Lab of Dr. Thom Hardy

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
- Albert Einstein

Thom Hardy

Thom Hardy, Ph.D.

Professor

and

Chief Science Officer

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

phone: 512-245-6729

Fax: 512-245-7919

E-mail: Thom.Hardy@TXState.edu

Department of Biology/The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 78666

The Art and Science of Instream Flows

^{Instream Flows is the art and science of collecting data in systems we cannot adequately sample using methods developed by committees of technically unqualified participants for organisms we know very little about in order to form concepts about processes we do not fully understand that we represent as mathematical abstractions that we cannot precisely analyze to determine their responses to indeterminate stresses we cannot accurately predict now let alone in the future all in such a way that society at large is given no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance.}

-Adopted from Anonymous

Education

Ph. D. – Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University

M. S. -- Aquatic Biology, University of Nevada at Las Vegas

B. S. – Biology, University of Nevada at Las Vegas

B. S. – Secondary Education, University of Nevada at Las Vegas

Research Interests

Instream Flow Assessment Methodologies

Multidisciplinary Assessment Methods for Watershed Planning

Remote Sensing of Aquatic and Riparian Corridors

Aquatic Ecosystem Dynamics

Courses Taught

Techniques in Aquatic Biology (BIO 4350/7369) - Syllabus

Publications

Perkin, J. S., Z. R. Shattuck, P. T. Bean, T. H. Bonner, E. Saraeva, and T. B. Hardy. 2010. Movement and microhabitat associations of Guadalupe bass in two Texas rivers. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:xx – xx.
Saraeva, E. and T.B. Hardy. 2009. Prediction of fisheries physical habitat values based on hydraulic geometry and frequency distributions of depth and velocity. Intl. J. River Basin Management Vol 7, No 1. (2009), pp 31-41.
Saraeva, E. and T. B. Hardy. 2009. Extrapolation of site-specific weighted usable area curves and instrem flow requirements to unmeasured streams within the Nooksack watershed in support of strategic watershed planning. Intl. J. River Basin Management Vol 7, No 1. (2009), pp 91-103.
Hardy, T.B., et al. 2006. Validation of chinook fry behavior based escape cover modeling in the lower Klamath River. International Journal of River Basin Management. Vol 4, Issue 3.
Hardy, T.B. and C. Addley. 2003. Instream Flow Assessment Modeling: Combining Physical and Behavioral-Based Approaches. Canadian Water Resources Journal. 28(2):1-10.
Gregory, P.J., et. al. (including Hardy, T.). 2002. Environmental consequences of alternative practices for intensifying crop production. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 88, 279-290.
Guensch, G.R., T.B. Hardy, and R.C. Addley. 2001. Validation of an Individual-Based, Mechanistic Habitat Selection Model for Drift-Feeding Salmonids. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. 58(3):446-457.
Hardy, T.B & Addley, R.C. 2006. Vertical integration of spatial and hydraulic data for improved habitat modelling using geographic information systems. In Acreman, M.C. (ed) Hydro-ecology: Riverine Ecological Response to Changes in Hydrological Regime, Sediment Transport, and Nutrient Loading. IAHS Publication X.
Goodwin, Peter and Thomas B. Hardy. 1999. Integrated Simulation of Physical, Chemical and Ecological Processes for River Management. Journal of Hydroinformatics. 01:1 33-58.
Gilver, D.J., R. Bryant and T. Hardy. 1999. Remote sensing of channel morphology and in-stream fluvial processes. Progress in Environmental Science. 1(3): 257-284.
Hardy, T.B. 1998. The Future of Habitat Modeling and Instream Flow Assessment Techniques. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 14:405-420.
Hardy, T.B. 1995. Assessing Environmental Effects of Severe Sustained Drought. Water Resources Bulletin, American Water Resources Association. 31(5):867-875.
Kershner, J.L. and T.B. Hardy. 1992. The rules of the game for evaluation of FERC relicense proposals. Rivers: 2:4 342-345 pp.
Modde, T. and T. B. Hardy. 1992. Influence of Different Microhabitat Criteria on Salmonid Habitat Simulation. Rivers: 3:1 37-44 pp.
Bishop, A. B. , T. B. Hardy and B. D. Glabou. 1990. Analyzing instream flow tradeoffs for small hydropower development. RIVERS 1(3):173-182.
Valdez, R., P. Holden and T.B. Hardy. 1990. Habitat suitability index curves for humpback chub in the upper Colorado River Basin. Rivers 1(1):31-42.

Theses Directed

Craig Addley MS A Mechanistic approach to Modeling Habit of Drift Feeding Salmonids

James Shoemaker MS Use of Multispectral Aerial Videography for Jurisdictional Delineation of Wetland Areas

Thomas Redd MS Use of Airborne Multispectral Videography for the Classification and Delineation of Riparian Vegetation

Kiran Panja MS Classification of Mesoscale Hydraulic Features Based on Spectral Analysis of Multispectral Aerial Videography

Jennifer Ludlow MS Comparison of Physical Habitat Simulation Models with Energetic Modeling for Habitat use in Drift Feeding Salmonids

Brent Crowther MS Delineation of Mesoscale Hydraulic Features, Subaqueous Sediments, Spawning Sites, and Riverine Bathymetry in the South Fork of the Salmon River Utilizing Multispectral, Airborne Videography

Michael Chulick MS Flow Dependant Relationships of Habitat Utilization for the Comal Fountain Darter (Plan B)

Karl Tarbet MS Development and Evaluation of a Two Dimensional Hydraulic Model for Instream Flow Assessments

Nathan Bartz MS Multidisciplinary Assessment of Instream Flows in the Comal River, Texas

Loni Johnson MS Use of Multi-spectral Digital Imagery to Assess Channel Changes in the Salmon River in Response to Flooding.

Greg Guensch MS Validation of a Mechanistically-Based Habitat Model for Drift Feeding Salmonids

Nathan Kennard MS Development of a Rapid Assessment Protocol for Evaluation of Instream Flows

Jason Thompson MS A Methodology for Assessing Aquatic and Riparian Habitat Quality at the Watershed Scale

Hans Milliken MS Comparative Evaluation of R2-Cross and WinXS-Pro for Evaluating Instream Flow Protection Levels in River Systems

Craig Addley PhD Modeling of River Ecosystems: A Dynamic Three-Dimensional Habitat Template at Scales Relevant to Fish

Leon Basdekas PhD Virgin River Operations Optimization Model

Anji Dodd PhD Development of a Three-Dimensional Sediment Transport Model for Predicting Channel Topographies in Fish Habitat Modeling

Ekaterina Sareava PhD Development of an Instream Flow-Based Extrapolation Procedure for the Nooksack Watershed

Mikhail Bhol MS Estimating Uncertainty in Fish Habitat Modeling using Two-Dimensional Hydraulics

Eric McKlesky MS Landscape Ecology Metrics As an Alternative to Suitability Criteria Based Habitat Modeling of Fish

Students

Adrian Vogel - A systems approach to decision support for watershed resources: Cypress Creek watershed, Hays County, Texas

Sanyogita Andriyas – Application of individual based models to evaluate on-farm watering practices and crop production

Brian Hines - Understanding the Complex Life History Ecology of a Lacustrine Sucker for Conservation and Management

Emily Warren – How do you explain compliance failure of community water systems under the Safe Water Drinking Act?

Hussein Batt – Nutrient dynamics in a regulate wetland, Bear Lake, Utah

David Kikkert - Upstream migration of amphidromous shrimp in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico: Temporal patterns and environmental cues

Madeline Merck – Water quality dynamics in a small inland stream from gold mining operations, Kanektok Alaska

Omar Alminagorta – Optimizing water allocation management for environmental purposes

Issaak Vasquez – Impact of land-applied biosolids on forage quality and water movement during rangeland restoration activities

Mark Schmelter – Verification and validation of 2-dimensional hydrodynamic models applied in instream flow assessments

Pictures from the field: