Evan Davies, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Water Resources Management Integrated Assessment System Dynamics Irrigation Urban Systems Water Resources Engineering

About

Appointments

• Professor (Full) of Civil and Environmental Engineering from July 2021-
• Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering from July 2015-June 2021
• Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering from July 2009-June 2015

Education

• 2003 - 2007 Ph.D. (Civil and Environmental Engineering), The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
• 2001-2003 M.E.S. (Environment and Resource Studies), The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Field research in China and India.
• 1995-2001 B.A.Sc. (Systems Design Engineering), The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Includes year-long exchange at Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, Hamburg, Germany.
• Languages: German, French, and Mandarin.

Awards

• 2020-2021 Faculty of Engineering Graduate Teaching Award, University of Alberta
• 2018-2019 Faculty of Engineering Undergraduate Teaching Award, University of Alberta
• 2005-2007 Doctoral Fellowship (CGS), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
• 2005-2007 University of Western Ontario Graduate Tuition Scholarship
• 2004-2005 Ontario Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology
• 2002-2004 Masters/Doctoral Fellowship (PGS A/B), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
• 2003-2004 University of Western Ontario Graduate Tuition Scholarship
• 2002-2003 Ontario Graduate Scholarship – declined
• 2003 University of Waterloo Graduate Incentives Award
• 2001-2002 University of Waterloo Entrance Scholarship
• 2001 Shastri-CIDA India Summer Programme

Research

Research Interests

See also my ResearchGate and Google Scholar profiles.

My primary interests lie in the fields of water resources planning and management, systems thinking and modelling, and sustainable development.

My research focuses on water resources planning and management, and in particular understanding and modelling the complex feedbacks among water availability, use, and quality, and their larger social, economic, and environmental context. Most of my work develops and applies hydrological, water use, and water quality models to 1) identify and clarify cause-effect relationships in water resources systems at municipal or river basin to global spatial scales, and at daily or weekly to decadal time scales; and 2) produce and apply computer models and indicators in collaboration with decision makers and stakeholders to compare structural, management, and policy alternatives. The work is important because sustainable planning and management of water policy and infrastructure requires a clear understanding of the problem to be solved, important risks and uncertainties, and the comprehensive “big picture” effects and potential trade-offs of alternative solutions.

Recent Projects

Some recent and ongoing projects with collaborators and my graduate students include:

• Global and regional-scale modelling of water security and the water-energy-food nexus: work with the GCAM model (JGCRI, College Park MD), and system dynamics modelling of the Bow River basin
• Irrigation reservoir management and seasonal streamflow projections: Multiple timestep optimization (WEB.BM, with Dr. N. Ilich) and machine learning applications
• Municipal short and long-term demand projections: application of system dynamics and machine learning
• Flood risk management: development of a flood damage assessment model
• Chloramine dissipation in stormwater pipes: Simulation modelling, field measurements and laboratory experiments
• Long-term irrigation system projections: system dynamics model development for the Bow River basin

Articles in Refereed Journals

(51) Bryant, S. P., Davies, E. G. R., Sol, D., and Davis, S. (2022). The progression of flood risk in Southern Alberta since the 2013 flood. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 18 pages. Available online (open access). doi: 10.1111/jfr3.12811.

(50) Bergero, C., Binsted, M., Younis, O., Davies, E. G. R., and Siddiqui, M.-S., Xing, R., Arbuckle, E. J., Chiappori, D. V., Fuhrman, J., McJeon, H., and Macaluso, N. (2022). Technology, technology, technology: An integrated assessment of deep decarbonization pathways for the Canadian oil sands, Energy Strategy Reviews 41(100804), 13 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.esr.2022.100804.

(49) Xing, R., Chiappori, D. V., Arbuckle, E. J., Binsted, M. T., and Davies, E. G. R. (2021). Canadian oil sands extraction and upgrading: A synthesis of the data on energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and supply costs. Energies 14, 6374, 15 pages. doi: 10.3390/en14196374.

(48) Gharib, A., and Davies, E. G. R. (2021). A workflow to address pitfalls and challenges in applying data driven machine learning modeling for hydrology. Advances in Water Resources (online April 18, 2021). doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2021.103920

(47) Arbuckle, E.J., Binsted, M. T., Davies, E. G. R., Chiappori, D. G., Bergero, M. C., Siddiqui, M. S., Roney, C., McJeon, H. C., Zhou, Y. Y., and Macaluso, N. (2021). Insights for Canadian electricity generation planning from an integrated assessment model: Should we be more cautious about hydropower cost overruns? Energy Policy 150 (112138). doi: 10.​1016/​j.​enpol.​2021.​112138

(46)  Gaafar, M., Zhang, Q., and Davies, E. G. R. (2020). Impact of variability in decay coefficients on simulating monochloramine dissipation in storm sewers. Journal of Hydrology 590(125238), 13 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125238.

(45)  Graham, N.T., Hejazi, M., Kim, S. H., Davies, E.G.R., Edmonds, J. A., and Miralles-Wilhelm, F. (2020). Future changes in the trading of virtual water. Nature Communications 11(3632), 7 pages. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-17400-4..

(44)  Cabling, L. P. B., Kobayashi, Y., Davies, E. G. R., Ashbolt, N. J., and Liu, Y. (2020). Life cycle assessment of community-based sewer mining: Integrated heat recovery and fit-for-purpose water reuse. Environments 7(36), 16 pages. doi: 10.3390/environments7050036.

(43)  Ilich, N., Davies, E. G. R., and Gharib, A. (2020). New modeling paradigms in the assessment of future irrigation storage requirements with a case study of the Western Irrigation District in Alberta. Canadian Water Resources Journal 45:172-185. doi: 10.1080/07011784.2020.1737237.

(42)  Graham, N.T., Hejazi, M., Chen, M., Davies, E.G.R., Edmonds, J. Kim, S., Turner, S.W.D., Li, X.Y., Vernon, C., Calvin, K., Miralles-Wilhelm, F., Clarke, L., Kyle, P., Link, R., Patel, P., Snyder, A., Wise, M. (2020). Humans drive future water scarcity changes across all Shared Socioeconomic Pathways. Environmental Research Letters 15(014007), 10 pages. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab639b.

(41)  Ammar, M.E., Gharib, A., Islam, Z., Davies, E. G. R., Senaka, M. and Faramarzi, M. (2020). Future floods using hydroclimatic simulations and peaks over threshold: An alternative to nonstationary analysis inferred from trend tests. Advances in Water Resources 136(103463), 17 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2019.103463.

(40)  Gaafar, M., Mahmoud, S., Gan, T. Y., and Davies, E. G. R. (2020). A practical GIS-based hazard assessment framework for water quality in stormwater systems. Journal of Cleaner Production 245(118855), 16 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118855.

(39)  Kobayashi, Y., Ashbolt, N. J., Davies, E. G. R., and Liu, Y. (2020). Life cycle assessment of decentralized greywater treatment systems with reuse at different scales in a cold region. Environment International 134(105215), 16 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105215.

(38)  Wang, K., Davies, E. G. R., and Liu, J. G. (2019). Integrated Water Resources Management and Modeling: A Case Study of the Bow River Basin, Canada. Journal of Cleaner Production 240(118242), 13 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118242.

(37)  Zhang, Q., Davies, E. G. R., Bolton, J. R., and Liu, Y. (2019). Impacts of biofilm on monochloramine dissipation in storm sewer systems: Direct reactions or AOB cometabolism. Biochemical Engineering Journal 149(107246), 10 pages. doi: 10.1016/j.bej.2019.107246.

(36)  Ammar, M. E., and Davies, E. G. R. (2019). On the accuracy of crop production and water requirement calculations: Process-based crop modeling at daily, semi-weekly, and weekly time steps for integrated assessments. Journal of Environmental Management 238: 460-472. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.030.

(35)  Kemp, J. E., Davies, E. G. R., and Loewen, M. R. (2019). Spatial variability of ice thickness on stormwater retention ponds. Cold Regions Science and Technology 159: 106-122.

(34)  Zhang, Q., Gaafar, M., Davies, E. G. R., Bolton, J. R., and Liu, Y. (2018). Monochloramine dissipation in storm sewer systems: Field testing and model development. Water Science and Technology 78(11): 2279-2287.

(33)  Ilich, N., Gharib, A., and Davies, E. G. R. (2018). Kernel distributed residual function in a revised multiple order auto-regressive model and its applications in hydrology. Hydrological Sciences Journal 63: 1745-1758. doi: 10.1080/02626667.2018.1541090.

(32)  Davies, E. G. R. (2018). Water-energy nexus: Breaking the spell. Invited News and Views article (F. Khan, assoc. ed.). Nature Energy 3: 716-17. doi: 10.1038/s41560-018-0242-9.

(31)  Graham, N. T., Davies, E. G. R., Hejazi, M. I., Calvin, K., Kim, S. H., Helinski, L., Miralles-Wilhelm, F. R., Clarke, L., Kyle, P., Patel, P., Wise, M. A., and C. R. Vernon. (2018). Water sector assumptions for the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways in an Integrated Assessment Modeling framework. Water Resources Research 54, 6423-6440. doi: 10.1029/2018WR023452.

(30)  Zhang, Q., Davies, E. G. R., Bolton, J. R., and Y. Liu. (2018). Monochloramine loss mechanisms and dissolved organic matters characterization in stormwater. Science of the Total Environment 631-632: 745-754. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.335.

(29)  Davies, E. G. R. (2018). Cities drive food and water security. Invited News and Views article (W. Burnside, assoc. ed.). Nature Sustainability 1: 120-121. doi: 10.1038/s41893-018-0038-8.

(28)  Wang, K., and Davies, E. G. R. (2018). Municipal water planning and management with an end-use based simulation model. Environmental Modelling and Software 101: 204-217. doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.12.024.

(27)  Mah, F., Hnidan, T., Davies, E., and Ulrich, A. (2018). Environmental risk factors for bacteriological contamination in rural drinking water wells in Samson Cree Nation. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 45(2): 99-104. doi: 10.1139/cjce-2017-0241.

(26)  Zhang, Q., Gaafar, M., Yang, R.-C., Ding, C., Davies, E. G. R., Bolton, J. R., and Liu, Y. (2018). Field data analysis of active chlorine-containing stormwater samples. Journal of Environmental Management 206: 51-59. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.10.009.

(25)  Chu, K. J., She, Y. T., Kemp, J., Loewen, M. and Davies, E. G. R. (2017). Interrelationship between nutrients and chlorophyll-a in an urban stormwater lake during the ice-covered period. Contemporary Urban Affairs 1(3): 24-30.

(24)  Zhang, Q., Davies, E. G. R., Bolton, J., and Liu, Y. (2017). Monochloramine loss mechanisms in tap water. Water Environment Research 89(11): 1999-2005. doi: 10.2175/106143017X14902968254421.

(23)  Gharib, A., Davies, E. G. R., Goss, G. G., and Faramarzi, M. (2017). Assessment of the combined effects of threshold selection and parameter estimation of Generalized Pareto Distribution with applications to flood frequency analysis. Water 9, 692, 17 pages. doi: 10.3390/w9090692.

(22)  Liu, Y., Hejazi, M., Kim, S., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Miralles, D.G., Teuling, A.J., He, Y., and Niyogi, D. (2016). Global energy consumption for water use. Environmental Science and Technology 50(17): 9736-9745.

(21)  Kyle, P., Johnson, N., Davies, E., Bijl, D. L., Mouratiadou, I., Bevione, M., Drouet, L., Fujimori, S., Liu, Y.,and Hejazi, M. (2016). Setting the system boundaries of “energy for water” for integrated modeling. Environmental Science and Technology 50(17): 8930-8931.

(20)  Jean, M.-È. and Davies, E. G. R. (2016). Towards best water management policies: How current irrigation reservoir operation practices compare with theory in Alberta. Water International 41(7): 948-965. doi: 10.1080/02508060.2016.1210562.

(19) Kim, S. H., Hejazi, M., Liu, L., Calvin, K., Clarke, L., Edmonds, J., Kyle, P., Patel, P., Wise, M., and Davies, E. G. R. (2016). Balancing global water availability and use at basin scale in an integrated assessment model of energy, economy, land use, and climate. Climatic Change 136: 217-231. doi: 10.​1007/​s10584-016-1604-6

(18) Wang, K. and Davies, E. G. R. (2015). A water resources simulation gaming model for the Invitational Drought Tournament. Journal of Environmental Management 160: 167-183. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.06.007.

(17)  Liu, L., Hejazi, M., Patel, P., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Zhou, Y, Clarke, L., Edmonds, J. (2015). Water demands for electricity generation in the U.S.: Key drivers and the trade-off story. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 94: 318-334.

(16)  Hejazi, M., Edmonds, J., Clarke, L., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Chaturvedi, V., Eom, J., Wise, M., Patel, P., and Calvin, K. (2014). Integrated assessment of global water scarcity over the 21st century under multiple climate change mitigation policies. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 18: 2859-2883. doi: 10.5194/hess-18-2859-2014.

(15)  Hill, H., Hadarits, M., Rieger, R., Strickert, G., Davies, E. G. R., and Strobbe, K. (2014). The Invitational Drought Tournament: What is it and why is it a useful tool for drought preparedness and adaptation? Weather and Climate Extremes Journal 3: 107-116. doi: 10.1016/j.wace.2014.03.002.

(14)  Hejazi, M., Edmonds, J., Clarke, L., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Chaturvedi, V., Wise, M., Patel, P., Eom, J., Calvin, K., Moss, R., and Kim, S. (2014). Long-term global water use projections using six shared socioeconomic pathways in an integrated assessment modeling framework. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 81: 205-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2013.05.006.

(13)  Zhang, Z. Y., Li, C., Davies, E. G. R., and Liu, Y. (2013). Agricultural Wastes. Water Environment Research 85: 1377-1451.

(12)  Chaturvedi, V., Hejazi, M., Edmonds, J., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Clarke, L., and Wise, M. (2013). Climate mitigation policy implications for irrigation water demand. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. doi: 10.1007/s11027-013-9497-4.

(11)  Hejazi, M.I., Edmonds, J., Clarke, L., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Chaturvedi, V., Eom, J., Wise, M., Patel, P., and Calvin, K. (2013). Integrated assessment of global water scarcity over the 21st century – Part 2: Climate change mitigation policies. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 10, 3383-3425. doi:10.5194/hessd-10-3383-2013.

(10)  Hejazi, M.I., Edmonds, J., Clarke, L., Kyle, P., Davies, E., Chaturvedi, V., Wise, M., Patel, P., Eom, J., and Calvin, K. (2013). Integrated assessment of global water scarcity over the 21st century – Part 1: Global water supply and demand under extreme radiative forcing. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 10, 3327-3381. doi:10.5194/hessd-10-3327-2013.

(9)    Hejazi, M., Edmonds, J. A., Chaturvedi, V., Davies, E., and Eom, J. (2013). Scenarios of global municipal water use demand projections over the 21st century. Hydrological Sciences Journal 58(3): 1-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.772301.

(8)    Kyle, P., Davies, E. G. R., Dooley, J. J., Smith, S. J., Clarke, L. E., Edmonds, J. A., Hejazi, M. (2013). Influence of climate change mitigation technology on global demands of water for electricity generation. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 13: 112-123. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2012.12.006.

(7)    Davies, E. G. R., Kyle, P., and Edmonds, J. A. (2013). An integrated assessment of global and regional water demands for electricity generation to 2095. Advances in Water Resources 52: 296-313. doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2012.11.020.

(6)    Zhang, Z. Y., Gonzalez, A. M., Davies, E. G. R., and Liu, Y. Agricultural Wastes. (2012). Water Environment Research 84(10): 1386-1406.

(5)    Davies, E. G. R., and Simonovic, S. P. (2011) Global water resources modeling with an integrated model of the social-economic-environmental system. Advances in Water Resources 34: 684-700.

(4)    Davies, E. G. R., and Simonovic, S. P. (2010). ANEMI: A new model for integrated assessment of global change. Interdisciplinary Environmental Review 11: 127-161.

(3)   Davies, E. G. R., and Wismer, S. K. (2007). Sustainable forestry and local people: the case of Hainan’s Li minority. Human Ecology 35: 415-426.

(2)    Simonovic, S. P., and Davies, E. G. R. (2006). Are we modelling impacts of climatic change properly? Hydrological Processes 20: 431-433, doi: 10.1002/hyp.6106.

(1)    Davies, E. (2001). Valley of the Dammed. Alternatives Journal 27(3): 6-7.

Teaching

Teaching involves “intangibles” related to passion, curiosity, and openness. We can see many of the “classroom phenomena” in action in the world around us, and I find joy in understanding the world a little better as a result of teaching – a joy I strive to impart to my students.

As professors, we are blessed with the dual role of educator and researcher. While research is often conducted either individually or in small teams, teaching is both social and interactive. We are fortunate to meet new, enthusiastic students each year and through them witness the process of personal growth and rediscover the fascination of new ideas.

CIV E 645 - Water Resources Planning and Management

Systems concept on the planning and management of water resources systems. Engineering economics and economic theories. Evaluate and optimize the design and operations of water resources systems using Linear Programming, chance-constrained Linear Programming, Dynamic Programming, Stochastic Dynamic Programming, constrained and unconstrained nonlinear programming. Optimal sizing and operations of reservoir systems and hydropower using HEC5 and urban stormwater management system.

Browse more courses taught by Evan Davies