Joel Sholtes

Joel Sholtes is an Instructor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Colorado Mesa University, with a joint affiliation to the University of Colorado Boulder. His expertise lies in water resources engineering, with a focus on river hydraulics, fluvial geomorphology, and stream rehabilitation. He previously worked with the Bureau of Reclamation’s Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, bringing applied experience to his academic role.

Education:

• PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University
• MA, Geography, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• BS, Environmental Science, Duke University

His research investigates physical river processes, including sediment transport, flood hazards, and the impacts of climate change on stream ecosystems. He has led and contributed to projects on fluvial hazard zone mapping, particularly in Colorado following the 2013 Front Range floods, and is involved in stream rehabilitation efforts in the Pacific Northwest aimed at creating thermal refuges for cold-water fish species. His work integrates field data, modeling, and geomorphic analysis to support sustainable river management.

His publications span topics such as bankfull discharge prediction, flood wave attenuation due to restoration, and the geomorphic impacts of flow regulation. These studies appear in leading journals including Water Resources Research, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, and Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. The body of work reflects a strong emphasis on process-based understanding of river systems and practical applications for infrastructure resilience and ecological restoration.

Scientific Involvement and Applications:

• Principal contributor to the Colorado Fluvial Hazard Zone (FHZ) Mapping Program
• Research on thermal refuge creation in streams funded by the Bureau of Reclamation
• Collaboration with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Development of guidance for managing dynamic urban stream corridors

Joel Sholtes actively engages with practitioners, planners, and agencies to translate geomorphic science into land use policy and engineering practice. He has no listed advisees or formal students in the provided text. His research is supported by federal funding and applied in partnership with tribal, state, and federal agencies, reflecting a strong commitment to interdisciplinary and community-oriented science.