David S. Biedenharn, Ph.D.

Dr. Biedenharn is a professional engineer with over forty years of experience in hydraulics, river engineering, sedimentation, channel restoration, and fluvial geomorphology. He is presently a Research Hydraulic Engineer with the USACE Engineer Research Development Center (ERDC).

His work experience includes the planning and hydraulic design of flood control and navigation channels, levees, bank stabilization measures, grade control structures, channel restoration projects, as well as numerous geomorphology and regional sediment management investigations. While at Corps’ Mississippi Valley Division office, he conducted river engineering and geomorphic studies on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and served as Channel Improvement Coordinator for the Mississippi River Channel Improvement Project, a comprehensive water resources project with an annual budget of over $100,000,000.

Dr. Biedenharn has served as the Principal Investigator on numerous Corps research efforts involving the development of design guidance and tools for grade control and streambank stabilization structures, regional sediment management, and channel restoration geomorphic assessments. He was the Corps’ lead for the development of the Sediment Impact Analysis Method (SIAM) model, which is a rapid assessment and design tool that allows the user to incorporate sediment continuity into the channel design process. He is currently leading the development of an innovative new geomorphic model that will have the ability to capture long-term morphologic trends in a probabilistic manner.

Dr. Biedenharn has developed and taught numerous workshops, seminars and Corps training courses on streambank erosion, and stabilization, channel restoration, river engineering, geomorphology and regional sediment management. In Dr. Biedenharn’s current position he is leading a team of young and mid-career engineers and scientists within the Corps on numerous research projects related to river engineering channel restoration, regional sediment management, geomorphology, and channel stabilization.

Experience

U.S. Air Force – 1969-1973
USACE, Vicksburg District – 1979-1989
USACE, Lower Mississippi Valley Division – 1989-1996
USACE, ERDC – 1996-2007 (retired from federal service)
Biedenharn Group, LLC – 2007-2015
USACE, ERDC – 2015-present

Selected Publications

Dr. Biedenharn has authored more than 100 professional publications in peer reviewed
journals, conference proceedings, handbooks, manuals, textbooks and chapters in
books. Selected publications are listed below.

Biedenharn, D.S., Killgore, K.J., Little, C.D. Jr., Murphy, C.E. and Kleiss, B.A. 2018.
Attributes of the Lower Mississippi River Batture. MRG&P Tech Note No. 4. U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 14 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/26582

Biedenharn, D.S., C.D. Little, J.B. Dunbar, and R.A. Gaines, 2018, “The Influence of
Geology on the Morphologic Response of the Lower Mississippi River,” MRG&P
Tech Note No. 17. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 55 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/26566

Thorne, C. R., D. S. Biedenharn, C.D. Little, Jr., K. Wofford, T. McCullough, C.C.
Watson, 2017, “Bed Material Sizes, Variability, and Trends in the Lower
Mississippi River and their Significance to Calculated Bed Material Loads,”
MRG&P Tech Note No. 16. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 31 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/25809

May, D.P., and D.S. Biedenharn, 2017, “Mississippi River 2016 Winter Stage Trends,”
MRG&P Tech Note No. 15. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 31 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/25604

Allison, M.A., D.S. Biedenharn, and C.D. Little, 2017, “Suspended Sediment Loads and
Tributary Inputs into the Mississippi River below St. Louis, MO, 1990–2013: A
Comparison with the Keown et al. (1981) Report,” MRG&P Tech Note No. 12.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 120 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/22782

Little, C.D., D.S. Biedenharn, M.A. Allison, T. McCollough, and K. Wolford, 2017,
“Channel Geometry Trends of the Mississippi River, Old River Control Complex
to St. Louis, Missouri,” MRG&P Tech Note No. 11. U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 120 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/22801

Biedenharn, D.S., M.A. Allison C.D. Little, C.R. Thorne, and C.C. Watson, 2017, “Largescale Geomorphic Change in the Mississippi River from St. Louis, MO, to
Donaldsonville, LA, as Revealed by Specific Gage Records,” MRG&P Tech Note
No. 10. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 53 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/22744

Killgore, K.J., Hartfield, P., Slack, T., Fischer, R., Biedenharn, D., Kleiss, B., Hoover, J.,
and Harrison, A. 2014. Conservation Plan for the Interior Least Tern, Pallid
Sturgeon, and Fat Pocketbook Mussel in the Lower Mississippi River
(Endangered Species Act, Section 7(a)(1)). MRG&P Tech Note No. 4. U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 101 p. http://hdl.handle.net/11681/3190

Biedenharn, D.S., W.A. Stroupe, and J.H. Brooks, 2014, “A Review of the Lower
Mississippi River Potamology Program,” MRG&P Tech Note No. 1. U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS. 53 p. http://hdl.handle.net/11681/3192

Watson, C. C., D.S. Biedenharn, and C.R. Thorne, 2013, “Analysis of the Impacts of
Dikes on Flood Stages in the Middle Mississippi River,” Journal of Hydraulic
Engineering, 139(10), 1071-1078.

Watson, C.C., R.R. Holmes, and D.S Biedenharn, (2013), “Mississippi River Streamflow
Measurement Techniques at St. Louis, Missouri,” Journal of Hydraulic
Engineering, 139(10), 1062-1070.

Biedenharn, D. S., C.C. Watson, and C.R. Thorne, (2008) Fundamentals of Fluvial
Geomorphology, Chapter 6 in Sedimentation Engineering, Processes,
Measurements, and Practice, ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering
Practice No.110, M. Garcia (ed.), ASCE, New York.

Biedenharn, D.S., and C.C. Watson, 2007 “Grade Stabilization Techniques” Technical
Supplement 14G, USDA-NRCS Stream Restoration Design Handbook, Part 654
National Engineering Handbook.

Soar, P. J., C.R. Thorne, O.P. Harmar, D.S. Biedenharn,and F. Pinkard F, 2007,
“Channel Geometry Analysis of the Lower Mississippi River,” In: Gupta, A. (ed.),
Large Rivers: Geomorphology and Management. John Wiley and Sons,
Chichester ,UK, 553-570.

Biedenharn, D. S., L.J. Hubbard, C.R. Thorne, and C.C. Watson, 2006, “Understanding
Sediment Sources, Pathways and Sinks in Regional Sediment Management:
Application of Wash Load and Bed-Material Load Concept,” ERDC TN SWWRP06-04, Vicksburg, Mississippi: Waterways Experiment Station.
http://libweb.wes.army.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/TN-SWWRP-06-4.pdf

Harmar, O P, N.J. Clifford, C.R. Thorne, and D.S Biedenharn, 2005 “Morphological
Changes of the Lower Mississippi River: Geomorphological Response to
Engineering Intervention”, River Research and Applications, Volume 21, Issue
10, 1107 – 1131.

Bledsoe, B.P., C.C. Watson, and D.S. Biedenharn, 2002, “Quantification of Incised
Channel Evolution and Equilibrium,” Journal of the American Water Resources
Association. 38:861-870.

Watson, C. C., D.S. Biedenharn, and B.P. Bledsoe, 2002. “Hydrologic Response in
Incised Channels,” Journal of American Water Resources Association, 38:151-
160.

Skinner, K.S., D.S. Biedenharn, and C.R. Thorne, 2002, “Regional Sediment
Management: a Review of Contemporary Practice”, Ecohydrology and
Hydrobiology, vol. 2(1-4), 233-240.

Biedenharn, D.S., C.R. Thorne, P.J. Soar, R.D. Hey, and C.C. Watson, 2001, “Effective
Discharge Calculation Guide,” International Journal of Sediment Research, Vol.
16, No. 4, pp 445-459.

Biedenharn, D.S., C.R. Thorne, and C.C. Watson, 2000, “Recent Morphological
Evolution of the Lower Mississippi River,” Geomorphology, 34:227-249.

Watson, C.C., and D.S. Biedenharn, 2000, “Comparison of Flood Management
Strategies,” Chapter 14, Inland Flood Hazards Human, Riparian, and Aquatic
Communities, Ellen Wohl, Editor, Cambridge University Press.

Biedenharn, D.S., R. R. Copeland ,C.R. Thorne, P.J. Soar, R.D. Hey, and C.C. Watson,
2000, “Effective Discharge Calculation: A Practical Guide,” ERDC Technical
Report, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, ERDC/CHL TR00-15, Vicksburg, MS.

Copeland, R.R., D.S. Biedenharn, and J.C. Fischenich, 2000, “Channel Forming
Discharge,” Hydraulic Engineering Technical Note, ERDC/CHL CHETN-VIII-5,
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS.

Fripp, J.D., C.R. Fischenich, and D.S. Biedenharn, 2000, “Low Head Stone Weirs,”
ERDC Technical Note, EMRRP-SR-16, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways
Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.

Biedenharn, D.S., and R.R. Copeland, 2000, “Effective Discharge Calculation,” ERDC
Technical Note, ERDC/CHL CHETN-VIII-4, U.S. Army Engineer Research and
Development Center, Vicksburg, MS.

Watson, C.C., and D.S. Biedenharn, 1999, “Design and Effectiveness of Grade Control
Structures in Incised River Channels of North Mississippi, USA,” Chapter 17,
Incised River Channels: Processes, Forms, Engineering, and Management,
(Darby, S.E. and Simon, A., Eds.), John Wiley & Sons.

Biedenharn, D.S., C.D. Little, and C.R. Thorne, 1998, “Magnitude-Frequency Analysis
of Sediment Transport in the Lower Mississippi River,” U.S. Army Engineer
Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS, Miscellaneous Paper CHL-99-2.

Watson, C.C., and D.S. Biedenharn, 1998, Discussion of “Characterization of Stream
Meanders for Stream Restoration,” ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering,
125(2):216.

Biedenharn, D.S., and C.C. Watson, 1997, “Stage Adjustments in the Lower Mississippi
River,” Regulated Rivers: Research & Management, 13:517-536.

Biedenharn, D.S., and C.R. Thorne, 1994, “Magnitude-Frequency Analysis of Sediment
Transport in the Lower Mississippi River,” Regulated Rivers: Research &
Management, 9:237-251.

Biedenharn, D.S., and T.N. Waller, 1991, “Hydraulic Aspects of Grade Control
Structures,” Proceedings of the 1991 National Conference on Hydraulic
Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Nashville, TN.

Biedenharn, D.S., P.G. Combs, G.J. Hill, C.F. Pinkard, and C.B. Pinkston, 1989,
“Relationship Between Channel Migration and Radius of Curvature on the Red
River,” International Symposium on Sediment Transport Modeling, American
Society of Civil Engineers, New Orleans, LA.

Biedenharn, D.S., C.D. Little, and C.R. Thorne, 1987, “Magnitude and Frequency
Analysis in Large Rivers,” Proceedings of the 1987 National Conference on
Hydraulic Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Williamsburg, VA.

Biedenharn, D.S., 1983, “Channel Response on the Little Tallahatchie River
Downstream of Sardis Dam,” Proceedings, RIVERS '83, American Society of
Civil Engineers, New Orleans, LA.