F. RYAN CLARK

Experience Profile Ryan Clark is a Geologist with 15 years of experience in large, multidisciplinary coastal projects in both the private and public sectors. His work at the Institute includes research on surface and groundwater resources management, flooding, and environmental flows. He is the project leader (Principle Investigator) for multiple projects at the Institute.

Prior to joining the Institute, Clark was a Project Scientist at ARCADIS, an international consultancy based in The . He served in the Integrated Water Resources Planning practice as the co-project Manager for the Army Corps of Engineers – District/Federal Emergency management Agency - Region 6 Joint Coastal Surge Study. His duties included management for large, multi-agency, multidisciplinary, and multinational flooding studies for the cities of New Orleans and Houston following Hurricanes Katrina and Ike. Clark provided technical expertise for a project developing a comprehensive sediment management plan for the Atchafalaya Basin, the only region along the coast that is currently experiencing land gain through

Company Role deltaic formation.

Geologist – Technical Lead Clark is a Registered Professional Geoscientist in the state of Louisiana.

Project Role / Focus Areas He was elected as the President-Elect of the Society for Ecological • Integrated Water Resources Restoration – Large-scale Ecosystem Restoration Section in 2014 and Management continues to serve as Past President. • River Hydrology, Flooding, and Sediment Diversion Professional Experience • Environmental Flows to The Water Institute of the Gulf 2013-Present Estuaries • Geologist

ARCADIS 2006-2013 Education • M.S. – Earth and Environmental • Project Scientist

Science, Tulane University, 2003 Louisiana Department of Natural Resources 2004-2006

• B.S. – Geology, Louisiana State • Geologist III University, 1996 Environmental Resources Management 2003-2004 Registration / Certification • Geologist II • Professional Geologist, Louisiana #607 Tulane University Department of Earth & Environmental Science • Graduate Fellow 1999-2003 • Research Technician 1998-1999 Professional Membership

• Society for Ecological Restoration – Large-scale Selected Projects Louisiana Water Resources Assessment for Sustainability and Energy Ecosystem Restoration Section (Past President) Management, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (2015). Identified and compiled Developed a statewide system to gage the sustainability of water resources • American Geophysical Union considering present and projected uses, assessed water resources sustainability (AGU) in selected water bearing units, described the process used to conduct the • American Society of Civil assessment, and recommended additional information needed to improve the Engineers (ASCE - 287458) accuracy and reliability of data used.

Prioritizing Additional Water Use Research for Louisiana, Louisiana (2016). Developed the work plan to facilitate planning for the implementation of this program. summarizes the selected approach for Louisiana’s participation in the WUDR program, by providing a description of the current Louisiana water use program, including a summary of current water use research in Louisiana, with comparisons to national and regional reporting regimes and priorities; an outline of Louisiana’s priorities for improving water use research, reporting, and data collection; and a list of steps proposed to address priorities, with respect to USGS baseline data goals and standards. This includes justifications, cost estimates, and individual work plans for the proposed projects.

Determining the Minimum Ecological River Inflow Needs of Louisiana Estuaries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (2018). The Institute developed a novel use for the state-of-the-art computer model that has previously been used to determine the hydrologic, ecological, and land change effects of Louisiana coastal restoration projects from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Coastal Master Plan. This project adapted the model to determine the ecological needs of the wetlands, swamps, and estuaries that communities in the region relies upon for their economic and social well-being. It illustrates how variations in the flow of rivers such as the Amite can have effects on the suitability of habitats for key fish and wildlife species, as well as how it affects the distribution of marsh vegetation types over time. The methods developed in this pilot study can be adapted and used in communities across Louisiana and around the world. It leverages the investments and advancements made during the development of the Coastal Master Plan and adds additional value for local communities.

Geomorphic Changes to the Amite River Channel and Floodplain Induced by the August 2016 Flood in Louisiana, Louisiana (2017). This effort, currently underway, aims to quantify the reshaping of the Amite River channel and its floodplain associated with the unprecedented flood of 2016. The objective is to conduct rapid response field operations in the mid and upper Amite Basin to gather data while the effects of the flood are undisturbed (high water marks and evidence of flow path and magnitude, sediment thicknesses and extents, grain size, etc.). These are critical to understanding (1) the geomorphic response to this event, (2) for ground truthing remote sensing imagery that were obtained and analyzed to document channel planform changes, and (3) to develop numerical models to analyze the event and predict morphological response to future events.

Publications 1. Melissa Baustian, F. Ryan Clark, Andrea S.Jerabek, YushiWang, Harris C.Bienn, and Eric D.White. Modeling Current and Future Freshwater Inflow Needs of a Subtropical Estuary to Manage and Maintain Forested Wetland Ecological Conditions. Journal of Ecological Indicators, November 2017. 2. Zach Cobell, Haihong Zhao, Hugh J. Roberts, F. Ryan Clark, and Shan Zou. Storm Surge and Wave Modeling for the Louisiana 2012 Coastal Master Plan. Journal of Coastal Research Special Issue, 2014.

Technical Reports 1. F. Ryan Clark, Scott A. Hemmerling, and Harris C. Bienn. Prioritizing Additional Water Use Research for Louisiana. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources-Office of Conservation. 2016. 2. F. Ryan Clark, Scott A. Hemmerling, and Harris C. Bienn. A framework to assess ground and surface water sustainability in Louisiana. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources-Office of Conservation and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. 2016. 3. Clark, FR, Bienn, H, and Willson CW. Project Implementation Support: Assessing the Cost of Land Creation Using Dredged Material. 2015. 4. Willson, CW, Clark, FR. Coastal Innovation Partnership Program. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana.2014. 5. Clark, FR, Robert, HJ, and Johnson, DJ. Project Development & Implementation Program/Upper Barataria Risk Reduction. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. 2014. 6. Willson, CW, Clark, FR, Gilbert, R. Expert Panel Review: Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. 2013.

Selected Conference Proceedings and Presentations 1. F. Ryan Clark and Matt Grabau. Hydrologic Restoration of Ecosystem Function in Large-Scale Restoration. (Session leaders), National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, 2018, New Orleans, LA 2. F. Ryan Clark, Scott A. Hemmerling, and Harris C. Bienn. A framework to assess ground and 3. surface water sustainability in Louisiana. Data Flow 2016, Baton Rouge, LA 4. F. Ryan Clark, Scott A. Hemmerling, and Harris C. Bienn. A framework to assess ground and surface water sustainability in Louisiana. Louisiana Ground Water, Surface Water, and Water Resources Symposium 2016, Baton Rouge, LA 5. “Working with Coastal Partners” Panel – Propeller/Water Challenge, 2015, New Orleans, LA 6. “The Water Institute of the Gulf Innovation Program” - CEER 2014, New Orleans, LA 7. “An Analysis of USACE Beneficial Use Wetland Development Projects” – Mississippi Valley Division/ Gulf Coast Regional Dredging Meeting, 2014, New Orleans, LA