Joshua Viers

Joshua Viers

Emeritus, Faculty

  • Center for Watershed Sciences

Dr. Viers, former Executive Associate Director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, joined the faculty at UC Merced in August 2013 as an associate professor in the School of Engineering. He also became UC Merced's Director of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS), which promotes collaborative research on California's pressing environmental, social and health care problems. His 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, sustainable viticulture, freshwater ecosystem conservation and riparian restoration.

Education and Degree(s)
  • Ph.D. in Ecology, University of California, Davis, 2003 Dissertation: "Remote Methodologies of Watershed Assessment: Applications toward Conservation and Restoration in the Navarro River Watershed"
  • B.S. in International Agricultural Development with an emphasis in Geography, University of California, Davis, 1994
  • A.A. in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Philosophy, Sierra College, 1991
Research Interests & Expertise
  • Ecology

Joshua Viers's Recent Projects

Sacramento River Vegetation Map

This project will be used to post reports and other materials associated with DFG/Calfed Ecosystem Restoration Program Grant ERP062002.

Conservation of inland fish biodiversity

Knowledge of species' spatial distributions is crucial to the identification and prioritization of watersheds in need of restoration. Coupled with species' status, the presence and or absence of species can indicate biologically diverse vs. depauperate areas.

Management of the Spring Snowmelt Recession

In this project, we seek to improve our understanding of the impacts of varying spring flow regimes on stream ecology, through empirical field studies, and water management, through hydropower optimization modeling.

Long-term River Monitoring

The health and function of montane riparian and aquatic ecosystems should be monitored using quantitative, process-based, repeatable metrics in order for resource managers to consistently and affordably maintain, restore and conserve these dynamic environments. To increase our understanding and better assess the condition of riparian and aquatic ecosystems, we must link metrics of hydrologic alteration with quantitative assessments of physical habitat (geomorphology and water quality) and biotic communities.

Hydropower Relicensing Project

The goal of the project is to develop the technical tools to allow licensees, stakeholder groups, regulators and others to evaluate or promote alternative strategies or efficiencies in relicensing.