Associated Faculty and Researchers
- Associate Director Joshua H. Viers, Ecology
- William Bennett, Fish Ecology
- William Fleenor, Engineering/Fluids
- Joan Florsheim, Fluvial Geomorphology
- Carson Jeffres, Fish Ecology
- Marion Jenkins, Engineering
- Mike Johnson, Ecology
- Josue Medellin-Azuara, Hydro-economic Modeling
- Sarah Yarnell, Hydrology
Associate Director Joshua H. Viers
Ecology
Web site: http://ice.ucdavis.edu/people/jhviers
Associate Research Scientist, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Josh Viers' research interests and projects investigate the
geospatial aspects of watershed science with a specific focus on the
watersheds of the North Coast and the Sierra Nevada. His watershed
research activities include aspects of natural flow regimes, climate
change, water management, land use, freshwater ecosystem conservation,
and riparian restoration. In addition to directing the GIS activities
of the Center, his research also includes the development of new tools
for spatial analysis and the inclusion of new technologies, such as
LiDAR and hyperspectral remote sensing.
William Bennett
Fish Ecology
Associate Researcher, John Muir Institute of the
Environment
Bill Bennett's research involves the ecology of fishes, primarily in estuarine and marine systems. His main focus has been on understanding the population dynamics and forces structuring fish assemblages in the San Francisco Estuary and near-shore marine environments in California. This work involves statistical analyses of historical data, and field investigations to understand the influences of multiple interacting stressors, including exotic species, hydrodynamics, exposure to pollutants, and climate change. He is considered a leading expert on the delta smelt and striped bass populations in the San Francisco Estuary, and has worked extensively on management issues with the Interagency Ecological Program, CALFED Science Program, and associated agencies, including state and federal policy-makers. Bill has also been a co-investigator with the Pacific Estuarine Ecosystem Indicator Research Consortium (PEEIR) focusing on tidal-marsh goby populations, as well as with the U.S. Geological Survey CASCaDE project to examine the likely consequences of climate change on estuarine fishes of northern California.
William Fleenor
Engineering/Fluids
Web site: http://edl.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
Professional Research Engineer, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Bill Fleenor supervises the Environmental Dynamics Laboratory in Civil Engineering. His principal research interest is quantifying interactions between fluid transport and mixing processes to better understand water quality in natural and engineered systems through field experimentation, tracer studies, detailed laboratory studies, and numerical modeling. His work with the Watershed Center has included hydraulic modeling of North Delta flood flows, investigation of the hydrologic constraints on restoration of the McCormack-Williamson Tract, advising on installation of a remote sensing network on the Cosumnes floodplain and supervision of data collection and analysis for the study of depleted oxygen and fluvial dynamics in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel.
Joan Florsheim
Fluvial Geomorphology
Web site: http://geology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/florsheim.html
Associate Research Geologist, Department of Geology
Joan Florsheim's primary research is in geomorphology and earth surface processes. Her current research focuses on restoration, geomorphic processes in riparian buffers, floodplain depositional processes in both high-energy and lowland river systems, geomorphic effects of Quaternary and modern climate variation and change, and the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on fluvial and tidal processes, sediment budgets, and habitat. With the Watershed Center's Cosumnes project she conducted field investigations documenting the dynamics of topography created by sand (crevasse) splay and channel complexes on the seasonally inundated floodplain; documented paleo and modern changes in floodplain sedimentation processes; and developed a quantitative geomorphic monitoring and adaptive assessment strategy and model applicable to lowland floodplain-river restoration. Studies in the Mokelumne system included: pre- and post-dam removal geomorphic investigations on Murphy Creek and an assessment of floodplain restoration potential of the lower Mokelumne River. She is a member of the hydrologic sciences graduate group faculty, is an affiliated researcher of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the John Muir Institute of the Environment, has participated in development of the California Watershed Assessment Manual, and has served on scientific and technical advisory and review committees for river conservation organizations and agencies. Her recent teaching includes Fluvial Geomorphology to adults through UC Extension, to high school students for COSMOS, and to undergraduates and graduates for the UC Davis Geology Department.
Carson Jeffres
Fish Ecology
Staff Research Associate, Center for Watershed Sciences
Carson Jeffres' research interest is how juvenile salmonids utilize and benefit from restored habitats. His research focuses on how physical processes within a watershed create ecologically important conditions favorable to a productive food web and include sampling water quality, hydrologic conditions, primary producers (plants), invertebrates, and fish. This whole system approach has been valuable in determining limiting factors and prioritizing restoration actions for the recovery of threatened salmonid populations. He is currently directing the Shasta River project and expanding to other spring-fed systems in Northern California to gain a better understanding of how these unique environments function and how best to protect and restore them.
Marion Jenkins
Engineering
Web site: http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/Faculty/Jenkins/default.htm
Assistant Professional Research Engineer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Mike Johnson
Ecology
Associate Research Scientist in Ecology
Mike Johnson's current research interests include understanding the effects of temperature stress on salmonids throughout their life cycle, understanding watershed processes that contribute to temperature stress on salmonids, and applying sophisticated statistical techniques to evaluate the sources of stressors in watersheds, their impacts on abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem, and measuring aquatic ecosystem health.
Josue Medellin-Azuara
Hydro-economic Modeling
Web site: http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/Medellin
Research Scientist, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Josue Medellin is interested hydro-economic modeling of regional water resources systems, adaptation to climate change and economic representation of water demands. His professional experience includes environmental management positions for industry, and consulting for non-governmental organizations such as the Natural Heritage Institute, El Colegio de Mexico and the World Bank. He has led hydro-economic studies on adaptation to climate change in California, water management in the US Mexico border having developed Baja CALVIN in collaboration the University of Baja California. Josue has collaborated with Professor Jay R. Lund as a senior modeler for CALVIN in numerous applications including climate change, adaptation and economic costs of salinity in California. With Professor Howitt, Josue has updated and extended applications of the Statewide Agricultural Production Model (SWAP), including water markets, water quality and policy studies in California and other regions of the world.
Sarah Yarnell
Hydrology
Web site: http://watershed.ucdavis.edu/Yarnell.html
Assistant Project Scientist, Center for Watershed Sciences
Sarah Yarnell's primary research interests lie at the intersection between Stream Ecology, Fluvial Geomorphology, and Riverine Hydrology. Her current research focuses on quantification and management of the spring snowmelt recession in northern Sierra Nevada watersheds, understanding impacts of altered and natural flow regimes on channel morphology and riparian vegetation, and using instream flow modelling applications to assess impacts of altered flow regimes on sensitive aquatic species such as the Foothill yellow-legged frog, a native species threatened by habitat loss and development. Her work with the Center for Watershed Sciences has included development of a conceptual model describing the ecological importance of the spring snowmelt recession in Mediterranean-montane environments, evaluation of pulsed flow effects below dams on the Foothill yellow-legged frog, quantification of stream habitat heterogeneity using ecologically relevant indices, and evaluation of sediment transport rates and processes in relation to aquatic habitat suitability in the Yuba River basin. She has co-taught several courses on river ecosystems for adults through UC extension, and for undergraduates and graduates through the UCD Geology department. Through her research, she is a recognized expert on the ecology of the Foothill yellow-legged frog, and has worked closely with resource agencies and watershed stakeholders in the FERC hydropower relicensing process to provide technical expertise regarding scientific study plans and instream flow management recommendations.