New Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Concentration in Civil Engineering beginning Fall 2022

The College of Engineering is now offering a new Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Concentration in Civil Engineering to prepare students in addressing the needs for a water-resilient society.

Understanding the natural cycle of water and its flow characteristics, as well as the development of communities, the increased use of land, and the capacity of the natural and manmade systems supporting the hydraulic and environmental conditions, is essential in sustaining human life.  This concentration will feature a blend of courses and labs that focus on hydrologic and hydraulic engineering, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and design, coastal hydrology, wastewater treatment, industrial waste treatment, and environmental engineering to better equip our civil engineering students with the knowledge and skills to address problems that occur in natural-human ecosystems.   The concentration will cover water challenges and opportunities related to local, regional, and global scales and will include watersheds, wetlands, bayous, groundwater, and coastal waters.

“Our graduates will contribute to the important role of water management, in both natural and engineered systems with the knowledge and skills obtained through this Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a Water Resources and Environmental Engineering concentration, “said Ahmed Khattab, Dean of the College of Engineering.  “Water management is a key industry in the State of Louisiana and the ideal location to specialize in water resources and environmental engineering with its proximity to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico,” continued Khattab.

“Graduates with this concentration will have a number of career opportunities both locally and nationally,” said Dr. Kenneth McManis, Department Head of Civil Engineering.  Students can position themselves to become leaders in addressing emerging challenges linked to water resources and environmental engineering,” continued McManis.

According to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana and the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, Louisiana is projected to spend $1 billion to $2 billion per year for the next 50 years on water-related research and projects in coastal protection and restoration, watershed management, and flood mitigation.

The Fenstermaker Endowed Scholarship in Engineering donated by C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates is available on a competitive basis for students who have declared the Water Resources and Environmental Engineering concentration.

For more information or questions about the water resources and environmental engineering concentration, please email Dr. Ken McManis, Department Head of Civil Engineering at Kenneth.McManis@louisiana.edu.