Marcelo H. Garcia

Research Interests

• Rivers, sediment transport, environmental fluid mechanics, floods and sedimentation hazards, water resources engineering.

Research Statement

Dr. Garcia research interests have evolved from his early work on sediment transport by turbidity currents in lakes and oceans . His pioneering observations of turbidity currents in the laboratory provided insight about the mechanics of submarine sedimentation, including the first direct observations of internal hydraulic jumps and the deposits created by flows laden with poorly-sorted sediments. Measurements of sediment entrainment made it possible to assess the erosive power of turbidity currents and their ability to transport sediment deep into the oceans, providing a missing link in the source-to-sink saga. Interest in the mechanics of sediment transport resulted on research in sediment entrainment from riverbeds and coastal areas, flow and transport in vegetated channels, meandering streams and rivers and the dynamics of mudflows and debris flows. Large scale laboratory experiments with model continental margins made it possible to learn about the role played by turbidity currents on strata formation with support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR). A Large Oscillating Water-Sediment Tunnel has been used to research oscillatory boundary-layer flows and ripple morphodynamics under field-like conditions. A custom-made Kinoshita meandering flume has been used to investigate the morphologic impact of meander skewness and secondary flows in high-amplitude bends. RVRMeander has been used to provide guidelines in stream restoration projects involving re-meandering of channelized streams. Current research efforts involved sedimentation hazards due to dam and embankment failures, dynamics of mudflows, development of rapid response models for oil spill containment after pipeline rupture, and risk of flooding in alluvial fans. Garcia's group has also conducted extensive research on scour and burial of pipelines and objects in oscillatory boundary layer flows, in oil spill dynamics and rapid response following the Kalamazoo River oil spill as well as the transport and fate of invasive species eggs in rivers. Over a decade his group has developed hydrologic and hydraulic models to predict urban flooding and the performance of the "Deep Tunnel" during extreme rainfall events in Chicago, Illinois. Implementation of a 3D hydrodynamic model of the Chicago River led to the discovery of salt-laden density currents activity along the bottom during the winter months. A complete hydrodynamic and water quality model, including sediment diagenesis to capture oxygen demand at the sediment water interface, has been implemented by Garcia's group to assess the water quality conditions in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). His applied research has also focused on improving the performance of stormwater management and wastewater treatment infrastructure with the help of computational techniques to protect Chicago's waterways and Lake Michigan, the main source of fresh water for Northeastern Illinois. Most important has been the work to increase safety at low-head dams by modifying spillways and providing canoe passages to prevent drowning accidents in Illinois. Garcia's research has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At the state level, Dr. Garcia has received support from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), the Illinois Water Resources Center, the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program and the Sanitary District of Decatur, Illinois. Most experimental research is conducted in the state-of-the-art experimental facilities of CEE's Ven Te Chow Hydrosystems Laboratory, Grainger College of Engineering, which has recently undergone renovations as part of the new Civil and Environmental Engineering Building and Smart Bridge Construction.

Primary Research Area

• Water Resources Engineering and Science

Research Areas

• Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability
• Societal Risk & Hazard Mitigation
• Water Resources Engineering and Science

Books Authored or Co-Authored (Original Editions)

• Galloway, G., G. Seminara, G. Blöschl, M. H. Garcia, A. Montanari, andL. Solari. 2017. Saving a world treasure: Protecting Florence fromflooding. Firenze, Italy: Firenze University Press. https://doi.org/10.36253/978-88-6453-678-1
• García, M.H. (Editor-in-Chief), Manuals and Reports of Engineering Practice 110, “Sedimentation Engineering: Processes, Measurements, Modeling, Practice,” Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2008, 1150p.
• García, M.H., Environmental Hydrodynamics, Publications Center, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Sante Fe, Argentina, 189 pp., 1996 (in Spanish).

Books Edited or Co-Edited (Original Editions)

• Muste,M.,Lyn, D., Admiraal, D., Ettema, R., Nikora, V. and M.H. Garcia (editors), Hydraulics: Volume I, FundamentExperimental al and Methods, New York, NY., CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, p. 570, 2017.
• Constantinescu, G., Garcia, M.H., and D. Hanes (Editors), River Flow 2016, Proceedings of the International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, St Louis, USA, July 2016.
• Vionnet, C., M.H.Garcia, E. Latrubesse, and G. Perillo, “River, Coastal, and Estuarine Morphodynamics,vols. I & II,” Proceedings of the 6th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, Santa Fe, Argentina, September 2010.
• García, M.H. (Editor-in-Chief), Manuals and Reports of Engineering Practice 110, “Sedimentation Engineering: Processes, Measurements, Modeling, Practice,” Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2008, 1150p.
• Parker, G. and M.H. Garcia, (Editors), “River, Coastal, and Estuarine Morphodynamics,vols. I & II,” Proceedings of the 4th Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics, Urbana, Illinois, October 2005.

Books Edited or Co-Edited (Revisions)

• García, M.H. (Corresponding Editor), Manuals and Reports of Engineering Practice 54, “Sedimentation Engineering,” Classic Edition, V.A. Vanoni (editor), Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2006. 418p.

Chapters in Books

• García, M.H., “Turbidity Currents” in Encyclopedia of Earth System Science, ed. by W.A. Nieremberg, Academic Press Inc., 4:399-408, 1992.
• García, M.H., Y. Niño, and F. López, “Laboratory Observations of Particle Entrainment Into Suspension by Turbulent Bursting” Chapter 3 in Coherent Flow Structures in Open Channels: Origins Scales, and Interaction with Sediment Transport and Bed Morphology, edited by P. Ashworth, S. Bennetts, J. Best, and S. McLelland, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 63-86, 1996.
• García, M.H., “Turbidity Current”, in Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 8th Edition, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 18:680, 1997.
• García, M.H., “Sedimentation and Erosion Hydraulics,” Chapter 6 in Hydraulic Design Handbook, edited by Larry Mays,McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1999.
• Danny Reible, Sam Bentley, Mimi B. Dannel, Joseph V. DePinto, James A. Dyer, Kevin J. Farley, Marcelo H. Garcia, David Glaser, John M. Hamrick, Richard H. Jensen, Wilbert J. Lick, Robert A. Pastorok,Richard F. Schwer, C. Kirk Ziegler (2003). Chapter 2 "The Role of Modeling in Managing Contaminated Sediments," in Contaminated Ground Water and Sediment Modeling for Management and Remediation Edited by Chunmiao Zheng , Danny D. Reible , George F. Pinder , Calvin C. Chien , Brent E. Sleep and Miguel A. Medina, CRC Press, Print ISBN: 978-1-56670-667-4, eBook ISBN: 978-0-203-49415-8, DOI: 10.1201/9780203494158.ch2.
• Garcia, M.H., “Sediment Transport and Morphodynamics,” Chapter 2 in ASCE Sedimentation Engineering Manual of Practice 110, Edited by Marcelo H. Garcia, 2008.
• Garcia, M.H., MacArthur, R. Bradley, J., and R. French, “Sedimentation Hazards,” Chapter 19 in ASCE Sedimentation Engineering Manual of Practice 110, Edited by Marcelo H. Garcia, 2008.
• Admiraal, D., and M.H. Garcia, “Environmental Impact of Navigation,” Article 2.7.5.1 in Rivers and Streams Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), UNESCO, 2002.
• Garcia, M.H., “Modeling Sediment Entrainment into Suspension, Transport, and Deposition in Rivers,” Chapter in “Model Validation in Hydrologic Science,” Paul Bates and Malcolm Anderson (Editors), Wiley and Sons, United Kingdom, 2001.
• Fedele, J., and M.H. Garcia, “Hydraulic Roughness in Alluvial Streams: A Boundary Layer Approach,” Chapter in Riverine, Coastal, and Estuarine Morphodynamics, G. Seminara (Editor) Springer-Verlag, Italy, 2001.
• Garcia, M.H., Lopez, F., Dunn, C. and C. Alonso, “Flow Turbulence and Resistance in a Flume with Simulated Vegetation,” Chapter 5 in “Riparian Vegetation and Fluvial Geomorphology,” American Geophysical Union, Water Science and Publication, pp. 11-27, Washington, D.C., 2004.
• Parsons, J.D., Friedrichs, C. T., Mohrig, D., Traykovski, P., Imran, J., Syvitski, J. P. M., Parker, G., Puig, P., Buttles, J. and Garcia, M. H., (2007), The mechanics of marine sediment gravity flows, Continental Margin Sedimentation: From Sediment Transport to Sequence Stratigraphy, in IAS Special Publication 37, Editors: C.A. Nittrouer, Austin, J.A., Jr., Field, M.E., Kravitz, J.H., Syvitski, J.P.M., Wiberg, P.L. Blackwell Publishing Ltd: Oxford
• Syvitski, J.P.M., L. Pratson, P. Wiberg, M. Steckler, M. Garcia, R. Geyer, C. Harris, E. Hutton, J. Imran, H. Lee, M. Morehead, and G. Parker. 2007. Prediction of Margin Stratigraphy. Chapter IX of Continental-Margin Sedimentation: From Sediment Transport to Sequence Stratigraphy, C. Nittrouer, et al. (eds), Blackwell Press
• Admiraal, A. and M.H. Garcia, Chapter on “Sediment Transport Measurements,” in Encyclopedia of Experimental Fluid Mechanics,” Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2007.
• Rhoads, B.L., Garcia, M.H., Rodriguez, J.F., Abad, J.D., Bombardelli, F.A., Daniels, M., 2005. Evaluating the geomorphological performance of naturalized rivers. In: Sears, D., Darby, S. (Eds.). Uncertainty in River Restoration, 44pp.
• León A. S., Ghidaoui, M. S., Schmidt, A. R., and García M. H. (2006). ``An Efficient Finite-volume scheme for modeling two-phase flows using the single-equivalent fluid approximation.'' Chapter in Computational Hydraulics Monograph 15, ed. by: E. McBean, R. Pitt, K. Irvine, and W. James, CHI, Ontario, Canada
• León, A. S., Oberg N., Schmidt, A. R., and García, M. H. (2011). “The Illinois Transient Model. A state-of-the-art model for simulating the flow dynamics in combined storm-sewer systems”. Urban Water Systems, Monograph 19.
• Arndt, R.E.A., Kawakami, D., Wosnik, M., Perlin, M., Duncan, J.H., Admiraal, D.M., and M.H. Garcia, Chapter 15 "Hydraulics" in Handbook of Experimental Fluid Mechanics, Springer-Berlag, Heidelberg, Germany, 959-1033, 2007.
• Ashmore, P. and Garcia, M. (2009) 'St. Clair River Sediment Regime' in Impacts on Upper Great Lakes Water Levels: St. Clair River Final Report (International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS), International Joint Commission) 4, 57-84
• Martin, J.E., Sun, T., and M.H. Garcia, Chapter 18: Optical Methods in the Laboratory: an application to density currents over bedforms, Environmental Fluid Mechanics: memorial Volume in Honour of Prof. Gerhard H. Jirka, W. Rodi and M Uhlman (Editors), IAHR Monograph, CRC Press-Taylor & Francis Group, 333-346, 2012.
• Martin, J.E., Carr, M., M.H. Garcia, Transport and Mixing in Rivers, in Handbook of Environmental Fluid Mechanics, H/J.S. Fernando (Editor), Taylor and Francis, 2012.
• Garcia, M.H. "Ven Te Chow; Hydrologist, Educator, Rainmaker," Chapter in CHANGING THE WORLD FROM A VERY SMALL PLACE, Fred Hoxie (Editor), University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois, 2016.
• Garcia M.H., Fytanidis D.K., (2017), Flows in vegetated channels In: Experimental Hydraulics: Methods, Instrumentation, Data Processing and Management Volume I: Fundamentals and Methods, Chapter 2. Hydraulic flows: Overview, edited by M. Muste, D.A. Lyn, D. Admiraal, R. Ettema, V. Nikora, M.H. García, IAHR Monographs, ISBN 9780367573355, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY.
• Garcia, M.H (2017). Mobile Boundary Channels and Sediment Transport, In: Muste, Lyn, Admiraal, Ettema, Nikora, Garcia (editors), Experimental Hydraulics: Volume I, Fundamental and Methods, New York, NY., CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, p. 570

Monographs

• García, M.H., “Environmental Hydrodynamics,” Latin American Division, International Association for Hydraulic Research, Santiago, Chile, p. 189, 1994 (in Spanish).
• Jerry Shubel (Chair) et al., A process for setting, managing, and monitoring environmental windows for dredging projects / Committee for Environmental Windows for Dredging Projects.(Transportation Research Board Special report ; 262)ISBN 0-3-9-07244-1, National Academies Press, Washington D.D., 2001
• Siegel, D.L., Bradley Jr., A.A., Conklin, M.H., Crawford, C.S., Galloway, G.E, Garcia, M.H., Howit, R.E., Palmer, M.A., Pitlick, J., Poff, LN.L., Schwartz, S.S., Tarboton, D.G. Woessner, A.W., River Science at the U.S. Geological Survey, National Research Council, National Academies, 2007
• Garcia, M. H., and Zech, Y., eds. (2007). “Dam-break flow experiments and real-case data: A database from the European IMPACT Research Program.” Journal of Hydraulic Research 45, Special issue.

Selected Articles in Journals

• Abad, J. D., Buscaglia, G. and Garcia, M. H. “2D Stream Hydrodynamic, sediment transport and bed morphology model for engineering applications,” Hydrological Processes. 22: 1443-1459 2008.
• Cantero, M.; García, M.H. ; and Balachandar, S. “An Eulerian-Eulerian model for gravity currents driven by inertial particles,” International Journal of Multiphase Flow, Vol. 34(5) 484-501, 2008.
• Liu, X., Landry, B.J. and M.H. García. "Coupled Two-Dimensional Model for Scour Based on Shallow Water Equations with Unstructured Mesh." Coastal Engineering. 55(10):800-810, 2008.
• Sequeiros, O.; Cantero, M.; and García, M.H., “Sediment management by jet and turbidity currents”. Journal of Hydraulic Research. 04/2010; May 2009:340-348. DOI: 10.1080/00221686.2009.9522005
• Bombardelli, F.; Cantero, M.; Buscaglia, G.; and García, M. 2008. “Numerical aspects of the simulation of discontinuous saline underflows: the lock-exchange problem”. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 2009.
• Holmes, R.R., Jr., and Garcia, M.H., Flow over Bedforms in a Large Sand-Bed River: A Field Investigation , Journal of Hydraulic Research, International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research, Vol. 46, No. 3, pp 322-333, 2008
• Cantero, M.; Balachandar, S.; García, M.; and Bock, D. “Turbulent structures in gravity currents”. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, vol. 113, 2008.
• Pedocchi, F., Martin, J. E. and García, M. H., 2008. “Inexpensive fluorescent particles for large-scale experiments using Particle Image Velocimetry.” Experiments in Fluids. Vol. 45(1), 183-186.
• Dai, A. and M.H. Garcia, 2009. " Meandering Instability of a Vertical Plume," Journal of Engineering Mechanics-asce - J ENG MECH-ASCE , vol. 135, no. 2, 2009 DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2009)135:2(111)
• Sequeiros, O. E., Naruse, H., Endo, N., Garcia, M. H. and Parker, G. 2009. Experimental study on self-accelerating turbidity currents. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, C05025, 26 p.
• Sequeiros, O. E., Cantelli, A., Viparelli, E., White, J D L., Garcia, M. H. and Parker, G. 2009. Modeling turbidity currents with non-uniform sediment and reverse buoyancy. Water Resources Research, 45, W06408, 28 p.
• Martin, J. E. and Garcia, M. H. (2009). Combined PIV/PLIF measurements of a steady density current front. Exp. Fluids, 46:265 – 276.
• León, A. S., Ghidaoui, M. S., Schmidt, A. R. and Garcia, M. H. (2009) “Application of Godunov-type schemes to transient mixed flows.” Journal of Hydraulic Research, 47(2), 147-156.
• Pedocchi, F.; Garcia, M. H.(2009)"Ripple morphology under oscillatory flow: 1. Prediction." Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, VOL. 114, C12014, 16 PP.,doi:10.1029/2009JC005354
• Pedocchi, F.; Garcia, M. H.(2009)"Ripple morphology under oscillatory flow: 2. Experiments." Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, VOL. 114, C12015, 17 PP.,doi:10.1029/2009JC005356
• León, A. S., Ghidaoui, M. S., Schmidt, A. R. and Garcia, M. H. (2010) “A robust two-equation model for transient mixed flows.” Journal of Hydraulic Research, 48(1), 44-56.
• Dai, A. and M.H. Garcia (2010) "Analysis of Plunging Flow Phenomena," Journal of Hydraulic Research, (5):638-642, DOI 10.3826/jhr.2009.3498
• Catano-Lopera, Yovanni A.; Waratuke, Andrew R.; Garcia, Marcelo H.. (2010) "Experimental Investigation of a Vortex-Flow Restrictor: Rain-Blocker Performance Tests." Journal of Hydraulic Engineering - ASCE, 136(8) 528-533.
• Fernandez, Rocio; Cauchon-Voyer, Genevieve; Locat, Jacques; Dai, Hsi-Heng; Garcia, Marcelo H.; Parker, G. (2011) "Co-evolving delta faces under the condition of a moving sediment source."Journal of Hydraulic Research, 49(1), 42-54.
• Liu, Xiaofeng; Garcia, Marcelo H. (2011) "Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for the Design of Large Primary Settling Tanks." Journal of Hydraulic Engineering - ASCE, 137(3), 343-355
• Waterman, David M.; Waratuke, Andrew R.; Motta, Davide; Catano-Lopera, Yovanni A.; Zhang, Heng; Garcia, Marcelo H. (2011) "In Situ Characterization of Resuspended-Sediment Oxygen Demand in Bubbly Creek, Chicago, Illinois." Journal of Environmental Engineering - ASCE, 137(8), 717-730.
• Czuba, Jonathan A.; Best, James L.; Oberg, Kevin A.; Parsons, Daniel R.; Jackson, P. Ryan; Garcia, Marcelo H.; Ashmore, P. (2011) "Bed morphology, flow structure, and sediment transport at the outlet of Lake Huron and in the upper St. Clair River." Journal of Great Lakes Resarch, 37(3), 480-493. Recognized with the IAGLR Chandler-Misener Award for most notable paper published in Journal of Great Lakes Research in 2011.
• Mier, Jose M.; Garcia, Marcelo H. (2011) "Erosion of glacial till from the St. Clair River Great Lakes basin." Journal of Great Lakes Resarch, 37(3), 399-410.
• Sinha, S., X. Liu and M.H. Garcia, "Three-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling of the Chicago River, IL", Environmental Fluid Mechanics Vol 1, 2012, 471-494
• X. Liu, G. Parker, J. Czuba, K. Oberg, J.M. Mier, J.L. Best, D.R. Parsons, P. Ashmore, and M.H. Garcia (2011). Sediment Mobility and Bed Armoring in the St. Clair River: Insights from Hydrodynamic Modeling. Earth Surface Processes and Landform, 37(9):957-970
• Landry, B.J., Hancock, M.J., Mei, C.C., and García, M.H. (2012) WaveAR: A software tool for calculating parameters for water waves with incident and reflected components, Journal of Computers and Geosciences. doi/10.1016/j.cageo.2012.04.001
• Pedocchi, F. and M.H. Garcia (2012). "Acoustic measurement of suspended sediment concentration profiles in an oscillatory boundary layer," Continental Shelf Research, Volume 46, 1 September 2012, Pages 87–95.
• Motta, D., Abad, J.D., Langendoen, E., and M.H. Garcia (2012). The effects of floodplain soil heterogeneity on meander planform shape, Water Resources Research, AGU, DOI:10.1029.
• Abad, J. D., Frias, C., Buscaglia, G., Garcia, M. (2013). “Modulation of the flow structure by progressive bedforms in the Kinoshita Meandering channel”, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 38: 1612–1622.
• Mujal-Colilles, A.,Mier, J.M., Christensen, K., Bateman, A. and M.H. Garcia (2013. "PIV experiments in rough-wall, laminar-to-turbulent, oscillatory boundary-layer flows," Experiments in Fluids, November 2013, 55:1633, doi 10.1007/s00348-013-1633-0
• Tokyay, T., and M.H. Garcia (2014). "Effect of initial excess density and discharge on constant flux gravity currents propagating on a slope," Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Volume 14, Issue 2 , pp 409-429
• Nania, L., Leon, A. and M.H.Garcia (2014)."A Coupled Hydrologic-Hydraulic for Simulating Dual Drainage in Urban Areas: Application to a catchment in the Metropolitan Area of Chicago, IL," Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE,10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001080 , 04014071.
• Cataño-Lopera, Y., Tokyay, T., Martin, J., Schmidt, A., Lanyon, R., Fitzpatrick, K., Scalise, C., and García, M. (2014). ”Modeling of a Transient Event in the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan System in Chicago, Illinois.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 140(9), 05014005.
• Perillo, M. M., Prokocki, E. W., Best, J. L., & García, M. H. (2014). Bedform genesis from bed defects under unidirectional, oscillatory, and combined flows. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface.119(12). DOI: 10.1002/2014JF003167
• Perillo,M.M.,Best,J.L.,Garcia, M.H. (2014). "A New Phase Diagram for Combined-Flow Bedforms," Journal of Sedimentary Research, April 2014, v. 84, p. 301-313, published online April 29, doi:10.2110/jsr.2014.25
• Garcia, T., Murphy, E.A., Jackson, P.R. and M. H. Garcia (2015). Application of the FluEgg model to predict transport of Asian carp eggs in the Saint Joseph River (Great Lakes tributary), Journal of Great Lakes Research, DOI:10.1016/j.jglr.2015.02.003
• Duncan Keenan-Jones; Davide Motta; Marcelo H Garcia; Bruce W Fouke (2015). "Travertine-Based Estimates of the Amount of Water Supplied by Ancient Rome's Anio Novus Aqueduct," Journal of Archaeological Science, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 3, 1–10.
• Waterman, D.M., Liu, X., Motta, D. and M.H. Garcia (2016). Analytical Lagrangian Model of Sediment Oxygen Demand and Reaeration Flux Co-Evolution in Streams, Journal of Environmental Engineering, ASCE, DOI: 10.1061/18 (ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001095.
• Garcia, T., Zuniga Zamalloa, C., Jackson, P.R., Murphy, E.A. and M. H. Garcia (2015) A Laboratory Investigation of the Suspension, Transport, and Settling of Silver Carp Eggs Using Synthetic Surrogates, PLOS ONE 10(12):e0145775 · December 2015· DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145775.
• Moller, N., Kim, H., Neary, V.S., Garcia, M.H., Chamorro, L.P. (2016). On the near-wall effects induced by an axial-flow rotor, Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy 91 (2016) 524e530
• Morales, V. M., J. C. Quijano, A. Schmidt, and M. H. Garcia (2016), Innovative framework to simulate the fate and transport of nonconservative constituents in urban combined sewer catchments, Water Resour. Res.,52, doi:10.1002/2016WR018807.
• Dutta, S., Wang, D., Tassi, P., and M.H. Garcia (2017). Three-Dimensional Numerical Modeling of the Bulle-Effect: the non-linear distribution of near-bed sediment at fluvial diversions, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 42, 14, 2322-2337, Wiley
• Fernandez, R. and M.H. Garcia, (2017). Input variable sensitivity assessment for sediment transport relations, Water Resources Research, AGU, 53, 8105–8119, doi:10.1002/2016WR020249
• Zhu, Z., Waterman, D., and Garcia, M. (2018). “Modeling the transport of oil-particle aggregates resulting from an oil spill in a freshwater environment”. Environmental Fluid Mechanics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-018-9581-0
• Fernandez, R., Garcia, M.H. and Parker, G. (2018) "Upper Mississippi River Flow and Sediment Characteristics and Their Effect on a Harbor Siltation Case, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, 144(10): 04018066
• Dutta, S. and M.H. Garcia (2018). "Non-linear Distribution of Sediment at River Diversions: A brief history of the Bulle-Effect and its Implications," Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, 60th Anniversary Contribution , DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001449
• Luo, H., Fytanidis, D. K., Schmidt, A. R., and Garcia, M. H. (2018) “Numerical investigations on hydrodynamics and three-dimensional flow structures of combining steady and unsteady flow in open channel junctions," Advances in Water Resources, 117:120-139 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2018.05.012 Resour., 117 , 120–139.
• Waterman, D.M., and M.H.Garcia (2019). Nonlinear Bedload Transport Trajectory Angle Expressed in a Traditional Form: Derivation and Application, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE) HY.1943-7900.0001619.
• Galloway, G., Seminara, G., Bloschl, G., Garcia, M.H., Montanari, A., and L. Solari (2020). Reducing the Flood Risk of Art Cities: the case of Florence, Journal of Hydr. Engineering, ASCE, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001741
• Fernandez, R., Vitale, A., Parker, G, Garcia, M.H. (2020) Hydraulic resistance in mixed bedrock-alluvial meandering channels. Journal of Hydraulic Research. doi:10.1080/00221686.2020.1780489
• Auth, T. L., Wackerman, G. E., Garcia, M. H., & Stillwell, A. S. (2021). Low-head hydropower as a reserve power source: A case study of Northeastern Illinois. Renewable Energy, 175, 980-989.
• Chen, C. Y., Fytanidis, D. K., & García, M. H. (2021). Entrainment, Transport, and Fate of Sediments during Storm Events in Urban Canals and Rivers: Case Study on Bubbly Creek, Chicago. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 147(8), 05021005, http://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001890
• Li, Z., & García, M. H. (2021). pyRiverBed: A Python framework to generate synthetic riverbed topography for constant-width meandering rivers. Computers & Geosciences, 152, 104755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2021.104755
• Mier, J. M., Fytanidis, D. K., & García, M. H. (2021). Mean flow structure and velocity–bed shear stress maxima phase difference in smooth wall, transitionally turbulent oscillatory boundary layers: experimental observations. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 922, A29. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2021.510
• Wang, D., Li, Z., Rojas-Aguirre, A.F., and Garcia, M.H. (2021) Impact of Lake Michigan water level rise on complex bidirectional flow in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), Journal of Great Lakes Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2021.10.008.
• Fytanidis, D. K., García, M. H. and Fischer P (2021). Mean flow structure and velocity–bed shear stress maxima phase difference in smooth wall, transitionally turbulent oscillatory boundary layers: direct numerical simulations. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 928, A33. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2021.827
• Luo, H., Oberg, N., Landry, B.J, and Garcia, M.H. (2021). Assessing the system performance of an evolving and integrated urban drainage system to control combined sewer overflows using a multiple-layer based coupled modeling approach, Journal of Hydrology, Volume 603, Part C, December, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127130
• Latosinski, F.G., Amsler, M.L., Vionnet, C.A., Heredia Ligorria, A.I., Szupiany, R.N., Diaz Lozada, J.M., García, C.M., & M.H. García (2022): The role of dunes in flow resistance in a large and a small river. The case of the Paraná and Tercero rivers, Argentina, Journal of Hydraulic Research, DOI: 10.1080/00221686.2021.2001588.
• Keenan-Jones, D.C., Motta, D., Garcia, M.H., Sivaguru, M., Perillo, M., Shosted, R.K., and Fouke, B.W., 2022. Travertine crystal growth ripples record the hydraulic history of ancient Rome’s Anio Novus aqueduct: Scientific Reports 12, 1239, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05158-2
• Li Y, Zhu Z, Soong DT, Khorasani H, Wang S, Fitzpatrick F and Garcia MH (2022) FluOil: A Novel Tool for Modeling the Transport of Oil-Particle Aggregates in Inland Waterways. Frontiers in Water 3:771764. doi: 10.3389/frwa.2021.771764 doi: 10.3389/frwa.2021.771764
• Waterman, D.M. and Garcia, MH. (2022). Steady-State Parallel Retreat Migration in River Bends with Non-cohesive (Composite) Banks, Water Resources Research, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030762
• Sivaguru, M., Fouke, K.W., Keenan-Jones, D., Motta, D., Garcia, M.H., and Fouke, B.W. (2022), Depositional and diagenetic history of travertine deposited within the Anio Novus aqueduct of ancient Rome, in Koeberl, C., Claeys, P., and Montanari, A., eds., From the Guajira Desert to the Apennines, and from Mediterranean Microplates to the Mexican Killer Asteroid: Honoring the Career of Walter Alvarez: Geological Society of America Special Paper 557, p. 1–XXX, https://doi .org/10.1130/2022.2557(26)
• Dominguez, L.G., Szupiany, R.N., Ramonell, C., Ru, M., and Garcia, M.H., (2023), Hydro-geomorphological and sedimentological processes along the major fluvial-lacustrine delta of the Paraná River (Argentina): Their role in floodplain construction, Earth Surf. Process. Landforms. 2023;1–16, DOI: 10.1002/esp.5570
• Abad, J.D., D. Motta, L. Guerrero, M. Paredes, J. M. Kuroiwa, M. H. Garcia (2023), Hydrogeomorphology of Asymmetric Meandering Channels: Experiments and Field Evidence, Water Resources Research, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033904
• Chen, C.‐Y., Fytanidis, D. K., & Garcia, M. H. (2024). A unifying model for turbulent hyporheic mass flux under a wide range of near‐bed hydrodynamic conditions. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2023GL105807. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL105807
• Rojas-Aguirre, A. and M.H. Garcia, (2024). Experiments on Entrainment of Tailings into Suspension in an Annular Flume, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/JHEND8.HYENG-14095

Articles in Conference Proceedings

• Wang, D., and García, M. H. (2020). Density driven mixing layer in environmental flows: A high-resolution remote sensing image based, numerical simulation and field measurements aided confluence mixing model. In River Flow 2020: Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics (Delft, Netherlands, 7-10 July 2020). CRC Press.
• Li, Z. and Garcia, M.H., 2D numerical modeling on meander chute cutoffs. In River Flow 2020: Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics (Delft, Netherlands, 7-10 July 2020). CRC Press.
• Guo, X-Y, Chen, D., Li, Z., Garcia, M.H., Parker, G., and Tanaka G. (2020) Sinuous rivers in peat. River Flow 2020. In River Flow 2020: Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics (Delft, Netherlands, 7-10 July 2020). CRC Press.
• Fernandez, R., Garcia, M.H., and Parker, G. (2016). Mississippi River harbor Siltation Study, R., Proceedings of River Flow 2016, St. Louis, Missouri.
• Dutta, S., P. Fischer and M. H. Garcia. (2016) Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of ow and bedload transport at an idealized 90-degree diversion: insight into Bulle-Effect Proceedings of River Flow 2016, St. Louis, Missouri
• Wang, D., S. Dutta, P.R. Jackson and M.H. Garcia. (2016)Three-dimensional numerical modeling of mixing at the junction of the Calumet-Sag Channel and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal: A comparison between density-driven and advection-driven mixing, Proccedings of River Flow 2016, St. Louis Missouri
• Wu, H., Zamalloa, C. C. Z., Blanco, J. E. S. J., Landry, B. J., Garcıa, M. H. (2015). “Two-dimensional PIV measurements for studying the effect of bed permeability on incipient motion of synthetic sediment particles”. American Physical Society : 68th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics. November 2015. Boston, MA
• Dutta, S., Wang, D., Tassi, P. and M.H. Garcia (2015), Modeling the Bulle Phenomenon at Channel Diversions with Telemac, River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics International Syposium, Iquitos, Peru
• Santacruz, S., Morales, V., Oberg, N., García, M.H. (2015), Integrated Urban Drainage Model for the City of Chicago, 10th Urban Drainage Modeling Conference, Toronto, Canada
• Abad, J. D., Frias, C. (**), Langendoen, E., Best, J., Rhoads, B., Konsoer, K., Garcia, M. H. (2014). “Modulation of the flow structure by progressive bed forms in the Meandering Wabash River”. River Flow 2014, IAHR (International Association for Hydro-Environmental Research), Laussane, Switzerland, September 3-5, 2014.
• Garcia, T., Murphy, E.A., Jackson, P.R., and M.H. Garcia (2015) Laboratory Experiments Using Synthetic Silver Carp Eggs to Evaluate Critical Hydrodynamic Conditions for Egg Suspension, American Fisheries Society 144th Annual Meeting, Indianapolis
• Garcia, T., Murphy, E.A., Jackson, P.R., Chapman, D. and M.H. Garcia (2015). Using the Fluvial Egg Drift Simulator (FluEgg) in an Integrated Pest Management Approach to Asian Carp Control, American Fisheries Society 144th Annual Meeting, Indianapolis
• Garcia, M.H., Martin, J.E., Landry, B.J., Waratuke, A.R., and N. Oberg (2013). "On the Effectiveness of Levees for Flood Control: An Application of the Hydraulic Performance Graph Method,"Proceedings of IAHR World Congress, Chengdu, China.
• Bryk, A., Best, J., Abad, J. D., Garcia, M. H. (2012). “The influence of channel-skewed bedforms on secondary flows in high curvature meander bends”. Third International Symposium on Shallow Flows, University of Iowa City, IA, USA, June 4-6.
• Landry, B.J., Calantoni, J., Palmer, J.E., and M.H. Garcia (2012), ΔF2luID™: A new, robust, cutting-edge technology to resolve fluid interfaces, Hydraulic Measurements and Experimental Methods Conference HMEM 2012, August 12 -15, 2012 Snowbird Utah
• Sinha, S. and M.H. Garcia. "A comparative study between 2D and 3D model based on Shallow Water Equations, Development and Applications" HIC-2012 10th International Conference on Hydroinformatics. Understanding Changing Climate and Environment Finding Solutions, Hamburg, Germany, July 2012.
• Sinha, S. and M. H. Garcia. "Three-Dimensional numerical modeling of density currents in the Chicago River, Chicago, IL" TELEMAC-MASCARET User Conference, St Hugh’s College, Oxford, UK, 18-19 October 2012 St Hugh’s College, Oxford, UK
• Langendoen, E.J., Motta, D., Abad, J.D., Garcia, M.H., (2010). “An improved meander migration formulation based on streambank erosion processes”. River Flow Conference, Braunshweig, Germany. September 8-10.
• Ashmore, P., J. Best, J. Czuba, J. Denny, D. Foster, K. Oberg, M. H. Garcia, X. Liu, G. Parker, D. Parsons. Morphology, sedimentology and dynamics of the upper St. Clair River. In Proceedings of the 53rd International Conference on Great Lakes Research, Toronto, Canada, 2010

Patents

• Landry, B. J., Waratuke, A.R., Catano-Lopera, Y. A., Garcia, M. H. (2012). Apparatus and Method for Flow Control". US Patent Application No. 13/770,253 (utility patent filed February 19, 2013).

Bulletins

• Jackson, R. P., S. Sinha, S. Dutta, K. Johnson, J. Duncker and M. H. Garcia. (2013) Investigation of Hysteresis in Index-Velocity Ratings for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois. USGS Scientic Investigations Report 2013-5095.
• Fitzpatrick, F.A., Boufadel, M.C., Johnson, Rex, Lee, Kenneth, Graan, T.P., and others, 2015, Oil-particle interactions and submergence from crude oil spills in marine and freshwater environments—review of the science and future science needs: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015-1076, 33 p.
• Kim, S.J., Waratuke, A.,Mier, J.M., M.H. Garcia. Chicago River Controlling Works: Discharge Rating Curves for Hydraulic Structures Obtained Through 3D CFD Simulations, Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 100, UIUC-ENG-2014-2105, UIUC.
• P. Ryan Jackson · Sumit Sinha · Som Dutta · Kevin K. Johnson · James J. Duncker · Marcelo H. Garcia Evaluation of the Potential for Hysteresis in Index-Velocity Ratings for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 01/2013; USGS SIR 2013-5095.
• Liu, X., S. Sinha, N. Sobh and M.H. Garcia (2010), Three-dimensional Hydrodynamics and Water Quality Modeling of the Chicago River, IL. Hydrosystems Laboratory,prepared for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Waratuke, A. R., Abad, J. D., Barnas, C., Garcia, M. H. (2009). “Design and modeling of a combined canoe chute/fish passage for the North Branch Dam, Chicago, Illinois”. Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 93, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Abad, J. D., Waratuke, A. R. and García, M. H. (2006). “Numerical simulation of the Telegraph Drop-shaft – Baumgartner Tunnel System”, St. Louis, MO, USA.
• Liu, X. and M.H. Garcia (2007), Numerical Modeling of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (CWRP) Primary Settling Tanks, Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No 80, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Abad, J. D., Bombardelli, F. A., Waratuke, A. R. and García, M. H. (2004) “Modeling and alternative analysis for SEPA Station No. 3”. In report “SEPA Station No. 3, Siltation Alleviation Study, Greeley and Hansen & Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, IL, USA.
• Garcia, C.M; Cantero, M.; Jackson, P.R. y Garcia, M.H. 2004. "Characterization of the flow turbulence using water velocity signals recorded by Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters". Civil engineering studies, Hydraulic engineering series 75. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Sequeiros, O.E., Nino, Y., Garcia, M.H., 2005 Sedimentation Management in Combined Sewer Over Flow Storage Reservoirs Using Water Jets. Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series, No. 76, UILU-ENG.
• Garcia, M.H. and A. Waratuke, “Large Scale Test on Air Bubble Diffuser “Report to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004.
• Bombardelli, F.A., Buscaglia, G.C., Rehmann, C.R. and Garcia, M.H., “One Dimensional Theoretical and Numerical Models for Aeration Bubble Plumes-McCook Reservoir Studies,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 71, UILU-ENG-2002-2005, UIUC, 2002.
• Bombardelli, F.A. and M.H. García, “Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Modeling of Density Currents in the Chicago River, Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 68, UILU-ENG-01-2001, UIUC, 2001.
• Shuster, J.M. and Garcia, M.H., “Hydraulic Model Study for the Optimization of the Spillway at Batavia Dam, Fox River, Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series, No. 66, UILU-ENG-2000-2010, UIUC, 2000.
• Peabody, A.M. and M.H. García, “Hydraulic Model Study of the Boneyard Creek at Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 65, UILU-00-2002, UIUC, 1999.
• Caisely, M., Bombardelli, F., and M.H. García, “Hydraulic Model Study of a Canoe-Chute for Low Head Dams in Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 63, UILU-99-2012, UIUC, 1999.
• Waratuke, A.R. and M.H. García, “Hydraulic Model Study of the Boneyard Creek at WrightStreet, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic EngineeringSeries No. 62, UILU-99-2010, UIUC, 1999.
• García, M.H., D.M. Admiraal, and J.F. Rodriguez, “Sediment Entrainment Functions for Navigation-Induced Resuspension,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 61, UILU-99-2006, UIUC, 1999.
• Yen, B.C., M.H. García, C.D. Troy, and J. Arbruster, “Stream Channel Migration Effects on Bridge Approaches and Conveyance,” Report No. ITRC FR-94-4, Illinois Transportation Research Center, Illinois Department of Transportation, 1998.
• Armbruster, J.T. and M.H. García, “Hydraulic Model Study for the Restoration of Batavia Dam, Fox River, Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 55, UILU-ENG-98-2001, UIUC, 1998.
• López, F. and M.H. García, “Open-Channel Flow through Simulated Vegetation: Turbulence Modeling and Sediment Transport,” Wetlands Research Program Technical Report WRP-CP-10, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1997.
• López, F. and M.H. García, “Turbulence Structure in Cobble-Bed Open-Channel Flow,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 52, UILU-ENG-96-2012, UIUC, 1996.
• Dunn, C., F. López, and M.H. García, “Mean Flow and Turbulence in a Laboratory Channel with Simulated Vegetation,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 51, UILU-ENG-96-2009, UIUC, 1996.
• Freeman, J.W. and M.H. García, “Hydraulic Model Study for the Drown Proofing of Yorkville Dam, Illinois,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 50, UILU-ENG-96-2005, UIUC, 1996.
• García, M.H., L. Bittner, and Y. Niño, “Mathematical Modeling of Meandering Streams in Illinois: A Tool for Stream Management and Engineering,” Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 43, UILU-ENG-2012, UIUC, 1994.

Reports

• Waterman, D., and M.H. Garcia (2015)."Laboratory Tests of Oil-Particle Interactions in a Freshwater Riverine Environment with Cold Lake Blend Weathered Bitumen," Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 106, ISSN: 0442-1744
• Waterman, D., Fytanidis, D., and M.H. Garcia (2015). "Kalamazoo River In Situ Flume Bed Erosion Study," Civil Engineering Studies, Hydraulic Engineering Series No. 105, ISSN: 0442-1744,
• Cantone, J.P., Stepina, N., Schmidt, A.R., and Garcia, M.H., (2011). "Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis of Calumet TARP System," Tunnel and Reservoir Plan Report No. 16, 73 p.
• Cantone, J.P., Schmidt, A.R., Hollander, M., Erickson, A., Tang, Y., and Garcia, M.H., (2009). "Application of the Illinois Urban Hydrologic Model (IUHM) to Selected Catchments in the Calumet Tunnel and Reservoir Plan System," Tunnel and Reservoir Plan Report No. 6, 86 p.
• Catano-Lopera, Y.A.,Oberg, N., Choi, N.J., Schmidt, A.R., and Garcia, M.H., (2009). "Hydraulic Conveyance Analysis of the Calumet TARP System," Tunnel and Reservoir Plan Report No. 3, 64 p.
• Cantone, J.P., Seo, Y., Zimmer, A., Schmidt, A.R., and Garcia, M.H., (2009). "Hydrologic Modeling of the Calumet TARP System," Tunnel and Reservoir Plan Report No. 1, 109 p.

Teaching Honors

• Grainger College of Engineering Award for Excellence in Faculty Mentoring (UIUC) (2022)
• Honorary Member, Chi Epsilon National Civil Engineering Honor Society (2004)
• Order of the Engineer, The Grainger College of Engineering, UIUC (2010)
• Recognized for Excellence in Advising, College of Engineering, UIUC (1997, 2001)
• Included in Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students at UIUC: CE 459 Sediment Transport for spring 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005; 2004, 2012, 2015, 2023; CE 498 EH Environmental Hydrodynamics for Spring 1994, 1996, 1998, 2003 CE 255 Introduction to Hydrosystems Engineering for Fall 1995, 1996, 1998, CEE 353 Analysis and Design of Hydraulic Systems, for Spring 1999, 2004, 2006,2018. CEE551 "Open Channel Hydraulics" fall 2009, 2011, 2013, 2021. CEE555 Mixing in Environmental Flows, 2014, CEE595 Water Resources Engineering Seminar, Spring 2024. (1990-2024)

Research Honors

• Doctor Honoris Causa, National University of Cordoba, Argentina (2024)
• Honorary Member, International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) (2023)
• Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2022)
• 6th M. Selim Yalin Lifetime Achievement Award, International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) (2017)
• Donald Harleman Memorial Lecture in Water Resources Engineering, Penn State University (2015)
• Barr Engineering Distinguished Lecture, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota (2014)
• Distinguished Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (2013)
• Fellow, Environmental Water Resources Institute (EWRI), American Society of Civil Engineers (2013)
• National Award for Scientific Contributions to Science and Technology from Government of Panama, Panama Canal Authority (2012)
• Hunter Rouse Hydraulic Engineering Lecture Award, ASCE. (2012)
• IAGLR Chandler-Misener Award for most notable paper published in Journal of Great Lakes Research in 2011, International Great Lakes Association (2012)
• Lorenz G. Straub Award for Best 2008 Ph.D. Thesis in Hydraulic Engineering awarded to Dr. Jorge Abad (Advisee) (2012)
• Third Enrico Marchi Lecture, Italian Association of Hydraulics, University of Florence, Italy (2012)
• Wesley Horner Award, best paper in Journal of Environmental Engineering, EWRI/ASCE (2012)
• Lorenz G. Straub Award for Best 2007 Ph.D. Thesis in Hydraulic Engineering awarded to Dr. Mariano Cantero (MS 2004; PhD 2007), (advisee with Prof. S. Balachandar) (2011)
• Borland Distinguished Lecture in Hydraulics, AGU-Hydrology Days, Colorado State University (2009)
• Corresponding Member, National Academy of Engineering of Argentina (2007)
• Hans Albert Einstein Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE (2006)
• Honorary Professor, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina (2001)
• 12th Arthur Thomas Ippen Award, International Association for Hydraulic Engineering and Research, International Association of Hydro-Environmental Engineering, IAHR (2001)
• Inaugural Chester and Helen Siess Endowed Professorship in Civil Engineering, UIUC (2001-2014)
• Lorenz G. Straub Award for Best Ph.D. Thesis in Hydraulic Engineering presented to Dr. Jeffrey Parsons, (advisee) (2001)
• University Scholar Award, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2000)
• Invited Professorship, Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne, Switzerland (1999)
• Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Prize, ASCE, 1999 (best paper in Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE)
• Arthur and Virginia Nauman Faculty Scholar, Civil and Environmental Eng., UIUC (1998-2001)
• Lorenz G. Straub Award for Best Ph.D. Thesis in Hydraulic Engineering presented to Dr. Yarko Nino, (advisee) (1998)
• Walter Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, ASCE (1998)
• Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Prize, ASCE, 1996 (best paper in Journal of Hydraulic Engineering) (1996)
• Sigma Xi, Scientific Research Honor Society (1992-)
• National Science Foundation Research Initiation Award (1992)
• Hokkaido River Disaster Prevention Institute Fellowship, Japan (1990)
• Alvin G. Anderson Award, Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota (1989)

Public Service Honors

• Board of Experts, Miami Conservancy District (MCD), Dayton, Ohio (2023)
• Illinois Science and Technology Coalition Researchers to Know in 2022
• International Scientific Commitee (ITSC) FIRENZE 2016 (2014-2016)
• Research on Transport and Fate of Asian Carp Eggs showcased in Discovery Channel of Canada (2014)
• Chair External Review Panel, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geological Engineering, University of Notre Dame (2013)
• Invited Speaker, Hydraulics in the Time of Cholera,Chicago Ideas Week, Chicago, Illinois (2012)
• Co-Team Leader, Sedimentation Studies, St Clair River Study, International Great Lakes Commission. (2007-2009)
• Member, National Research Council Panel on “River Science at the US Geological Survey.” (2005-2007)
• Member, Peer Review Panel on “Modeling Study of Contaminated Sediments in the Housatonic River,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric. (2000-2007)