Center for Ecohydraulics Research

The Center for Ecohydraulics Research (CER), located at the Idaho Water Center in downtown Boise, is a hub for graduate education and innovative research studying links between physical processes and aquatic ecosystems. A core part of University of Idaho’s long-standing leadership in environmental and water sciences, CER is housed within the College of Engineering and collaborates closely with the College of Natural Resources, Idaho Water Resources Research Institute and the Waters Resources program.

CER supports both full-time and part-time students, enabling them to continue to work for agencies, the private sector or NGOs while pursuing research of direct relevance to their employer. Most students are residents of Boise, but some are located outside Idaho or the United States, with coursework delivered through Engineering Outreach.

CER emphasizes community science. Its field monitoring equipment, CER StreamLab, computational facilities and databases are accessible to the scientific community, as well as University of Idaho researchers and students.

Graduate students gain experience in:

Fundamentals and theory related to hydraulic engineering, fluvial geomorphology and aquatic ecology
Computational and analytical models
Field methods
Laboratory instrumentation and physical modeling using our large-scale flume in CER's StreamLab

Current research includes:

Sediment transport in headwater streams
Hyporheic flows
Systems approach for understanding the response of endangered species to reservoir operation
Sustainability of pools in gravel-bed rivers
River-floodplain aquatic habitat modeling
Snow-pack behavior in heterogeneous terrain
Vegetation modeling
River restoration
Laboratory instrumentation
Developing sustainability metrics for water resource management

Visit CER

More than 500 visitors come to the Center for Ecohydraulics Research StreamLab and Aquatic Imaging Flume each year during weekly informal visits and major events including presentations and activities. Participants range from K-12 students to agency personnel, policy makers and various educational and business groups.

Outreach in action

CER has hosted a middle school science teacher for summer learning experiences through grants from the Idaho Department of Commerce and through a Partners in Science Grant from the Murdock Charitable Trust.

The center also brings water science to the community with three mobile outreach units, including a Lego water table for young learners, an education flume and a sediment table. These tools have been used for outreach at public schools, community centers, city markets and loaned for use at the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise.

Meet our people

Faculty

Daniele Tonina
Professor, co-director, Center for Ecohydraulics Research
208-364-6194
dtonina@uidaho.edu

Elowyn Yager
Professor, co-director, Center for Ecohydraulics Research
208-364-4996
eyager@uidaho.edu

Ralph Budwig
Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Ecohydraulics Research
rbudwig@uidaho.edu

Gianluca Blois
Assistant professor, mechanical engineering
208-364-4689
gblois@uidaho.edu

Andy Tranmer
Associate research professor, Center for Ecohydraulics Research
208-364-6165
andyt@uidaho.edu

Meetpal Kukal
Assistant professor, hydrologic science and water management
402-219-3969
mkukal@uidaho.edu

Kendra Kaiser
Director, Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, assistant research faculty
kkaiser@uidaho.edu

Angel Monsalve
Assistant professor, civil and environmental engineering
208-885-6782
amonsalve@uidaho.edu

Staff

Rob Green
Lab manager, Center for Ecohydraulics Research
208-364-4991
robg@uidaho.edu

Research philosophy, partnerships and projects

The Center for Ecohydraulics Research advances science through field data collection, computational modeling and lab research using its high-gradient hydraulic flume. While much of CER’s work focuses on Idaho and the Pacific Northwest, research spans the U.S. and extends to Europe, Asia and South America.

CER fosters a strong collaborative culture:

At U of I: CER works closely with the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute and Water Resources Program, supporting students and faculty from engineering, natural resources and science.
With agencies: CER collaborates with partners like the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, USGS and the Idaho Department of Water Resources on shared research and student mentorship.
With other universities: CER co-leads interdisciplinary projects and course delivery with regional partners as well as institutions nationwide, including current work with Stanford University and New Mexico Tech.
Internationally: CER partners with organizations including the University of Concepción (Chile), University of Western Australia, University of Trento, Swiss WSL, DHI Denmark and the Nanjing Hydraulic Institute — offering students opportunities for global engagement through exchanges, workshops and research.

Local and regional research projects

Idaho agriculture is the second-largest user of irrigation water in the U.S. and diverts more water for aquaculture than the rest of the country combined. Idaho has more than 93,000 miles of streams, with over 3,000 miles of world-class whitewater. These streams support 19 species listed as endangered, threatened or of concern. Yet more than 900 rivers or river segments are impaired, with the primary concerns being sediment and temperature. Geomorphic and ecological integrity are also at risk.

The Center for Ecohydraulics Research (CER) addresses these water challenges through research and collaborations with agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Idaho Department of Water Resources and tribal and municipal partners.

CER research spans post-fire erosion, sediment transport, thermal refugia, flood risk, aquatic and riparian habitat restoration and interaction between surface and subsurface waters.

National and international research projects

CER contributes to major U.S. research initiatives, including river restoration efforts and long-term watershed studies like the NSF WATERS test bed at Reynolds Creek.

Internationally, our faculty and students are part of a global research network. In Chilean Patagonia, we’re studying sediment transport and channel change in glacier-fed rivers, some of the last remaining free-flowing systems on Earth. In South Korea, we collaborate with the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology to run large-scale flume experiments exploring how real vegetation shapes sediment movement and channel evolution.

Our partnerships span institutions in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and beyond — giving students opportunities for immersive research experiences overseas. Together, these projects expand our understanding of river systems and strengthen sustainable water management around the world.

Discover our facilities and services

StreamLab

CER’s StreamLab is a large-scale sediment flume designed for research on flow, sediment transport and aquatic ecosystems. With a 20-meter length, adjustable slope and environmentally conscious design, the flume supports both fundamental and applied research in mountain river systems.

Key features include:

Sand and gravel feed in open-circuit mode
Recirculated water system and water-lubricated pumps
Advanced instrumentation such as stereoscopic PIV, ADV, acoustic and optical sensors, and real-time bed mapping
Computer-controlled 3-axis platform for flexible sensor positioning

Aquatic Imaging Flume

The Aquatic Imaging Flume, developed with National Science Foundation support, allows high-resolution optical studies of water flow through and around streambeds. With glass sides and floor for full visual access, it supports techniques like Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV).

This flume enables research on fine-scale interactions between streamflow and sediments, such as oxygen delivery to salmon redds and streambed biogeochemistry — helping inform habitat restoration and river management practices.

Field sensors and equipment

CER engineers and deploys custom, low-cost aquatic sensors for long-term environmental monitoring. These battery-powered systems measure variables like temperature, dissolved oxygen and pressure. They can transmit data remotely or store it for later retrieval. Hundreds of sensors have been deployed in rivers and lakes across the region.

The Center for Ecohydraulics Research field program is designed to link our graduate student experience with agency and company activities through classes, field trips and collaborative field campaigns. Graduate students are trained in the use of the latest equipment and data processing techniques.

CER has a broad range of field equipment from commercially available gear and measurement systems to specialized high-end field monitoring equipment (commercially available as well as custom made).