Keil Jason Neff, Ph.D., P.E.

Assistant Research Professor

The University of Tennessee

Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering

*** ******* ****, *********, ** 37996

865-***-**** abqhvh@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Dr. Keil Neff has been conducting research addressing the physical, chemical, and biological condition of

streams; modeling hydraulic, hydrologic, chemical, and biotic processes; and rehabilitating streams and

conducting stream restoration research for the past seven years. He applies principles in fluvial

geomorphology, stream ecology, ecohydrology/ecohydraulics, biomonitoring/bioassessment, and aquatic

habitat modeling to assess and successfully repair and improve stream functions. He is an active member of

American Society of Civil Engineers and serves on the River Restoration Committee in the Environmental &

Water Resources Institute. Dr. Neff has authored several water resources and stream restoration publications

and conference proceedings. He has been successful in developing proposals for water resources projects. In

2011, Dr. Neff was the instructor of Water Resources Engineering I, and technical advisor and co-instructor for

Stream Restoration Design at the University of Tennessee. He has managed multiple water resource projects

and personnel since 2006. Dr. Neff has engineered stream restoration projects by evaluating hydrologic,

hydraulic, sediment and habit models; facilitating design and implementation; preparing construction drawings

and permits; and providing construction management. Currently, he is leading research i) investigating linear

sediment basins for road construction (TDOT), ii) assessing causal water quality impairment at the watershed

scale (TDEC); and iii) managing water quality field and laboratory for water quality research in the Great

Smoky Mountains National Park. Additionally, he is working on two stream enhancement projects at different

stages of completion in Knox County, Tennessee, and is the lead engineering designer for a 319 funded stream

enhancement and bank stabilization project in Oostanaula Creek, Athens, Tennessee.

EDUCATION

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering Water Resources.

Awarded December 2010.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Masters of Science in Environmental Engineering Water

Resources. Awarded August 2007.

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Bachelor of Science, Double Major: Engineering Science and

Anthropology. Awarded May 1997.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Modeling hydraulic, hydrologic and sediment transport for water resources projects and research.

Developing and implementing innovative, functional, and cost-effective stream rehabilitation practices and

stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs).

Understanding and predicting anthropogenic impacts to hydrology, water quality, physical adjustment

processes, and stream biological communities.

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS & AFFILIATIONS

Registered Professional Engineer Tennessee 00115015

Tennessee Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Level II

American Society of Civil Engineers, Environmental & Water Resources Institute

American Water Resources Association American Geophysical Union

Keil Jason Neff, Ph.D., P.E.

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PUBLICATIONS

Refereed Journals

Neff, K. J., Schwartz, J. S., Moore, S. E., Kulp, M. A., 2012. Influence of Basin characteristics on baseflow and

stormflow chemistry in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Hydrological Processes, DOI:

10.1002/hyp.9366.

Neff, K.J., Schwartz, J.S., Henry, T.B., Robinson, R.B., Moore, S.E., Kulp, M.A. 2009. Physiological Stress in

Native Brook Trout During Episodic Stream Acidification in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. DOI:10.1007/s00244-008-9269-4.

Deyton, E.D., Schwartz, J.S., Robinson, R.B., Neff, K.J., Moore, S.E., Kulp, M.A. 2009. Characterizing Episodic

Stream Acidity During Stormflows in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution.

DOI: 10.1007/s11270-008-9753-5.

Manuscripts Drafts for Publication

Neff, K. J., Schwartz, J. S., Moore, S. E., Kulp, M. A., (draft completed). The Influence of Chemical, Hydrological,

and Basin Factors on Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in Streams of the Great Smoky Mountain National

Park, USA. Journal of the American Water Resources Association.

Mauney, J.L., J.S. Schwartz, K.J. Neff, R.B. Robinson, S.E. Moore, and M.A. Kulp. (draft completed).

Stochastically characterizing ecological impacts of episodic stream acidification. Water Resources Research.

Schwartz, J.S., K.J. Neff, and F.J. Dworak. (in preparation). Modeling three-dimensional hydraulics in an incised

channel with woody bank vegetation: implications for stream rehabilitation. River Research and Applications.

Keaney, F.B., Schwartz, J. S., B., He, Q., Neff, K. J., (in preparation). Stream Channel Stability and Channel

Evolution in a Rapidly Urbanizing, Ridge-and-Valley Watershed Beaver Creek, Knox County, Tennessee.

Physical Geography.

Selected Conference Proceedings

Neff, K.J., Ludwig, A., Schwartz, J.S., Connell, B., and Walker, F. Rehabilitating Oostanaula Creek: Use of Stream

Enhancement and Agricultural BMPs, CFD Modeling, and University Students. TN AWRA 22nd Tennessee

Water Resources Symposium; Burns, Tennessee; April 2012.

Schwartz, J.S., and K.J. Neff. 2011. Use of River2D hydrodynamic model for stream restoration assessment and

design. ASCE/EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress; Palm Springs CA.

Neff, K.J., Schwartz, J.S., Dodson, A.B., Hamrick, M.S., Arthur, R. Restoring Pool-Riffle Habitat in Beaver Creek,

Knox County, Tennessee: Lessons Learned in a Planform-Constrained Urban Stream. Stream Restoration in

the Southeast: Connecting Communities with Ecosystems; Raleigh, NC; November 2010.

Neff, K.J., Schwartz, J.S., Dodson, A.B., Hamrick, M.S. A Modeling Approach to Restoring Pool-Riffle Structure in

an Incised, Straightened Channel of an Urban Stream. Session in the Hydraulics and Waterways Section;

World Water and Environmental Resources Congress of the American Society of Civil Engineers and

Environmental and Water Resources Institute; Providence, Rhode Island; May 2010.

Neff, K.J., Parker, J., Schwartz, J.S., Cai, M., Moore, S.E., Kulp, M.A. The Influence of Natural Hydrological

Disturbances on Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) Population Dynamics in the Great Smoky Mountains

National Park. Session in the Hydraulics and Waterways Section; World Water and Environmental Resources

Congress of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Environmental and Water Resources Institute; Kansas

City, Missouri; May 2009.

Neff, K.J., Deyton, E.B., Schwartz, J.S., Robinson, R.B., Henry, T.B. Episodic Stream Acidification in the Great

Smoky Mountains National Park: An Investigation into the Mechanisms of Acidification and Impacts on Native

Brook Trout. Session in the TMDL section; World Water and Environmental Resources Congress of the

American Society of Civil Engineers and Environmental and Water Resources Institute; Honolulu, Hawaii;

May 2008.

Keil Jason Neff, Ph.D., P.E.

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Schwartz, J.S., Neff, K.J., Dworak, F.J. Evaluation of pool-riffle maintenance processes in an incised urban

channel using a 3D hydrodynamic model: Implications for stream restoration. Session on Rivers Restoration

Science ; Hydrology Section of the American Geophysical Union; San Francisco, California; December 2007.

FUNDED RESEARCH & PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

Funding Agent: Tennessee Department of Transportation. Date: Aug 2011 Oct. 2013 Project Title: Engineering

Design Procedures and Standard Drawings for Highway Construction Sediment Basins PIs: John S. Schwartz

and Keil Neff. Funding Amount: $55,600 (total)

Funding Agent: Tennessee Water Resources Research Center. Date: Apr. 2012 Nov. 2012. Project Title: Mill

Run Restoration Project. PIs: John S. Schwartz, Keil Neff. Funding Amount: $16,000 (total).

Funding Agent: Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation. Date: Feb. 2012 Nov. 2012. Project

Title: Stressor Identification in Beaver Creek Sub-Watershed for Water Quality Management. Investigators:

Qiang He (PI), Keil Neff. Funding Amount: $6,000 (total).

Funding Agent: Tennessee Department of Agriculture (319). Date: Mar. 2012 Feb. 2014. Project Title:

Effective Urban Stream Bank Stability Projects to Decrease Sediment in Oostanaula Creek, Tennessee.

Investigators: Andrea Ludwig (PI), John Schwartz, Forbes Walker, Keil Neff. Funding Amount: $185,000

(total).

Funding Agent: Office of Surface Mining. Status: In Review. Project Title: Development of Natural Channel

Design Criteria for Wet-Weather Conveyances on Steep-Sloped Mining Reclamation Sites: Potential for

Dissolved Solids Treatment. PIs: John Schwartz, Keil Neff. Funding Amount: $189,171 (requested).

Funding Agent: Environmental Protection Agency. Status: Unfunded this Cycle. Project Title: Non-Traditional

Urban Stream Rehabilitation to Improve Instream Habitat and Reduce Sediment Load. PIs: John Schwartz, Keil

Neff. Funding Amount: $60,000 (requested).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

The University of Tennessee (July 2012 to present) Assistant Research Professor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Water Resources (Postdoctoral Research Associate

January 2011 to June 2012)

Oostanaula Creek Bank Stabilization Project- Senior Design Engineer. Stream bank protection and channel

stabilization practices will be implemented in 1500 linear feet along Oostanaula Creek and its tributaries in the

urban corridor of Athens, Tennessee, to restore the ecological function needed to fully support its designated

uses (fish and aquatic life). The stream is listed on the Tennessee 303(d) list as impaired due to bacteria and

siltation. It has been estimated that failing and eroding stream banks may contribute as much as 80% of the

sediment load in streams. Strategic placement and effective use of various stream bank protection practices and

in-stream structures will decrease the amount of sediment load in the system, and therefore, decrease the

impairments due to siltation in the benthic zone. (May 2012 Present).

Mill Run Restoration Project Senior Design Engineer. Stream restoration (845 linear feet) and bank

stabilization practices (1430 linear feet) are being designed on Beaver Creek (Knox County, TN) to mitigate the

geomorphic instability in this stream reach impacted by urbanization. A multiphase concept plan was

developed to additionally include 1.45 acres of constructed wetland and 2.5 acres of wetland enhancement.

Scope of services includes site survey and assessment, engineering design, flood assessment, permitting, and

preparation of construction documents. (April 2012 Present).

Beaver Creek Stream Restoration Monitoring Project Project Manager. As-built and cross-section surveys

were conducted to assess constructed stream restoration reach. Bedload sediment is monitored below

constructed riffles. Stream stage is measured above and below project stream reach. Hydraulics (2D and 3D)

of constructed stream reach will be modeled, and biological assessment conducted by Tennessee Department of

Environment & Conservation (TDEC) will be coordinated. A manuscript will be prepared for publication.

(March 2012 Present).

Keil Jason Neff, Ph.D., P.E.

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TDEC Causal Assessment Project Project Manager. In order to develop effective water quality

management programs to restore the biological integrity and ecological functions of the impaired West Prong of

the Little Pigeon River and Beaver Creek Watersheds, the stressor identification procedures in CADDIS (The

Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System, EPA) is being used to identify the different types of

stressors contributing to biological impairment (February 2012 Present).

TDOT Linear Sediment Basin Project Project Manager/Design Engineer. Improved sediment detention

basins are being designed and modeled for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). TDOT design

staff were interviewed to summarize needs and issues; a literature review was performed addressing current

sediment detention best management practices. Hydrology, sediment erosion/transport, and treatment

efficiencies are being modeled for different design conditions in Tennessee s four regional hydrologic areas.

Design criteria tables are being developed for sediment basins based on regional hydrologic areas. Draft text

for design criteria and guidelines will be prepared for State Drainage Manual and will include standard

drawings. Design criteria and guidelines will be presented to TDOT personnel. (August 2011 Present).

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Water Quality Project Manager of Water Quality Field and

Laboratory Operations. Graduate and undergraduate students are trained in field and laboratory procedures for

water quality and hydrology monitoring and analyses. Human resources are organized, and project resources

for conducting field and laboratory work are coordinated including developing schedules and conducting

periodic update meetings. (January 2011 Present).

USDA Switchgrass Conversion Project: Hydrology/Chemistry Monitoring Senior Advisor. Support

provided to facilitate method development and installation of eleven research sites. Chemistry and hydrology

data collected will validate parameters of existing SWAT model, a critical component of USDA s economic

assessment of converting traditional agricultural fields to switchgrass. (September 2011 Present).

Oostanaula Creek Rehabilitation Project Technical Advisor and Co-Instructor for Environmental

Engineering EV595: Stream Restoration Design. Provided stream restoration technical support, guidance and

design by applying principles in fluvial geomorphology, stream ecology, ecohydrology/ ecohydraulics,

biomonitoring/bioassessment, aquatic habitat modeling, and agricultural BMPs to rehabilitate a reach in

Oostanaula Creek (McMinn County, TN). Project responsibilities included evaluating hydrologic, hydraulic,

sediment and habit models (NSS, TR-55, HEC-RAS, River2D), facilitating restoration design and

implementation, preparing construction drawings and permits (ARAP, TVA26a/USACE), and providing

construction oversight. (January October 2011).

Water Resources Engineering I CE391 Instructor. Taught basic concepts in civil engineering hydraulics and

hydrology with an emphasis on water resources engineering applications. Hydraulics concepts included fluid

properties; flow measurement; fluid statics; basic conservation laws and properties of incompressible fluids

(continuity, energy, and momentum equations); pipe flow and pump/turbine systems; and open channel flow.

Hydrology concepts included basic hydrological and watershed processes; water budgets; rainfall-runoff

models; groundwater flow and well performance; and water resource system characteristics. (May- August

2011).

The University of Tennessee (June 2009 to February 2012) Design Engineer

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Water Resources.

Beaver Creek Stream Rehabilitation Project. This collaborative project between Knox County Stormwater,

Tennessee Water Resources Research Center, and Beaver Creek Watershed Association, funded by a 319(h)

grant, focused on restoring an impaired stream reach of Beaver Creek in Knox County, Tennessee. Provided

design and construction management support to restore pool-riffle bedform and channel hydraulics to a 1000-

foot stream reach. The hydrodynamic model River2D was used in conjunction with CAD Civil3D to design

bed, bank, and in-stream features to support maintenance of velocity acceleration/deceleration sequencing,

energy dissipation and complex flow patterns, and bed and bank stability. At each riffle location, bank material

was removed on both sides of the channel to form an area of lateral expansion to dissipate energy and create

hydraulic macro-eddies during near bankfull stages. Boundary shear stresses were calculated to size stable

riffle substrate, and velocity vector patterns were used to aid in design of stable bank features. River2D models

Keil Jason Neff, Ph.D., P.E.

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were also used during the design process to model habitat quality and observe flow patterns at multiple stages

for improved ecosystem function. Utilized total stations to obtain bathymetric data; and conducted baseline

stream assessments. Measured 3D velocities (SonTek Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter) for model calibration and

validation. Modeled stream hydraulics utilizing Flow3D, HEC-RAS, and River 2D.

The University of Tennessee (June 2005 to December 2010) Graduate Researcher/Instructor

Department Civil and Environmental Engineering Water Resources Dr. John S. Schwartz (advisor).

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Water Quality Cooperative Agreement Project Manager. Managed

water quality field and laboratory operations. Trained graduate and undergraduate students in procedures for

water quality monitoring and analyses. Conducted synaptic baseflow water quality sampling and intensive

hydrology, stream, precipitation, and soil water chemistry data collection at long-term water quality monitoring

sites. Performed chemical laboratory operations including: i) preparing calibration standards and water samples

for multiple chemical analyses; ii) operating Mantech PC-titrator to determine pH, conductivity and ANC; iii)

operating and maintaining, establishing an SOP, and managing QA/QC for Thermo-Electron ICP-AES; and, iv)

managing chemistry data and performing ion balances. (August 2005 December 2010).

U.S. EPA research: Effects of Acidic Deposition on Fish and Water Quality in the Great Smoky Mountains

National Park Researcher. This project facilitated NPS management policies and restoration activities and

support of development of Total Maximum Daily Loads for streams with pH impairment. Prepared U.S. EPA

Quality Assurance Protection Plan outlining field and laboratory procedures, and quality control. Performed

site selection analysis; installed and monitored 11 water quality, hydrology, and precipitation monitoring study

sites (multi-parameter sondes, automatic and passive water samplers, and open-site and throughfall precipitation

collection); measured cross-sectional areas and stream velocities for flow calculation; prepared scientific and

research collecting permits. Implemented statistical analyses, including step-wise regression, multivariate

methods, and analysis of variance on chemical and biological data sets utilizing SAS and JMP platforms.

Modeled hydrological systems in the GRSM utilizing HydroCAD and WinHSPF. Modeled and spatially

analyzed watershed characteristics utilizing ArcGIS and ArcHydro tools. (August 2005 December 2010).

The University of Tennessee Water Resources Projects Technical Support Specialist. Assisted researchers in

conducting habitat surveys, rapid geomorphic assessments, sediment size assessments, water chemistry,

hydrology, and soil stability, and shear stress tests for: i) Office of Surface Mining project evaluating the

impacts of surface coal mining to watersheds in the Cumberland Plateau; ii) an Abrams Creek restoration

project in Cades Cove of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and iii) an evaluation of urban impacts to

Beaver Creek in north Knox County, Tennessee. Conducted flow measurements (YSI River Surveyor) for

multiple projects (TDEC-turbidity, OSM-WQ, UTK-GW/hyporheic). (June 2005 December 2010).

The University of Tennessee, Water Resources Classes Instructor. As a guest lecturer, taught over 20

undergraduate and graduate level classes and labs including Hydraulics, River Mechanics, and Ecological

Engineering for Stream Rehabilitation. Developed flow measurement and hydrology exercises for Water

Resources Laboratory class. (September 2007 December 2010).

Lotic Environmental, LLC (April 2011 to present) President/Senior Project Manager

Genetta Ditch Restoration Project: Lotic Environmental, LLC, subcontractor of S&ME Inc., is currently

providing restoration design guidance and two dimensional hydraulic modeling of Genetta Ditch (Montgomery,

Alabama) in which an approximately 3,000 foot trapezoidal concrete channel will be removed and naturalized.

The watershed is comprised of moderate to high density residential areas, commercial areas, parks, and some

wooded areas in its downstream portions. The concrete channel to be rehabilitated is constrained by Interstate

65 and a residential neighborhood, where natural channel design methods are not feasible. (April 2012

Present).

NEON Hydrology and Water Quality Assessment Project: Lotic Environmental, LLC, partnered with Ecoflow

Consulting, LLC, was awarded a contract from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) for

biogeochemistry and hydrology monitoring in Region 7 for the Appalachians-Cumberland Plateau Domain.

This monitoring effort provided NEON with stream reaeration rating curves, discharge rating curves, water and

sediment samples, and aquatic plant sampling in Walker Branch, Anderson County, Tennessee. Lotic

Keil Jason Neff, Ph.D., P.E.

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Environmental supported NEON s mission of investigating and modeling ecosystems response to climate and

land-use change at multiple spatial and temporal scales, in collecting and producing high quality, consistent data

using standardized procedures and protocols defined by NEON. (April 2011 March 2012).

AWARDS AND OUTREACH

Awards:

Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, Fellowship (2007)

University of Tennessee, Graduate Student Senate, Travel Award (2009)

Outreach:

Provided instruction on principles of geomorphology to Knox County Americorps Water Quality Forum team

(2009-2011).

Conducted Index of Biotic Integrity assessments for Knox County Adopt-A-Watershed (2007 2011).

Guest lecturer for Knox County high school science classes addressing water quality, watershed health, fluvial

and hydrologic processes, and biological integrity in streams (2007-2012).

Presented water quality research to Great Smoky Mountain National Park staff, associated researches, and

Trout Unlimited volunteers (2006-2011).

Assisted University of Tennessee research groups with flow measurements, stage to discharge relationships,

hydrologic modeling and water quality analyses (2008-2011).

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