrease in Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and generate quality byproduct through the spent wash of molasses. The study will be the experimental condition investigation such as the concreate of the solution, pH of the solution and the NPK quantity existing in sludge for the direct use.

Objectives:

The study is to be conducted on the sugar industry wastewater treatment through HABR. The aim of the study can be achieved through secondary objectives. Therefore, the secondary objectives of the study are the following:

To study the COD content variation with the aspect of various Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT).
To study the BOD content variation with the aspect of various HRTs.
To study the Total suspended Solid (TSS) content variation with the aspect to various HRTs.
To study the pH variation in the period of treatment with aspect to various HRTs.
To obtain the optimal HRTs of the reactor.
To analyze the anaerobic digestion use as the overall solution to decrease COD and BOD.

The aim of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the groundwater and surface water treatment. The research aims to study the use of bio-coagulant for the treatment.

The primary objective of the study is to achieve the aim of the study. However, the aim can be achieved through secondary objectives. Therefore, the secondary objectives of the study are the following:

To study the concept of groundwater treatment.
To study the concept of surface water treatment.
To analyze the use of Bio-coagulant in the treatment.
To compare and contrast the difference between groundwater treatment and surface water treatment.
To analyze the characteristics of groundwater treatment.
To analyze the characteristics of surface water treatment.
To investigate how the turbidity level and the bacteriological contaminants can be reduced through natural coagulant which is locally available.
To evaluate ways for making the treatment process of water easy for the application of household.

The aim of the study is to comment and develop graphene oxide (GO) recent application as the adsorbent for the treatment of wastewater. The study aims to include a small introduction regarding adsorption data (Thermodynamics, isotherms and kinetics) and some of the major facts for the route preparation of graphene oxides (that is a magnetic material, nanocomposites etc). The categorization of the adsorbent that is prepared will also be commented with the help of the recent detail data regarding the utilisation of GO for the organic’s removal (that is antibiotics or dyes) and the wastewater heavy metals.

The primary objective of the study is to achieve the aim of the research. However, the aim of the research can be fulfilled through various secondary objectives. Therefore, the secondary objectives of the current research are the following:

To study the graphene effectiveness.
To evaluate the graphene effectiveness for the emulsified oil removal from water.
To investigate the conditions which will be best for the process of treatment.
To analyze the concept of adsorption.
To evaluate the use of adsorption.

The aim of the study is to perform a critical analysis of the usage of wastewater treatment using the reed bed lab-scale system using the australis phragmites. The research aims to represent the construction method of the root zone bed. The research aims to analyze the effectiveness of root zone bed for various contaminant removal using the treatment process of the root zone. The aim of the research is to discuss and compare the result for treated water samples and raw water.

The primary objective of the study is to achieve the aim of the research. However, the aim of the study can be achieved through secondary objectives. Therefore, the secondary objectives of the study are the following:

To study the parameters of wastewater.
To develop an understanding of the importance of root zone treatment.
To analyze the functions of phragmites australis.
To evaluate the concept of a reed bed system.
To study reed bed systems’ principles.
To study the advantage of using a reed bed.
To investigate the working and construction of reed bed.
To evaluate the kind of reed beds.

The aim of the study is to conduct a critical analysis of the treatment potential of domestic wastewater by using a constructed system of wetland. The research aims to improve the knowledge regarding the process of wastewater purification through the constructed wetlands in a humid environment. The study aims to develop the finest operation criteria and design that apply to the wetland or a similar environment.

The primary objective of the study is to achieve the aim of the study. The study aim can be achieved through secondary objectives. Therefore, the secondary objectives of the study are the following:

To determine the constructed wetland subsurface flow effectiveness for the treatment related to domestic wastewater.
To analyze the performance and processes that can be obtained in the constructed wetland with the help of species of phragmites Mauritius plants and Cyperus papyrus under various operating conditions and loading rates with the aspect to COD, TSS, BOD, pathogens and nutrients.
To analyze the macrophytes functional role that can be utilised in nutrients uptake and the capacity storage in the rooting and standing biomass.
To evaluate the performance and design of constructed wetland of household.
To suggest guidelines for construction, design, management and use of constructed wetlands on the basis of information collection on cost and processes involved.

The aim of the study is to analyze the utilization of pollution for generating electricity. The research aims to present the idea for making opportunities for hydropower from the sewage water which is treated.

Objective :

To evaluate the resource management and environmental aspect of different kinds of wastewater systems.
To determine different concepts for the choice of the system when planning a new or modifying the old wastewater system.
To study the considerations of energy in treatment plants of wastewater.
To analyze the distribution of energy in treatment plants of wastewater.
To analyze and evaluate energy performance.
To analyze methods for the consumption of energy.
To evaluate how the opportunities of hydropower can be generated through treated water of sewage.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of porous concrete for urban pavement and the harvesting of rainwater. The research aims to analyze the extent to which porous concrete might help to deal with urban flash floods.

To analyze the overall suitability for the preparation of porous pavement block on the basis of their grade, size, toughness index, angularity and compatibility.
To develop the finest size of coarse aggregate for the determined effective permeability and porosity.
To analyze the advanced characteristics like compressive strength, splitting strength and the resistance abrasion to analyze the porous concrete suitability for the pavement blocks.
To analyze the permeability and porosity of the standard in porous concrete for understanding and evaluating the rainwater harvesting and groundwater infiltration effectiveness.
To study how porous, concrete can assist with flash floods in urban areas.

The aim of the study is to conduct a systematic analysis of the treatability studies and design for cheap bio-filter in the treatment of greywater. The research aims to analyze the filter material performance in virus and bacteria removal from greywater.

The primary objective of the study is to achieve the aim of the study. However, the aim of the study can be achieved through secondary objectives. Therefore, the secondary objective of the study is the following:

To compare and contrast the efficacy of biochar, pine bark and filters of activated charcoal I the removal of viruses and bacteria from greywater.
To assess the filter performance.
To evaluate the effect of additional wastewater in the filter performance.
To review the result of using various filter material.

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There are generally three types of research topics, descriptive ones that pose a question, comparative ones that compare 2 or more phenomenons, and causal ones to find cause and effect between two factors.

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Computational Modeling of Groundwater Flow
Nanoparticle Transport in Porous Media
Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources
Efficient Use of Water Resources for Food Security
Analytical Solutions to Hydraulic Problems
Numerical Modeling of Bridge Scour
Hydraulic Instrumentation
Streambank Erosion
Complex Physical Models
Evapotranspiration
Remote Sensing of Vegetation, Land Use, and Water Consumption
Spatial Characteristics of Water Resources using Geographic Information Systems
Hydraulic Engineering Education
Multi-criteria Decision Making
Stormwater Quality Modeling

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Agricultural Crop Classification
Bridge hydraulics
Climate change impact studies
Crop Yield Prediction
Data assimilation and analysis
Decision making, optimization, fuzzy set theory
Design of hydraulic structures
Drought Analysis and Risk Assessment
GIS/RS modeling and application in hydrology and water resources
Hydrometeorology/hydroclimatology
Hydrosystems reliability and risk assessment
Land Cover Classification
Modeling for numerical weather prediction and climate prediction
Operation of water distribution networks
Renewable energy (Hydropower, wind, and solar)
River engineering and river basin management
Seasonal Weather Forecasts
Short-term Weather Predictions
Snow hydrology
Water resources management

Developing optimum operational strategies for pumped-storage hydropower system.

thesis topics for water resources engineering

While temperature increases significantly snowmelt-runoff peak time (Center time) shifts earlier.

Satellite Snow Products for Hydrology: http://hsaf.meteoam.it

Operational snow products are produced on daily basis

Non-existence or scarcity of ground observations of hydrometeorological variables in space and/or time limits the decision making processes or applications that are heavily dependent on such datasets. We can help these decision making processes by providing the cutting-edge remote sensing-based investigations supported by advanced data analysis techniques and machine learning methodologies.

Measuring snow depth, snow water equivalent at the field :

Snow Analyses :

Spatial distribution of snow depth, snow water equivalent and snow pack obtained from GPR analyses

Accurate predictions of hydrometeorological variables such as precipitation, temperature, soil moisture, and runoff are essential in hazard early warning systems (e.g., floods, droughts, and heat-waves) and improved financial decision making systems (e.g., hydro-power, wind energy, and crop yield).

Use of High-resolution (3-km) WRF Model:

6. Data Analysis Supported By Machine Learning :

We can detect spatial and/or temporal signals existing in time series or spatially extensive datasets by utilizing various artificial intelligence and statistical techniques. The relevant information that is hidden in the big datasets can be mined at high precision.

We can carry out site selection, optimization and prediction studies for hydropower, wind, and hybrid power systems by exploiting the hydrometeorological variables acquired from remote sensing observations, model simulations and relevant data.

8. Design of Hydraulic Structures, Analyses of Hydrosystems, Safety Assessment

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Environmental & Water Resources Engineering Masters Projects

Submissions from 2022 2022.

Modeling Power Generation Losses Due to Environmental and Fish Passage Attraction Flows at a Run-Of-River Hydroelectric Operation in the Northeast , Elizabeth A. Lotter

Natural Organic Matter (NOM) Precursors Characterization in Source Water by Surrogate Measurements and Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) Analysis , Mohammad (Kiron) Shakhawat

Submissions from 2021 2021

Effect of Intermittent Water Supply on Water Quality in a Model Pipeloop , Mariam Alkattan

Rain Rain Flush Away: Evaluating Rainwater Catchment First Flush Volumes , Bridgette Charlebois

Using Remote Sensing and Environmental Precursors to Detect and Predict Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms in Northeastern US Waterbodies , Amanda Craver

Drought Characteristics in the Lower Mekong River Basin and Relationship to Land Cover Change , Heejun Park

Large-Scale Electrochemical Degradation of Poly-and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) by Magnéli Ti4O7 Electrodes , Laura Siddon

Control Effect of Peracetic Acid on Chlorinated DBP Formation and the Application of PAA Pre-oxidation in Drinking Water Treatment , Yue Sun

Submissions from 2020 2020

3D Printed Architected Materials for Improving Biofilm Carriers for Wastewater Treatment Applications , Bryan Ovelheiro

A Framework for Meeting Economic and Ecological Objectives in Hydropower Operations , Sarah L. Pfeifle

Complexities of Attraction Water Systems: A Review & an Experiment Showcasing their Effects , Marcia Rojas

Analysis of Road Salt Loading and Transport in the Wachusett Reservoir Watershed , Joshua Soper

Optimizing Household Water Decisions for Managing Intermittent Water Supply in Mexico City , Savannah Wunderlich

Submissions from 2019 2019

Developing a Toolkit for Citizen Scientists' Evaluation of Drinking Water Quality , LeighAnn D'Andrea

The Success, Morphology, and Performance of Oxygenic Photogranules Under Light-Induced Stress Conditions , Samuel Downes

ACCOUNTING FOR BICYCLING EXPERIENCE AND FAMILIARITY IN EVALUATING BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY , Nicholas M. Fournier

Evaluation of Two Real Time Methods for Assessing THM Precursor Concentrations , Griffin Moriarty

AN ASSESSMENT OF LEAD AND COPPER IN SCHOOL DRINKING WATER , Kaavya Raghavan Ram

Modeling Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience , Mason Saleeba

Submissions from 2018 2018

Effect of substrate roughness, slope, and body size on climbing behavior and performance of juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata) , Zahra Anwar

Formation of Low-Molecular-Weight Dissolved Organic Nitrogen in two-stage and four-stage Pre-denitrification Biological Nutrient Removal Processes , Siwei Chen

Factors Impacting the Cultivation, Structure, and Oxygen Profiles of Oxygenic Photogranules for Aeration-Free Wastewater Treatment , Megan Hann

Determination of the Rate Constant for Reaction of Ozone with 1-Hexene in Water , Pranav Mashankar

SEASONAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FUTURE PEAK RIVER DISCHARGE IN THE U.S. NORTHEAST , Christina Wu

Application of CE-QUAL-W2: Wachusett Reservoir Contaminant Spill Modeling , William Yan

Development of Application Software for Water System Data Management, Visualization, and Analysis With the Shiny Framework , Nicholas Zinck

Submissions from 2017 2017

Robust Drought Planning in Megacities: A Case Study in São Paulo, Brazil , Grace Cambareri

Restoring Floodplains in the Connecticut River Basin: A Flood Management Strategy , Abigail Ericson

Evaluation of Disinfection Byproduct Speciation Models Based on Biodegradation and Chemical Decomposition , Xian Ma

Pilot Reactor Operation of the Oxygenic Photogranule (OPG) Wastewater Treatment Process , Adam Matthew McNair

Effects of Sulfidation on the Deposition and Detachment of Silver Nanoparticles , Joseph Murphy

Submissions from 2016 2016

Drought Management Using Streamflow Forecasts: A Case Study of the City of Baltimore Water Supply , Kathryn Booras

HYDROLOGIC MODELING AT UNGAUGED LOCATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VULNERABILITY RANKING PROTOCOL SYSTEM FOR ROAD-STREAM CROSSING INFRASTRUCTURE , Gordon Clark

Assessing the Economic and Flow Regime Outcomes of Alternative Hydropower Operations on the Connecticut River's Mainstem , Luke Detwiler

Understanding Factors that Affect Microbial Fuel Cell Performance: Inoculum Characteristics and Methanogenesis , Joshua Jack

Investigating Interactions Between Water and Society on a Global Scale: Econometric Analyses of Hydroclimatic Variability and Water Policy , Hassan Furqan Khan

Analyzing Streamflow Forecasts in the Context of System Performance: A Case Study of the City of Baltimore Water Supply , Alexandra McIntyre

Biogenic Organic Carbon Compounds in Air and Rain , Iman Hosseini Shakib

The Role of Nitrification and Denitrification in Successful Cultivation of Oxygenic Photogranules for Wastewater Treatment , Kristie Stauch-White

Submissions from 2015 2015

Stream Temperature Modeling: A Modeling Comparison for Resource Managers and Climate Change Analysis , Lynn Brennan

Effects of Sulfidation and Natural Organic Matter on the Deposition of Silver Nanoparticles , Yunqui Chen

Effects of Disinfectants on the Formation of Aldehydes , Megan Dutra

Occurrence, formation and persistence of halobenzoquinones: A case study on 2, 6 -dichloro-1, 4 -benzoquinone , Aarthi Mohan

Prioritizing Mitigation of Road-Stream Crossings for Resident Aquatic Organisms by Accounting for Habitat Quantity, Quality, and Accessibility , Rachael L. Weiter

Submissions from 2014 2014

Investigating Tradeoffs Between Flood Control And Ecological Flow Benefits in the Connecticut River Basin , Jocelyn Anleitner

The Green Latrine: Development of a Large Scale Microbial Fuel Cell for the Treatment of Human Waste in Developing Areas , Cynthia Castro

Integrating Emerging River Forecast Center Streamflow Products Into the Salt Lake City Parley’s Drinking Water System , Rebecca Guihan

Quantifying the Impacts of Future Uncertainties on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin , Katherine E. Lownsbery

Potential Impacts of Changes in Climate on Water Quality in New York City's Ashokan , Nicholas Rossi

Determining Kinetic Parameters of a Nitrite-Accumulating, Denitrifying Microbial Fuel Cell Biocathode , Jacob J. Weinrich

Submissions from 2013 2013

Sustainable Water Management Using Environmental Flows In The Connecticut River , Alec Bernstein

Using Ce-Qual-W2 to Model A Contaminant Spill Into the Wachusett Reservoir , Lillian M. Clark

Assessment of Dynamically Controlled Stormwater Storage Robustness Under Climate Change , Julia M. Ryan

Submissions from 2012 2012

Investigating Pilot Scale Performance Of An Activated Sludge Wastewater Treatment System With A High Rate Anaerobic Side Stream Reactor , Aaron Brennan

Evaluation of Second-Stage Contactor Media for Manganese Removal , Jonathan Chihoski

Developing a Watershed-Level Protocol for Choosing Indicator Compounds for EDCs/PPCPs Using Analytical Methods and Chemometrics , Varun N. Srinivasan

Remote Sensing Models of Algal Blooms and Cyanobacteria in Lake Champlain , Adam Trescott

Assessment of Iron and Manganese Sequestration , Danielle Volpe

Hydrologic Forecasts And Adaptation To Climate Change In The Northeast Water Sector , Sarah Whateley

Evaluation of effluent organic nitrogen and its impacts on receiving water bodies , Dongke Yu

Submissions from 2011 2011

Sub-Daily Multi-Objective Models for Optimizing Hydropower in the Deerfield River , Kelcy Adamec

Perchlorate Reduction by Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria , Amber R. Boles

Wachusett Reservoir Contaminant Spill Modeling Using CE-QUAL W2 , Cory S. Devonis

Conventional Water Treatment Processes for Removing Pharmaceutical and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds , Jing Lin

Biodegradation of Ethylene Dibromide (EDB) Under In Situ and Biostimulated Conditions at MMR , Robert McKeever

Advanced Oxidation of Drinking Water using Ultraviolet Light and Alternative Solid Forms of Hydrogen Peroxide , Zachary F. Monge

Utilizing a Decision Support System to Optimize Reservoir Operations to Restore the Natural Flow Distribution in the Connecticut River Watershed , Brian Pitta

Annual, Monthly, and Storm Scale Analysis of Chloride Fluxes from Highway Deicing Agents to the Cambridge Reservoir , Marie Rivers

2-D Spill Modeling in the Wachusett Reservoir with CEQUAL-W2 for Years 2003-2006 , Bryan R. Sojkowski

Investigating Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Compounds and Their Disinfection Byproducts Within Drinking Water Treatment , Kirsten E. Studer

Submissions from 2010 2010

Two-Stage Filtration to Control Manganse and DBPS at the Lantern Hill Water Treatment Plant , Minh Pham

Regenerating Spent Zeolites with UV and UV/H2O2 To Enhance Removal of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds , Safina Singh

High-Strength Wastewater Treatment by Microalgae , Xin Yuan

Submissions from 2009 2009

Chloride Characterization from Pavement Runoff Using Automated Samplers and Specific Conductivity Sensors at Three Eastern Massachusetts Locations , Paul G. Chang

Modeling the Wachusett Reservoir, Central Massachusetts, Tributaries for Improved Watershed Management , Erich Fiedler

Minimizing Energy Use in Large Groundwater Supply Systems , Mikaela Martin

Characterization of Proteins in Effluents from Three Wastewater Treatment Plants that Discharge to the Connecticut River , Pamela J. Westgate

Submissions from 2008 2008

Extension of MF2005-GWM (Ground-Water Management Process) to Solve Management Formulations which Optimize Hydraulic Head and Solve Quadratic Programming Problems , Kristine Baker

Disinfection Byproduct (DBP) Precursors In Central MA , Cynthia M. Castellon

VERTICAL DISPERSION AND OXYGEN DEMAND OF DEICING , Marina S. Pereira

Bioretention Systems for Control of Non-Point Sources of Nitrogen , Ryan L. Siegel

Submissions from 2007 2007

Ground Water Management, GWM, Formulations to Control Subsidence in a Large Scale Transient Problem , Gemma Baro-Montes

Evaluation and Optimization of a PCR Assay and Multiple Regression Model for the Detection of Rhodococcus Corprophilus , Stephen Clark

Treatment of Domestic Wastewater using an Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor: Performance and Characterization , Joseph C. Fermanian

The Use of Numerical Modeling Techniques to Optimize Groundwater Withdrawls and Minimize Streamflow Depletion , Yamen Hoque

The Use of Numerical Modeling Techniques to Optimize Groundwater Withdrawls and Minimize Streamflow Depletion , Yamen M. Hoque

Cation Exchange in Glacial Till Subjected to Highway Deicing Agent Infiltration , Niki Kallergis

Basin-Scale Methodology for Evaluating Relative Impacts of Pollution Source Abatement , James T. Mangarillo

Modeling Fate and Transport of Fecal Coliform in Wachusett Reservoir , Thomas P. Matthews

Evaluation of Nutrients Along The Blackstone River , Megan M. Patterson

Submissions from 2006 2006

Impact of Chloramines on Disinfection by-products in Selected Surface Water Supplies , Allan P. Briggs

The Relationship Between Pre-filter Chlorine Addition and Enhanced Disinfection Byproduct Formation , Melissa Brown

Performance Evaluation of Appropriate In-home Drinking Water Treatment Options for Developing Countries , Bree Carlson

The Suitability of Coliphage as an Indicator of Potential Fecal Contamination in Groundwater Systems , Keith G. Dewar

Characterization of Manganese Oxide Coated Filter Media , Joseph Goodwill

Application of Microbial Source Tracking to Separate Microbial Sources to a Tributary of the Wachusett Reservoir , Michael N. Tache

Submissions from 2005 2005

Water Distribution Analysis and Modeling for Stamford, Connecticut , Robert W. Best

Modeling Natural, Organic Matter in an Unfiltered Surface Water Supply , Daniel R. Buttrick

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Chair of Hydrology and Water Resources Management

Master theses are primarily offered to Master students of the Environmental Engineering curriculum at D-BAUG. In individual cases, it is also possible for students from D-BAUG Civil Engineering and other departments (e.g. D-USYS) and/or universities to carry out their Master thesis at the Chair. General information about the Master thesis is provided here .

Currently offered topics

Available Master thesis topics (and completed works) are listed in the table below with short descriptions (where available) and the supervisor. Please contact the supervisor(s) for more information. We encourage students also to develop their own ideas for Master research and consult them with Prof. Burlando, Prof. Molnar, the assistant's office or other potential supervisors. E-mail addresses can be found on the People page . Master theses can also be executed together with external partners (consulting offices, administration offices, other universities) and build upon your Master project.

Master Thesis presentations are public

Upcoming Master thesis presentations (defences) are highlighted in the table below and a link or room is provided. Finishing Master students are especially welcome to attend the presentations of their colleagues.

Further information

Official documents (e.g. program regulations) can be downloaded from the websites of the study programs: Civil Engineering Environmental Engineering

You have to digitally deliver your thesis report (including the declaration of originality), the final presentation, the poster and a folder with your code / digital work. In addition, please hand in at least one (1) bound hardcopy of your report for our archive and ask your supervisors if they prefer to receive a hardcopy as well. You also have to hand in your printed poster (A0 format).

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Water resources engineering involves the supply of surface and subsurface water to the public; control of hazards associated with water, e.g., flooding; and maintenance of the health of ecological systems. Because water pollution is often the primary driving force for the engineered control of water resources, graduate students typically take courses and conduct research within groups that also include environmental engineering students. Graduate course work and research in the water resources engineering program is focused on the following areas:

Groundwater Hydraulics
Contaminant Movement in Soil and Groundwater
Watershed Management
Water Quality Control

The water resources engineering program is designed not only for those with undergraduate degrees in Bioresources, Civil, Environmental, or Chemical Engineering, but also related non-engineering fields such as Geology, Environmental Science, and Soil Science.

Degrees Offered

Master’s of Civil Engineering
Master’s of Applied Science
PhD in Civil Engineering

Thesis track Master of Civil Engineering and Master of Applied Sciences in the field of Water Resources Engineering degrees require three core courses, one approved 600-level Math or Statistics course, four electives taken from a variety of fields, six thesis credits and the completion of a thesis. Students in a thesis program are also required to enroll in the CIEG865: Seminar each semester.

The non-thesis track Master of Civil Engineering requires a total of 30-credits of course work, which typically translates to six electives beyond the four core courses. Electives should be selected based on approval from your advisor.

Core Courses

CIEG 630 – Water Quality Modeling
CIEG 698 – Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport OR
GEOL 628 – Hydrogeology
GEOG 632 – Environmental Hydrology

Other Required Courses

MATH/STAT – An approved 600-level course in Mathematics or Statistics

Suggested Electives

CIEG 645 – Industrial Ecology – The Science of Environmental Sustainability
CIEG 667 – Research Methods and Topics in Soil/Water Systems: Science and Policy
CIEG 668 – Principles of Water Quality Criteria
CIEG 678 – Transport and Mixing Processes
CIEG 679 – Sediment Transport Mechanics
CIEG 833 – Fate of Organic Pollutants in the Environment
APEC 682 – Spatial Analysis of Natural Resources
GEOG 656 – Hydroclimatology
GEOG 657 – Climate Dynamics
PLSC/BREG 603 – Soil Physics
PLSC 621 – Nonpoint Source Pollution
PLSC 643 – Watershed Hydrochemistry
UAPP/APEC 611 – Regional Watershed Management
UAPP 628 – Issues in Land Use & Environmental Planning

In addition, classes from other departments can be selected in consultation with your advisor. These include graduate-level courses offered by Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Marine Studies, Plant and Soil Sciences, or Urban Affairs and Public Policy.

Daniel K. Cha – Biotransformation of environmental contaminants in natural and engineered systems; design and operation of wastewater treatment facilities; population dynamics of biological wastewater treatment processes

Yu-Ping Chin – Biogeochemistry of natural organic matter and organic pollutants in aquatic systems; photochemical transformation of contaminants; fate of synthetic and natural organic matter in sediments; biogeochemical and environmental processes in polar environments (Arctic and Antarctica).

Dominic M. Di Toro – Water quality modeling, eutrophication and sediment flux models; water quality and sediment quality criteria models for organic chemicals, metals, mixtures; organic chemical and metal sorption models; statistical models

Yao Hu – Coupled Human and Groundwater Systems; Agent-based Modeling; Water System Modeling, Analysis and Optimization; HPC and Cloud Computing; Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure.

Chin-Pao Huang – Hazardous wastewater management; aquatic chemistry; soil and groundwater remediation; sustainable engineering; environmental applications and implications of nanotechnoloy

Paul T. Imhoff – Transport of fluids and contaminants in multiphase systems; mass transfer processes in soil and groundwater; sustainable landfilling; minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from engineered facilities; mathematical modeling

Holly Michael – Environmental Fluid Dynamics, Geochemistry, Water Science, Coastal-Zone Management, Environmental Interactions

Carolyn Voter – Hydrologic modeling, water resources management, stormwater management, green infrastructure, urban ecohydrology, ecosystem services, surface-groundwater interactions, land-atmosphere interactions, sustainable and resilient communities, high throughput/performance computing

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Chair of Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering
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Bachelor & Master Theses and Study Projects

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this page introduces the different fields of research at the chair and possible topics for students theses. We kindly ask you to inform yourself on the topics and if you are interested contact the person stated below each topic.

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Free Water Engineering Research Topics for High Grades!

Water is an essential resource for life and is used in a variety of human activities. Water engineering is becoming increasingly important as we address issues such as pollution, scarcity, and effective water use. Water engineering specialists must explore into new research sectors to meet these serious concerns. We can offer you a diverse range of intriguing water engineering research topics , from basic concepts to specialized thesis topics

Order Your Water Resources Thesis Topics with Expert Assistance

The water resources engineering research topics emphasize on practical water executives, such as improving distribution organizations, further increasing water quality, and mitigating the effects of environmental change on water assets.

Before we go on to our collection of research topics in the water resources engineering , we will discuss the top two areas of this vast subject.

Research On Water Quality and Treatment

This discipline’s primary job in water engineering thesis topics is to explore long-distance water supply the board ways. Topics may include coordinated water asset planning, neighborhood-based security attempts, and the development of competent water circulation organizations to ensure equal access and biological safeguarding.

Water Management and Conservation Research

Our experts picked these topics for your water thesis topics because it focuses on water quality and deals with pollution and cleansing difficulties. Potential review topics include high-level wastewater treatment improvements, the impact of emerging toxins on water biological systems, and the enhancement of progressive innovation to ensure networks have safe and clean drinking water.

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering > Theses and Dissertations

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The Influence of Corrosion Mitigating Fluids on Post Tensioned Tendon Grout Properties and Steel to Grout Bond Strength , Sarita Ale Magar

Exploring Alternative Electron Donors for Heterotrophic Denitrification at a Water Reclamation Facility in Tampa Bay , Tejas Athavale

Mechanisms Contributing to Hydrogen-Influenced Early Failure of Bridge Tendons , David Dukeman

The Influence of Bipolar Electrochemical Cell Geometry on the Studies of Pitting Corrosion , Amin Kazem Ghamsari

Field-Base Exploratory Study of Microbial Activity in Eight Potable Water Storage Tanks in Barbados , Katelyn M. Long

Land Use/Land Cover Uncertainty Analysis Using Hydrological Modeling in the Northern Watershed of Lake Okeechobee , Andres Lora Santos

Modeling Leachate Treatment Processes in Adsorbent-amended Hybrid Constructed Wetland , Ishfaqun Nisa

Effects of Downdrag on Pile Performance , Ruthvik Pendyala

Anaerobic Digestion of Brewery Waste Including Spent Yeast and Hops , Dhanashree Rawalgaonkar

Characteristics and Hydraulic Behavior of Adsorptive Media for Use in Permeable Reactive Barriers , Shelby Rocha

Exploratory Data-Driven Models for Water Quality: A Case Study for Tampa Bay Water , Sandra Sekyere

Interdependency between Water and Road Infrastructures: Cases and Impacts , Shihab Uddin

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms’ Impact on Water Quality in Lake Okeechobee, Florida , Daniela Vasquez Diaz

Exploration of Shared Passenger Urban Air Mobility – Integrated Network Design, Operation Scheduling and System Configuration , Zhiqiang Wu

Rehabilitation Technologies to Abate Infiltration in Sanitary Sewers , Steve Youssef

Adsorption of Long and Short Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) onto Granular Activated Carbon and Porous Organic Polymers , Yan Zhang

Adiabatic Temperature Rise and Durability Performance of Slag Blended Concrete , Hai Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Effects of Downdrag on Pile Performance , Malaak Omelia Araujo

Quantifying a 21-year Surface Water and Groundwater Interaction in a Ridge and Valley Lake Environment Using a Highly Constrained Modeling Approach , Richard T. Bowers Jr.

A Convergent Approach to Aqueous Lead (Pb) Mitigation of a Supplemental Self-Supply Shallow Groundwater Source Accessed by Handpumps in Madagascar , Adaline Marie Buerck

Identifying Significant Factors Affecting the Likelihood and Severity Level of Shared E-scooter Crashes , Recep Can Cakici

Evaluation of Aluminum Dissolution, Current Density, and Pitting Patterns During Electrocoagulation , Monica Castro Carias

Carbon Diversion, Partial Nitritation/Anammox Enrichment, and Ammonium Capture as Initial Stages for Mainstream Ion Exchange-Deammonification Process , Sheyla Chero-Osorio

Data Driven Approaches for Understanding and Improving Urban Mobility , Yujie Guo

Assessment of Scoured Bridges Subjected to Vessel Impact Using Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis , Amir S. Irhayyim

Assessment and Prevention of Bacterial Regrowth in Stored Household Water in Eastern Coastal Madagascar , Lauren Judah

The Impact of Land Use Change on Hydrology Using Hydrologic Modelling and Geographical Information System (GIS) , Nattachan Luesaksiriwattana

Simulating Flood Control in Progress Village, Florida Using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) , Azize Minaz

Effects of Slurry Type on Drilled Shaft Strength , Cesar Quesada Garcia

Comparison Study of Consumer’s Perception toward Urban Air Mobility in the United States and Rest of the World Using Social Media Information , S M Toki Tahmid

Advanced Methods for Railroad Station Operation Decisions: Data Analytics, Optimization, Automation , Yuan Wang

High-Risk Traffic Crash Pattern Recognition and Identification Using Econometric Models and Machine Learning Models , Runan Yang

Biochar Amended Biological Systems for Enhanced Landfill Leachate and Lignocellulosic Banana Waste Treatment , Xia Yang

Passive Radiative Cooling by Spectrally Selective Nanoparticles in Thick Film Nanocomposites , David Allen Young

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

A System Architecture for Water Distribution Networks , Noha Abdel-Mottaleb

Sustainability Assessment of a Pressure Retarded Osmosis System , Samar Al Mashrafi

Health Risk Assessment of Local Populations Ingesting Water with Naturally Occurring Arsenic and Fecal Related Contaminants in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala , Marisol Alvarez

Influence of Coating Defects Within the Lock Seams on the Corrosion Performance of Aluminized Steel Drainage Pipes , Mohammed Al Yaarubi

Longitudinal Trajectory Tracking Analysis for Autonomous Electric Vehicles Based on PID Control , Hossein Amiri

An Assessment and Exploration of Recent Methodological Advances in Safety Data Analysis , Suryaprasanna Kumar Balusu

Pressure Retarded Osmosis: A Potential Technology for Seawater Desalination Energy Recovery and Concentrate Management , Joshua Benjamin

Assessing the Feasibility of Microbially Managed Biological Filtration in U.S. Drinking Water Systems for Removal of Contaminants of Emerging Concern , Andrew J. Black

The Effect of Cement and Blast Furnace Slag Characteristics on Expansion of Heat-Cured Mortar Specimens , Jair G. Burgos

A Systems Approach for Improving the Performance of Rural Community-Managed Water Systems Using SIASAR: Case Studies in Bolivia and Colombia , Rachel A. Cannon

Passive Nitrifying Biofilters for Onsite Treatment of Saline Domestic Wastewater , Daniel Arnulfo Delgado

Plastic Pollution in Urban Rivers: Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Plastic Release and Transport , Charlotte Juliane Haberstroh

Effects of Nitrate on Arsenic Mobilization during Aquifer Storage and Recovery , Hania Hawasli

Prediction of the Effects of Turbulence on Vehicle Hydroplaning using a Numerical Model , Thathsarani Dilini Herath Herath Mudiyanselage

Shortcut Nitrogen Removal in Photo-sequencing Batch Reactor, Experiments, Dynamic Model and Full-scale Design , Sahand Iman Shayan

Chorine Conversion: Biological and Water Quality Impact on Activated Carbon Block Point of Use Filters , Horace S. Jakpa

Efficient Management of Nitrogen and Phosphorus at Centralized Water Reclamation Facilities , Helene Kassouf

Building and Characterizing a Lab-Scaled Aquifer Storage and Recovery System , Murat Can Kayabas

Corrosion Rate Prediction in FRP-Concrete Repair , Mohammad A. Khawaja

Use of Biochar and Zeolite for Landfill Leachate Treatment: Experimental Studies and Reuse Potential Assessment , Thanh Thieu Lam

Feasibility of Epoxy Bond Enhancement on High-Strength Concrete , Amanda A. Lewis

Leaf Cutter Ant Nest Soil Cement Stabilized Earthen Bricks: Materials and Methods for Engineering Field Applications , Faith Malay

Minimum Cut-Sets for the Identification of Critical Water Distribution Network Segments , Xiliang Mao

An Assessment of Nutrient Improvement in Surface Water Due to the Conversion of Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems to Sewerage , Jenelle A. Mohammed

Development of a Numerical Process Model for Adsorbent-amended Constructed Wetlands , Lillian Mulligan

Corrosion Propagation of Stainless Steel Reinforced Concrete , Nelly Sofía Orozco Martínez

Corrosion Durability Service Life of Calcium Silicate-Based Reinforced Concrete , Carolina Páez Jiménez

Assessment of the Environmental Sustainability of a Small Water Production Facility in Madagascar , Jesal Patel

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis of the Hydraulic Performance and Bio-kinetics in a Full-Scale Oxidation Ditch , Kiesha C. Pierre

Biochar Amended Bioretention Systems for Nutrient and Fecal Indicator Bacteria Removal from Urban and Agricultural Runoffs , Md Yeasir Arif Rahman

Understanding the Leaching Mechanism for Lead (Pb) Found in Components of Locally Manufactured Handpumps in Eastern Madagascar , Nidhi Shah

Impacts of Automated Vehicle Technologies on Future Traffic , Xiaowei Shi

Community Assessment of Water Perceptions and Household Point-of-Use Treatment Methods in Madagascar , Isabella Rose Silverman

Laboratory Examination of Lead Weights Harvested from Pitcher Pumps in Eastern Madagascar , Madelyn Wilson

Impact of grain morphology on the temporal evolution of interfacial area during multi-phase flow in porous media , Fizza Zahid

EAV Fleet Management in Transportation and Power Systems , Dongfang Zhao

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

A Framework for Assessing the Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (RAMS) of Decentralized Sanitation , Adefunké Adeosun

Development of an Organic Processor Assembly (OPA) for Sustainable Resource Recovery to Enable Long-Duration, Deep-Space Human Exploration (LoDDSHE) , Talon James Bullard

Black Lives Matter in Engineering, Too! An Environmental Justice Approach towards Equitable Decision-Making for Stormwater Management in African American Communities , Maya Elizabeth Carrasquillo

Coral Reef Restoration in the Tropical West Atlantic Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic , Linden Cheek

Designing Next-generation Transportation Systems with Emerging Vehicle Technologies , Zhiwei Chen

Strength Restoration of Corrosion Damaged Piles Repaired with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Systems , Jethro Clarke

Water Quality and Sustainability Assessment of Rural Water Systems in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Panama , Corbyn Cools

Rapid Cross-Section Imaging with Magnetic and Impedance Sensors for Grout Anomaly Detection in External Post-Tensioned Tendons , Hani Freij

Enhanced Nitrogen, Organic Matter and Color Removal from Landfill Leachate by Biological Treatment Processes with Biochar and Zeolite , Bisheng Gao

Bond Life of Structural Epoxy-Concrete Systems Under Accelerated Hygrothermal Aging , Philip W. Hopkins

Socio-Technical Transitions in the Water Sector: Emerging Boundaries for Utility Resilience in Barbados , Wainella N. Isaacs

Structural and Agricultural Value at Risk in Florida from Flooding during Hurricane Irma , Alexander J. Miller

An Inferential Study of the Potential Consumer Value of Free Charging for Users of Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure , Divyamitra Mishra

Reimagining Bottom-up Participatory Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines , Emily Clark Nabong

Effects of Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Slags and Cements on Durability of Portland Cement-Slag Blended Systems , Farzaneh Nosouhian

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Implementation of Large-Scale Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste at the University of South Florida , Karamjit Panesar

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Water Resources Engineering

Degrees offered.

M.S. Civil Engineering: Water Resources Engineering Specialty
M.E. Civil Engineering: Water Resources Engineering Specialty
Ph.D. Civil Engineering: Water Resources Engineering Specialty

What is Water Resources Engineering?

Water resources engineering has its roots in the tasks of supplying water for human use, removing water when humans are finished using it and developing methods of avoiding damage from excess water (floods). Much of the work of water resource engineers involves the planning and management of constructed facilities that address these tasks. Positions for undergraduates and graduates who specialize in water resources engineering can be found in both engineering consulting firms and in government entities charged with supplying water or dealing with its hazards.

In the past few years, students in the water resources concentration have largely taken jobs with consulting engineering firms in the big cities of Texas, although a number have joined firms on the west coast. The growing demand for water supplies and flood control in developed land lead our students to fulfilling careers.

Degree Information

Students can earn an M.S., M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering in the water resources division of emphasis.

Master of Engineering and Master of Science (Non-Thesis)

The Master of Engineering and Master of Science (Non-Thesis) have identical requirements and are intended for students who seek a Master’s degree to prepare them for engineering practice. A minimum of 30 semester credit hours of approved courses is required for the Master of Engineering degree (MEng) and the Master of Science (Non-Thesis).

Master of Science (Thesis)

The Master of Science (Thesis) degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework. All students must also meet the program prerequisites. Students generally complete the degree requirements in 15 to 24 months. Students must take 9 hours in both the fall and spring semesters to have full-time student status.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is a research-oriented degree requiring performance of independent research that is the original work of the degree candidate. The Ph.D. degree prepares students for careers in engineering practice, education, leadership, and research, including industry, government laboratories and academia. The final basis for granting the degree shall be the candidate’s grasp of the subject matter of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability to do independent research. In addition, the candidate must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully through both oral and written communication.

Confronting the Nation's Water Problems: The Role of Research (2004)

Chapter: 3 water resources research priorities for the future, 3 water resources research priorities for the future.

The pressing nature of water resource problems was set forth in Chapter 1 . The solution to these problems is necessarily sought in research—inquiry into the basic natural and societal processes that govern the components of a given problem, combined with inquiry into possible methods for solving these problems. In many fields, descriptions of research priorities structure the ways in which researchers match their expertise and experience to both societal needs and the availability of research funding. Statements of research priorities also evolve as knowledge is developed, questions are answered, and new societal issues and pressures emerge. Thus, the formulation of research priorities has a profound effect on the conduct of research and the likelihood of finding solutions to problems.

Statements of research priorities developed by a group of scientists or managers with a common perspective within their field of expertise can have a relatively narrow scope. Indeed, this phenomenon has resulted in numerous independent sets of research priorities for various aspects of water resources. This has come about because water plays an important role in a strikingly large number of disciplines, ranging from ecology to engineering and economics—disciplines that otherwise have little contact with each other. Thus, priority lists from ecologists emphasize ecosystem integrity, priority lists from water treatment professionals emphasize the quantity and quality of the water supply, and priority lists from hydrologists emphasize water budgets and hydrologic processes. In recent years, the limitations of discipline-based perspectives have become clear, as researchers and managers alike have recognized that water problems relevant to society necessarily integrate across the physical, chemical, biological, and social sciences. Narrowly conceived research produces inadequate solutions to such problems;

these in turn provide little useful guidance for management because critical parts of the system have been ignored. For example, the traditional subdivision of water resource issues into those of quality and quantity is now seen as inadequate to structure future research, given that water quality and quantity are intimately, causally, and mechanistically connected. Similarly, theoretical studies of water flows (hydrology) and aquatic ecosystems (limnology) can no longer be viewed as independent subjects, as each materially affects the other in myriad ways. Finally, the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of water cannot adequately be investigated without reference to the human imprint on all facets of the earth’s surface. Thus, the challenge in identifying water resources research needs is to engage researchers in novel collaborations and novel ways of perceiving the research topics that they have traditionally investigated.

Water resources research priorities were recently extensively considered by the Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB) in Envisioning the Agenda for Water Resources Research in the Twenty-first Century (NRC, 2001a). This resulted in a detailed, comprehensive list of research needs, grouped into three categories ( Table 3-1 ); the reader is referred to NRC (2001a) for a detailed description of each research need. The category of water availability emphasizes the interrelated nature of water quantity and water quality problems and it recognizes the increasing pressures on water supply to provide for both human and ecosystem needs. The category of water use includes not only research questions about managing human consumptive and nonconsumptive use of water, but also about the use of water by aquatic ecosystems and endangered or threatened species. The third category, water institutions , emphasizes the need for research into the economic, social, and institutional forces that shape both the availability and use of water.

After review and reconsideration, the committee concluded that the priorities enumerated in the Envisioning report constitute the most comprehensive and current best statement of water resources research needs. Moreover, successful pursuit of that research agenda could provide answers to the central questions posed in Chapter 1 . However, the list of research topics is not ranked, either within the three general categories or as a complete set of 43. An absolute ranking would be difficult to achieve, as all are important parts of a national water resources research agenda. Furthermore, the list of research priorities can be expected to change over time, reflecting both changes in the generators of such lists and in the conditions to which they are responding. This chapter, thus, provides a mechanism for reviewing, updating, and prioritizing research areas in this and subsequent lists. It should be noted that the 43 research areas in Table 3-1 are of varying complexity and breadth. In addition, the committee expanded research area #21 (develop more efficient water use) from the version found in the Envisioning report to include all sectors rather than just the agricultural sector.

The increasing urgency of water-related issues has stimulated a number of scientific societies and governmental entities, in addition to the WSTB, to produce

TABLE 3-1 Water Resources Research Areas that Should Be Emphasized in the Next 10–15 Years

their own lists of research priorities. For example, the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography recently convened a workshop to draft a list of emerging research issues (ASLO, 2003). These issues included the biogeochemistry of aquatic ecosystems, the influence of hydrogeomorphic setting on aquatic systems, the impacts of global changes in climate and element cycles, and emerging measurement technologies. This list builds on the comprehensive analysis of research priorities for freshwater ecosystems set forth in The Freshwater Imperative ( Box 2-1 ; see also Naiman et al., 1995). Another list of research priorities was recently assembled by the European Commission (2003), Task Force Environment–Water, which emphasizes water availability and water quality and the social, economic, and political aspects of water management. Like the NRC (2001a) report, this research agenda sets forth broad areas of research, with more specific “action lines” within high-priority areas. However, the approach differs from NRC (2001a) in that water quality is separated from water availability, and the socioeconomic and political research agenda is oriented toward crisis management. The U.S. Global Change Program also identified interrelated issues of quantity, quality, and human society as key research needs (Gleick et al., 2000);

this research agenda emphasizes the development of models and methods of prediction as well as data collection and monitoring systems, and it emphasizes research on the socioeconomic and legal impacts of climate change.

This brief review of selected contemporary lists of research priorities, as well as the lists of research priorities shown in Box 2-1 , illustrates that the articulation and the ranking of research topics vary with the entity charged to develop a research agenda. It can be anticipated that future lists of priorities will also differ from these.

A METHOD FOR SETTING PRIORITIES OF A NATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA

The business of setting priorities for water resources research needs to be more than a matter of summing up the priorities of the numerous federal agencies, professional associations, and federal committees. Indeed, there is no logical reason why such a list should add up to a nationally relevant set of priorities, as each agency has its own agenda limited by its particular mission, just as each disciplinary group and each committee does. There is a high probability that research priorities not specifically under the aegis of a particular agency or other organization will be significantly neglected. Indeed, the institutional issues that constitute one of the three major themes in Table 3-1 are not explicitly targeted in the mission of any federal agency. This is the current state of affairs in the absence of a more coordinated mechanism for setting a national water resources research agenda.

A more rigorous process for priority setting should be adopted—one that will allow the water resources research enterprise to remain flexible and adaptable to changing conditions and emerging problems. Such a mechanism is also essential to ensure that water resources research needs are considered from a national and long-term perspective. The components of such a priority-setting process are outlined below, in the form of six questions or criteria that can be used to assess individual research areas and thus to assemble a responsive and effective national research agenda. In order to ensure the required flexibility and national-scale perspective, the criteria should also be applied to individual research areas during periodic reviews of the research enterprise.

Is there a federal role in this research area? This question is important for evaluating the “public good” nature of the water resources research area. A federal role is appropriate in those research areas where the benefits of such research are widely dispersed and do not accrue only to those who fund the research. Furthermore, it is important to consider whether the research area is being or even can be addressed by institutions other than the federal government.

What is the expected value of this research? This question addresses the importance attached to successful results, either in terms of direct problem solving or advancement of fundamental knowledge of water resources.

To what extent is the research of national significance? National significance is greatest for research areas (1) that address issues of large-scale concern (for example, because they encompass a region larger than an individual state), (2) that are driven by federal legislation or mandates, and (3) whose benefits accrue to a broad swath of the public (for example, because they address a problem that is common across the nation). Note that while there is overlap between the first and third criteria, research may have public good properties while not being of national significance, and vice versa.

Does the research fill a gap in knowledge? If the research area fills a knowledge gap, it should clearly be of higher priority than research that is duplicative of other efforts. Furthermore, there are several common underlying themes that, given the expected future complexity of water resources research, should be used to evaluate research areas:

the interdisciplinary nature of the research

the need for a broad systems context in phrasing research questions and pursuing answers

the incorporation of uncertainty concepts and measurements into all aspects of research

how well the research addresses the role of adaptation in human and ecological response to changing water resources

These themes, and their importance in combating emerging water resources problems, are described in detail in this chapter.

How well is this research area progressing? The adequacy of efforts in a given research area can be evaluated with respect to the following:

current funding levels and funding trends over time

whether the research area is part of the agenda of one or more federal agencies

whether prior investments in this type of research have produced results (i.e., the level of success of this type of research in the past and why new efforts are warranted)

These questions are addressed with respect to the current water resources research portfolio in Chapter 4 .

How does the research area complement the overall water resources research portfolio? The portfolio approach is built on the premise that a diverse mix of holdings is the least risky way to maximize return on investments. When applied to federal research and development, the portfolio concept is invoked to mean a mix between applied research and fundamental research (Eiseman et al., 2002). Indeed, the priority-setting process should be as much dedicated to ensuring an appropriate balance and mix of research efforts as it is to listing specific research topics. In the context of water resources, a diversified portfolio would capture the following desirable elements of a national research agenda:

multiple national objectives related to increasing water availability, improving water quality and ecological functions, and strengthening institutional and management practices

short-, intermediate-, and long-term research goals supporting national objectives

agency-based, contract, and investigator-driven research

both national and region-specific problems being encompassed

data collection needs to support all of the above

Thus, the water resources research agenda should be balanced in terms of the time scale of the effort (short-term vs. long-term), the source of the problem statements (investigator-driven vs. problem-driven), the goal of the research (fundamental vs. applied), and the investigators conducting the work (internally vs. externally conducted). An individual research area should be evaluated for its ability to complement existing research priorities with respect to these characteristics. Definitions of these terms are provided in Box 3-1 , and the appropriate balance among these categories is addressed in Chapters 4 and 6 .

Furthermore, it is important to consider whether the research fills gaps in the desired mix of water availability, water use, and institutional topics (as demarcated in Table 3-1 ). A final level of evaluation would consider how well the research responds to the four themes described in this chapter (interdisciplinarity, broad systems context, evaluation of uncertainty, and adaptation).

To summarize, a balanced water resources research agenda will include items of national significance for which a federal role is necessary; fill knowledge gaps in all three topical areas (water availability, water use, and institutions); incorporate a mixture of short-term and long-term research, basic and applied investigations, investigator-initiated and mission-driven research, and internal and external efforts; and build upon existing funding and research success. As noted above, some of these issues are addressed in subsequent chapters, with respect to the current water resources research agenda (see Table 3-1 ). The remainder of this chapter expands upon the four overarching themes that should form the context within which water resources research is conceptualized and performed.

THEMES OF FUTURE WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH

There are several common underlying themes that should be used to (1) integrate and reconcile the numerous lists of research priorities currently being generated by agencies and scientific societies and (2) provide some overall direction to the multiple agencies and academic entities that carry out water resources research. These themes are interdisciplinarity, a broad systems context, uncertainty, and adaptation in human and ecological response to changing water resources.

The term interdisciplinarity refers to the fact that no question about water resources can be now adequately addressed within the confines of traditional disciplines. The research community recognizes that the physical, chemical, and biological/ecological characteristics of water resources are causally and mechanistically interrelated, and all are profoundly affected by the human presence in the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to understand water resources with reference to a range of natural and social scientific disciplines.

The phrase broad system context refers to the perception that all properties of water are part of a complex network of interacting factors, in which the processes that connect the factors are as important as the factors themselves. Both interdisciplinarity and broad systems context place water resources within the emerging field of complex systems (Holland, 1995; Holland and Grayston, 1998).

Uncertainty —the degree of confidence in the results and conclusions of research—has always been an important component of scientific research. All measurements and observations entail some degree of error, as do methods of data analysis, estimation, and modeling. Understanding the sources and amounts of uncertainty attached to estimates of flow, water quality, and other water resource variables is crucial, because so many practical and often expensive decisions hinge on the results. In short, understanding and measuring uncertainty are central to making informed decisions about water resources. Furthermore, an emphasis on uncertainty also implies attention to the extent and quality of the data available for generating estimates of important variables; this attention in turn implies a need to improve technologies for research and monitoring. Finally, an understanding of the uncertainties in data, models, and scientific knowledge lies at the heart of risk analysis and the development of policies and strategies to handle complex environmental problems (Handmer et al., 2001).

Finally, adaptation is a key component of the human, as well as ecological, response to the ever-changing environment. Human society has always changed in response to changing resources; the challenge is now to anticipate environmental changes and develop adaptive responses before catastrophe or conflict force such evolution. This is particularly pressing as research ascertains the impact of human activities on ecosystems, such as greenhouse gas release into the atmosphere and deforestation. Adaptation may involve modifying social mores and norms or forming new government policies including economic policies. For

example, there is little doubt among many researchers that emerging water scarcity will demand greatly altered expectations and behaviors in society. It may also involve new methods of managing resources in which flexibility to respond to unanticipated or rapidly occurring problems is the guiding principle.

These four themes are illustrated below, using a subset of the research priorities developed in Table 3-1 . The portfolio of existing water resources research tends not to be organized along these thematic lines.

INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF RESEARCH

The need for expertise from many disciplines to solve individual water resource problems is widely recognized and has produced repeated calls for collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to research (Cullen et al., 1999; Naiman and Turner, 2000; Jackson et al., 2001). For example, aquatic ecosystems research now emphasizes the tight linkages between the traditional biological and ecological issues and both hydrology and human use of water (Poff et al., 1997; Richter et al., 1997). Similarly, the transformations of nutrients and pollutants reflect the interplay of hydrology and microbial ecology (Brunke and Gonser, 1997). Examples of several research areas from Table 3-1 are given below to elaborate on the interdisciplinary nature of water resources research.

outline of contaminant fate and transport makes it clear that this research priority necessitates a collaborative effort by physical chemists, soil scientists, hydrologists, geologists, microbiologists, plant scientists, and ecologists.

Similarly, wetlands are structured by water regimes in which very small variations in flow timing and amounts, in seasonal patterns of flow variation, in flow extremes, and in the duration of wet and dry events have very large effects on the biota (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2000; NRC, 2001b). Withdrawals of both groundwater and surface waters for human use can alter the flow regime, such that even subtle alterations can have large effects on the biota and function of the downgradient wetlands. Current controversy about the failure of mitigation methods and policy to meet the goal of “no net loss” of wetlands (Turner et al., 2001) is rooted in the difficulty of reproducing wetland hydrology in created and restored wetlands (NRC, 1995, 2001b). At the same time, the institutions and policies that are used to implement the goal of “no net loss” are being questioned and challenged. Wetland restoration thus demands research that integrates hydrology, plant and animal ecology, and social science.

approach is urgently needed. There are numerous factors that can confound the successful operation of irrigation projects on a sustainable basis. Problems related to climate variability, soil salinity, deterioration of the irrigation infrastructure, and social instability contributed to the collapse of the ancient empires, like the Akkadians and Sassanians who lived in the Tigris and Euphrates River valley, or the Hohokams who prospered for a millennium along the Gila and Salt rivers of now south-central Arizona (Postel, 1999). Today’s challenges are expected to be similar, because irrigation agriculture is associated with arid and semiarid environments where climate variability significantly impedes the successful long-term operation of these systems. In modern times, storage provided by large dams has reduced the impact of short-term fluctuations in climate. However, the looming prospect of global climate change, coupled with water demands of growing populations, has tremendous implications for irrigated agriculture in the next century (NAST, 2000).

The research challenges are to provide better projections of how climate might change and to improve hydrologic observation systems to document these changes (NAST, 2000). In addition, because large-scale structural solutions for water supply for irrigated agriculture are difficult to justify on social and economic grounds (Pulwarty, 2003), social science research on determinants of water use in the agricultural sector and agronomic research on improved crop varieties for dryland agriculture are needed. The problem of sustaining irrigated agriculture becomes even more interdisciplinary when one considers the need to understand the response of soils and surface water systems (in terms of chemistry and ecology) to alterations in irrigation return flows and the need to understand how economics might produce flexible strategies for irrigation. Assessments like those relating to the restoration of the Colorado River delta (Luecke et al., 1999) or the San Francisco Bay delta (McClurg, 1997) make clear the inherent multidisciplinarity of developing water supply systems for irrigated agriculture within an environment of competing demands and constraints.

Efforts are underway to reduce the nonpoint source contamination of the nation’s waters (e.g., Mississippi River Task Force, 2001). However, the enormous scope and scale of the problem are daunting, as land-use practices in several sectors of the economy often result in degradation of water resources in areas far downstream from the site(s) of impact. For example, excessive loading of nitrogen derived mainly from agriculture in the Midwest has contributed to an oxygen-

depleted zone in the Gulf of Mexico that can be as large as the state of New Jersey (Goolsby and Battaglin, 2000). Solving this problem requires not only resolving multiple scientific questions, but also resolving social, economic, and political complexities at scales ranging from the local to the national. Combating nonpoint source pollution will require both basic and applied research. For example, although good progress is being made in elucidating factors controlling contaminant loading (e.g., Alexander et al., 2000; Dubrovsky et al., 1998; Porter et al., 2001), more work is required to understand the fate and transport of nonpoint source pollutants and their fundamental effects on human and environmental health, particularly for pesticides and their transformation products (USGS, 1999). This understanding will require decades of high-resolution chemical and biological monitoring coupled with new analytical and modeling approaches.

The key physical approaches for controlling nonpoint source contamination are local mitigation strategies provided by wetlands, sedimentation ponds, and riparian areas along streams, and land-management strategies that reduce runoff and chemical use. Mitigation is an expensive option, both in terms of implementation and reductions in farmed area. Considerable research will be needed in proof-of-concept, design, and in cost/benefit analyses, requiring the participation of ecologists, soil scientists, hydrologists, and geologists to determine the appropriate size, type, and placement of structures. Changes to farming practices on a continental scale will require equally complex research by agronomists, soil scientists, hydrologists, economists, and social scientists because broad stakeholder education and involvement, voluntary actions, new legislative authority, and coordination across localities and regions will be necessary to implement such changes (Mississippi River Task Force, 2001). Finally, contaminant fluxes from land to streams and rivers may well undergo chronic increases as a result of larger rainfall events associated with future climate change. Thus, progress in controlling nonpoint contamination will require interdisciplinary research linking the historically important areas of agriculture, hydrology, and biology with emerging areas of climate change, natural resource economics, education, and human dimensions of decision making.

BROAD SYSTEMS CONTEXT

The systems approach mandates that a problem be addressed by specifying the entities that contribute to the problem, the linkages among these entities, the logical or physical boundaries to the system, and the inputs and outputs to the system as a whole (in other words, linkages to entities deemed to be outside the system). The idea has its roots in physics, in which a “system” is a thermodynamic concept related to the flow and conservation of energy. The linkages among entities within a system are as important as the entities themselves; thus, a system is more than the sum of its parts (see Box 3-2 ). Systems usually show nonlinear dynamics, and the nonlinearities among sets of linked entities often lead to

unanticipated and complex behavior, and also to surprises—events that cannot be exactly predicted, or that are outside the realm of prior experience. Indeed, these characteristics of system behavior have been highlighted as key aspects of environmental problems (NRC, 1997a). Thus, considering water resources research within a broad systems context implies elucidating interrelationships among entities that, at first glance, might not be thought to be related. This approach also mandates that small-scale problems be viewed within a larger-scale perspective, which may profoundly alter the understanding of causal and quantitative relationships.

The need to view some of the research priorities set forth in Table 3-1 within a broad systems context is illustrated below.

As an example, the Idaho Department of Water Resources increasingly must resolve conflicts among citizens concerning competing demands for (and assertion of rights over) surface water and groundwater, and it also must resolve interstate water conflicts between Idaho and neighboring states (Dreher, 2003). Provision of adequate water for the habitats of endangered and threatened aquatic species is also part of the state’s responsibilities. Idaho contains six aquifers that span interstate lines and that affect surface water flows in adjoining states. Currently, management of both groundwater and surface water supplies is being undertaken without adequate knowledge of the connections between the two sources, leading to conflicts and shortages. The lack of a comprehensive understanding of the entire regional hydrogeologic system and its links to both human use and natural ecosystems is leading to increased litigation, with current needs not being met. In order to help resolve these conflicts, management agencies need

accurate measurements of water flows and water stocks over a range of temporal and spatial scales. Moreover, the influences of natural processes, natural climate variability, and human intervention in the water system must be monitored.

transpiration rates from vegetation and evaporation rates from the soil surface, thus altering soil and atmospheric moisture content and the likelihood of rain and forest fire. These in turn will have large effects on regional hydrology. These connections, which have been well documented for tropical rain forests, are germane to understanding the connections between hydrology and climate worldwide.

Moreover, the driving force for global climate change—the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations associated with human activities—will also affect aquatic ecosystems in ways that may amplify or dampen the effects of hydrologic change alone. For example, higher CO 2 concentrations will alter leaf chemistry and the relative growth rates of different plant species. Both changes may affect the palatability of litter to decomposer and consumer organisms, in turn affecting decomposition rates, nutrient cycling rates, and ultimately the density and species

composition of the plant community. Changing CO 2 concentrations may also affect pH of the water, with cascading effects on the biota, although changes in flow regime may interact with increased dissolution of CO 2 to modify this effect. These feedbacks are being incorporated into the models that are used to predict the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on climate and water resources. Unfortunately, the great complexity of the system results in model predictions that span a range of values too large and uncertain to be usable for regional or local water resource management at this time (Chase et al., 2003).

Just as energy supply interacts with water use in multiple ways, as described above, energy extraction (for example, oil and gas development in the West) similarly affects water use in complex ways. Impacts of energy extraction on biotic resources may affect water supply and water use indirectly, by limiting potential options to manage water resources. For example, recent and rapid development of methane gas resources in the Powder River Basin is causing major disruptions in groundwater supply sources (BLM, 2003). Depending on the method of energy extraction, water quality is often impaired. Drilling muds, for example, frequently contain additives that have the potential to contaminate downstream or downgradient water supplies (EPA, 2000).

UNCERTAINTY

Water resource management relies on monitoring data, scientific understanding of processes in the water cycle and the ecology of aquatic ecosystems, and ultimately predictive models that can forecast hydrologic conditions and biotic and human responses. All of these types of information are subject to uncertainty. Uncertainty results from many sources, including measurement systems that are not sufficiently precise or that do not generate sufficient quantities of high-quality data, instrument failures, human errors in designing and implementing studies, and simply a lack of understanding of the processes and phenomena under investigation. Uncertainty affects both the analysis of data and the construction of models to make water resource predictions. Although inherent to research, uncertainty can be managed by explicit recognition of its occurrence coupled with quantitative methods of measuring its importance and incorporating it into decision making. By describing the degree of uncertainty in research results (and by inference the reliability of the measurements and models), researchers can adjust the expectations for the use of their data and models accordingly. Reliable estimates of uncertainty contribute directly to successful risk management and the development of environmental policy (Funtowicz and Ravetz, 1990; Dovers et al., 2001). It should be noted that the above definition of uncertainty is broader than that espoused by some federal agencies (e.g., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for which uncertainty refers to situations in which the probability of potential outcomes and their results cannot be described by objectively known probability distributions). Below are examples illustrating the importance of the quantification of uncertainty for some of the research priorities listed in Table 3-1 .

To predict the fate and transport of contaminants from the proposed repository, the DOE has developed a complex mathematical model called Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA) that itself depends on the output of dozens of process-oriented models. The success of the DOE’s license application depends in large measure on the confidence placed in the TSPA predictions of contaminant transport and the technical basis for those predictions. Conceptual and model uncertainty and the explicit quantification of this uncertainty are central to the question of technical basis. As noted by the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board in a letter to Congress (NWTRB, 2002): “Resolving all uncertainty is neither necessary nor possible. However, uncertainties about the performance of those components of the repository system relied upon to isolate waste are very important, and information on the extent of uncertainty and assumed conservatism associated with the performance of these components may be important to policy makers, the technical community, and the public.” Regardless of policymakers’ and the public’s varying levels of tolerance for uncertainty, it can still be said that results of research to quantify, and perhaps further reduce, uncertainties can contribute to the quality and credibility of impending public policy decisions.

remediate polluted waterbodies. Mandated by the Clean Water Act, a TMDL is a calculation of the maximum pollutant loading that a waterbody can sustain and still meet its water quality standards. If the current loadings are higher, then the TMDL must be accompanied by a remedial plan on how to reduce the loadings via best management practices (BMPs). TMDLs are established for an impaired waterbody by using a combination of fate and transport models for the target pollutant or stressor and available waterbody data. This requires both watershed models (which take into account such processes as the movement of pollutants across land) and water quality models (which incorporate in-lake pollutant transport and transformation). Models are also potentially needed to predict the effectiveness of certain BMPs. Many of the watershed and water quality models in use suffer from inadequate representation of physicochemical processes, inappropriate applicability, and lack of training of model users (EPA, 2002). Similarly, the data on which TMDLs are based may be inconsistent in quality or inappropriate in terms of the frequency and extent of sampling. Finally, the methods used to identify impaired waterbodies are often inadequate because of deficiencies in state monitoring networks. All of these problems generate uncertainties in the applicability and effectiveness of the resulting TMDL. The development of improved methods of quantifying uncertainty in both the models and the listing criteria, especially in setting “margin of safety” criteria, is critical if informed decisions about restoring polluted waterbodies are to be made. Indeed, the central role of uncertainty has been a major conclusion of several recent studies critically examining the TMDL program (NRC, 2001c; Borsuk et al., 2002; EPA, 2002).

Water resource managers are subject to increasingly diverse, often conflicting forces. For example, it was relatively simple to develop the knowledge base needed to provide predictable amounts of water to agriculture when this was the only use for a water supply. It becomes much more complicated when agricultural uses need to be met while new demands come from urbanizing areas and from governmental and nongovernmental entities demanding water for endangered species or aquatic ecosystem support, such that the total demand exceeds the readily available supply. In such contexts, adaptability becomes essential. Managers, users, and advocates need to have the flexibility to imagine and adopt novel solutions to water resource problems, and researchers in their search for solutions need to have the flexibility to adapt their research to problems that may have been unimaginable in the recent past. Furthermore, the complexity of current problems may demand that combinations of solutions be applied creatively to different components of a problem. This emphasis on adaptability of both the research community and the managers and users of water needs to be an organizing concept for water resources research. Thus, “adaptation” is defined as a combination of flexibility in solving problems and, more fundamentally, a shift in

norms and standards that can result from confronting novel situations. A related concept in water resources is that of adaptive management, a learning-while-doing process in which a management action is viewed as an experiment, and as managers learn from their successes and failures, they adjust their management actions accordingly (Holling, 1978; Geldof, 1995; Haney and Power, 1996; Wieringa and Morton, 1996; Lee, 1999; NRC, 1999, 2003b, 2004b).

Below are examples of how adaptation is a key element in addressing some of the research priorities listed in Table 3-1 .

This combination of challenges will require adaptability on the part of both researchers and users. For example, creative water delivery systems, such as inhome gray water recycling or dual-home distribution systems (Wilchfort and Lund, 1997) that bring potable water to a few taps and slightly less pure water to other taps for cleaning purposes or industrial needs, will require research. This includes research to develop the technologies to implement such systems and research to understand how people adapt to new modes of obtaining and using water (see Box 3-3 ) and how such a transition might be effected. Individuals’ views of water-related risks (Loewenstein et al., 2001), in-home uses of water, and the value of water resources (Aini et al., 2001) will also need to adapt in order for these technological changes to be successful in maintaining drinking water quality.

diverse biological community within aquatic and riparian ecosystems. However, human actions to minimize floods and droughts and to provide reliable water for consumption at constant rates can eliminate this natural variability (Dynesius and Nilsson, 1994). In order to balance these effects, management of the water, the ecosystem, and the affected social groups must be adaptive in several respects.

For example, ecological restoration, while guided by ideals of the undisturbed or historical state of the ecosystem, increasingly must accept the lesser but still critical goal of repairing damaged systems to a partially restored state. This will be necessary because of insufficient knowledge of the undisturbed state, permanent alteration of the landscape through built structures and intensive land use, and the prevalence of nearly ineradicable nonnative species. An example is provided by the Laurentian Great Lakes, where overfishing and the onslaught of the sea lamprey brought about the decline of native fishes, including the lake trout. At the same time, exotic species of smaller “forage” fish proliferated, resulting in the famous die-off of alewives that littered Chicago’s beaches in the early 1970s. Fisheries managers attempted a bold experiment, importing coho and king salmon from the Pacific Northwest, a highly successful adaptation to a “collapsing” ecosystem. Now with well over one hundred nonnative species, the Great Lakes pose a continuing challenge to ecologists and fisheries managers seeking to manage and restore the ecosystem.

Adaptation is anticipated to be particularly difficult but absolutely essential in large aquatic ecosystems where there are multiple competing interests (fisheries scientists, communities relying on fishing, farmers, water resource and dam managers, etc.) (Peterson, 2000). The scale of conflicts arising from the plexus of interests involved in large-scale ecosystem restoration is illustrated by the recent Klamath (NRC, 2003a) and Columbia River controversies (Gregory et al., 2002; NRC, 1996, 2004a). Clearly, research is needed to develop adaptive approaches to both managing the resources (water, fish, etc.) as well as the various human populations involved in these issues. Flexibility, an understanding that a variety of alternative strategies are possible, and a willingness to adjust previously assumed “rights” will be essential in finding compromises between competing human and ecosystem demands. In addition, the use of adaptive management procedures will be necessary.

that people know what is expected or required and can act in accordance. Thus, for example, investments can be made with the expectation that changes in law will not undo the hoped-for return that motivated the investment. Actions can be taken without fear that a change in the rules will punish the actor. A stable legal system is important economically and socially.

However, this societal interest in stability may conflict with other emerging societal interests in periods of active change. During the 1970s, for example, Congress imposed far-reaching new legal requirements on those whose activities generated certain types of pollution from readily identifiable (point) sources, forcing massive investment in technologically advanced systems for the treatment of particular pollutants prior to their discharge into the environment. The years immediately following enactment of these laws were ones of considerable turmoil and conflict as uncertainties respecting their implementation were disputed and resolved. With these requirements now firmly embedded into the plans and actions of the regulated community, stability has returned. So too has resistance to any significant change in approach, even if such change might better accomplish the objectives of these laws.

Laws governing human uses of water have traditionally been concerned with determining who may make use of the resource and under what conditions. In those states east of the 100th meridian, owners of land adjacent to waterbodies essentially share the ability to use the water (riparian doctrine). Uses must be “reasonable,” with reasonable use generally being measured by the harm that might be caused to other riparian users. In the western states, uses are established through a process of appropriation of water—that is, establishing physical control—and then applying the water to a “beneficial use.” It is a priority system, protecting full use of available water by those first to appropriate it.

The appropriation system arose in the context of water-scarce settings. Direct use of water from streams initially for mining and then for agriculture was essential, and it required the investment of time and money to build the structures that would make that use possible. Users wanted certainty about their rights of use versus other subsequent users, and the prior appropriation system provided that certainty. The appropriation system does not, however, readily accommodate changing uses of water or integrate new uses. Nor does it incorporate the use of water for serving physical and ecological functions within the hydrologic cycle. This suggests that water laws need to be more adaptable if they are to meet changing societal needs. As a first effort, many western states have adopted water transfer laws to accommodate changing water uses, including environmental needs such as instream flows. These states have successfully combined the certainty of the prior appropriation system with the ability to meet emerging demands.

The process of restoring a sustainable level of physical and ecological integrity to our hydrologic systems must work within long-established legal and institutional structures whose purpose has been to promote and support direct human uses. The challenge is to develop societally acceptable approaches that allow

those uses to continue but in a manner that is compatible with ecosystem functionality.

LIMITATIONS TO THE CURRENT WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ENTERPRISE

The articulation of these four themes—interdisciplinarity, broad systems context, uncertainty, and adaptation—is intended to reorient the disparate research agendas of individual agencies as well as individual researchers. The hope is that an emphasis on these overarching themes will lower barriers to research on newly emerging water resources problems. Research agendas of the federal agencies are driven by their specific mandates, such as the agricultural impacts on water (U.S. Department of Agriculture), water as a component of climate (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), or reservoir management (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation). Often there is a need for agencies to center their missions around clearly articulated, politically prominent issues in order to secure funding. These tendencies promote more narrowly focused research and present barriers to addressing difficult, large-scale problems. Furthermore, agencies are locked into policies devolving from their legislative and administrative history, and they cannot create new policies that cut across administrative or management units; thus, research is constrained by policies that easily become antiquated or irrelevant (Stakhiv, 2003). Finally, water resource problems are frequently conceived to match short-term funding cycles (Parks, 2003), resulting in inadequate knowledge for effective water management.

Similarly, individual scientists frame research in terms of their disciplinary training and work environment, which creates barriers to the kind of research needed to solve the complex problems that are now prominent. Indeed, the reluctance of scientists to reach outside their disciplines has been identified elsewhere as a barrier to effective water resources research (Parks, 2003). Institutional and professional constraints on priority setting also mitigate against effective research because they inhibit creative, innovative, and rapid responses to newly emerging or unanticipated problems.

Water resource problems are commonly assumed to be only local or regional in scope because water management entities and water supply systems operate on these scales. However, some water-related problems have become truly national in scope, either because of their very large spatial scale (e.g., the connection of the upper Mississippi drainage basin with hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico) or because controversies rage over the same water issues in many states throughout the nation. Unfortunately, the current organization of water resources research promotes site- and problem-specific research, which results in narrowly conceived solutions that are often not applicable to large-scale, complex problems or to similar issues in other regions of the country (Stakhiv, 2003). Federal agencies may see only the local character of a problem, without understanding the some-

times subtle ways in which local problems are widely replicated around the country, and may conclude that such problems are not appropriately addressed with federal resources. State representatives advised the committee that they rarely have the financial or scientific resources to address problems that have local manifestations but national significance. Thus, such research can fail to be carried out because of limitations at both the federal and state levels.

Finally, the ability to carry out research on water resources may be limited by the availability of adequate long-term data (as discussed in Chapter 5 ). Hydrologic processes are characterized by the frequency with which events of a given magnitude and duration occur. Infrequent but large-magnitude events (floods, droughts) have very large economic, social, and ecological impact. Without an adequately long record of monitoring data, it is difficult, if not impossible, to understand, model, and predict such events and their effects.

By emphasizing interdisciplinarity, broad systems context, uncertainty, and adaptation as overarching research guidelines, the specific research agendas of agencies and, hopefully, individual scientists can be made more relevant to emerging problems. A framework of research priorities based on these overarching themes is more likely to promote flexible, adaptive, and timely responses to novel or unexpected problems than research programs constrained by priority lists developed solely with respect to agency missions. The complexity and urgency of water resource problems demand a framework that widens the scope of inquiry of researchers and research managers and forces them to conduct research in novel ways.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Although the list of topics in Table 3-1 is our current recommendation concerning the highest priority water resources research areas, this list is expected to change as circumstances and knowledge evolve. Water resource issues change continuously, as new knowledge reveals unforeseen problems, as changes in society generate novel problems, and as changing perceptions by the public reveal issues that were previously unimportant. Periodic reviews and updates to the priority list are needed to ensure that it remains not only current but proactive in directing research toward emerging problems.

An urgent priority for water resources research is the development of a process for regularly reviewing and revising the entire portfolio of research being conducted. Six criteria are recommended for assessing both the scope of the entire water resources research enterprise and also the nature, urgency, and purview of individual research areas. These criteria should ensure that the vast scope of water resources research carried out by the numerous federal and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions remains focused and effective.

The research agenda should be balanced with respect to time scale, focus, source of problem statement, and source of expertise. Water resources research ranges from long-term and theoretical studies of basic physical, chemical, and biological processes to studies intended to provide rapid solutions to immediate problems. The water resources research enterprise is best served by developing a mechanism for ensuring that there is an appropriate balance among the different types of research, so that both the problems of today and those that will emerge over the next 10–15 years can be effectively addressed.

The context within which research is designed should explicitly reflect the four themes of interdisciplinarity, broad systems context, uncertainty, and adaptation. The current water resources research enterprise is limited by the agency missions, the often narrow disciplinary perspective of scientists, and the lack of a national perspective on perceived local but widely occurring problems. Research patterned after the four themes articulated above could break down these barriers and promise a more fruitful approach to solving the nation’s water resource problems.

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In order to confront the increasingly severe water problems faced by all parts of the country, the United States needs to make a new commitment to research on water resources. A new mechanism is needed to coordinate water research currently fragmented among nearly 20 federal agencies. Given the competition for water among farmers, communities, aquatic ecosystems and other users—as well as emerging challenges such as climate change and the threat of waterborne diseases— Confronting the Nation's Water Problems concludes that an additional $70 million in federal funding should go annually to water research. Funding should go specifically to the areas of water demand and use, water supply augmentation, and other institutional research topics. The book notes that overall federal funding for water research has been stagnant in real terms for the past 30 years and that the portion dedicated to research on water use and social science topics has declined considerably.

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Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences | Home

Doctor of Philosophy in Hydrology and Water Resources

Description.

(Effective Fall 2019) TIMEFRAME: The program is designed for students interested in the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the hydrologic cycle, as well as water resources systems, environmental studies, or water policy and the social sciences related to water resources. Students may concentrate in one or a combination of these areas but are expected to acquire fundamental proficiency in all aspects of hydrology and water resources. Research-based study programs are individually planned to meet the student's special interests and professional objectives. Time-to-completion for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Hydrology is approximately 3.5-5 years (coursework, research, writing the dissertation, all exams) for well-prepared students. All candidates must submit a dissertation or dissertation publication manuscript which has been judged by the student's committee to be eligible for publication in appropriate scientific journals and present the results at two regional, national, or international scientific meetings.

STUDY TOPICS: Active research areas include hydrogeology, hydrogeochemistry, hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, environmental hydrology, ground-water hydrology, surface water hydrology, vadose zone hydrology, mathematical and statistical methods in hydrology (including stochastic and numerical modeling), water resources sytems, and water resources policy.

PREPARATION: Doctoral applicants should have completed a Master of Science degree with a major in hydrology, water resources, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, or a related field. (Holders of a Bachelor's degree cannot enter the program directly.) Students who have completed all of the required undergraduate mathematics and science prerequisites may have a decreased time to completion. NOTE: Students must have completed at least 2 semesters of calculus and have no more than 4 outstanding course deficiencies at the time of matriculation. All students are expected to acquire basic computer programming/coding skills (e.g. Python, MATLAB, Fortran, C++) and complete a field methods/laboratory-field synthesis course sequence. To satisfy the professional development requirement, students are required to attend weekly seminars and colloquia at the beginning of academic residency, officially enroll in the HWRS colloquium (595A) for at least one semester at some time during residency, and make two formal seminar presentations of their dissertation research (at least one oral presentation) at approved regional, national, or international conferences near the end of their academic residency.

FORMAL EXAMINATIONS: Where gaps exist in background knowledge of basic hydrology and water resources (primary areas of surface water hydrology, subsurface hydrology, water quality-chemistry, water resources systems), first-year doctoral students may be required to complete fundamental core courses in preparation for the Doctoral Qualifying Examination. This exam must be passed by the end of the second semester in residence. After all course work for the Major and Minor has been completed (typically by the end of 2 1/2 to 3 years in residence), the Comprehensive Examination process -- which will include multiple Written exams and one Oral exam -- is initiated. When the Comprehensive Exams have been passed, the student becomes an official doctoral degree candidate. A Final Doctoral Oral Examination, or Dissertation Defense, is required in the final semester. See the PHD HWRS Program Guide for full details.

Apply at the Graduate College website : Click on the Apply Now button for the Program of Study "Hydrology (PHD)." You will be required to upload a variety of documents, including:

All Applicants:
Scanned copies of original transcripts (do not send original transcripts with official seal and signature until after you are accepted into the program)
Names/contact information for three (3) letters of recommendation (referees will submit letters to us online)
Resume or curriculum vitae
Statement of research interests
International Applicants Only: English Proficiency scores also required (details below)

English Proficiency Guidelines: Non-native speakers of English should consult the Graduate College website for information about documenting their proficiency in English . Currently, these minimum scores satisfy the English Proficiency requirement:

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Minimum score 79 (or 60 on the revised PBT, with no section score lower than 15). Individual MyBest scores must also be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below a 6
Pearson PTE Academic : Minimum score of 60
Graduate English Language Endorsement from the University of Arizona's Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)
CEPT Full Academic Test at the University of Arizona's Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), minimum total score of 110
Exemptions by Country from submitting English proficiency scores may be found at the Graduate College website, Requirements by Country

Admission deadlines:

Domestic Applicants: January 15 for Fall Semester. October 1 for Spring Semester.
International Applicants: January 15 for Fall Semester. August 1 for Spring Semester.

Students may be eligible for support through Graduate Assistantships in research and teaching, fee waivers (scholarships), and fellowships. Other funding opportunities are provided by the Graduate College at their Financial Resources website .

Degree Program Reqs

(Effective Fall 2019) The degree requires a minimum of 54 semester units in the Major field of study (HWRS) which includes 36 course units and 18 dissertation units. A complementary Minor field of study (number of units varies) is also required (see Doctoral Minor below). All undergraduate prerequisite courses in math and science should be completed by the end of the first year in residence. See the PHD HWRS Program Guide for full details.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSE PREREQUISITES*

Physical geology: 1 semester
College chemistry: 2-semester sequence in inorganic/analytical chemistry
College physics: 2-semester sequence, one course in mechanics and one course in electricity/magnetism or optics/thermodynamics
Fluid mechanics: 1 semester
Mathematics: Calculus 1, calculus 2, vector calculus, and introductory differential equations
Statistics: 1 semester in statistics or probability theory for the physical sciences or engineering
*You must have received a grade of C or higher to satisfy these course prerequisite requirements. Grades below C are not recognized the UA Graduate College.
*Please note that we cannot accept students with more than four undergraduate course deficiencies, and you must have completed at least two semesters of calculus. If you have a course in progress or course/courses to be completed prior to beginning our program, you may note this on the graduate application.

CORE COURSES

No specific core courses are required for doctoral students, although inclusion of one or more in the plan of study may help students prepare for the Doctoral Oral Qualifying Examination (end of second semester/Year 1). Consult with the Director of Graduate Studies-Hydrology for advice.

HWRS 517A Fundamentals of Water Quality (3 units) Fall
HWRS 518 Fundamentals in Subsurface Hydrology (3 units) Fall
HWRS 519 Fundamentals in Surface Hydrology (3 units) Spring
HWRS 528 Fundamentals: Systems Approach to Hydrologic Modeling (3 units) Fall

HWRS PRIMARY FACULTY ADVANCED ELECTIVES

Advanced elective course work must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies-Hydrology. The Doctoral Plan of Study must include a minimum of 21 semester units in this category (includes core courses and HWRS Primary Faculty advanced elective courses). (Independent study, professional development enrollment, and field methods are not included in this category.) Refer fo the PHD HWRS Program Guide for a list of approved HWRS Primary Faculty courses .

OTHER ELECTIVES & TRANSFER COURSE WORK

The plan of study should also include 12 additional units from: 1) the HWRS Primary Faculty course list, 2) approved transfer course work, and/or 3) approved graduate-level courses from other UA departments. Refer fo the PHD HWRS Program Guide for a list of pre-approved courses outside the department. Consult with the Director of Graduate Studies-Hydrology regarding potential transfer course work.

FIELD METHODS

HWRS 513A Field Methods (2 units) Spring
HWRS 513B Field Synthesis (1 unit) Summer Presession (completed by end of May)

DISSERTATION

HWRS 920 Dissertation (18 units total) -- delete any excess units from Doctoral Plan of Study prior to submission

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Enrollment in HWRS 595A Weekly Colloquium, Current Topics in Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, for at least one semester is required. These units are not included in the Doctoral Plan of Study.
Two oral or poster presentations (minimum one oral) of the doctoral dissertation research at approved regional, national, or international conferences is required. No academic credit is awarded for oral or poster presentations.
Submit an email memo with details to the Director of Graduate Studies-Hydrology (see Program Guide for instructions)

DOCTORAL MINOR

A doctoral minor area of study (outside the department) that complements and supports the dissertation research is required. The minimum semester units required vary by department, ranging from 9-15 semester units (the average is 12 units).
Common Minors and their course prefixes include Applied Mathematics (APPL), Arid Lands Resource Science (ARL), Atmospheric Sciences (ATMO), Chemical Engineering (CHEE), Civil Engineering (CE), Computer Science (CS), Geography and Development (GEOG), Geological Engineering (GEN), Geosciences (GEOS), Global Change (GC), Mining Engineering (MNE), Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis (REM), Renewable Natural Resource Studies (RNR), Soil-Water-Environmental Sciences (ENVS/SWES), and Systems Engineering (SIE). Other Minor areas of study may also be possible.

EXAMINATIONS

End Year 1/Second Semester: Doctoral Qualifying Examination in the Major -- Contact the HAS Program Coordinator for details
End Year 1 Doctoral Qualifying Examination for the Minor -- May be optional, so consult Minor Department
End Year 3 Doctoral Written and Oral Comprehensive Examinations in the Major and Minor -- Initiate after all course work completed
Year 4-5 Doctoral Final Oral Examination -- Dissertation Defense

DISSERTATION ARCHIVAL

Electronic submission of the doctoral dissertation to the Graduate College and archival with ProQuest UMI is required. The department does not require a copy, although members of the student's faculty committee may request a copy of the manuscript.

Be aware of the Graduate College's Steps to Your Degree requirements timeline when planning your examinations (Comprehensive Process and Final Oral/Defense). Allow yourself enough time to make any required revisions of the doctoral dissertation before submission to the Graduate College. The Graduate College's electronic degree audit system includes the following GradPath forms which are required for all Doctor of Philosophy degree candidates. You can complete these forms by logging on to the university's Student UAccess system. You can also refer to the department's PHD HWRS Program Guide and the Dissertation Manuscript Options for instructions and guidance:

Responsible Conduct of Research Form
Only if using external transfer courses
Doctoral Plan of Study
Comprehensive Exam Committee Appointment Form
Announcement of Doctoral Comprehensive Examination
Submitted by Committee Chair
Candidacy Fees charged to student bursar's account upon advancement to doctoral candidacy
Verification of Prospectus/Proposal Approval
Doctoral Dissertation Committee Form
Must be submitted and approved at least one week before the date of final examination/defense
Submission of Final Dissertation Manuscript for Archiving
Exit Survey

Learning Outcomes

Refer to the Assessment section for learning outcomes and measures.

General Inquiry:

[email protected]

Admissions Contact:

Lupe Romero

Director of Graduate Studies:

Martha P.L. Whitaker

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Ward, Kate Alice. "Engineering exploration of the water supply system of Constantinople." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/33033.

Hansen, Allison Jean. "Water quality analysis of the piped water supply in Tamale, Ghana." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/90019.

Germanopoulos, George. "Modelling and operational control of water supply networks." Thesis, Imperial College London, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/7746.

Cox, Chad W. (Chad Wayne) 1970. "Water supply enhancement in Cyprus through evaporation reduction." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/80585.

Murtaugh, Katharine A. (Katharine Ann). "Analysis of sustainable water supply options for Kuwait." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34582.

Zhang, Xin Ph D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Modeling transient flow in intermittent water supply System." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/111551.

Chang, Ching-Chiao. "Optimal reliability-based design of bulk water supply systems." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14593.

Vlok, Gustav. "Optimal risk-based design of bulk water supply systems." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12211.

Byakika, Stephen Nyende. "Modelling of Pressurised Water Supply Networks that May Exhibit Transient Low Pressure - Open Channel Flow Conditions." Thesis, Vaal University of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10352/421.

Balakrishnan, Nandini Kavanal. "Application of artificial neural networks and colored petri nets on earthquake resilient water distribution systems." Diss., Rolla, Mo. : Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2008. http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/thesis/pdf/Balakrishnan_09007dcc805e9237.pdf.

Salleh, Hasnul Bin Mohamad. "Evaluation of non-revenue water and leakage in public and private water supply systems." Thesis, Heriot-Watt University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10399/525.

Sipos, Cristian. "Inventory, condition assessment and diagnosis water supply and sewage systems." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=99539.

Larsson, Robert W. "Water supply and Dracunculus medinensis in Africa." Thesis, Loughborough University, 1994. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/6763.

Rahimi, Navid. "Modeling and mapping of MaeLa refugee camp water supply." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/43879.

Manning, Jill Anna. "Water resources of west Cape Cod : an investigation of water supply and demand planning." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/43357.

Erickson, John Joseph. "The Effects of Intermittent Drinking Water Supply in Arraijan, Panama." Thesis, University of California, Berkeley, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10192492.

Naoum, Sherif Tsanis Ioannis K. "A hydroinformatic approach to basin/coastal water management /." *McMaster only, 2003.

Brown, Daniel. "The management of Trihalomethanes in water supply systems preferred access arrangement." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2009. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/364/.

Gao, Yongxuan 1976. "Community-based water supply : tubewell program in Lumbini Zone, Nepal." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84795.

Salgado-Castro, Rubén Orlando. "Computer modelling of water supply distribution networks using the gradient method." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10443/287.

Kanta, Lufthansa Rahman. "Vulnerability assessment of water supply systems for insufficient fire flows." [College Station, Tex. : Texas A&M University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-1084.

Engelhardt, Mark. "Development of a strategy for the optimum replacement of water mains /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1999. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phe574.pdf.

Papathanasiou, Michael. "Optimal reliability-based design of bulk water supply infrastructure-incorporating pumping systems." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20105.

Gool, Saaligha. "Water supply and sanitation services in South Africa a cluster analysis approach." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5044.

Grosso, Laura Margaret. "Computing collaboration : a study of the potential of model building to facilitate urban water supply planning in selected cities of Zimbabwe, Estonia, and Sweden /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/10804.

Melvill, James Alexander. "Real-time model development for the full river system /." Link to the online version, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10019/1999.

Quin, Andrew. "Monitoring and Evaluation of Rural Water Supply in Uganda." Licentiate thesis, KTH, Miljöbedömning och -förvaltning, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-26359.

Lan, Fujun. "Application of Optimization Techniques to Water Supply System Planning." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/323378.

Correa, Karina Elena. "Reconstructing streamflow in the Upper Rio Grande River Basin." To access this resource online via ProQuest Dissertations and Theses @ UTEP, 2007. http://0-proquest.umi.com.lib.utep.edu/login?COPT=REJTPTU0YmImSU5UPTAmVkVSPTI=&clientId=2515.

Mouritz, Mike. "Sustainable urban water systems : policy and professional praxis /." Mouritz, Mike (1996) Sustainable urban water systems: policy and professional praxis. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 1996. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/211/.

Carnahan, Robert. "A Roof Runoff Strategy and Model for Augmenting Public Water Supply." Scholar Commons, 2010. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3467.

Wolfe, Andrea N. C. (Andrea Nancy Cornell) 1977. "Microbial contamination in the Kathmandu Valley drinking water supply and Bagmati River." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9016.

Sipos, Cristian. "GIS-inventory and condition rating of water supply system at McGill Downtown Campus." Thesis, McGill University, 2011. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=103614.

Halmstad, Sonja. "Water Supply for Irrigation of Balda Lupaxi Bajo, Chimborazo, Ecuador." Thesis, Uppsala University, Department of Earth Sciences, 2004. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-88906.

Denna rapport är en del av en förstudie som syftar att undersöka möjligheterna för ett bevattningsprojekt i de ecuadorianska Anderna. Rapport koncentrerar sig på vatten-tillgången för förstudien Estudio de Prefacitbilidad de un Proyecto de Riego en los Andes – el Caso de Balda Lupaxi Bajo, Chimborazo, Ecuador. Fältundersökningarna gjordes under mars till och med maj 2003 i Balda Lupaxi Bajo, en indian-by i provinsen Chimobrazo. I detta område är nederbörden bristfällig och följaktligen är skörden dålig och det är inte möjligt att bruka jorden under delar av året. Idén till projektet initierades av en bonde-förening som kallas UNASAC. UNASAC kommer att använda rapporten i sitt sökande efter finansiellt stöd för fördjupande studier och slutligen ett genomförande av projektet.

Målet med denna delrapport är att identifiera en lämplig plats för vattenuttag och att bestämma hur många hektar som kan bevattnas. Vidare presenteras ett förslag till utformning av vattenavledningen. Studien har gjorts genom fältstudier, vattenanalyser, intervjuer och bearbetning av hydrologiska och meteorologiska data.

Fyra vattenuttagsalternativ undersöktes, både flod- och grundvatten. Det mest lämpliga alternativet enligt denna studie är floden Llinllin. De andra undersökta alternativen förkastades på grund av brist på vatten, otillräcklig vattenkvalitet och höga kostnader. Llinllin-alternativet består av en direkt avledning, en öppen kanal och en sifon. Alternativet kan försörja 250 hektar av bevattnad odlingsmark under de antaganden som är gjorda i rapporten.

För att fortsätta med detta projekt måste bönderna lösa de sociala problem som finns i och mellan byarna. Kommunicationen med de närliggande byarna är nödvändig. Det finns många intressenter av Llinllin floden och det är nödvändigt att finna en hållbar lösning för vattenuttaget.

This report is a part of a prefeasiblity study to investigate the possibilities to introduce an irrigation system in a rural part of the Andes in Ecuador. The report concentrates on the water supply for the prefeasability study called Estudio de Prefacitbilidad de un Proyecto de Riego en los Andes – el Caso de Balda Lupaxi Bajo, Chimborazo, Ecuador. The field study was carried out in March to May 2003 in the indigenous village of Balda Lupaxi Bajo situated in the province of Chimborazo. In this area the precipitation is inferior throughout the year. Consequently the harvest is poor and it is not possible to cultivate during parts of the year. The project was initiated by UNASAC, an indigenous organization for farmers. UNASAC would use this report for finding finances to complete further studies and finally implement an irrigation system.

The main aims of this report are to identify a suitable site for water supply and to determine the size of the area possible to irrigate. Further, a distribution design of the water supply has been investigated. This was carried out by field studies, water analyses, interviews and processing of hydrological and meteorological data.

Four alternatives of water supply were studied, both river and ground water. The most appropriate water supply according to the study is the Llinllin River. The other investigated alternatives were rejected due to lack of water, insufficient water quality and high costs. The Llinllin River alternative consists of a direct abstraction, open channels and a siphon. This alternative can support 250 hectares under the constraints taken in this study.

In order to continue this project the farmers need to solve the social problems within and between the villages. An improvement of the communication with the nearby villages is necessary. There are many stakeholders involved in the usage of the Llinllin River and therefore it is of great importance to find a sustainable solution for the water abstraction.

Chirwa, M. P. W. "An evaluation of the minimum requirements for the design of rural water supply projects." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2895.

Oliveira, Carlos A. Grassmann R. "Water supply to Portuguese regional hospitals : a contribution for the knowledge of the water consumption patterns in Portuguese regional hospitals." Thesis, Kingston University, 2010. http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/20337/.

Al-Qudah, Hussein. "Optimal irrigation management under conditions of limited water supply in the Jordan Valley." Thesis, Imperial College London, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.243295.

Crawley, P. D. "Risk and reliability assessment of multiple reservoir water supply headworks systems /." Title page, contents and synopsis only, 1995. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phc911.pdf.

Marobhe, Nancy. "Water Supply in Tanzania and Performance of Local Plant Materials in Purification of Turbid Water." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Mark- och vattenteknik, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-4781.

Torres, Jacob Manuel. "Analyzing risk and uncertainty for improving water distribution system security from malevolent water supply contamination events." [College Station, Tex. : Texas A&M University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2696.

Pelletier, Geneviève. "Pump scheduling and reservoir releases for the optimization of water supply system operating costs." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/10249.

Le, Hénaff Anne-Claire. "Time-variant solar-powered electrodialysis reversal desalination for affordable off-grid clean water supply." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/132744.

Akosa, George. "Appraisal and evaluation of water supply and sanitation projects : Ghana as a case study." Thesis, Loughborough University, 1990. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/6739.

Habtemichael, Yonas T. "Hydrogeochemical Modeling of Saltwater Intrusion and Water Supply Augmentation in South Florida." FIU Digital Commons, 2016. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2438.

Raubenheimer, Murray. "The feasibility of augmenting the Stellenbosch potable water supply by establishing a direct potable reuse plant." Master's thesis, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31845.

Holmberg, Kristin. "Establishing a sustainable water supply in Chonyonyo, Karagwe, Tanzania." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-333299.

Hemlin, Karl. "Development of Sensor Concept to Regulate Fuel Supply During Priming of Water to Air Heater in Production." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS), 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-300905.

Kizito, Frank. "Development of Decision Support Tools for Urban Water Supply Management in Uganda." Licentiate thesis, Stockholm : Mark- och vattenteknik, Land and Water Resource Engineering, Kungliga Tekniska högskolan, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-4803.

Tukker, Mary Jean. "Water quality information system for integrated water resource management." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52054.

Makhomo, Selbourne Rapoone. "Remote monitoring and evaluation of a photovoltaic (PV) groundwater pumping system." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1270.

Research Interests

· Water resource systems : simulation and optimization modeling; optimal operations of single and multi reservoir systems; irrigation; hydropower; flood control; water distribution systems; multi-criterion decision making, sustainability analysis.

· Surface water hydrology - statistical modeling and forecasting of hydrologic & climatic variables; risk analysis of floods & droughts; uncertainty modeling; Copulas for multivariate modeling; climate change impacts on watersheds/river basins.

· Irrigation water management - irrigation planning, irrigation canal networks , design and performance evaluation of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems; impact assessment of climate change on agriculture.

· Evolutionary Algorithms for single & multi-objective optimization: Genetic Algorithms, Differential Evolution, Cross Entropy Optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization, Ant Colony Optimization, Artificial Bee Colony algorithms.

· Soft computing in hydrology & water resources: Fuzzy Logic, Artificial Neural Networks, Support Vector Machines, Model Trees and Genetic Programming.

· Remote sensing and GIS in management of watersheds, irrigated agriculture, and developing decision support systems.

PROJECT GUIDANCE

PhD Thesis

M.Tech. Thesis

News Roundup Spring 2024

The Class of 2024 spring graduation celebration

CEGE Spring Graduation Celebration and Order of the Engineer

Forty-seven graduates of the undergraduate and grad student programs (pictured above) in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering took part in the Order of the Engineer on graduation day. Distinguished Speakers at this departmental event included Katrina Kessler (MS EnvE 2021), Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and student Brian Balquist. Following this event, students participated in the college-wide Commencement Ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

UNIVERSITY & DEPARTMENT

The University of Minnesota’s Crookston, Duluth, and Rochester campuses have been awarded the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, joining the Twin Cities (2006, 2015) and Morris campuses (2015), and making the U of M the country’s first and only university system at which every individual campus has received this selective designation. Only 368 from nearly 4,000 qualifying U.S. universities and colleges have been granted this designation.

CEGE contributed strongly to the College of Science and Engineering’s efforts toward sustainability research. CEGE researchers are bringing in over $35 million in funded research to study carbon mineralization, nature and urban areas, circularity of water resources, and global snowfall patterns. This news was highlighted in the Fall 2023 issue of Inventing Tomorrow (pages 10-11). https://issuu.com/inventingtomorrow/docs/fall_2023_inventing_tomorrow-web

CEGE’s new program for a one-year master’s degree in structural engineering is now accepting applicants for Fall 2024. We owe a big thanks to DAN MURPHY and LAURA AMUNDSON for their volunteer work to help curate the program with Professor JIA-LIANG LE and EBRAHIM SHEMSHADIAN, the program director. Potential students and companies interested in hosting a summer intern can contact Ebrahim Shemshadian ( [email protected] ).

BERNIE BULLERT , CEGE benefactor and MN Water Research Fund founder, was profiled on the website of the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF). There you can read more about his mission to share clean water technologies with smaller communities in Minnesota. Many have joined Bullert in this mission. MWRF Recognizes their Generous 2024 Partners. Gold Partners: Bernie Bullert, Hawkins, Inc., Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and SL-serco. Silver Partners: ISG, Karl and Pam Streed, Kasco, Kelly Lange-Haider and Mark Haider, ME Simpson, Naeem Qureshi, Dr. Paul H. Boening, TKDA, and Waterous. Bronze Partners: Bruce R. Bullert; Brenda Lenz, Ph.D., APRN FNP-C, CNE; CDM Smith; Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA MN); Heidi and Steve Hamilton; Jim “Bulldog” Sadler; Lisa and Del Cerney; Magney Construction; Sambatek; Shannon and John Wolkerstorfer; Stantec; and Tenon Systems.

After retiring from Baker-Tilly, NICK DRAGISICH (BCE 1977) has taken on a new role: City Council member in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. After earning his BCE from the University of Minnesota, Dragisich earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas. Dragisich retired in May from his position as managing director at Baker Tilly, where he had previously served as firm director. Prior to that, he served as assistant city manager in Spokane, Washington, was the city administrator and city engineer in Virginia, Minnesota, and was mayor of Chisholm, Minnesota—all adding up to more than 40 years of experience in local government. Dragisich was selected by a unanimous vote. His current term expires in December 2024.

PAUL F. GNIRK (Ph.D. 1966) passed away January 29, 2024, at the age of 86. A memorial service was held Saturday, February 24, at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), where he started and ended his teaching career, though he had many other positions, professional and voluntary. In 2018 Paul was inducted into the SDSM&T Hardrocker Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame, joining his mother Adeline S. Gnirk, who had been inducted in 1987 for her work authoring nine books on the history of south central South Dakota.

ROGER M. HILL (BCE 1957) passed away on January 13, 2024, at the age of 90. His daughter, Kelly Robinson, wrote to CEGE that Roger was “a dedicated Gopher fan until the end, and we enjoyed many football games together in recent years. Thank you for everything.”

KAUSER JAHAN (Ph.D. 1993, advised by Walter Maier), PE, is now a civil and environmental engineering professor and department head at Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. Jahan was awarded a 3-year (2022- 2025), $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The grant supports her project, “WaterWorks: Developing the New Generation of Workforce for Water/Wastewater Utilities,” for the development of educational tools that will expose and prepare today’s students for careers in water and wastewater utilities.

SAURA JOST (BCE 2010, advised by Timothy LaPara) was elected to the St. Paul City Council for Ward 3. She is part of the historic group of women that make up the nation’s first all-female city council in a large city.

The 2024 ASCE Western Great Lakes Student Symposium combines several competitions for students involved in ASCE. CEGE sent a large contingent of competitors to Chicago. Each of the competition groups won awards: Ethics Paper 1st place Hans Lagerquist; Sustainable Solutions team 1st place overall in (qualifying them for the National competition in Utah in June); GeoWall 2nd place overall; Men’s Sprint for Concrete Canoe with rowers Sakthi Sundaram Saravanan and Owen McDonald 2nd place; Product Prototype for Concrete Canoe 2nd place; Steel Bridge (200 lb bridge weight) 2nd place in lightness; Scavenger Hunt 3rd place; and Aesthetics and Structural Efficiency for Steel Bridge 4th place.

Students competing on the Minnesota Environmental Engineers, Scientists, and Enthusiasts (MEESE) team earned second place in the Conference on the Environment undergraduate student design competition in November 2023. Erin Surdo is the MEESE Faculty Adviser. Pictured are NIKO DESHPANDE, ANNA RETTLER, and SYDNEY OLSON.

The CEGE CLASS OF 2023 raised money to help reduce the financial barrier for fellow students taking the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, a cost of $175 per test taker. As a result of this gift, they were able to make the exam more affordable for 15 current CEGE seniors. CEGE students who take the FE exam pass the first time at a rate well above national averages, demonstrating that CEGE does a great job of teaching engineering fundamentals. In 2023, 46 of 50 students passed the challenging exam on the first try.

This winter break, four CEGE students joined 10 other students from the College of Science and Engineering for the global seminar, Design for Life: Water in Tanzania. The students visited numerous sites in Tanzania, collected water source samples, designed rural water systems, and went on safari. Read the trip blog: http://globalblogs.cse.umn.edu/search/label/Tanzania%202024

Undergraduate Honor Student MALIK KHADAR (advised by Dr. Paul Capel) received honorable mention for the Computing Research Association (CRA) Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award for undergraduate students who show outstanding research potential in an area of computing research.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

AKASH BHAT (advised by William Arnold) presented his Ph.D. defense on Friday, October 27, 2023. Bhat’s thesis is “Photolysis of fluorochemicals: Tracking fluorine, use of UV-LEDs, and computational insights.” Bhat’s work investigating the degradation of fluorinated compounds will assist in the future design of fluorinated chemicals such that persistent and/or toxic byproducts are not formed in the environment.

ETHAN BOTMEN (advised by Bill Arnold) completed his Master of Science Final Exam February 28, 2024. His research topic was Degradation of Fluorinated Compounds by Nucleophilic Attack of Organo-fluorine Functional Groups.

XIATING CHEN , Ph.D. Candidate in Water Resources Engineering at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory is the recipient of the 2023 Nels Nelson Memorial Fellowship Award. Chen (advised by Xue Feng) is researching eco-hydrological functions of urban trees and other green infrastructure at both the local and watershed scale, through combined field observations and modeling approaches.

ALICE PRATES BISSO DAMBROZ has been a Visiting Student Researcher at the University of Minnesota since last August, on a Doctoral Dissertation Research Award from Fulbright. Her CEGE advisor is Dr. Paul Capel. Dambroz is a fourth year Ph.D. student in Soil Science at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria in Brazil, where she studies with her adviser Jean Minella. Her research focuses on the hydrological monitoring of a small agricultural watershed in Southern Brazil, which is located on a transition area between volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Its topography, shallow soils, and land use make it prone to runoff and erosion processes.

Yielding to people in crosswalks should be a very pedestrian topic. Yet graduate student researchers TIANYI LI, JOSHUA KLAVINS, TE XU, NIAZ MAHMUD ZAFRI (Dept.of Urban and Regional Planning at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), and Professor Raphael Stern found that drivers often do not yield to pedestrians, but they are influenced by the markings around a crosswalk. Their work was picked up by the Minnesota Reformer.

TIANYI LI (Ph.D. student advised by Raphael Stern) also won the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation (DDET) Fellowship for the third time! Li (center) and Stern (right) are pictured at the Federal Highway Administration with Latoya Jones, the program manager for the DDET Fellowship.

The Three Minute Thesis Contest and the Minnesota Nice trophy has become an annual tradition in CEGE. 2023’s winner was EHSANUR RAHMAN , a Ph.D. student advised by Boya Xiong.

GUANJU (WILLIAM) WEI , a Ph.D. student advised by Judy Yang, is the recipient of the 2023 Heinz G. Stefan Fellowship. He presented his research entitled Microfluidic Investigation of the Biofilm Growth under Dynamic Fluid Environments and received his award at the St. Anthony Falls Research Laboratory April 9. The results of Wei's research can be used in industrial, medical, and scientific fields to control biofilm growth.

BILL ARNOLD stars in an award-winning video about prairie potholes. The Prairie Potholes Project film was made with the University of Delaware and highlights Arnold’s NSF research. The official winners of the 2024 Environmental Communications Awards Competition Grand Prize are Jon Cox and Ben Hemmings who produced and directed the film. Graduate student Marcia Pacheco (CFANS/LAAS) and Bill Arnold are the on-screen stars.

Four faculty from CEGE join the Center for Transportation Studies Faculty and Research Scholars for FY24–25: SEONGJIN CHOI, KETSON ROBERTO MAXIMIANO DOS SANTOS, PEDRAM MORTAZAVI, and BENJAMIN WORSFOLD . CTS Scholars are drawn from diverse fields including engineering, planning, computer science, environmental studies, and public policy.

XUE FENG is coauthor on an article in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment . The authors evaluate global plant responses to changing rainfall regimes that are now characterized by fewer and larger rainfall events. A news release written at Univ. of Maryland can be found here: https://webhost.essic. umd.edu/april-showers-bring-mayflowers- but-with-drizzles-or-downpours/ A long-running series of U of M research projects aimed at improving stormwater quality are beginning to see practical application by stormwater specialists from the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. JOHN GULLIVER has been studying best practices for stormwater management for about 16 years. Lately, he has focused specifically on mitigating phosphorous contamination. His research was highlighted by the Center for Transportation Studies.

JIAQI LI, BILL ARNOLD, and RAYMOND HOZALSKI published a paper on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors in Minnesota rivers. “Animal Feedlots and Domestic Wastewater Discharges are Likely Sources of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) Precursors in Midwestern Watersheds,” Environmental Science and Technology (January 2024) doi: 10.1021/acs. est.3c09251

ALIREZA KHANI contributed to MnDOT research on Optimizing Charging Infrastructure for Electric Trucks. Electric options for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks (e-trucks) are still largely in development. These trucks account for a substantial percentage of transportation greenhouse gas emissions. They have greater power needs and different charging needs than personal EVs. Proactively planning for e-truck charging stations will support MnDOT in helping to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. This research was featured in the webinar “Electrification of the Freight System in Minnesota,” hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies. A recording of the event is now available online.

MICHAEL LEVIN has developed a unique course for CEGE students on Air Transportation Systems. It is the only class at UMN studying air transportation systems from an infrastructure design and management perspective. Spring 2024 saw the third offering of this course, which is offered for juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Research Professor SOFIA (SONIA) MOGILEVSKAYA has been developing international connections. She visited the University of Seville, Spain, November 13–26, 2023, where she taught a short course titled “Fundamentals of Homogenization in Composites.” She also met with the graduate students to discuss collaborative research with Prof. Vladislav Mantic, from the Group of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis at the University of Seville. Her visit was a part of planned activities within the DIAGONAL Consortium funded by the European Commission. CEGE UMN is a partner organization within DIAGONAL, represented by CEGE professors Mogilevskaya and Joseph Labuz. Mantic will visit CEGE summer 2024 to follow up on research developments and discuss plans for future collaboration and organization of short-term exchange visits for the graduate students from each institution.

DAVID NEWCOMB passed away in March. He was a professor in CEGE from 1989–99 in the area of pavement engineering. Newcomb led the research program on asphalt materials characterization. He was the technical director of Mn/ROAD pavement research facility, and he started an enduring collaboration with MnDOT that continues today. In 2000, he moved from Minnesota to become vice-president for Research and Technology at the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Later he moved to his native Texas, where he was appointed to the division head of Materials and Pavement at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, a position from which he recently retired. He will be greatly missed.

PAIGE NOVAK won Minnesota ASCE’s 2023 Distinguished Engineer of the Year Award for her contributions to society through her engineering achievements and professional experiences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced ten inaugural (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines awards, with a potential $1.6 billion investment nationally over the next decade. Great Lakes ReNEW is led by the Chicago-based water innovation hub, Current, and includes a team from the University of Minnesota, including PAIGE NOVAK. Current will receive $15 mil for the first two years, and up to $160 million over ten years to develop and grow a water-focused innovation engine in the Great Lakes region. The project’s ambitious plan is to create a decarbonized circular “blue economy” to leverage the region’s extraordinary water resources to transform the upper Midwest—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Brewing one pint of beer generates seven pints of wastewater, on average. So what can you do with that wastewater? PAIGE NOVAK and her team are exploring the possibilities of capturing pollutants in wastewater and using bacteria to transform them into energy.

BOYA XIONG has been selected as a recipient of the 2024 40 Under 40 Recognition Program by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. The award was presented at the 2024 AAEES Awards Ceremony, April 11, 2024, at the historic Howard University in Washington, D.C.

JUDY Q. YANG received a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship Award. This two-year award recognizes promising assistant professors and is intended to advance the careers of individuals who have the potential to make significant contributions to their departments and their scholarly fields.

Professor Emeritus CHARLES FAIRHURST , his son CHARLES EDWARD FAIRHURST , and his daughter MARGARET FAIRHURST DURENBERGER were on campus recently to present Department Head Paige Novak with a check for $25,000 for the Charles Fairhurst Fellowship in Earth Resources Engineering in support of graduate students studying geomechanics. The life of Charles Fairhurst through a discussion with his children is featured on the Engineering and Technology History Wiki at https://ethw.org/Oral-History:Charles_Fairhurst#00:00:14_INTRODUCTION

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THESIS . INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT UNDER UNCERTAINTY: EXPLORING INTERCONNECTED TECHNOLOGICAL, INFRASTRUCTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL SOLUTIONS . Submitted by . Benjamin Wostoupal . Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering . In partial fulfillment of the requirements . For the Degree of Master of Science . Colorado State University
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Water resources engineering involves the supply of surface and subsurface water to the public; control of hazards associated with water, e.g., flooding; and maintenance of the health of ecological systems. Because water pollution is often the primary driving force for the engineered control of water resources, graduate students typically take ...
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Special Issue Information. Dear Colleagues, MDPI's Advances in Hydraulics and Water Engineering journal publishes original, stimulating and high quality articles on hydraulic and water engineering in engineered and natural systems. Applications of hydraulics and water engineering include the design of hydraulic structures, such as bridges ...
Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations
Exploratory Data-Driven Models for Water Quality: A Case Study for Tampa Bay Water, Sandra Sekyere. PDF. Interdependency between Water and Road Infrastructures: Cases and Impacts, Shihab Uddin. PDF. Hurricanes and Tropical Storms' Impact on Water Quality in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, Daniela Vasquez Diaz. PDF
Water Resources Engineering Thesis Topics
Water Resources Engineering Thesis Topics - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. water resources engineering thesis topics
Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Advanced Studies in
PDF | On Jan 1, 2020, Pablo Acuña Paolo Torres published Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Advanced Studies in Sustainable Water Resources "MODELING THE HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE OF A ...
PDF MASTER's THESIS
Integrated Water Resources Management Cologne University of Applied Sciences ITT - Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics "Integrated Management of Ecosystem Services Using Treated Wastewater: A Case Study at Upper Zarqa River, Jordan" Thesis to Obtain the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE
Water Resources Engineering
Water resources engineering has its roots in the tasks of supplying water for human use, removing water when humans are finished using it and developing methods of avoiding damage from excess water (floods). Much of the work of water resource engineers involves the planning and management of constructed facilities that address these tasks.
Water Resources Research Priorities for the Future
The pressing nature of water resource problems was set forth in Chapter 1.The solution to these problems is necessarily sought in research—inquiry into the basic natural and societal processes that govern the components of a given problem, combined with inquiry into possible methods for solving these problems.
Doctor of Philosophy in Hydrology and Water Resources
Research-based study programs are individually planned to meet the student's special interests and professional objectives. Time-to-completion for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Hydrology is approximately 3.5-5 years (coursework, research, writing the dissertation, all exams) for well-prepared students.
Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering
The Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering, a specialized field of Civil Engineering Department provides research facilities to meet needs of industry and government. Some of the major areas are listed below: Statistical hydrology. Eco-hydrology. Surface Hydrology. Stochastic Hydrology. Rainfall-Runoff Modelling. Computational hydraulics
Dissertations / Theses: 'Water-supply engineering'
Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly. List of dissertations / theses on the topic 'Water-supply engineering'. Scholarly publications with full text pdf download. Related research topic ideas.
PDF Jimma University Jimma Institute of Technology School of Graduate
hydraulic and water resources engineering hydraulic engineering master of science hydraulic performance of urban water supply distribution system a case study at sekota town water supply project, ethiopia a thesis submitted to the school of graduate studies of jimma universiy.jimma institute of technology in partial fulfillment
Research Interests
PhD Thesis. Student Name : Topic : Degree : Status: Remarks, if any: ... "Soft Computing Techniques in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering" during 2-6 November 2009, at IIT Bombay (along with V. Jothi Prakash) Reviewed Technical Papers for International Journals. IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation (2007, 2008, 2009,2010 ...
News Roundup Spring 2024
CEGE Spring Graduation Celebration and Order of the EngineerForty-seven graduates of the undergraduate and grad student programs (pictured above) in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering took part in the Order of the Engineer on graduation day. Distinguished Speakers at this departmental event included Katrina Kessler (MS EnvE 2021), Commissioner of the Minnesota ...