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Civil and Environmental Engineering Research

Hydraulics and Water Resources

Worldwide there is a call for new technologies, materials and practices to reduce human-induced carbon footprints that cause global climate change and to adapt to projected climate change. One of the systems likely affected by global climate change and population growth is water resources. The Water Resources Program investigates all aspects of the complex interactions between climate variability and change, ecosystem processes, and increased demand from human activities. In the semi-arid regions of the northwestern U.S., water availability during drought periods has already reached crisis levels and the problems are expected to intensify as the effects of global climate change and population growth continue to alter the supply and demand patterns.

Research areas include:

  • Low Impact Development
  • Aquatic System Management and Restoration
  • Climate Change Analysis, Implications, and Adaptation
  • Aquifer Storage and Recovery
  • Water Reuse
  • Remote Sensing
  • Stormwater Quantity and Quality
  • Surface/Groundwater Interaction
  • Sustainable materials and construction
  • Engineering Education

Facilities

Hydraulics Engineering has a large work area for the construction of physical scale models along with a wide range of fluid pumping systems. Laster Doppler velocimeter systems are available for accurate velocity measurements. Computational hydraulics and fluid dynamics studies use a well-equipped workstation laboratory.

Affiliated Centers, Institutes, and Labs

Multi-Scale Land Surface Hydrology Lab

Conducts research on the connections between climate, hydrology, land use, and ecological (natural and agricultural) processes

State of Washington Water Research Center (SWWRC)

Conducting and facilitating applied water-related research, educating future water professionals, and connecting the academic community, water resource managers, and water stakeholders

Faculty

NameEmailPhone
Jennifer Adam
Adam, Jennifer
Berry Family Distinguished Professor
jcadam@wsu.edu(509) 335-7751
Jan Boll
Boll, Jan
j.boll@wsu.edu(509) 335-4767
Indranil Chowdhury
Chowdhury, Indranil
indranil.chowdhury@wsu.edu(509) 335-3721
Yonas K. Demissie
Demissie, Yonas K.
WSU Tricities
y.demissie@tricity.wsu.edu(509) 372-7344
Nicholas Engdahl
Engdahl, Nicholas
nick.engdahl@wsu.edu(509) 335-9140
Tim Ginn
Ginn, Tim
Boeing Distinguished Professor
tim.ginn@wsu.edu(509) 335-0528
Ming-Liang Liu
Liu, Ming-Liang
Assistant Research Professor
mingliang.liu@wsu.edu(509) 335-9171
Alexandra (Sasha) Richey
Richey, Alexandra (Sasha)
sasha.richey@wsu.edu(509) 335-1691

Theses & Dissertations

2015

  • The Effects of Grain Size Heterogeneity on Sediment Transport Modeling
    Ross Steven Wickham, MS, Chair: John Petrie
  • Regional Frequency Analysis and Copula Multivariate Statistics for Characterizing Extreme Precipitation and Drought
    MD Rubayet Mortuza, MS, Chair: Yonas K. Demissie (Tri-Cities)

2013

2012

2011

2010

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2002

  • Applications of Particle Velocity to Bedload Motion (Abstract)
    Douglas Knapp, MS, Chair: Thanos Papanicolaou
  • Preliminary Site Investigation and Characterization of the Former Atomic Energy Commission Bus Lot Property (Abstract)
    Robert Nielson, MS, Chair: Yasuo Onishi
  • Numerical Investigation of the Role of Muck Layer in Contaminant Migration at Stream/Aquifer Interface (Abstract)
    Mo’ayyad Shawaqfah, PhD, Chair: Michael Barber
  • Microforms in Gravel Bed Rivers (Abstract)
    Kyle Strom, MS, Chair: Thanos Papanicolaou
  • Turbulence in Gravel Bed Rivers and Its Relevance to Fish Passage Technologies (Abstract)
    Hans Tritico, MS, Chair: Rollin Hotchkiss

2001

  • Impact of Stomata Resistance on Evapotranspiration and Water Yield in Climate Change Modeling (Abstract)
    Ping Chen, MS, Chair: Rollin Hotchkiss
  • Predicting Fish Passage Design Flows at Ungaged Streams in Eastern Washington (Abstract)
    Erik Rowland, MS, Co-Chairs: Joan Wu and Rollin Hotchkiss

2000

  • Geomorphologic Characteristics of High Gradient Gravel Bed Streams
    Adam Maxwell, MS, Chair: Thanos Papanicolaou
  • Evaluating Small Dams to Improve Stream Conditions for Anadromous Fish
    Dwight Perkins, MS, Chair: Michael Barber
  • The Evolution of Clusters in Gravel-Bed Streams
    Samuel Schuyler, MS, Chair: Thanos Papanicolaou
  • Water Yield Responses to High and Low Spatial Resolution Climate Change Scenarios in the Missouri River Basin
    Mark Stone, MS, Chair: Rollin Hotchkiss
  • Continuous Simulation Versus Return Period Design of Wetponds and Constructed Wetlands
    Kevin Timmins, MS, Chair: Michael Barber
  • A Numerical Model for the Study of Sediment Transport in Steep Mountain Streams
    Edward Wicklein, MS, Chair: Thanos Papanicolaou

1999

  • Unsteady State Inverse Chlorine Modeling in Pipe Networks
    Abbas Al-Omari, PhD, Chair: Hanif Chaudhry

1998

  • Analysis of Mixing in Wetponds Through Physical Modeling
    Arn Coombs, MS, Chair: Michael Barber

1997

  • Hydraulic Performance of the Ecology Ditch: A Best Management Practice for the Treatment of Highway Runoff
    Steven King, MS, Chair: Michael Barber

1996

  • Hydrogeologic Investigation of Quincy, Washington Area
    John Chambers, MS, Chair: Wade Hathhorn
  • Two-Dimensional Numerical Modeling of Sediment Transport in Unsteady Open Channel Flows
    Ahmed Kassam, PhD, Chair: Hanif Chaudhry

1995

  • Modeling of Chlorine Concentration in Unsteady Flows in Pipe Networks
    Rashidul Islam, PhD, Chair: Hanif Chaudhry
  • Numerical Modeling of Two-Dimensional, Unsteady Sediment Transport and Bed Evolution in Open Channels
    Rashid Mizanur, PhD, Chair: Hanif Chaudhry
  • Dissolved Organic Matter and Heavy Metals Removal from Soil-Water by Infiltration
    Ronan Igloria, MS, Chair: Wade Hathhorn
  • Decision Support System for the Clean-Up of NAPL Contaminated Soils
    Dale Lough, MS, Chair: Wade Hathhorn
  • Numerical Simulation of Laterally Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations
    Anand Raman, MS, Chair: Hanif Chaudhry