This week we’re featuring the last of our newest hires, Professor Gerhard Epke. He will be joining us this fall semester and we look forward to having him in the MSEM program.
Gerhard Epke is a hydrologist with a career in municipal public works projects administration, focusing on flood mitigation and stormwater management. When asked about what inspired him to get into the world of hydrology, he recounted a rafting trip down the Sierra Nevada River with his old hydrology professor (who is also a skilled rafting instructor). Going down the river allowed Epke to look at water from a new perspective and better understand its dynamics. With his work and interest in watershed management in urban spaces, Epke has become a certified floodplain manager. His certification allows him to understand the FEMA national flood insurance program and its relationship to flood maps, and recognize flood risk areas where housing construction may occur. He aims to help students deepen their understanding of flood risks and their significance in his Watershed Management course. Students will look at the environmental injustices occurring as low-income housing is placed in high risk flood zones. In his class, students can expect an overview of physical processes governing rivers and streams, field trips, and case studies of different watersheds with unique management considerations, as well as an opportunity for students to learn about their own watersheds. He looks forward to exploring what effective management means from the different perspectives of his students, and to having open discussions about the connection between agencies and water management.
Check out some of the projects and organizations Professor Epke has worked on at the links below.
Marin County Flood Control District
