Work Address

Stanley Hydraulics Lab

University of Iowa

300 South Riverside Drive

Iowa City, Iowa 52242

319-335-5597 (office)

Special Fields of Knowledge

  • Flooding
  • River Hydraulics
  • Coupling Individual-Based Ecological and Fluid Mechanics Models
  • Fish Passage Facilities
  • Environmental Hydraulics
  • Hydraulic Structures
  • River Restoration and Sustainability
  • Ice Mechanics

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Iowa, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1990–93
  • M.S., University of Iowa, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1989–90
  • B.S., University of Iowa, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1984–89

Professional Experience

  • Director, IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, 2004–17
  • Professor and Edwin B. Green Chair in Hydraulics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, 2007–present
  • Associate Director, IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, August 2003–May 2004
  • Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, 2001–07
  • Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, 1996–2001
  • Assistant Research Scientist, IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, 1994–96
  • Postdoctoral Associate, IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, 1993–94

Professional Memberships

  • American Society of Civil Engineers – Fellow
  • International Association for Hydraulic Research – Member
  • Licensed Engineer, Iowa

Honors and Awards

  • College of Engineering Faculty Award for Exceptional Service, 2010
  • ASCE Collingwood Prize, Best Technical Paper by a Younger Member, 1992
  • University of Iowa Dean’s Scholarship, June 1989–January 1993
  • National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research Award, 1988

Graduate Student Research Advising

Thesis supervision completion of 52 MS theses, 24 PhD dissertations, and 9 postdoctoral associates

  • Maral Razmand, 2020
  • Iordanis Moustakidis, 2016
  • Nicholas Thomas, 2015, HDR
  • Oscar Hernandez, 2015, IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering
  • Ali Firoozfar, 2014, HDR
  • Yushi Wang, 2013, CH2M Hill
  • Kyutae Lee, 2013, Oakridge National Laboratory
  • Antonio Arenas, 2012, IIHRHydroscience & Engineering
  • Charles Theiling, 2010, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Joseph Dario, 2009, USGS
  • Dongsu Kim, 2008, Korea
  • M.D. Haque, 2007, California State Water Resources Program
  • Cagri Turna, 2007, Bechtel Corp.
  • Jie Zeng, 2006, South Florida Water Management District
  • Haegyun Lee, 2006, Korea
  • Andy McCoy, 2006, HDR
  • Youngsung Kim, 2006, Korea
  • Nathan Young, 2006, University of Iowa
  • Seng Keat Ooi, 2005, Singapore
  • Yenory Morales, 2004, France
  • Ouyang Huei-Tau, 2001, Taiwan
  • Heqing Huang, 2002, China
  • Kevin Nielsen, 2000, CH2M Hill
  • Jianchun Huang, 2000, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Research Grants and Contracts

From 1996–present, Principle or co-Principle Investigator on grants and contracts exceeding $90M, with direct credit for over $51M

Publications

Published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles (most recent publications listed below)

  1. Meulemans, M., Jones, C.S., Schilling, K.E., Young, N.C., and Weber, L.J., Assessment of Spatial Nitrate Patterns in an Eastern Iowa Watershed Using Boat-Deployed Sensors. Water 2020, 12, 146; doi:10.3390/w12010146.
  2. Jones CS, Nielsen JK, Schilling KE, Weber LJ (2018) Iowa stream nitrate and the Gulf of Mexico. PLoS ONE 13(4): e0195930. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195930
  3. Arenas, Antonio, Keith Schilling, James Niemeier, and Larry J. Weber.  Evaluating the timing and interdependence of hydrologic processes at the watershed scale based on continuously monitored data.  Water 2018, 10, 261; doi:10.3390/w10030261.
  4. Yushi Wang, Marcela Politano & Larry Weber (2018) Spillway jet regime and total dissolved gas prediction with a multiphase flow model.  Journal of Hydraulic Research, DOI: 10.1080/00221686.2018.1428231
  5. Drake, Chad, Christopher S. Jones, Keith E. Schilling, Antonio Arenas, and Larry J. Weber.  Estimating nitrate-nitrogen retention in a large constructed wetland using high-frequency, continuous monitoring and hydrologic modeling.  Journal of Ecological Engineering 69-83. doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2018.03. 014.
  6. Jones, Christopher S., Caroline A. Davis, Chad W. Drake, Keith E. Schilling, Samuel H.P. Debionne, Daniel W. Gilles, Ibrahim Demir, and Larry J. Weber, 2017. Iowa Statewide Stream Nitrate Load Calculated Using In Situ Sensor Network. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12618
  7. Amado, A. Arenas, K. E. Schilling, C. S. Jones, N. Thomas, and L. J. Weber. "Estimation of tile drainage contribution to streamflow and nutrient loads at the watershed scale based on continuously monitored data." Environmental monitoring and assessment, 189, no. 9 (2017): 426.
  8. Larry J. Weber, Marian Muste, A. Allen Bradley, Antonio Arenas Amado, Ibrahim Demir, Chad W. Drake, Witold F. Krajewski, Tony J. Loeser, Marcela S. Politano, Breanna R. Shea & Nicholas W. Thomas (2017). The Iowa Watersheds Project: Iowa's prototype for engaging communities and professionals in watershed hazard mitigation, International Journal of River Basin Management, DOI: 10.1080/15715124.2017.1387127.
  9. Thomas, Nicholas, K. E. Schilling, Antonio Arenas Amado, Matthew Streeter, and Larry Weber. "Inverse Modeling of Soil Hydraulic Properties in a Two-Layer System and Comparisons with Measured Soil Conditions." Vadose Zone Journal 16, no. 2 (2017).
  10. Arenas Amado A., Politano M., Schilling K. and Weber L. (2016). Investigating Hydrologic Connectivity of a Drained Prairie Pothole Region Wetland Complex using Fully Integrated, Physically-Based Model. Wetlands, DOI: 10.1007/s13157-016-0800-5.
  11. Thomas, N. W., Arenas, A. A., Schilling, K. E., and Weber, L. J. (2016). "Numerical investigation of the spatial scale and time dependency of tile drainage contribution to stream flow." J Hydrol, 538, 651-666.
  12. Thomas, N. W., Arenas Amado, A., Schilling, K. E., and Weber, L. J. (2016). "Evaluating the efficacy of distributed detention structures to reduce downstream flooding under variable rainfall, antecedent soil, and structural storage conditions." Adv Water Resour, 96, 74-87.
  13. Wang, Y., Politano, M., Laughery, R., and Weber, L.J., “Model development in OpenFoam to predict spillway jet regimes” Journal of Applied Water Engineering and Research, April 2015.
  14. Davis, C., Ward, A., Burgin, A., Loecke, T., Diego, A., Schnoebelen, D., Just, C., Steven, T., Weber, L., and St Clair, M., (2014). “Antecedent moisture controls on stream nitrate flux in an agricultural watershed”, Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp 1494 – 1503.
  15. Goodwin, R.A., Politano, M., Garvin, J., Nestler, J., Hay, D., Anderson, J., Weber, L.J., Dimperio, E., Smith, D., and Timko, M., “Fish Navigation of Large Dams Emerges from Their Modulation of Flow Field Experience”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, April 2014, vol. 111, no. 14, pp. 5277-5282.
  16. Arenas, A.A., Politano, M., Weber, L.J., Lopez, S., and Timko, M.  (2014).  “A model to predict juvenile salmon swim paths”  Hydro Review, Vol. 33, No. 2, March 2014, pp. 38-42.
  17. Daraio JA, Weber LJ, Zigler SJ, Newton TJ, Nestler JM.  (2012).   “Simulated effects of host fish distribution on juvenile unionid mussel dispersal in a large river”  River Research and Applications, online publication, (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/rra.1469.
  18. Zeng, J., Constantinescu, S.G., Weber, L.J. “3D  calculations of equilibrium conditions in loose-bed open channels with significant sediment load”  Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 136, No. 9, (2010) pp. 557-571.
  19. Daraio, JA, Weber, LJ, and Newton, TJ.  (2010). “Hydrodynamic modeling of juvenile mussel dispersal in a large river:  the potential effects of bed shear stress and other parameters,” Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 29 (3), 838-851.
  20. Daraio, JA, Weber, LJ, Newton, TJ, and Nestler, JM.  (2010). A methodological framework for integrating computational fluid dynamics and ecological models applied to juvenile freshwater mussel dispersal in the Upper Mississippi River. Ecological Modelling  221 (2):201-214.
  21. Ferrari G., Politano M., and Weber L. 2009. “3D Numerical simulations of free surface flows on a fish bypass”  Computers and Fluids, 38, 5, 997-1002.
  22. Politano, M., Carrica, P. and Weber, L.J., “A Multiphase Model for the Hydrodynamics and Total Dissolved Gas in Tailraces,” International Journal of Multiphase Flow, Vol. 35, (2009) pp. 1036-1050.
  23. Ooi, S.K., Constantinescu, S.G. and Weber, L.J., “Numerical Simulations of Lock-Exchange Compisitional Gravity Current,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 635, (2009), pp 361-388.
  24. Turan, C., Carrica, P.M., Lyons, T., Hay, D. and Weber, L.J., “A Three-Dimensional Numerical Model and Experimental Study of the Free Surface Flow in an Ogee-Crested Fish Bypass,” Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 134, No. 8, (2008) pp. 1172-1175.
  25. Zeng, J., Constantinescu, S.G., Weber, L.J. “A 3D Nonhydrostatic Model to Predict Flow and Sediment Transport in Loose-Bed Channel Beds”  Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 46, No. 3, (2008), pp 356-372.
  26. Zeng, J., Constantinescu, G., Blanckaert, K. and Weber, L. (2008), “Flow and bathymetry in sharp open-channel bends: Experiments and predictions,” Water Resources Research, Vol. 44 (9).
  27. Politano, M., Haque, MD., and Weber, L.J., “A Numerical Study of the Temperature Dynamcis at McNary Dam” Journal of Ecological Modeling, Vol. 212 (2008) pp. 408-421.
  28. McCoy, A., Constantinescu, G. and Weber, L.J. (2008), “Numerical investigation of flow hydrodynamics in a channel with a series of groynes,” ASCE J. of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 134(2).
  29. McCoy, A.W., Constantinescu, S.G., Weber, L.J. (2007). “A numerical investigation of the dynamics of coherent structures and mass exchange processes in channel flow with two lateral submerged groynes.” Water Resources Research, Vol. 43.
  30. Baigun, C.R., Nestler, J.M., Oldani, N.O., Goodwin, R.A. and Weber, L.J., “Can North American Fish Passage Tools Work for South American Migratory Fishes?”  Neotropical Ichthyology, Vol. 2, No. 2, (2007) pages 109-119.
  31. Morales, Y., Weber, L.J., Mynett, A.E. and Newton, T.J., “Simulating the Effect of Invasive Species Dispersion on Native Freshwater Mussel Communities” Journal River Basin Management, IAHR, Vol. 5, No. 4, (2007), pp 267-277.
  32. Nestler, J.M., Baigun, C.R., Oldani, N. and Weber, L.J.  “Contrasting the Middle Parana and Mississippi Rivers to Develop a Template for Restoring Large Floodplain River Ecosytems,” Journal River Basin Management, IAHR, Vol. 5, No. 4, (2007), pp 305-319.
  33. Turan, C., Politano, M.S., Carrica, P.M. and Weber, L.J., “ Water Entrainment Due to Spillway Surface Jets”, Intl. Journal of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 21, Nos. 3-4 (2007), pp 137-153.
  34. Turan, C.K., Carrica, P.M., Lyons, T.C., Hay, D. and Weber, L.J., “Assessing Fish Bypass Flow:  Combining Numerical and Physical Models,”  HydroReview, Vol. XXVI, No. 6, (2007) pp 40-49.
  35. Haque, M.D., Constantinescu, G. and Weber, L. (2007), “Validation of a 3D RANS model to predict flow and stratification effects related to fish passage at hydropower dams,” IAHR J. of Hydraulic Research, Vol. 45(6), 787-796.
  36. Ooi, S.K., Constantinescu, S.G. and Weber, L.J., “A Numerical Study of Intrusive Compositional Gravity Currents”, Physics of Fluids, Vol. 19, (2007).
  37. Ooi, S.K., Constantinescu, S.G. and Weber, L.J., “2D Large-Eddy Simulation of Lock-Exchange Gravity Current Flows at High Grashof  Numbers”, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 133, No. 9, (2007), pp 1037-1047.
  38. Goodwin, R.A, Nestler, J.M., Anderson, J.J., Weber, L.J. and Loucks, D.P. “A New
  39. Tool to Forecast Fish Movement and Passage”,HydroReview, Vol 26, No 4 (2007) 58-71.
  40. Politano, M.S., Carrica, P.M., Turan, C. and Weber, L.J., “ A multidimensional two-phase flow model for the total dissolved gas downstream of spillways,” Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 45, No. 2, (2007), pp 165-177.
  41. McCoy, A., Constantinescu, S.G. and Weber, L.J., “Exchange processes in a channel with two emerged groynes,” Journal of Flow, Turbulence, and Combustion,  Vol. 77, (2006), pp 77-126.
  42. Weber, L.J., Goodwin, R.A, Li, S. and Nestler, J.M., “Application of an Eularian-Lagrangian-Agent Method for Design of Juvenile Fish Passage Facilities,” Journal Hydroinformatics, IAHR, Vol. 8, No. 4, (2006), pp 271-295.
  43. Li, S., Silva, J.M., Lai, Y.G., Weber, L.J., and Patel, V.C., “Three-Dimensional Simulation of Flows in Practical Water-Pump Intakes,” Journal of Hydroinformatics, IAHR, Vol. 8, No. 2, (2006) pp. 111-124.
  44. Morales, Y., Weber, L.J., Mynett, A.E. and Newton, T.J., “Effects of Substrate and Hydrodynamic Conditions on the Formation of Mussel Beds in a Large River” Journal of the North American Benthological Society, Vol. 25, No. 3, (2006) pp. 664-676.
  45. Morales, Y., Weber, L.J., Mynett, A.E. and Newton, T.J., “Mussel Dynamics Model:  a hydroinformatics tool for analysis of freshwater mussel communities” Journal of Ecological Modeling, Vol. 197 (2006) pp. 448-460.
  46. Ouyang, H., Weber, L.J. and Odgaard, A.O. “Design Optimization of a Two-Dimensional Hydrofoil by Applying a Genetic Algorithm,” Journal of Engineering Optimization,  Vol. 38, No. 5, (2006) pp. 529-540.
  47. Goodwin, R.A, Nestler, J.M., Anderson, J.J., Weber, L.J. and Loucks, D.P. “Decoding 3-D Movement Rules of Fish for Forecasting using a Eularian-Lagrangian-Agent Method (ELAM)”, Journal of Ecological Modeling, 192 (2006) 197-223.
  48. Lin, C.L., Lee, H., Lee, T. and Weber, L.J., “A Level Set Characteristic Galerkin Finite Element Method for Free Surface Flows” Int. J. for Numer. Meth. in Fluids, Vol. 49, June 2005, pp 521-547.
  49. Weber, L.J., Huang, H., Lai, Y.G. and McCoy, A., “Modeling Total Dissolved Gas Production and Transport Downstream of Spillways - Three-Dimensional Model Development and Applications”,  Journal of River Basin Management, IAHR, Vol. 2, No. 3, December 2004.
  50. Huang, J., Patel, V.C., Lai, L.G. and Weber, L.J., “Simulatioin Study of Flow Through a Reach of the Chattahoochee River,” Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 42, No. 5, December 2004, 487-491.
  51. Li, S., Lai, Y.G., Weber, L.J., Silva, J.M. and Patel, V.C., “Validation of a Three-Dimensional Numerical Model for Water-Pump Intakes,” Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 42, No. 3, 2004, 282-292.
  52. Lai, Y.G., Weber, L.J., and Patel, V.C., “A Non-hydrostatic Three-Dimensional Model for Hydraulic Flow Simulation – Part II:  Validation and Application,” Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 129, No. 3, March 2003, pp 206-214.
  53. Lai, Y.G., Weber, L.J., and Patel, V.C., “A Non-hydrostatic Three-Dimensional Model for Hydraulic Flow Simulation – Part I:  Formulation and Verification,” Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 129, No. 3, March 2003, pp 196-205.
  54. Huang, J., Weber, L.J. and Lai, Y.G., “Three-Dimensional Numerical Study of Flow in Open-Channel Junctions”, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 128, No. 3, March, 2002.
  55. Weber, L.J., Shumate, E.D. and Mawer, N., “Experimental on Flow at a 90° Open-Channel Junction ”, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 127, No. 5, May, 2001.
  56. Muste, M., Meselhe, E.A., Weber, L.J., and Bradley, A.A., “Coupled Physical-Numerical Analysis of Flows in Natural Waterways”, Journal of Hydraulic Research, IAHR, Vol. 39, No. 1, 2001.
  57. Meselhe, E.A., Weber, L.J., Odgaard, A.J., and Johnson, T., “Numerical Modeling for Fish Diversion Studies”, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 126, No. 5, May, 2000.
  58. Sinha, S.K., Weber, L.J. and Odgaard, A.J., “Using Computational Tools to Enhance Fish Bypass”, HydroReview, Vol. 18, No. 1, February, 1999.
  59. Weber, L.J. and Nixon, W.A., "Fatigue of Freshwater Ice", Cold Regions Science and Technology.  Vol. 26, No. 2, October, 1997, pp. 153-164.
  60. Den Bleyker, J.S., Weber, L.J. and Odgaard, A.J., "Development of a Flow Spreader for Fish Bypass Outfalls",  North American Journal of Fisheries Management.  Vol. 17, No. 3, August, 1997.
  61. Weber, L.J. and Nixon, W.A., "Fracture Toughness of Freshwater Ice - Part I Experimental Technique and Results", ASME Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 118, May 1996, pp. 135-140.
  62. Weber, L.J. and Nixon, W.A., "Fracture Toughness of Freshwater Ice - Part II Analysis and Micrography", ASME Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 118, May 1996, pp. 141-147.
  63. Nixon, W.A. and Weber, L.J., "Reinforcement Percentage Effects on Bending Strength of Soil-Ice Mixtures", ASCE Journal of Cold Regions Engineering, Vol. 9, 1995, pp. 152-163.
  64. Nixon, W.A. and Weber, L.J., "Fatigue-Crack Growth in Fresh-Water Ice:  Preliminary Results", Annals of Glaciology, Vol. 15, 1991, pp. 236-241.
  65. Nixon, W.A. and Weber, L.J.,  "Flexural Strength of Sand-Reinforced Ice", ASCE Journal of Cold Regions Engineering, Vol. 5, 1991, pp. 14-27.